17012109 How to Master Kechari Mudra Technique

7/30/2019 17012109 How to Master Kechari Mudra Technique

1/16

Alternative Cures

Ebay.comAmazon.com

Log inHow to master Kechari Mudra techniqueMarch 28th, 2008 Smile Posted in Spirituality |

Disclamer: Please consult your doctor before doing any of these practices. Allthis is for educational purposes, and if you are stupid enough to do it, do notblame others if you harm yourself in the process. You had been warned.

November 1st, 2005: Written by Victor .

My own story is less dramatic yet also a deepening of practice.

After doing pranayama for over 20 years every day in the Iyengar tradition I felta need to go farther. I had been curious about kechari for many years but foundthat although most serious yogis knew OF it, none had actually experienced it.After seeking this teaching online I finally found it on the advanced yoga

practices website and began exploring. First of all I was able to get the tonguepast the the uvula already (stage 2) but didn t know anything beyond that. At this point I snipped the tongue once and stretched it every day. I found the ache ofthe snip to be uncomfortable for about a week and was reluctant to do it again.When that week was over I was able to get the tongue deep in trhe pharynx anddecided that practice and stretching were all I needed. By holding the tongue withmy hand (after drying it a bit) and just gently pulling out and left and right forawhile everyday (I did it while driving) I was able to easily get the frenumstretched to where I need it to be. Then I practiced keeping the tongue in thepharynx for much of my time exploring the inner geography there. It did feel thatit completed a circuit like a 4th bandha that was misisng in my practice and hasbecome an integral paret of my pranayma and meditation.

I also changed my practice. Previously I had done 20 minutes a day of sittingpranayama in lotus pose, now I added a practice at the end of the day and alsochanged how I practiced.

I now start with 5 minutes of nauli which is coming slowly. I can do the middlenauli but the rolling motion is a bit difficult and is taking time to master. Ipersevere with 5 minutes twice a day so I know it will come. This is followed by15 minutes of pranayama is siddhasana as instructed by Yogani, the teacher on tehwebsite. During this time I do dynamic jalandhara which involves head rotations while doing pranayama in kechari. The practice involves first taking the tongueinto kechari and then letting the air out and as I slowly inhale I roll the headslowly in a circle. At the end of the inhalation I reverse the direction andretain the breath until i feel the urge to exhale, then exhaling I continue the

same direction until empty, then retain with empty lungs to capacity with uddiyanaand inhale. this is all done with the head rotating the same direction until I endthe inhale and start to hold the breath, then I reverse the rotation. I do thiscontinuously for 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of bastrika followed by 15minutes of mantra meditation all in kechari. This powerful practice has energizedme and I am very enthusiastic about its progress.

There is more about the inner details of kechari but I ll finish this post here and maybe add some later. It is wonderful to see that someone else is practicingthis and it i great to share experiences!


2/16

October 31st, 2005: Kavindra On Kechari Mudra (clipped from Google groups)

It is interesting to me to suddenly see discussion of kechari mudra appear on thisNG at this time. I have occasionally deliberated whether or not to bring thesubject up myself, and was fascinated to see that such a discussion appearedsimultaneously with my own posting in reference to it to Keutzer. It is a reliefto me to write about it, since kechari mudra is at the center of the mainchallenge I have been facing in my sadhana over the last couple of years.

Both my Guru, Swami sri Krpalvananda, and his designated successor, Swami sriRajarshi Muni, have experienced this mudra. I know that the descriptions of ithave puzzled (and probably horrified) many people when they have come across themin the Yoga Shastras.

For those who are interested in reading the Shastric writings on kechari mudra,brief (and very cryptic) references can be found to it in the Siva Samhita,Hathayoga Pradipika, and Gherandha Samhita. A more extensive description can befound in the Yogakundali Upanishad.

KIDS: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! Those writings are intended for those who havehad initiation into the specific kind of Yoga they address. Without the secret

keys of this initiation, these books cannot be fully understood. Attempting to cut the tongue with a knife, pull it with pliers, and insert it into the sinuscavity will not bring the effects these Shastras describe. Although they utilizethese symbolic terms to represent what occurs spontaneously when one progressesfar enough into surrender to shakti, anyone who tries to take them as literalinstructions will destroy their chances of attaining Samadhi.

I myself was on the verge of making this terrible mistake when I first discoveredthe writings of Swami Krpalvananda. I had spent several years attempting topractice Yoga without the guidance of a Guru. I was under the misconception thatthe secret of Yoga was something I could deduce by reading and cross-referencing all the ancient texts I could get my hands on, and experimenting with what Ithought were the instructions they gave. I thought that I was being intelligent by

doing this, thus avoiding the Guru-disciple relationship, which appeared to me tobe submissive and exploitative. I thought I was being smart, but I was almost toostupid to live.

My self-directed approach yielded many powerful experiences, but after a while Ibecame aware that there was another level to which I was unable to attain. I triedto think of something (besides initiation) which would enable me to break throughto this level. The only viable candidate which seemed to carry this possibilitywas kecari mudra, which I had avoided experimenting with for obvious reasons. Ibought myself some tumeric and sea salt, and took a knife to the tendon beneath mytongue. Frightened of the pain, I managed to make only the slightest nick in thetendon after about an hour of anxiety and wincing. In spite of the pain, I wasfeeling pretty proud of myself for that little scratch when I was done.

