|
Channeling
the Life Force (Prana) is one of the most important practices
in Yoga.
Pranayama
(Control of Prana) utilizes the breath to channel the flow of
energy in the body and create subtle alterations in the body
systems - digestive, emotional, physiological and
psychological.
Sheetali
Pranayama (also called Cooling Breath) has a calming and
cooling effect upon the body and mind. It is especially useful
in summer when several people experience restlessness due to
heat.
Besides
temperature regulation, this breathing technique reduces
mental tension and emotional excitation.
It relaxes
the muscles, purifies the blood and tones the liver and
spleen.
It also helps
in stemming acidity of the stomach and blood pressure.
How to do
First be
seated comfortably in any of the meditative postures.
Choose the seating posture that is most comfortable for you.
Click here to see a range of meditative postures.
Once seated
comfortably, rest your hands on the knees with the fingers in
the Gyana Mudra. Mudras are gestures that start
electromagnetic currents within the body and balance the
various body elements.
In this
seated position, keep the eyes gently closed and relax the
whole body.
Now gently
bring the tongue outside the mouth as far as possible WITHOUT
feeling any tension or strain.
Roll up both
the sides of the tongue, so that the tongue forms a tubular
structure, like a straw. This is your base position.
|
Variation:
Some people may find it difficult to roll up the sides
of their tongue. In such cases, keep the tongue flatly
resting in the mouth. Then, touch the upper front
teeth (incisors) with the lower front teeth and in
this position part your lips and smile. This is your
base position in case you have difficulty in the
tubular tongue position as explained earlier. |
From the base
position, inhale from the mouth through the 'tubular' tongue.
As the air flows over the moist tongue, it greatly reduces the
temperature of the inhaled breath.
You should feel the coolness over your tongue and upper palate
at every inhalation.
The
inhalation should be deep WITHOUT strain on the lungs or
diaphragm.
After
inhalation, draw back the tongue, close your mouth and exhale
through the NOSE.
This complete
cycle of inhalation-exhalation forms one round.
Sound
while inhaling
In the rolled
tongue position, as you draw the breath in, the sound will be
like that of rustling leaves. In the variation pose, the sound
will be a hissing sound while inhalation.
Frequency
Begin by
practicing 10 rounds and overtime increase both, the duration
of each round as well as the total number of rounds. For
general benefits, practice upto 15 rounds. However, for relief
from symptoms created by hot weather, do upto 50 rounds.
Who should
NOT do
If you suffer
from respiratory conditions such as asthma, wheezing or
bronchitis, please avoid this practice.
If your body
type has a cold disposition characterized by excessive mucus
secretion, this Pranayama should be avoided.
Chronic
constipation sufferers should refrain from this practice.
Those with
heart disease may do so but WITHOUT breath retention.
Unfavorable
Conditions
As we are
bypassing the filtering mechanism of the nose during
inhalation, this practice should NOT be done in a polluted or
dirty environment.
Also, it
should not be practiced during cold weather conditions.
If for any
reason, the above directions seem confusing, you can now
download the video of Sheetali Pranayama at a nominal charge
of $2 to cover our bandwidth costs. To download the video,
Click here.
Enjoy your
summer with the knowledge that you can always cool down when
things get too hot to handle. |
Print this report