Note: For the complete lessons, with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living Books.

Lesson 205 - Q&A – More on kechari

From: Yogani
Date: Fri Jun 4, 2004 3:51pm

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the web archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"


Q: Namaste:

I want to request you to provide a picture with the different stages of kechari clearly shown. Your verbal description of kechari mudra is very elaborate; still a picture would make it more easier to understand (after all a picture is worth a 1000 words!)

Someone who underwent the cutting of the frenum told me that he had difficulty speaking clearly when the tongue became very long - is this true in your experience? He also said that elements (the five elements in the body) became unbalanced (not sure what exactly it means other than it does not sound very nice)

Your description of kechari mudra is superb and unparalleled compared to what I have come across so far. I am very grateful for this.


A: In the links section of the group under "Kechari" there is a link to a cross sectional image of stage 3 kechari. Here it is:

http://www.kriyayoga.com/english/on_your_wings/kecharimudra.htm

I don't necessarily fully subscribe to the written teachings that are with the image. But, as you say, a picture is worth 1000 words. From this image it is easy enough to see what the four stages would look like based on the descriptions in the AYP kechari lesson (#108).

Note: Also see this Image of sketches I made, posted to the web site 11/17/04. These illustrate kechari stages 1 - 4. 

Very gradual tiny snipping (I prefer that description to "cutting") does not lengthen the tongue. It only gradually frees it from being tethered to the floor of the mouth, so it is able to go back and up. In the lesson on kechari, I pointed out that the tongue is already long enough to accomplish all the stages of kechari, and how you can measure that for yourself.

Milking, or stretching of the tongue does lengthen it, but I don't regard it as the best means to achieve kechari, and have only engaged in it to a modest degree myself. There are stories about yogis who have lengthened their tongues to the extent that they can touch the point between their eyebrows from the outside. It is not necessary. It is only another version of extremism in yoga, which I am not for.

I first entered stage 2 kechari 20 years ago, and have never found any difficulty with speech, swallowing, or anything else physical because of it. I won't say it was completely easy all the time either. It does rearrange the inner energies substantially, and perhaps that is what your friend is referring to about the elements. But it is a natural rearrangement that leads to much more enlightenment in life, and that is why we are doing yoga, right?

As with all yoga practices, some self-pacing may be required from time to time to keep temporary energy imbalances associated with purification in the nervous system from becoming too extreme. Kechari is no different in that respect. In time, the energies readjust at progressively higher levels of functioning, which correspond to higher levels of spiritual experience. Then we can stay in kechari throughout our sitting practices, and beyond, with nothing but waves of whole-body ecstatic bliss coming from it. Who would avoid kechari when it gets to be like that? Not me!

Kechari is a long journey with many challenges and rewards along the way, and it requires a lot of bhakti to undertake and carry through. It is well worth the effort. It is an important aspect of our journey to enlightenment. Can we do without kechari? Perhaps. I can't really say for sure, as I am one of those who chose to go the way of
kechari, and I don't know where I would have ended up without it. Certainly with far less spiritual transformation than I have experienced.

Kechari is one of those natural spiritual abilities we all have. When the time is right, it happens.

The guru is in you.

Note: For instructions on kechari mudra, see the Asanas, Mudras and Bandas book.

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