I can only attribute it to the Grace of God that I acquired a book (now out ofprint) entitled Krpalupanishad. This was a translation of some of the more technical writings by Swami Krpalvananda, compiled and edited by one of hisdisciples. I got it later that very same day. I happened to have the opportunityto stop through an ashram some distance from where I lived, and wanted to buy anew book on Yoga since I had read & studied all the ones I had collected up untilthat point. The trouble was that the many books by various spiritual teachers weretoo expensive for my limited income. Krpalupanishad was on a sale rack, as its publication was being discontinued- most people find it to be far too technical tounderstand.


3/16

Which was largely the case for me. However, the sections that I did comprehendwere able to immediately answer a number of questions I had been harboring- andmost importantly, explained why one should never attempt to produce khecari mudraby willfully cutting themselves.

I will emphasize here that my personal experience of kechari mudra is limited. Ihave experienced the beginning of the process, up to and including the spontaneous

(but in my case, partial) tearing of the froenulum. Because my life circumstancesdemand that I place limitations on the intensity of my sadhana at this time, Igenerally put the brakes on when prana begins to advance this process. What follows is a recapitulation of what the Masters in my lineage have described inregards to it.

There are ten mudras which develop in a specific sequence that are integral to theprocess or raising the awakened kundalini. They begin to occur when the currentsof prana which normally progress downwards and outwards reverse their directionand begin to flow upwards along the shushumna. Khecari mudra is fifth in thesequence, following mulabandhamudra, uddiyanabandhamudra, jalandharabandhamudra,and shakticalalamudra in that order.

Khecari mudra specifically is preceded by three processes: Jhivana kriya, dolanakriya, and nabho mudra. Jhivana kriya are those spontaneous movements which causethe tendon under the tongue to become separated. The initial cut usually occurswhen the tongue extends itself as to its limit, and moves back and forth acrossthe lower front teeth in a sawing motion. When this began to occur to me, I wasstruck by how much this movement resembled movements made by psychiatric patientssuffering from the neurological disorder called Tardive Dyskenesia (I have beenemployed in a number of different psychiatric settings over the years, which givesme some perspective on what may be happening on the neurological level with theseprocesses).

I must again emphasized that these movements occur without any volition at all.When they begin, it is tempting to try to help the process along willfully,

which is a disaster. Inventing exercises to strengthen the tongue may help, butare not necessary (there is some debate as to whether or not doing this will be ahindrance in meditation later on).

The fingers may form into a pincer-shape and further widen the initial incision.How such an operation can occur without the individual intending it may be apuzzle to some readers, so I will cite a parallel again from neuropathology:Certain types of Obsessive-Compulsive disorder in which the individual experiencesa strong compulsion to pluck at or pick at a specific spot on the body. This urgedevelops out of a state of inner tension, which is then relieved by the compulsivebehavior. What happens in the meditation of surrender to shakti is similar- withthe exception, of course, that it can be controlled at any time, and does not havethe compulsive quality once the meditation session has ended. It is fascinating,

though, how the sensation of pain is experienced as a sensation of relief when thetendon is being cut; it is as if a vague itch is being scratched. Of course, thesense of relief is no longer there when meditation is concluded for the day, andthe person may be quite uncomfortable the rest of the time.

Nabho mudra consists of curling the tongue towards the back of the mouth in a waythat stretches the tendon. This minor mudra can occur as a part of otherprocesses; here it of course occurs in order to further enlarge the incision.

When jhivana kriya frees the tongue from the bottom of the mouth, dolana kriya canthen really begin to achieve its purpose: The lengthening and strengthening of the


4/16


5/16

Note that the activity of kechari mudra on the pineal and pituitary glands hassome very profound effects on the whole body- a kind of reversal of puberty, it would seem- part of the process of becoming an urdhvaretas Yogi. It should benoted that the tasting of nectar has something to do with this. Most people seem to think that nectar or sweetness means the taste of snot from having the tongue in the sinus cavity. This is not amrta!

*************************************************

October 30th, 2005: While practicing Kriya, when the mind becomes enchanted in listening to nada, the sound of Aum, a divine nectar-like current flows from thesahasrara. Through the performance of Kechari Mudra, touching the tip of thetongue to the uvula or little tongue, (or placing it in the nasal cavity behind the uvula), that divine life-current draws the prana from the senses into thespine and directs it up through the chakras to Vaishvanara (Universal Spirit),uniting the consciousness with Spirit. The entire body is thereby spiritualizedand energized. As a result, a perceptible glow may emanate from the body. Paramahansa Yogananda

Lifted from the book entitled, Mejda , page 279

Here is a nice story:

Ahh what a blessing to see interest here at tribe about the divine practice ofKechari Mudra. I have a beautiful story about my initiation into Kechari with theTribe.

