Ishnan: Kundalini Cold Shower Practice | Breath of Fire

Q: What materials we use

We work with three fabrics. Three. Not thirty.Brushed Organic Cotton Jersey (220g, made in Portugal) soft, slightly thick, with a peach-skin touch. Our flagship. The Sohang, Yamala and Mahan are knitted from this.Mercerized Organic Cotton Jersey (180g, made in Portugal) lighter, smoother, with a subtle natural sheen. Our new Essence Collection uses this for models like Ankaa, Nashira, Maia.Bamboo Viscose blended with Organic Cotton (made in Turkey) cool, breathable, fluid. Used for the Lilii pants and the Mizar Kimono. Bamboo regrows in three to five years, without replanting and without irrigation.Most pieces include around 8% certified elastane, enough to hold shape over years of wear, without losing breath.We use every meter of yarn we knit. What we don't sew, we save for repairs and samples. Nothing goes to waste.

Q: Three generations of women

Three generations of women.My grandmother Johanna sewed evening dresses by hand. Long, careful, beautiful work, a kind of patience that has all but disappeared.My mother, Cornelia, learned from her. In 2009, she founded Breath of Fire. The very first piece she designed, the Sohang, was created on the floor of her living room in Switzerland, with a yoga teacher friend named Christina. It is still our flagship today, seventeen years later.Today, I ( Pernelle) run the brand. I do not redesign what works. I extend it. The Essence Collection, launched in 2025, sits beside the Evergreen line. New silhouettes, same intention.We do not design for trends. We design for the body in practice, for the moment when the breath deepens, when the posture lengthens, when you forget what you are wearing.That is the test of a piece. Forgetting it on. Returning to it.

The first drops are a shock. The breath catches, the skin tightens, every nerve wakes up at once. Then the hands start to move, rubbing arms, shoulders, chest. The cold becomes warmth. A minute later you step out, glowing, wide awake. In Kundalini yoga, this morning ritual has a name: ishnan.

Ishnān (also written ishnaan) is the Punjabi word for bathing, from the Sanskrit snāna. In the Sikh tradition, bathing at dawn is part of the daily discipline: the triad Naam, Daan, Ishnaan (remembrance of the divine, giving, and cleansing) sums up a way of life. In Kundalini yoga, ishnan refers more precisely to a cold shower taken in the morning, before the sadhana.

What Kundalini yoga teaches about ishnan

In Kundalini yoga, ishnan is described as a form of hydrotherapy. It is taught that cold water first brings the blood to the surface of the skin, and that it then flows back towards the organs, which is felt as a wave of warmth. Practitioners describe three kinds of effects:

In the body: a strong feeling of being awake, warm skin, energy in the morning.
In the mind: clarity, presence, the feeling of having started the day with a choice rather than a habit.
In the subtle body: in the tradition, ishnan is said to refresh the aura and to prepare the energy for meditation. These ideas belong to the yogic view of the body described in our article on the koshas.

These effects are described by tradition and by personal experience. They are not medical promises.

Woman in a white Cephei organic cotton t-shirt and Sohang yoga legging — After the cold, warm cotton: the Cephei t-shirt in white with the Sohang legging.

Precautions before you begin

A cold shower is a strong stimulus for the body. Please read this before trying it.

Heart conditions and high blood pressure: cold water causes a sudden reaction of the heart and blood vessels. If you have a heart condition, high blood pressure or a circulation problem, do not practise ishnan without asking your doctor first.
Pregnancy: avoid cold showers during pregnancy unless your doctor or midwife agrees.
Menstruation: in the Kundalini yoga tradition, ishnan is avoided during menstruation. A warm shower is recommended on those days.
Start gradually: begin with a few seconds of cold water at the end of a warm shower, then lengthen little by little over several weeks.
Never in a cold room: the bathroom should be warm, and you should be able to dry off and dress warmly right away.
Listen to your body: skip ishnan if you have a fever, a cold or feel unwell, and stop if you feel dizzy or very short of breath.

How ishnan is practised

Prepare the skin. In Kundalini yoga, it is often recommended to massage the body with a little almond oil before the shower.
Protect the thighs. Some Kundalini yoga teachers recommend keeping the thighs covered, for example with cotton shorts.
Step in and out. Start with the feet and hands, then go under the water. Massage the body briskly while the water runs: arms, legs, chest, back. Step out of the water, massage again, then go back under. Repeat a few times.
Breathe. The first reflex is to hold the breath. Keep breathing instead, long and deep. Some practitioners chant a mantra out loud under the water.
Stop when the water feels less cold. A few minutes are enough. The goal is to warm up, not to endure.
Dry and dress. Rub the skin vigorously with a towel, dress warmly, and sit down on the mat.

Why ishnan before the sadhana?

In the tradition, ishnan is the threshold of the morning practice. It wakes the body before sitting down, so that sleepiness does not take over the meditation. It is also a first act of will: once you have stepped under cold water, getting onto the mat seems easy. Many practitioners follow it with breathing, for example a few minutes of Breath of Fire or the techniques in our guide to pranayama, and then a meditation with a mantra.

