Sitali and Sitkari: The Cooling Breaths, Explained Honestly

Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 21 September 2026

Sitali and sitkari are the two classical "cooling" breaths, both drawing inhaled air over a wet surface in the mouth before it reaches the throat. They're gentle, relatively easy to learn, and a good example of a place where the traditional claim (a genuine drop in body heat) and the measurable physiology (a subjective, localised sensation of coolness) diverge in an interesting but honest way.

The short answers

Sitali uses the tongue curled or folded into a tube, or flattened with the sides drawn up, with inhalation drawn over it.
Sitkari uses the teeth: lips parted, tongue behind the teeth or resting on the palate, inhalation drawn hissing through the gaps between the teeth.
Both are listed among the Pradipika's eight kumbhakas, positioned there for their traditional cooling and calming effect on the system.
Not everyone can curl their tongue into a tube for sitali — this is a genetic trait, not a skill; sitkari or a flattened-tongue version of sitali work as substitutes.
The felt coolness is real and immediate (evaporative cooling of a wet surface, plus mouth-breathing itself), but there's no good evidence the whole body's core temperature drops meaningfully.
Both are gentle enough for most people, though sitkari should be practised carefully by anyone with sensitive teeth, and neither should replace medical care for genuine overheating or fever.

Two techniques, one basic idea

Both sitali (sitali meaning cooling) and sitkari (named for the hissing "sit-kari" sound it produces) work on the same basic principle: air is drawn in over a wet surface in the mouth, rather than through the nose, before travelling to the throat and lungs. The immediate sensation is a distinct, pleasant coolness on the tongue or palate as the moving air evaporates a thin layer of saliva. Both appear among the eight kumbhakas in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, chapter 2, grouped there with a stated cooling and calming function within the text's own model.

Sitali: tongue-tube technique

Sit comfortably, and stick the tongue out slightly past the lips.
Curl the outer edges of the tongue upward to form a tube or trough shape.
Inhale slowly through the tongue-tube, feeling the cool air pass over the tongue.
Draw the tongue back in, close the mouth, and exhale slowly through the nose.
Repeat for eight to ten rounds.

Some people cannot curl their tongue into a tube shape at all — this is a genetically variable trait (related to tongue muscle anatomy), not a matter of practice or flexibility, and no amount of trying will produce it for someone whose anatomy doesn't allow it. If that's you, this is not a failure; use the flattened-tongue variant below or move to sitkari.

Flattened-tongue variant: stick the tongue out flat, draw the sides up slightly to create a shallow channel, and inhale over it the same way. This is sometimes taught as "modified sitali" and works for people who can't form the full tube.

Sitkari: teeth technique

Sit comfortably, gently bring the upper and lower teeth together, and part the lips so the teeth are visible.
Rest the tip of the tongue behind the lower teeth, or against the palate, whichever feels natural.
Inhale slowly through the gaps between the teeth, producing a soft hissing sound.
Close the mouth and exhale slowly through the nose.
Repeat for eight to ten rounds.

Sitkari is a useful substitute for anyone who can't curl their tongue for sitali, and some teachers consider it slightly more accessible for that reason.

The traditional cooling claim, and what's actually measurable

The texts describe these breaths as cooling the body and calming excess heat in the system — a claim made within their own framework, sometimes associated with pitta or heat in later, more Ayurveda-influenced teaching (a later synthesis, not something the Pradipika itself frames in Ayurvedic terms). The immediate, subjective sensation of coolness on the tongue and in the mouth is real and easy to explain physiologically: moving air over a moist surface causes evaporative cooling, the same mechanism that makes blowing on wet skin feel cool, and mouth-breathing itself bypasses some of the nasal warming that normally preconditions inhaled air.

Whether this produces a measurable drop in whole-body core temperature is a different and much less settled question. There is limited, small-scale research directly testing this, and what exists does not establish a clear, clinically meaningful reduction in core body temperature from short sessions of sitali or sitkari. It is reasonable to describe the sensation as a real, pleasant, calming effect, worth using on a hot day or as a change of pace in practice, while being honest that it is not a substitute for shade, hydration, rest or medical attention in genuine heat-related illness or fever.

When to be careful

These are among the gentler techniques in this library, but a few points are worth noting: sitkari draws air directly over the teeth and can be uncomfortable for anyone with sensitive teeth, exposed dentin, or recent dental work — sitali is the better choice in that case. Both involve mouth-breathing, which dries the mouth and throat with extended practice, so keep sessions to a reasonable length (a few minutes) and drink water afterward if your mouth feels dry. As with any breath practice, stop if you feel light-headed.