Some time in early 2000 I went seeking higher teachings of yoga, convinced that myenthusiasm for perfecting asana yoga was leading me closer to auditions for theCirque de Solei than to true illumination. Soon thereafter I was led to a teachernamed Jon Peck in southern California who shared with me the path of the kundalinatantra. He shared with me the practices of udiyana bhanda, nauli, and relatedpractices to activate manipura chakra. About nine months later after completing afour month winter retreat in an old growth forest in up in British Columbia, I

finally began to develop the necessary internal abdominal muscle control toactivate manipura and gained mastery of the practices.I wondered what the further practices along the path awaited me and recalled Jon s words that when I was ready the teachings would appear. And they did!

Late one evening as the drum circle at the 2001 Canadian rainbow gathering wasdwindling, I entered a deep meditation. I emerged to meet the gaze of anAustralian yogi who later introduced himself as Eric. He sat down and proceeded torelate the following story to me.

There is an advanced yoga practice called kechari mudra. It is historically only taught directly from guru to disciple, but I am sharing this with you because Isee that you are ready for to receive it. There will come a day when there will be

a great battle, a conflagration across the land. Some will fight, some will fleeand others will simply ascend. This practice will help prepare you for that day.He then proceeded to instruct me in the practice of Kechari mudra. Before he lefthe also told me that it would probably take nine months to a year to master themudra.

I never saw the yogi again, but I began stretching my tongue and even nipped thefrenulum to help increase tongue flexibility. A month or two went by and I wastruly beginning to doubt the practice. I had told several yogis about the practiceand they each grimaced or laughed. Then one day while driving up to the LittleSlocan valley to a little cabin where my brother Desitino and I were heading to do


6/16

a fasting retreat for the fall, I voiced, Wow I really wish I would meet that brother again to verify the teachings. A few minutes later we arrived at thecabin, I found in an old stack of books a small manual called, The Kundalini Tantra by the Bihar School of Yoga. I opened the book to page 72 and saw Kechari Mudra the secret of the ambrosial fluid.

I dove into the text, landed at the feet of the master, cried and gave thanks. Myprayers had been answered almost immediately. According to the text, Kechari mudra

had several stages. The first being to put the tongue on the roof of the mouthdirectly behind the front teeth, what Taoists would call completing themicrocosmic circuit. The second stage is to press the tongue on the soft palletand stretch it upwards, thus stimulating the many nerve endings. The third stageis to slip the tongue behind the dangly thing and up the nasal pharanyx. Which stimulates nerve endings that lead to the frontal cortex, the part of the brainthat scientists tell us we rarely use. The fourth stage was to stretch the tongueupwards and press on the underside of the pineal gland to help reactivate thissleepy organ.

It all made such perfect sense to me. Suddenly a flash of memory returned to mefrom my childhood when in the second grade in South Carolina, the school principalcame to our class, warned us about stretching our tongues back into our mouths and

told us a harrowing tale of a youth who had suffocated after swallowing histongue. Of course, the reptilians were using scare tactics to prevent kids formdiscovering the path towards bliss.

I shared with my brother Destino the text on Kechari and we both began practicing.According to the Bihar School of Yoga, once Kechari mudra has been mastered, itactivates Bindu Visarga, (the sixth and a half Chakra located at the back of thehead where the Krisnas leave their long braid) to produce ambrosial fluid, theelixer of life. The ambrosial fluid travels up from Bindu Visarga to the seventhchakra Sushumna and then drips down the throat enabling the yogi to enter samadhiand sustain breathless life. The book also stated, however, if Kechari mudra isattempted before the lower chakras are purified, rather than ambrosial fluid apoison will be secreted.

Kechari became a part of our daily practice and for the next couple of months wewere on a mission to purify and cleanse through a diet of only sprouts, wheatgrass and our own urin. (look for the Urin or You re Out Tribe) As the weeks went by my progress in Kechari seemed dismally slow while Destino made rapid stridestowards mastery. Then one day I returned from town to find him face down on hismat and deathly pale. He rolled over with barely enough energy to speak told methat the night before he had done Kechari mudra. He felt an electrifying sensationthrough his body when his tongue slipped up into the nasal pharanyx, a feelingthat he was beginning to levitate, and then a terrible nauseating feeling thatswept over him. For the next five days he laid in bed with barely the strength tostand up.So I continued practicing Kechari on my own for the next half a year until I

arrived down in Costa Rica where I wanted to do a 21 day breatharian fast andmeditate in the jungle. I was invited to a magical community called Dolphin Questand was given the opportunity to sit alone in a small house in the jungle while Ifasted. For the first seven days I fasted on air, no food and no water. And on daythree, finally I felt my tongue slip past the dangly thing in the back of mythroat and slip into my nasal pharanyx. Sitting in meditation my entire beingerupted in ecstatic waves of sensual excitement. I felt like a young virgin beingpenetrated for the first time by a lover. A light in my third eye illuminated likeI was staring at the mid day sun. Along with the electrifying sensations in myforehead came waves of fear that my tongue would get stuck and I would suffocate.I struggled to overcome the fear and soon found that if I pressed my tongue


7/16

forward that I could even breath! Riveted by a million new sensations in a part ofmy body that I had never even been aware of I sank into the bliss of kecharimudra . Stage 3.

