Namaste Dear Sonic Friends,
No one loves summer more than I do, but this one has been intense! If you are over heating and looking for a simple way to cool down try this amazing Yoga breathing technique to find relief from the summer heat.
And, please join me for a cooling Meditation on the Water Element and Awakening Svadisthana Chakra July 20, 2021 Join Here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpfu-tqD0rGNx-hlP8RPSrGSLGa1DvNUmE
Enjoy and Stay Cool
Watch Lauren’s Video: Seethali Pranayama
Read More to Practice Sheetali Pranayama
SHEETALI PRANAYAMA
Sheetali, also known as Cooling Breath, is a simple, calming pranayama that you can practice when you feel your physical or mental energy heating up.
The word sheetali comes from the Sanskrit root sheet, meaning “cold” or “frigid,” and sheetali translates roughly as “that which is calm, and soothing”—the perfect pranayama for balancing and clearing excess heat.
Sheetali pranayama is pacifying to pitta and can be helpful any time you want to cool off—in times of hot weather, after intense physical activity, too much time in direct sunlight,or when your emotions get heated.
If you practice sheetali consistently during the warm weather, you will begin to notice a cooling effect on your body, mind, and emotions.
How to Practice Sheetali Pranayama
- Sit in a comfortable seated position with your spine straight. Close your eyes and tune into the movement of your breath.
- Curl your tongue and breathe in slowly, drawing the air through your center of your tongue.
- Bring your hand into Nasigra mudra. Make a peace sign with your pointer and middle finger, place the peace sign on your third eye. Use your thumb to close your right nostril and exhale slowly through your left.
- Repeat three, six, or up to twenty seven times. Until you feel cool.
- Sit in meditation for five minutes or more and allow the benefits to the practice to cool and calm your body, mind, spirit.
- Sheetali pranayama is best practiced on an empty stomach.
- If you cannot curl your tongue, you can practice a variation called Sitkar Pranayama. Bring the tip of your tongue to touch behind your bottom teeth, smile, slightly open your lips and teeth. Then inhale drawing the breath across the surface of your tongue, making a hissing sound. This will have a similar effect as Seethali.
- After you become experienced with this practice you may work with breath retention. Always consult a teacher for guidance before working with more advanced pranayama.
