Perhaps This is Why People Think Yoga is Weird

YogaDork is sharing her teaching training adventures and favored us with this gem recently. She is reading from The Hatha Yoga Pradipika written by Svami Svatmarama (c. 15th century) which was apparently the go-to on Hatha until B.K.S. Iyengar came along and simplified things with his own book - a bit. Like many an ancient text, there is a bit of dubious wisdom.

Like Chapter 3.


Mudras: The Khechari for Samadhi


Verse 32: Kechari Mudra is done by inserting the tongue into the hole in the soft palate at the roof of the mouth, by turning it backward.


33. In order to be successful, the tongue must lengthened into a Lambika (such as the long tongue of Goddess Kali). Sometimes cutting the frenulum (a mucous membrane extending from the floor of the mouth to the midline of the underside of the tongue) is necessary. Else, pull or move your tongue around constantly. When it gets long enough, to reach the point between the eyebrows, then Kechari becomes possible.


36. The frenulum is cut 1/2 millimeter each day and the wound is sealed. In 6 months, the tongue becomes free & quite long. (Note: Dont eat food or drink that are too hot like chilli or too sour. This will make the tongue thicker and interfere with Khechari.)

In case you are wondering what that looks like:

Immortality is ... not as easy as it looks?