During those 21 days I practiced Kechari Stage 3 every day and each time mymeditation turned instantly lucid and heightened. In addition to the explosivesensations I felt in my forehead I soon began to feel my pineal gland pulsing. Theveil between my waking life, meditations and dream world started to lift and I

began to catch glimpses of my true galactic identity.Returning to life after my fast, I found that I could only do Kechari mudra whenmy body was empty and my mind was still, otherwise I would gag instantly. I vowedto continue practicing and could only imagine what Stage 4 of Kechari mudra mightreveal. For that I had to wait almost another year until I entered a 20 daydarkness retreat in Mexico. To read about my experience with kechari Mudra in thecave, please look for the new Heart of Darkness Tribe.

I in pursuit of eternal truths, love and infinite wisdomTenasi

*************************************************

Kechari Mudra is practiced by placing the tongue in the nasal cavity. The goldline symbolizes the nadi going through the center of the tongue. Kechari mudra isachieved by practicing talavya kriya. Students are advised against cutting thefrenulum. Kechari can be achieved through dedicated practice of talavya kriyawhich brings about kechari naturally. Energy radiates through the tongue tostimulate the Ajna center and the 3rd ventricle of the brain. This kriya is taughtin the original kriya of Babaji in the Lahiri Mahasaya Lineage. Some organizationsomit this kriya, and Nabhi kriya in their instruction of 1st Kriya to theirstudents. However, kechari mudra must be achieved for the higher kriyas taught inthe Lahiri Mahasaya Lineage to be effective. Without the practice of talavya kriyaor one similar to it, kechari mudra can not be achieved in a natural manner.

Some misguided practitioners of kriya yoga feel that kechari mudra is an

unnecessary practice. But they are mistaken in their thinking. Even enlightenedmasters outside of the kriya yoga lineages have acknowledged that there is a gapbetween the top of the spine and the medulla oblongata (also known as the altamajor center) which connects the spine with the brain. The Tibetan Master DK hasstated the following:

When the fires of matter have passed (united) still further along the etheric spinal channel they contact the fire of manas as it radiates from the throatcenter. .The other fire of matter (the dual fire) is attracted upward, and merges with the fire of mind through a junction effected at the alta major center.This center is situated at the base of the skull, and there is a slight gapbetween this center and the point at which the fires of matter issue from thespinal channel. Part of the work the man who is developing thought power has to

do, is to build a temporary channel in etheric matter to bridge the gap. Thischannel is the reflection in physical matter of the antahkarana that the Ego hasto build in order to bridge the gap between the lower and higher mental, betweenthe causal vehicle on the third subplane of the mental plane, and the manasicpermanent atom on the first subplane. This is the work that all advanced thinkersare unconsciously doing now. When the gap is [138] completely bridged, man s body becomes coordinated with the mental body and the fires of mind and of matter areblended. Cosmic Fire, p. 138The practice of kechari mudra bridges that gap. And it has other functions aswell.


8/16

************************************************************************************

Kechari Mudra

32. The Kechari Mudra is accomplished by thrusting the tongue into the gullet, byturning it over itself, and keeping the eyesight in the middle

33. To accomplish this, the tongue is lengthened by cutting the fraenum linguae,moving, and pulling it. When it can touch the space between the eyebrows, then theKechari can be accomplished.

34. Taking a sharp, smooth and clean instrument, of the shape of a cactus leaf,the frenulum of the tongue should be cut a little (as much as a hairs thickness),at a time.

35. Then rock salt and yellow myrobalan (both powdered) should be rubbed in. Onthe 7th day, it should again be cut a hair s breadth.

36. One should go on doing thus, regularly for six months. At the end of sixmonths, the freanum of the tongue will be completely cut.

37. Turning the tongue upwards, it is fixed on three ways (esophagus, windpipe andpalate). Thus it makes the Khachari Mudra, and is called the Vyoma Chakra.

38. The Yogi who sits for a minute turning his tongue upwards, is saved frompoisons, diseases, death, old age, etc.

39. He who knows the Kechari Mudra is not afflicted with disease, death, sloth,sleep, hunger, thirst, and swooning.

40. He who knows the Kechari Mudra, is not troubled by diseases, is not stainedwith karmas, and is not snared by time.

41. The Siddhas have devised this Kechari Mudra from the fact that the mind andthe tongue reach akasa by its practice.

42. If the hole behind the palate be stopped with Kechari by turning the tongueupwards, then bindu cannot leave its place even if a women were embraced.

43. If the Yogi drinks Somarasa (juice) by sitting with the tongue turnedbackwards and mind concentrated, there is no doubt he conquers death within 15days.

44. If the Yogi, whose body is full of Somarasa, were bitten by Takshaka (snake),its poison cannot permeate his body.

45. As fire is inseparably connected with the wood and light is connected with thewick and oil, so does the soul not leave the body full of nectar exuding from theSoma.

(Note. Soma (Chandra) is described later on located in the thousand-petalled lotus in the human brain, and is the same as is seen on Sivas head in pictures, and from which a sort of juice exudes. It is the restraining of this exudation whichmakes one immortal.)

