The cooling breath, or Sheetali as it is also called, is a technique in yoga used to cool down and relax the body. The cooling breath is used in a situation when your body is overheated and you have no way of cooling down. In this article I will describe how to both practice the cooling breath, and perform it like a pro.
Whether you are overheated or just need to relax, the cooling breath can be used in almost any location to cool down your body using your body's natural/built in AC. To practice the cooling breath follow these simple steps listed below.
- Sit or stand in your most comfortable meditative position
- Rest your hands on your thighs in a comfortable position
- Close your eyes gently and relax your body
- Bring your tong out of your mouth and roll the sides to form a tube
- Inhale deeply through the tube, pull your tong back into your mouth and swallow the breath
- Exhale through the nose
To get the full effect of the cooling breath, practice sets of 10-15 breaths. Some say to get relief from extreme heat one must do up to 50 breaths. Just remember that with the cooling breath, practice makes perfect, so keep trying it and you will get better and better! Check this out for more information.
