On a sweltering afternoon, most of us reach for a cold drink or a fan. Yoga offers another small tool: a breathing practice traditionally described as cooling. It is called sitali, and it takes only a few minutes, needs no equipment and can be done in a chair. Many people find the sensation of cool air moving across the tongue surprisingly refreshing.
Where sitali comes from
Sitali, also spelled shitali or sheetali, is one of the pranayama practices of hatha yoga. Pranayama refers to the deliberate shaping of the breath. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a well-known yoga text from the fifteenth century, describes sitali alongside a related practice called sitkari. The name comes from a Sanskrit word meaning cool, and the practice has long been associated with hot weather.
We share it here as a pleasant, simple experience to try, not as a remedy for anything.
How to practice sitali
- Sit comfortably, with your back upright but relaxed. A chair is fine.
- Take one or two ordinary breaths and let your shoulders drop.
- Open your mouth and curl the sides of your tongue upward to form a tube, letting the tip extend slightly past your lips.
- Inhale slowly and smoothly through the tube of your tongue, as if sipping air through a straw. Notice the coolness.
- Close your mouth and exhale slowly through your nose.
- Repeat for five to ten rounds, then return to normal breathing for a minute and notice how you feel.
If you cannot curl your tongue
Not everyone can roll the tongue into a tube, and that is perfectly fine. The alternative, sitkari, works for anyone. Bring your upper and lower teeth lightly together, part your lips and draw the breath in slowly through the gaps between your teeth, making a soft hissing sound. Close your mouth and exhale through your nose. The incoming air feels cool on the teeth and tongue in much the same way.
When to try it, and when to skip it
Sitali can be a nice companion to a summer day: after coming inside from the heat, after an evening walk, during an afternoon slump or as part of a wind-down routine on a warm night. Pair it with a cool shower or a glass of water rather than using it in place of them.
Because you are breathing in through the mouth, practice where the air is clean. Skip it outdoors on heavy pollen days or anywhere smoky or dusty. Go slowly, and stop if you feel lightheaded, dizzy or uncomfortable. If you have a respiratory or heart condition, are pregnant or have any other health concern, talk to your doctor before trying new breathing practices. And on genuinely dangerous heat days, no breathing technique replaces shade, water, air conditioning and medical help when it is needed.
Used gently, sitali is a small summer ritual: a few cool breaths, a few quiet moments and a reminder that even in the heaviest heat, you can pause, slow down and come back to yourself.