Is talabya kriya a joke?

[Jed Haldir]

I know it's not a joke.

Or is it?

Like foreal, I want to know from someone who actually has actual personal experience with this and not speculation please.

How does sitting cross-legged and doing tongue gymnastics help me be a better meditator and ultimately more conscious.... or whatever.

And Kechari mudra, rolling the tongue back up the nasal pharynx...? Like wtf is this good for?

I'm humbly asking. The book by J.C. Stevens doesn't explain the logic behind this. Only that it's important to do it.

@Leo Gura What's your experience? I know you will say "Don't make it a big deal." Well I am not making it a big deal. The book tells me it's important. How would I know? Non of these techniques would occur to me by itself in a million years.

Thanks

[Yobenm]

3 minutes ago, Jed Haldir said:

Non of these techniques would occur to me by itself in a million years.

Maybe that's the joke ?

[Yarco]

You haven't gone deep enough into kriya to fully understand. (Disclaimer: Neither have I really)

But I've gone far enough to surmise that Nadi Sodhana, Ujjayi Pranayama, Talabya Kriya, etc are basically preparatory exercises for things you will need to do later in your kriya practice.

My understanding is basically that the goal of kriya is to achieve a "breathless state" -- literally you stop breathing for a few minutes and temporarily become enlightened during this time.

Being able to stretch your tongue far enough back to block off your own airway seems to be a critical part of this process.

It weirds me out and I'm worried about my tongue getting stuck and choking to death so it was a dealbreaker for me and I stopped lmao

Again I haven't read through the entire book, past the exercises that I got to before quitting, so I could be talking out my ass here.

Edited March 2, 2022 by Yarco

[Shambhu]

@Jed Haldir

On 3/1/2022 at 3:30 PM, Jed Haldir said:

And Kechari mudra, rolling the tongue back up the nasal pharynx...? Like wtf is this good for?

I have experienced this in my own sadhana.  I don't recommend other's try it unless they are under the guidance of a skilled guru.

It can be used to restrict the airways, but it also has a profound effect on the mind.  For reasons I don't fully understand, it can actually silence all discursive thoughts.  The original yogic texts have said that it can control the urges for food or sex.  There is also an energetic component, but this would be even harder to explain, especially if you do not have any first-hand experience.  Perhaps if others are interested, I could write more later.

@Yarco

1 hour ago, Yarco said:

It weirds me out and I'm worried about my tongue getting stuck and choking to death so it was a dealbreaker for me and I stopped lmao

Honestly, it was a little frightening the first time I experienced it.  I did wonder if it might kill me lol.  The tongue moves back and up, and it can even rest above the roof of your mouth and still allow air to flow.  At that point, the tongue can move further forward and up and restrict the air.  If you swallow while your tongue is inserted in the nasopharynx, the tongue will actually return to its normal position in your mouth.

[Koeke]

11 hours ago, Shambhu said:

There is also an energetic component, but this would be even harder to explain, especially if you do not have any first-hand experience.  Perhaps if others are interested, I could write more later.

Yeah I would love to hear more. If you could refer us to some other source that would be much appreciated as well.

[Shambhu]

@Koeke

1 hour ago, Koeke said:

Yeah I would love to hear more. If you could refer us to some other source that would be much appreciated as well.

I'll provide some source materials, and then I give a few comments.

Information regarding Khecarimudra can be found in most Yogic scriptures, such as Dattatreya Yoga Sastram, Goraksha Samhita, Hatharatnavali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Shiva Samhita, Khecarividya, and the Yoga Upanishads, as well as many others.  I don't know of many contemporary writers that really have anything to add beyond what can be found in the source texts.  In the past, this teaching was considered secret, and it was only given from guru to disciple.  I was fortunate enough to have a guru who was well versed in the subject.

In the scriptures, there are details about how to prepare for the practice, how to perform it, and what are the fruits of the practice.  Usually the preparation involves cutting and stretching.  I honestly would not recommend this path unless you are being guided directly by a knowledgeable guru.  I will say that there is another way that does not involve knives, which is Sahaja Yoga.

The creative force or energy of Consciousness is called Shakti.  In the body, this energy is referred to as Prana.  Prana is responsible for maintaining all the functions of the body, and this energy is subdivided into 5 vayus (literally "winds").  The two most important are Prana vayu and Apana vayu.  There are thousands of energy channels, or nadis, in the body, but the 3 most important ones are the Ida (to the left of center), Pingala (to the right), and the Sushumna (in the middle).  Prana vayu, warm in nature, normally flows up the Ida nadi, and Apana vayu, cold in nature, flows down the Pingala nadi.  In Yoga, the Prana vayu must reverse it's flow and meet Apana in the Mooladhara, or root chakra.  This is the meaning of "Hatha Yoga," which translates as Sun-Moon union.  This generates a great deal of heat, which disturbs the Goddess Kundalini, awakens her, and ultimately motivates her to move up through the Sushumna nadi, pulling Prana along with it.  When this energy reaches beyond the throat chakra, Kecharimudra is the technique that takes it to the next level, which is the Ajna chakra between the eyebrows.  All of the physical postures, movements, and breathing exercises in Hatha Yoga are for the purpose of purifying the energy channels, uniting the vayus, and raising the energy through the Sushumna to the Sahasara chakra above the head.  At the stage where Khecarimudra manifests, your whole relationship to sexuality is transformed.  You'll begin to understand what true union and bliss really are.  It's not the final stage, but it is very advanced.  

I apologize for only scratching the surface, but this is a very deep science.  Perhaps if there are specific questions, I can attempt to address those.

[Koeke]

@Shambhu Thank you. I'll look into some of the sources .

[softlyblossoming]

@Shambhu Thank you for sharing your knowledge 

[Ismael]

It also relaxes the whole face area which usually tends to tense up easily.

When basking in the “after-effect-poise” at the end of the routine, the reverted tongue helps being as still as possible, especially when it’s locked in place, as is the goal of kechari mudra.