For the broader classical map, see pranayama techniques list. For a throat-based technique that contrasts usefully with these mouth-based ones, see ujjayi breathing. For simple counting to pace either practice, see how to count pranayama ratios.

In practice

Choose your technique
Try curling the tongue for sitali; if it won't curl, use the flattened-tongue variant or move to sitkari.
Inhale slowly over the wet surface
Through the tongue-tube for sitali, or through the gap in the teeth for sitkari, noticing the cool sensation.
Close the mouth to exhale
Draw the tongue in or close the lips, then exhale slowly and quietly through the nose.
Keep rounds short
Eight to ten rounds is a reasonable session length; mouth-breathing dries the mouth with extended practice.
Switch technique if teeth are sensitive
Use sitali rather than sitkari if you have sensitive teeth or recent dental work.
Hydrate afterward
A glass of water after practice addresses the dry-mouth feeling these techniques can leave.

Cautions worth reading

Pranayama changes your breathing pattern, blood gases and blood pressure, sometimes quickly. Stop if you feel dizzy, breathless, light-headed, panicky or unwell, and speak to a doctor before practising any breath-holding or forceful technique if you are pregnant, have high blood pressure, glaucoma or another eye condition, epilepsy, heart disease, a hernia, a panic or anxiety disorder, or have had recent surgery. Retention (kumbhaka) practices, in particular, belong with a qualified teacher.
Not everyone can curl the tongue into a tube; this is anatomical, not a skill gap, and the flattened-tongue variant or sitkari work just as well.
Avoid sitkari, or practise briefly, if you have sensitive teeth, exposed dentin or recent dental work; use sitali instead.
These are not a treatment for fever or heat-related illness; seek appropriate medical care for genuine overheating.
As with any breath practice, stop if you feel light-headed or unwell.

Where the evidence stands

The immediate cooling sensation is easily explained by evaporative cooling of a moist mouth surface plus the effect of bypassing nasal air-warming, both plausible physiological mechanisms. Evidence for a meaningful drop in whole-body core temperature from short sessions of sitali or sitkari is limited and does not establish a clinically significant effect; most of what's measurable is a local, subjective sensation of coolness rather than a documented change in overall body temperature.

Questions people ask

+ What is the difference between sitali and sitkari?

Sitali draws air in over a curled or flattened tongue extended past the lips. Sitkari draws air in through the gaps between the teeth, with the mouth slightly open and the tongue resting behind the teeth or on the palate.

+ What if I can't curl my tongue for sitali?

This is a genetic trait, not something you can train. Use the flattened-tongue variant of sitali, or switch to sitkari, which doesn't require tongue curling.

+ Do sitali and sitkari actually cool the body down?

They produce a real, immediate cooling sensation in the mouth from evaporation, but there isn't strong evidence that short sessions meaningfully lower whole-body core temperature.

+ Can I do sitali or sitkari if I have sensitive teeth?

Sitkari draws air directly over the teeth and can be uncomfortable with sensitive teeth or recent dental work; sitali is the better choice in that case.

+ How many rounds of sitali should I practise?

Eight to ten rounds is a reasonable session. Mouth-breathing dries the mouth and throat, so keep sessions brief and drink water afterward.

+ Are sitali and sitkari mentioned in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika?

Yes, both appear among the eight kumbhakas described in chapter two.

Sources

*Hatha Yoga Pradipika* (Svatmarama), chapter 2 — the eight kumbhakas (breath retentions): Surya Bhedana, Ujjayi, Sitkari, Sitali, Bhastrika, Bhramari, Murchha and Plavini. Sanskrit with translation: Brian Dana Akers, YogaVidya.com.
*Gheranda Samhita*, chapter 5 — its own pranayama chapter, with a staged, purification-first approach and its own list of kumbhakas. Sanskrit with translation: Brian Dana Akers, YogaVidya.com.
*Yoga Sutras of Patanjali*, 2.49–2.53 — pranayama defined structurally, as the regulation of inhalation, exhalation and retention, following posture (asana), rather than by named techniques.
James Mallinson & Mark Singleton, *Roots of Yoga* (Penguin Classics, 2017) — on the textual history and variation between sources for these practices.
Mark Singleton, *Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice* (Oxford, 2010) — on how twentieth-century teaching reshaped pranayama for group classes.

Educational content, not medical advice. Check with a doctor before starting new practices if you have a health condition or are pregnant.