Cooling breath

Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.

-Ovid

During a hot day you can choose to eat a lot of icecream. Since I have milk allergy it´s not an option. Even though they sell sherbet in the markets I would say: thank you, but no thanks.

Making your stomach icecold prevents the digestion and puts down the energy instead of raising it.

Instead I would sit down in the shadow and practice the cooling breath (sheetali pranayama).
A breathing technique that not only cools the body temperature.

The benefit of sheetali:

-stimulates the parasymphatetic nervous system
(induces muscle relaxation)
-makes you feel serene, peaceful and calm
-relieves thirst and hunger
-effective for fever and headache
-activate the lever and the spleen
-improve digestion
-immediate remedy for nervousness
-effective on hyperacidity and ulcers
-drops down high blood pressure
-harmonizes the reproductive organs and endocrine system
-purifies the blood (beautifies the skin, brightens the face, lustre in the eyes)

Excellent breathing technique for a person with a pitta dosha who tends to be over heated.

1A.
Roll out your tongue.
Inhale slowly on a count of four.

OR...










1B.
If the genetics prevent you from rolling your tongue.
No problem.
Bite your teeth togheter and keep the mouth open to make it possible for the air to pass.
Roll the tip of your tongue as far back as possible.
Inhale slowly and count to four.






2.
Close your lips.
Hold the breath as long as possible











3.
Keep the mouth closed.
Exhale s-l-o-w-l-y through your nostrils on a count to six.

4.
Repeat the cycle a gain.
Not more than ten rounds or 10 minutes for a beginner.

WARNING!
Watch out! if you have a low blood pressure. (I have got dizzy and fainted).

Don´t practice the cooling breath in a cold weather.
Not for people with a cold, cough, asthma, lung disorder, arthritis or cronice constipation problems