Seetkari Pranayama

We talked at the Monday class about a cooling breathing practice, here it is.

Seetkari Pranayama is also known as the hissing breath. It is a cooling breath

Sit in a comfortable meditation posture. Close the eyes and relax the whole body. Hold the teeth lightly together. Separate the lips, exposing the teeth. The tongue may be kept flat or folded against the soft palate. Breathe in slowly and deeply through the teeth. At the end of the inhale close the mouth and keeping the tongue either flat or folded breathe out slowly through the nose in a controlled manner. Practise 9 rounds

This practice cools the body and the mind. It encourages muscles to relax, and brings tranquillity to the mind. It helps reduce blood pressure and acid in the stomach.

It is not practised in winter.  It is not for people with low blood pressure or respiratory disorders.