Shitkari Pranayama cools the body and quenches thirst.
Preparation
- Sit on your favourite Asana (Padma asana, Vajra asana or Sukh asana) in a well ventilated room free from any distractions. Keep the waist, back, neck and spine erect. For the beginners, you can sit on a chair or sit cross legged on the yoga mat/ carpet keeping your back, neck and spine erect.
- Keep your hand in gyan mudra (press your first finger against the thumb and keeping other three fingers straight) on the knees.
Steps
- Fold the tongue so that the tip of the tongue might touch the upper palate.
- Draw in the air through the mouth with the hissing sound "SSSSS". The air flows over your tongue.
- Now, bring your tongue inside the mouth and retain breath as long as you are comfortable.
- Exhale slowly through both nostrils.
Practice
- Do this pranayama 10 to 20 times.
- This pranayama can be done while standing/ walking also.
- You can practice this pranayama in the morning as well as in the evening during the summer season.
Benefits
- Purifies blood.
- Quenches thirst.
- Cools body.
- Makes you more beautiful.
- Reduces high blood pressure.
- Helps to cure acidity, indigestion and fever.
- Reduces the effect of poison, snake bite.
Caution
- This pranayama is prohibited for low blood pressure patients.
- Heart and asthama patients should not hold breath.
- Do not practice this pranayama in winters.
