There’s a particular kind of relief that comes from a breath that actually cools you down — not metaphorically, but in a way you can feel within a few rounds. That breath is Sitali Pranayama, and with the wonderful weather we’ve been having, it feels like the right moment to bring it into our practice.
Sitali is one of the classical pranayamas described in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, where it’s named for its cooling, soothing quality — the word itself comes from the Sanskrit root meaning “cool.” Traditionally it’s been used to calm excess heat in the body and mind: physical heat from sun or exertion, but also the inner heat of irritation, frustration, and overstimulation. It’s excellent for settling a flushed face after practice, taking the edge off a hot afternoon, or simply finding a few minutes of stillness when everything feels a bit much.
How to practise
Find a comfortable seated position, spine long, shoulders soft. Open your mouth slightly and curl the edges of your tongue upward, so it forms a narrow tube or trough, and extend it just past your lips. Inhale slowly through this curled tongue — you’ll notice the air feels distinctly cool as it passes over the moist surface. Close your mouth, draw your chin slightly toward your chest, and exhale gently through the nose. That’s one round. Repeat for several rounds, then let the breath return to normal and simply sit with the effects for a moment.
It’s a simple-sounding technique, and that simplicity is part of why it’s so often picked up from a book or a video and practised without much further thought. I’d encourage you not to do that.
Why guidance matters here
Pranayama is sometimes presented as if it were just breath-shaping — get the mechanics right, follow the count, and the benefits will follow. But the real power of these techniques lies in what’s happening beneath the visible form: the more internal, unseen actions of the breath, the subtle direction of attention, the way energy is actually being moved. This is consistently the part that gets left out of books and articles, not because it’s being withheld, but because it genuinely can’t be taught on a page. It has to be shown, felt, and corrected by someone who can see what’s happening in front of them. Without that guidance, pranayama can become a hollow imitation of the real thing — pleasant enough, but missing the depth that makes it transformative. So please, find a competent teacher to guide your pranayama practice properly. It makes all the difference.
A word on Svadhisthana
In the subtler map of the body that yoga offers us, Sitali is connected to Svadhisthana, the second chakra, seated low in the pelvis and governed by the water element — which is part of why this particular breath has such a cooling, fluid quality. Svadhisthana is also the seat of our emotional life: desire, creativity, sensitivity, and the currents that run beneath our everyday moods.
This is worth knowing, because it means Sitali isn’t simply a neutral cooling trick. Directing concentrated attention and energy into Svadhisthana can stir emotional material that hasn’t yet been settled or worked through, and for some people this can intensify anxious or unsettled states rather than ease them. This is one of many reasons why pranayama should always follow asana in a practice, never come before it. The physical postures move and settle energy through the body first, creating a steadier, more grounded foundation. Arriving at pranayama afterwards, rather than reaching for it cold, means the breath has somewhere stable to land.
When to practise
Sitali is particularly suited to warmer months, after a physical practice, or whenever you notice heat or agitation building — in the body, the mind, or both. It’s generally best avoided by those with low blood pressure, asthma, or a chronic cough, and, as with all pranayama, isn’t a technique to push or force. A handful of easy rounds is plenty.
If you’d like to explore Sitali properly — with the attention and correction it deserves — do join us for a class. I’d love to guide you through it.
Ania
