Healing Practice
Sitkari Pranayama
Sanskrit: Śītkārī Prāṇāyāma
The "Hissing Breath" — a cooling pranayama in which air is drawn in through the teeth with a characteristic hissing sound.
- Tradition
- Yogic Tradition
Introduction
Sitkari takes its name from the hissing sound ("sit") the breath makes being drawn in through the teeth. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika describes inhaling through the lightly closed teeth or curled tongue, briefly retaining the breath, and exhaling through the nose. The text describes it as cooling and states it reduces hunger, thirst and sleepiness — traditional claims reported here as the text's own framing rather than independent medical findings.
As with other breath-retention practices, those with sensitive teeth or gums, cold-aggravated conditions, low blood pressure or respiratory conditions should practice gently or avoid it, and anyone new to pranayama is best guided by a qualified teacher rather than learning retention timing from a written description alone.
Sources & References
- The Hatha Yoga Pradipika — Svatmarama; trans. Pancham Sinh, The Panini Office (Sacred Books of the Hindus, vol. XV) (1914) · Link
Public domain. Classical c. 15th-century Sanskrit hatha yoga text; this early-20th-century English translation is the standard public-domain edition consulted for these entries.