Increase Circulation and Lung Capacity While Relaxing Your Mxind
Sitkari Kumbhaka or Hissing Breath
Kumbhaka Pranayama is a traditional Hatha yoga Pranayama breathing exercise. Kumbhaka (kuhm-BAH-kah) is a Sanskrit word “pot.”
The pot is a human body represented as a pot with two compartments, not just any ordinary pot (one at the pelvis and one at the throat).
The Sanskrit word sitkari means “to sip” or “to hiss.”
The term is most commonly used to describe a sort of yogic breathing exercise known as pranayama.
Sitkari is frequently classified as a kumbhaka, or breath retention pranayama, among the several varieties of pranayama.
The breath is pulled in through the mouth with closed teeth in sitkari pranayama.
Sitkari and a companion practice, sitali pranayama, are regarded as the cooling pranayamas because they have a cooling or calming impact on the body, as opposed to other types of pranayama that are aimed to warm the body.
How To Do This Exercise
1. Sit in a comfortable asana with palms on the knees. Ensure you are comfortable and adjust as necessary.
2. Roll the tongue upwards into a curled shape so that the lower part of the tongue touches the upper palate.
3. Clench the teeth together (but not too hard)! Pull the lips apart so your teeth are showing.
4. Breathe in slowly. Fill your abdomen with air, place your hand on your chest and feel the air flow into your body. While breathing, you’ll notice a small hissing noise that’s produced because of the way your tongue is positioned.
5. Hold the breath for as long as you feel comfortable.
6. Release and exhale slowly through your nose.
Benefits
- It’s shown in a research 1 that sitkari pranayama positively affects the brain waves to relax the body.
- Cooling effect comes out of hissing breath positively impact on the nervous system and endocrine glands. This positive impact releases the emotional and psychological knots present in body and mind.
- The cooling mechanism of Sitkari pranayama is very helpful for people who suffer from anxiety and hypertension.
- Not only does it cools down the body, but it also clears extra heat out of the system by affecting those parts of the brain that regulate body temperature.
- It helps calm down the mind by supporting mental composure.
- As the tooth is exposed in the air while inhaling in this pranayama, It’s also considered beneficial practice for the good health of the teeth.
- Its regular practice reduces hunger pangs & quenches thirst.
Other Benefits
When learning how to warm up your voice before singing, a hissing breath practice is a terrific place to start.
Vocalists are forced to sing from their diaphragms, which improves breath control.
It’s critical to master the exhale on a hiss breathing method by standing up straight and relaxing your body.
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