46. Those who eat the flesh of the cow and drink the immortal liquor daily, areregarded by me men of noble family. Others are but a disgrace to their families.


9/16

(Note. Translation: Fortunate are the parents and blessed is the country and thefamily where a Yogi is born. Anything given to such a Yogi, becomes immortal. One,who discriminates between Purusa and Prakriti, purges the sins of a millionincarnations, by seeing, speaking, and touching such men (i.e. Yogi).

A Yogi far exceeds a thousand householders, a hundred vanapraasthas, and athousand Brahmacharis.

Who can know the reality of the Raja Yoga? That country is very sacred whereresides a man who knows it. By seeing and honoring him, generations of ignorantmen get moksa, what to speak of those who are actually engaged in it. He knowsinternal and external yoga, deserves adoration from you and me, what if he isadored by the rest of mankind!

Those who engage in the great yoga, once or thrice daily, are to be known asmasters of great wealth (mabeshwaras) or Lords.)

47. The word (r sana[?]) means tongue; eating it is thrusting it in the gullet which destroys great sins.

48. Immortal liquor is the nectar exuding from the moon (Chandra situated on theleft side of the space between the eyebrows). It is produced by the fire which isgenerated by thrusting the tongue.

49. If the tongue can touch with its end the hole from which falls the rasa(juice) which is saltish, bitter, sour, milky and similar to ghee and honey, onecan drive away disease, destroy old age, can evade an attack of arms, becomeimmortal in eight ways and can attract fairies.

50. He who drinks the clear stream of liquor of the moon (soma) falling from thebrain to the sixteen-petalled lotus (in the heart), obtained by means of Prana byapplying the tongue to the hole of the pendant in the palate, and by meditating onthe great power (Kundalini), becomes free from disease and tender in body, like

the stalk of a lotus, and the Yogi lives a very long life.

51. On the top of the Meru (vertabral column), concealed in a hole, is theSomarasa (nectar of Chandra); the wise, whose intellect is not over-powered byRaja and Tamas gunas, but in whom Satwa guna is predominant, say there is the(universal spirit) atma in it. It is the source of the down-going Ida, Pingala andSusumna Nadis, which are the Ganges, the Yamuna and the Sarasvati. From thatChandra is shed the essence of the body which causes death of men. It should,therefore, be stopped from shedding. This (Khechari Mudra) is a very goodinstrument for this purpose. There is no other means of achieving this end.

52. This hole is the generator of knowledge and is the source of the five streams(Ida, Pingala, &c.). In that colorless vacuum, Khechari Mudra should be

established.

53. There is only one seed germinating the whole universe from it; and there isonly one Mudra, called Khachari. There is only one deva (god) without any one s support, and there is one condition called Manonmani.

************************************************************************************

Some western occultists have also discovered the benefit of kechari mudra. FraterDPAL, a member of a western occult school made the following comment on kechari


10/16

mudra:

The Kechari Mudra is the king of all yogic mudras. This is done thusly Take the tongue and move it up to the roof of the mouth and back until it slips behind thesoft palate. Push it further as it slips behind the nasopharynx. If you canaccomplish this feat you can close off either nostril with the tongue from theinside!! As you push on up with the tip of the tongue, you will reach a boneprotrusion that is just under the pituitary gland. The force which is rising

upward flows off the end of the tongue, like flames under a pot on the stove. Itis here that the final connection is made. By exciting the pituitary gland, thepinealgland begins to vibrate, and the two forces are magnetically drawn to unite in theregion of the Spiritual eye. This exercise requires some practice as it is noteasy, but lights are experienced and a one-ness is felt Ananda!

Editor Comment on Frater DPAL kechari mudra quote: A couple of points may shedlight on the above quote. First, it is important to realize that the physical bodyconsists of two parts, the gross physical body and its underlying energy bodycalled by some the etheric double, vital body or pranamaya kosha. The energy bodyor pranamaya kosha is the principal and determinative component of the physicalbody. The gross physical body is an automaton that merely reflects in physical

form the changes that have occurred in its energy body (pranamaya kosha). Thevital body can be changed by thought. Most readers are familiar with the phraseenergy follows thought. It is this principle that makes kriya, chi quong,acupuncture, Reiki, pranic healing, etc. effective. Eventually, when the medicalworld can measure the energy body, it will revolutionize medicine. The kriya yogifocuses his attention entirely in the pranamaya kosha and its network of channelsknown as nadis. The nadis are the channels in the energy body through which pranaflows. Where 21 of these channels intersect, one of the major 7 chakras are found.Since the 7 glands are physical correspondents to the 7 chakras, when the kriyayogi, focused in the pranamaya kosha stimulates a chakra, the physical glandcorresponding to that chakra will automatically be stimulated. In the case ofkechari mudra, the energy flowing through the nadi of the tongue is directlystimulating the Ajna chakra and this stimulation is reflected in increased

activity of its corresponding gland, the pituitary. The important point that Iwant to make is that at no time does the kriya yogi focus on the glands of thegross physical body, his focus is in the energy body and its chakras.

