Cooling Breath
Inhaling through a rolled tongue. The body's own air conditioning — genuinely lowers body temperature, and the standard remedy for summer heat, acidity and anger.
Meaning of the name
Śītala means cool. One of the few practices whose name is a plain description of what it does.
How to practise
- 1
Sit upright with the hands in Gyan Mudra.
- 2
Roll the tongue lengthwise into a tube and extend it a little beyond the lips. (Not everyone can roll the tongue — if you cannot, practise Sheetkari instead.)
- 3
Inhale slowly through the rolled tongue, feeling the air cool as it passes.
- 4
Draw the tongue in, close the mouth, and exhale slowly through the nose.
- 5
Do nine to fifteen rounds.
Benefits
- Lowers body temperature measurably; excellent in the Andhra summer
- Reduces acidity, heartburn and burning sensations
- Calms anger and irritability quickly
- Relieves thirst and dryness of the mouth
- Lowers blood pressure and reduces hot flushes
- Helps mouth ulcers, bad breath and inflamed gums
What happens in the nervous system
Evaporative cooling over the wet surface of the tongue lowers the temperature of blood in the lingual vessels, and cool air over the palate cools blood heading toward the brain. The mechanism is straightforward physics, which is unusual in this field and worth noting.