It’s funny how the summer sneaks up on us.  It seems like just yesterday we were still starting the day in the 40s…Life seems to do the same thing—we “hibernate” through the winter, gradually awaken through Spring and just as the temperature suddenly soars into the 90s, we find that we have 90 things to take care of—usually all at once.  And somewhere between social engagements, business engagements, vacation, camp, weddings and other celebrations, how do we find the time to stop and smell the roses that have finally bloomed?  Simple answer – by stopping and smelling them.  Are we oversimplifying?  Maybe, but it takes only seconds to smell that rose, a minute to know it intimately.  The same goes for your breath, your practice, your life.  Just commit yourself fully in that moment and you’re on your way…

Staying Cool with Sitali Pranayama

The instructions below are summarized from B.K.S. Iyengar's Light on Yoga.  Please refer to this amazing resource for more detailed instruction.

With the warm weather here, whether you’re practicing asana, preparing for meditation or just running for the Long Island Railroad (we speak from experience), Sitali Pranayama is a great way to cool down and refresh.  Sitala means cool in Sanskrit.  Prana means life-force and Yama means to control.  So Sitali Pranayama literally means to cool by controlling the life force (or breath). 

Caution:  If you have heart trouble, you should not try Sitali early on nor should you retain the inhale.  Getting familiar with other pranayamas such as Ujjayi (victorious breath) and Nadi Sodhana (alternate nostril breathing without retention) would be a better place to start.

To practice Sitali Pranayama, in a seated position with a long spine:

1. Shape your mouth in a small “O” (like you were going to place a straw in it)

2. Roll the sides of your tongue toward each other and stick it slightly outside your mouth

3. Breath in as if sipping through a straw

Skip steps 4 and 5 if you have high blood pressure or heart trouble!

4. Gently let your chin tuck in toward your heart so your neck lengthens behind you (Jalandhara Bandha)

5. Retain the inhale for about 5 seconds

6. Slowly exhale

7. If you did steps 4 and 5, lift your head back up

8. Repeat

You can continue with Sitali for 5-10 minutes, but even a couple of minutes is a fine cool down.  Sitali is exhilarating, cools the system, the eyes and ears. It is beneficial in cases of low fever. It activates the liver and spleen, improves digestion and relieves thirst.

You can also practice steps 1, 2, 3 and 6 together (breathing in through the “straw” without lowering your head or holding the inhale) in asana or in a standing position (not while moving) for a quick cool down.

With summer just around the corner, we welcome you to meet the 3 H’s – hazy, hot and humid – with 3 H’s of your own—happiness, heart-fullness and humor.  And not just when you’re sitting on the beach watching the waves rise and fall on the shore or at a resort sipping margaritas, that's way too easy-– we’re talking about the day you’re sitting on the Long Island Railroad without air conditioning and the sweet smell of humanity abounds; when you’re on line at the supermarket and the person ahead of you painstakingly counts out five dimes, two nickels and three pennies to make exact change; when you step out from your comfy air conditioned house or office or car and it feels as though you’ve just walked into a wall of fire.  That’s when happiness, heart-fullness and humor are hardest to muster up—and when they can be our savior.  All 3 of these are incredibly contagious force-- joy breeds joy, love nourishes love and laughter begets laughter-- not just spreading to others, but most importantly within ourselves. 

Where to begin?  Start by staying in the moment, acknowledging what’s happening right here and now, throwing in a little perspective – where does your situation rank on the worldwide suffering continuum -- and setting your intention.  A few full breaths to help germinate that single seed of intention and soon enough you have your own rain forest with a canopy of trees keeping you cool.  And then, my friend, you’ve got it made in the shade.