Now, the fact that the pituitary gland is stimulated has vast implications for therejuvenation of the body. One of the secrets of the Gorakhnath yogi s, who emphasized the importance of the practice of kechari mudra, was kaya siddhi,extreme physical longevity. The pituitary gland is called the master gland of the body because it controls the secretion of hormones. These substances have adramatic and broad range of effects on metabolism, growth and maturation,sexuality and reproduction and other important bodily functions. As we age, wesecrete less hormones. In the elderly, human growth human is reduced to traceamounts. Perhaps the Gorakhnath yogi s ability to rejuvenate the body and extend

longevity lies in their ability to stimulate the pituitary gland through thepractice of kechari mudra. Today, many older people are attempting to rejuvenatethe body by taking supplements to stimulate the secretion of human growth hormoneor are using human growth hormone replacement therapy.

There is also another aspect to kechari mudra. We have been taught as above, sobelow. If dramatic changes can occur in the physical body as a result of thestimulation of the pituitary gland through kechari mudra, then you can be surethat equally dramatic changes are also occurring in the pranamaya kosha (subtlebody) and the circulation of the pranas because the physical body only reflectschanges in the subtle body. In fact, one the benefits of practicing kechari mudra


11/16

is that the mind is quieted and it is easier to concentrate. In short, kecharimudra causes changes in the flow of prana, your consciousness, and your physicalbody. Through its practice, one may experience the elixir of life, amrita.

Listed below are the specific hormones produced by the pituitary:

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) - As the name implies, TSH stimulates thethyroid gland to release thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones control basal

metabolic rate and play an important role in growth and maturation. Thyroidhormones affect almost every organ in the body.

Growth Hormone (GH) - This is the principal hormone that, among many otherfunctions, regulates growth and metabolism.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH) - ACTH triggers the adrenals to release thehormone cortisol. This hormone, in turn, regulates carbohydrate, fat, and proteinmetabolism.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH), which increases reabsorbtion of water into the bloodby the kidneys and therefore decreases urine production.

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - These hormonescontrol the production of sex hormones (estrogen and testosterone) as well assperm and egg maturation and release.

Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone (MSH) - Controls darkening of the skin.

Oxytocin - Stimulates contractions of the uterus during labor and the ejection ofmilk during breast-feeding.

Prolactin (PRL) - This hormone stimulates secretion of breast milk.

Vasopressin - Also called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH)- This hormone serves toallow the water to be reabsorbed by the kidneys.

Advanced yogis and yoginis use kechari continuously throughout their sittingpractices, and often during the day when not engaged in conversation. In otherwords, kechari is home for the advanced yogi and yogini. We do not even know thatthey are in kechari. Only the subtle glow of divine light gives them away. Inside,they are in the constant play of divine lovemaking.

We will cover four stages of kechari here (see Image for sketches), all pertainingto the location of the tip of the tongue:

Stage 1 To the point on the roof of the mouth where the hard and soft palates meet. This is the line of demarcation that must be crossed before stage 2 can beentertained.

Stage 2 Behind the soft palate and up to the nasal septum. It is a short trip, but a momentous one. Initially this is done with help from a finger pushing backunder the tongue, going to the left or right side of the soft palate where entryis easiest. This may require breaking the hymen of the membrane under the tongue. Seebelow for more on this.

Stage 3 Gradually working to the top of the nasal pharynx and septum. This takes us to the bony structure containing the pituitary gland.


12/16

Stage 4 Entering the nasal passages from inside and moving upward beyond the top of the pharynx toward the point between the eyebrows. It is not as far for thetongue to go as it seems. Put you thumb on the hinge of your jaw and put yourindex finger at the tip of your tongue extended straight out. Then pivot the fixedlength to your index finger up on your thumb to the point between your eyebrows.See? It is not so far for the tongue to go straight up from its root.

Many years may pass between stage 1 and stage 4. Kechari is a long- term

evolution, not an overnight event, though it certainly has its dramatic moments oftransition, especially between stages 1&2 and stages 3&4. Now let s look at the four stages in more detail.

Stage 1 puts us in contact with the bottom of the septum through the roof of ourmouth. This has already been suggested as a goal to work toward in the lesson onyoni mudra kumbhaka. Some ecstatic response can be felt at the point where thehard and soft palates meet if the nervous system is rising in purity. Stage one isnot easy, as it takes some effort for most people to keep the tongue on the roofof the mouth and work it gradually back over time. A habit gradually develops.Once the tip of the tongue passes the point where the hard and soft palates meet,and the soft palate can be pushed up with the tongue, then stage 2 is close athand.

Stage 2 is very dramatic. The tongue is pushed back with a finger to the left orright side of the soft palate. These are the shortest pathways leading behind thesoft palate. One of these will be shorter than the other. At some point you willexperiment and see for yourself. The long way in is up the middle. The soft palatehas anelastic tendon running across the back edge. When the tip of the tongue getsbehind it for the first time, the elastic tendon can slip quickly around thebottom of the tongue as though grabbing it. Then the tongue is suddenly in thenasal pharynx and touching the edge of the nasal septum for the first time.

