Certain yoga asanas are very efficient at calming the nervous system and cooling the body. To reduce the core temperature or cool anger and anxiety, try practicing these postures:

• Uttanasana (standing forward bend) or other gentle forward bends
• Supta baddha konasa (reclining bound angle)
• Viparita karani (legs up the wall)
• Salamba sarvangasana (supported shoulder stand)
• Savasana (corpse pose)

There are also specific breathing exercises which can cool down the body. The following pranayamas will cool the nervous system, reduce high blood pressure, and even lower a fever.

How to practice Sheetali breath:
Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position with the tip of the index finger and thumb pressed together in a mudra. Rest the wrists on the knees. Curl both sides of the tongue inward to make a tubular shape. With an open mouth and tongue extended beyond the lips, inhale the air gently through the tongue. Keep the eyes open during the inhalation. Then, bring the tongue inside the mouth, close the eyes, and keep the lips closed as you hold the breath. Exhale slowly through the nose without opening the mouth. Repeat for 15-20 rounds.

If you have difficulty, folding your tongue into a pipe shape, try sheetkari breath to achieve similar cooling effects.

How to practice Sheetkari breath:
Sit in a cross-legged position with the hands in gyan mudra (tips of index and thumb pressed together.) With the mouth open, curl the tongue back and rest the tip of the tongue on the upper palate. Keep the upper and lower teeth together and the eyes open as you slowly pull the air into the body. Then, as you begin to hold the breath, close the eyes, shut the lips, and relax the tongue. Exhale slowly through the nose with the mouth closed. Repeat for 15-20 rounds.

I hope that you will find these techniques bring serenity into your life as well as cooling the body’s temperature.

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Wringing out toxins from the body is a key component of revolving triangle (parvritta trikonasana). At first, balance may be an issue, but once you develop strength in the legs and lower back with repeated practice, it will be easier to open the heart as you reach for the sky.

Separate your feet about 3.5-4 feet apart. The front right foot is at a 90 degree angle and the back left foot is turned in slightly (approximately 45 degrees.) Bend forward from the hips. Place your left hand on the outside of your right foot. Rotate your chest toward the sky. Keep the hips turned down to the ground. Extend your right arm up in the air with the palm turned away from the body. The palm of the raised hand is in line with the shoulder. Turn your gaze up to the raised hand.

At this point, you should be feeling a real twist as everything above the navel line is revolving towards the sky and everything below the navel line is facing the ground.

Repeat the pose on the opposite side.

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Triangle pose (trikonasa) has always been challenging for me. Trying to keep my shoulders stacked, my hips stacked, and the side of my torso extending in line with my front leg doesn’t come easily. However, it does give me an amazing stretch along the obliques.

The pose can relieve lower backaches and stress. The stimulation of the abdominal muscles also improves digestion. And as with most standing poses, triangle improves strength, stability, and balance.

Here’s how to do it on your right side:
From a standing position, step feet about 3.5-4 feet apart, the right, front foot is at a 90 degree angle and the left, back foot is at a 45 degree angle. The right heel should be in line with the left heel. Keep your hips and torso open. Take your arms out to the sides with hands at shoulder height. Press your left hip out to the side and tilt the right side of your torso over the front of the right leg. Be careful to bend from the hip and not the waist. Keep both sides of the torso long. Rotate your torso toward the sky to keep both shoulders and hips stacked. Extend your left arm up into the air and align the raised hand directly over your left shoulder. Turn your head, and gaze up to the left thumb. Reach down with your right hand. Palms are open and turned away from the body.

Repeat the pose on the left side to achieve full benefit.

For a counter-pose, follow it up with revolving triangle.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For yoga in Dunellen, NJ or yoga in Piscataway, NJ and yoga in other Central New Jersey areas, get in touch with me at Yoga Destiny.