Lilii women's loose fit yoga pants in mint — Loose and soft for the morning meditation: the Lilii pants in mint.

After ishnan, the skin is awake and sensitive. It deserves soft, natural fibres. Our Evergreen pieces in brushed organic cotton keep you warm during the stillness of meditation. To understand the tradition behind all this, read the magical powers of Kundalini yoga.

Frequently asked questions

Does ishnan have to be done with cold water?

In Kundalini yoga, ishnan refers to cold water. But the tradition also insists on gradual practice: starting with a warm shower and ending with a few seconds of cold water is a good beginning.

How long should ishnan last?

A few minutes are enough: until the water no longer feels as cold and the skin is warm. There is no point in staying under the water longer.

Can I practise ishnan in winter?

Yes, as long as the bathroom is warm and you can dress warmly straight afterwards. Never practise in a cold room.

Who should avoid ishnan?

People with a heart condition, high blood pressure or circulation problems should ask their doctor first. It is also avoided during pregnancy and, in the Kundalini yoga tradition, during menstruation.

Cold water. Warm skin. A morning that begins awake.

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What you wear matters. The texture against skin. The breath that moves freely. Pieces that soften with the years.

Our clothes are certified organic cotton, knitted and sewn in Portugal in small batches since 2009. Natural fibers. Slow craft. Clothing for those who pay attention to what touches the body.

Near Porto, in Portugal, two small family businesses work side by side for us. The first, in one village, knits our organic cotton from scratch and dyes it to our specifications. The second, in the next village, cuts and sews. We have been visiting both every year since 2009. We know the people by name. We share meals when we visit. They have watched our collections grow alongside their own children.

During the Covid years, when organic cotton and bamboo became briefly impossible to source in Portugal, we found a second family workshop in Turkey — also ethical, also certified, also personal. About 5% of what we make passes through their hands today. The Mizar Kimono and a few Lilac pieces from past collections come from there.

Most yoga brands buy fabric from a market — pre-made rolls, ready to cut. We don't. Every meter of jersey we use is knitted from scratch to our specifications. That is why the Sohang feels the way it does. That is why a five-year-old pair softens instead of wearing thin.

A slower way of making clothes. Sometimes inconvenient. Always worth it.

Sustainability for us is not a marketing department. It is a series of small, sometimes annoying choices we have made since 2009.

We chose certified organic cotton when it was 40% more expensive than conventional or plastic fabrics. We still pay that premium today. We grow without external capital which means we cannot afford to overstock, so we don't. We use every meter of yarn we order, even when it means smaller runs and longer waits. We are 100% self funded and all the money is placed in ethical funds in a local bank.

We focus on evergreen pieces, the Sohang, the Amrit, the Amba instead of seasonal collections. Some of these designs are over a decade old and still our bestsellers. A garment worn for ten years on a body is the most sustainable thing a fashion brand can make.

Our fabrics are dyed with processes gentle enough for a baby's skin. We package in either recycled or biodegradable bags. We ship from our small warehouse in Cully (Switzerland) or our partner in Germany, never overseas.

We don't tick every box. We are not perfect. But these are the choices we make, and we make them visible.

We work with three fabrics. Three. Not thirty.

Brushed Organic Cotton Jersey (220g, made in Portugal) soft, slightly thick, with a peach-skin touch. Our flagship. The Sohang, Yamala and Mahan are knitted from this.

Mercerized Organic Cotton Jersey (180g, made in Portugal) lighter, smoother, with a subtle natural sheen. Our new Essence Collection uses this for models like Ankaa, Nashira, Maia.

Bamboo Viscose blended with Organic Cotton (made in Turkey) cool, breathable, fluid. Used for the Lilii pants and the Mizar Kimono. Bamboo regrows in three to five years, without replanting and without irrigation.

Most pieces include around 8% certified elastane, enough to hold shape over years of wear, without losing breath.

We use every meter of yarn we knit. What we don't sew, we save for repairs and samples. Nothing goes to waste.

Three generations of women.

My grandmother Johanna sewed evening dresses by hand. Long, careful, beautiful work, a kind of patience that has all but disappeared.

My mother, Cornelia, learned from her. In 2009, she founded Breath of Fire. The very first piece she designed, the Sohang, was created on the floor of her living room in Switzerland, with a yoga teacher friend named Christina. It is still our flagship today, seventeen years later.

Today, I ( Pernelle) run the brand. I do not redesign what works. I extend it. The Essence Collection, launched in 2025, sits beside the Evergreen line. New silhouettes, same intention.

We do not design for trends. We design for the body in practice, for the moment when the breath deepens, when the posture lengthens, when you forget what you are wearing.

That is the test of a piece. Forgetting it on. Returning to it.

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Ishnan: the Cold Shower Practice of Kundalini Yoga

What Kundalini yoga teaches about ishnan

Precautions before you begin

How ishnan is practised

Why ishnan before the sadhana?

Frequently asked questions

Does ishnan have to be done with cold water?

How long should ishnan last?

Can I practise ishnan in winter?

Who should avoid ishnan?

Wear your frequency.

Two villages in Portugal make your clothes

The slow choices behind our sustainability

What materials we use

Three generations of women