The first reaction is surprise, and the tongue will probably come out quickly. Itis easy to pull out. No finger help is needed. It is also easy to breathe through

the nose with the tongue in the nasal pharynx. On the first entry, the eyes andnose may water, there could be sneezing, there could be sexual arousal, and strongemotions. All of these things are temporary reactions to the event of enteringstage 2 kechari for the first time. Upon repeated entries, things settle down. Intime, the finger will no longer be needed to get behind the soft palate. Theelastic tendon across the edge of the soft palate stretches out and stage 2kechari becomes quitecomfortable. In fact, it is easier to stay in stage 2 kechari than to stay instage 1 kechari. The tongue rests very easily in the nasal pharynx with no effortat all, making it simple to use during pranayama and meditation. The tongue isobviously designed to rest blissfully in the nasal pharynx.

There are two practical matters to consider once in stage 2 kechari. First is

lubrication in the pharynx. Second is the accumulation of saliva in the mouth.

The pharynx can be a little fickle. Usually, it is naturally moist and welllubricated for the tongue. Occasionally it is dry and not so well lubricated. Inthe former situation, kechari can be practiced practically indefinitely. In thelatter situation, only sparingly. When the pharynx is dry there can be a stingingsensation when the tongue is in there. So, this is not the time to do kechari. Wejust go to stage 1 when that happens. Interestingly, the pharynx will almostalways be moist during practices. But there is no telling for sure. We just go inwhen we are welcome, which is most of the time. And when we are not welcome, wehonor the situation and refrain. Like


13/16

that.

When we are up in stage 2 kechari, saliva will accumulate in the mouth down below.Since we can t swallow what is in our mouth with our tongue going up into the nasal pharynx, and we don t want to drool, then we come out of kechari as necessary to swallow the saliva in our mouth. In the early adjustment period tostage 2 kechari there can be a lot of saliva, so we will have to swallow moreoften. In time, the saliva goes back to normal levels, and coming out of kechari

to swallow will become infrequent.

So, in stage 2 kechari, we are just letting our tongue rest easily on the edge ofthe nasal pharynx, and that sets spiritual processes in motion everywhere in ourbody.

In the beginning of stage 2 kechari we will be curious. We are in a new place andwant to find out what is in the pharynx. There is the sensitive septum, the altar of bliss. We have no problem finding that, and realizing that the best way to do pranayama and meditation is with our tongue resting on the septum. It is likehaving apowerful siddhasana working simultaneously on the other end of the spinal nerve,awakening our entire nervous system from the top end. When we are not enjoying

bliss at the septum, we will no doubt explore, finding the prominent trumpets of the eustachian tubes on either side of the nasal passages. We also can t miss the entrances to the nasal passages on either side of the septum, and quickly find theextremely sensitive erectile tissues inside them. Too much. Better stay away fromthose for a while. So, we go up the septum on our journey to the top of thepharynx, to stage 3. For some this is a short journey. For others, it can take along time. In going there we expose the full length of the edge of the septum toour tongue, and prepare ourselves to eventually enter the nasal passages and gohigher.

A practice that can help as we go beyond stage 2 kechari is the so- calledmilking of the tongue. It consists of gently pulling on the tongue with the fingers of both hands, alternating hands, as though milking a cow. A good time to

do this is for a few minutes while standing in the shower each day. That way youcan get the benefit ofit without slobbering all over your clothes. Over time, the tongue can belengthened by this method. This is not a very useful practice for getting intostage 2. Dealing with the frenum is most important for that, as discussed below.Milking the tongue is helpful for going beyond stage 2 kechari, especially instage 4.

Stage 4 is another dramatic step. It could be years away from stage 2&3. Everyonewill be different in approaching it. There is a trick to it. The nasal passagesare tall and narrow and the tongue is narrow and wide, so the tongue can only gointo the nasal passages by turning on its side. But which side? One way worksbetter than the other. The tongue can naturally be turned with the top to the

center by following the channel on top of the trumpet of each eustachian tube intoits adjacent nasal passage. This naturally turns the top ofthe tongue to the center and allows it to slide up the side of the septum into thenasal passage. Turning the tongue inward to the center is the way up into thepassages. Entering stage 4 is as dramatic as entering stage 2, because the tissuesin the nasal passages are extremely sensitive, and connecting with them in the waydescribed takes the nervous system to yet a higher level. Stage 4 providesextensive stimulation of the upper ends of the sushumna, ida, and pingala, andthis has huge effects throughout the nervous system, especially when combined withour pranayama and its associated bandhas and mudras.


14/16

Going to stage 4 is natural once stages 2&3 have been mastered and become secondnature. Before then we are not much attracted due to the sensitivity in the nasalpassages. Our opening nervous system and rising bhakti take us to stage 4 when weare ready.

Once the nasal passages have been entered, the tongue can be used to do alternate passage breathing during pranayama and yoni mudra kumbhaka. This provides alternating stimulation in the nasal passages, which produces additional purifying

effects in the sushumna, ida, and pingala. Our pranayama and kumbhaka becomesupercharged in stage 4 kechari.

The four stages of kechari foster major neurological openings in the head, andthroughout the entire nervous system. Kechari is one of the most pleasurable andfar-reaching of all the advanced yoga practices. Kechari represents a majortransition in our advanced yoga practices to a much higher level.

Now let s talk about the membrane/tendon under the tongue called the frenum.

For most of us, the frenum will be the limiting factor in moving through thestages of kechari. There is debate on whether the frenum should be trimmed or not.Some say that we are deserving or not deserving of kechari according to what kind

of frenum we have under our tongue, and that the only way into kechari is bystretching the frenum. If we can t stretch it far enough to get into kechari, it is God s will.

In these lessons, we don t subscribe to that limited point of view. The view here is that, God helps those who help themselves.

In these lessons we view the frenum as a tether to be trimmed back when the timeis right. It keeps us out of kechari until we are ready. When we are ready, andeach of us knows when that is, the frenum can be trimmed. It is like a hymen. When a woman is ready for sexual intercourse, the hymen goes. Until then it servesto provide protection. This breaking of the hymen can be a stressful and painfulevent if it is forced. Sooner or later the frenum will be forced open too, because

going into kechari is as natural as goinginto sexual intercourse. It is biologically preordained. It happens when thenervous system is mature enough. Advanced yoga practices bring us closer to thetransition with each day of daily practices.

Kechari results from a second puberty in us our spiritual puberty. As our nervous system becomes pure, our bhakti increases. More than anything else it isbhakti that sends us into kechari. When every fiber of our being wants God, thenwe will go there. The tongue will roll back and go up. Like that.

Once our bhakti is hurling our tongue back into kechari, breaking the hymen of thefrenum does not have to be stressful and painful. It can be very easy and gentle.Above all, it can and should be gradual. It is done with very tiny snips. Tiny

snips, each as small as a hair or a very thin string. A sterilized, sharp cuticlesnipper (like a small wire cutter) can be used to do the job, bit by bit. When welift our tongue up, we can see right away where the point of greatest stress onthe frenum is. If we take a tiny snip there, not bigger than ahair, it probably won t even bleed. Maybe one drop. If more than one drop, we did too much. The tiny snip will heal in a day or two. The tissues of the mouth healvery quickly. Then maybe in a week or a month, whatever we are comfortable with,we will be ready to do it again. And then, in another week or more, do it again.If we are sensitive, a little ice can be used to numb the edge of the frenum, andwe won t even feel a little pinch when we snip. Don t use ice to take a big snip though. That is too much, and brings in some risk of


15/16

infection. We should not snip if we have any kind of infection in the body. Withtiny snips, the frenum will be allowing the tongue to go further back in no time,and before we know it we will be using our finger to push our tongue behind oursoft palate.

We can continue with the tiny snips once we are in stage 2 kechari, and this willhelp us move on to stage 3. Then we can continue with the tiny snips once we havegotten to the top of the nasal pharynx,

and this will help us move on through stage 4. It will take years. There is norush. We may go for many months, or even years, with no snipping at all, contentto enjoy the level of kechari we have attained so far, and the steady spiritualgrowth that comes with it. Then we may become inspired to continue going up withthe tongue, and do some more snipping.

As the snipping progresses past stage 2 kechari, it becomes very easy to do it. Asthe frenum gives way slowly, the edge it presents when stretched becomes like acallus. There is no pain snipping it, and no blood. It is not difficult to trim itback so the tongue can go further up into more advanced stages of kechari. It is along journey in time, and a fulfilling one. It can take decades to complete stages1 through 4. There is no rush. The nervous system knows what must happen. When itknows, we know through our bhakti.

Everyone s frenum is different. A few will enter kechari with no snipping necessary. Others will need a lot of snipping. The rest of us will fall somewherein-between. Whatever the case many be, we will know what to do when our bhakticomes up. No one else can tell us what to do when. Everything in this lesson isoffered as information so you will have a better idea on what your options are asyour bhakti comes up.

Some will have medical concerns about snipping the frenum. Most doctors will notbe for it. Is there risk? There is always some risk when we undertake new things.That is life. The practice of trimming the frenum for kechari has been around forthousands of years at least as long as circumcision, body piercing and tattooing. Not that any of these other types of body alterations are in the same

class as kechari. They are not. Kechari is one of the most advanced yoga practiceson the planet. When we know we are ready for it, we will bewilling to accept whatever risk may be associated with entering it. We each chooseour own path according to the feelings rising in our heart.

This lesson is not to promote stage 2 kechari and beyond for everyone. It is toprovide useful information for those who are experiencing kechari symptoms andfinding themselves stretching naturally past stage 1. What you do with theinformation here is your choice. Remember to always pace yourself according toyour capacity and experiences.

Disclamer: Please consult your doctor before doing any of these practices. Allthis is for educational purposes, and if you are stupid enough to do it, do not

blame others if you harm yourself in the process. You had been warned.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. All commentsare closed.

To comment, please go to Forum


16/16

Deuterium detox & energized waterHome remedies for teeth whitening

Natural cures & treatments for asthmaHow to regrow or repair bad teeth naturallyNatural ways to remove earwax

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2006-2009 CureBum.com

Documents

17012109 How to Master Kechari Mudra Technique