Will I ever reach Kechari Stage 2?

07.Discussions on AYP Pranayama, Mudras + Bandhas
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5 months ago I got a frenelum surgery done. I told the doctor I was tongue-tied and it was performed within 10 minutes. The doctor removed as much as possible and warned that going any further would hit a nerve. So basically it’s all gone.

But still I’m unable to move towards Stage 2. I’ve been pushing it with a finger and what not but the tongue folds and keeps going towards uvala and down the throat because of the pressure from the finger. Do I need to lengthen it?

Granted there is stimulatory effect from stage 1, which has been consolation so far that maybe Stage 2 is not meant to be.

What could I do to reach Stage 2?

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Hi yogic_scenery,

No need to be heroic in trying to advance in kechari. In truth, it is the awakening of ecstatic conductivity that brings on kechari naturally. There could be some talabya or snipping happening along the way, but even without those steps, the tongue will naturally be drawn to the roof of the mouth and back in response to rising ecstatic energy, which then brings ecstatic awakening along further. It can’t be forced. Kechari without some prerequisite ecstatic conductivity is just a physical exercise.

So if you find the tip of the tongue naturally pulling back to the place on the roof of the mouth where the hard and soft palates meet, that is a first step, kechari stage 1. It could be a while before the tongue finds its way behind the soft palate and forward/up from there, kechari stage 2. Not to worry. It’ll happen the way it should. Kechari stage 1 is a very good practice also, when it is happening naturally.

I remember many years ago, my first confirmation about early kechari that was happening was when reading the giant tome called “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna.” In there, in perhaps only one place, he is quoted as saying something like, “And then my tongue was naturally drawn back.”

Nowadays, we have detailed descriptions of the entire process. Is that a good thing? Well, that is for you to decide. Just keep in mind that all of these advanced techniques and experiences have an underlying natural aspect to them. Foundational practices like deep meditation and spinal breathing pranayama will bring all the rest in good time, in ways that suit our individual nature. The inner divine knows what we need.

The guru is in you. :pray:

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Your mention of Sri Ramakrishna hit nostalgia. During the greater part of my childhood we used to visit his ashram on most Sundays. Now decades later after going through phases of atheism and agnostism and now finally resting in theism, I am filled with wonder and delight that he was such an advanced spiritual practicioner. (Because I only used to go there for their tasty prasadam and one banana they used to distribute to everyone :sweat_smile: ).

It had been almost half a decade since I started feeling sensations at Kechari 1. Quite powerful too in fact. I didn’t want to do it myself with a blade so I went the surgical route. It was clean, inexpensive and I knew I was in safe hands.

As I push my tongue back the sensations keep getting more powerful. The max I was able to do was fiddle with my uvala and beyond that the tongue seems to take a downwards trajectory rather than up.

I see people on YouTube who just naturally slide their tongue into the nasal cavity and I keep thinking ‘How?’

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Hello again YC. How soft the edge of the soft palate, how pliable it is, would make a difference. I had septum surgery more than two decades ago, the uvula was also removed. The edge of my soft palate easily curls back like the hem of an old t-shirt, possibly from the surgery. Ketchari 2 is well worth the effort, and having an expressive tongue has enriched all my yoga practices. Because it involves nasal passages, K2 is uncomfortable when lying down or intentionally breathing, so Ketchari 1 is the default, and easily employed in most cases. K2 is simply a level up, as are other mudras and bandas, so all is not lost. If your desire for K2 has made itself known, then honor that and go for it!

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Hi yogic_scenery,

If the tip of the tongue can get behind the uvula, or behind the soft palate on either side, even a little, the direction to go with the tongue is forward. This is how the soft palate is opened downward like a trap door, without the tongue having to go higher up.

However, as I said before, there is plenty of benefit with any degree of kechari, including stage 1, once ecstatic conductivity is occurring.

The guru is in you.

PS: Here is some more detail from the AYP Plus AI:

Q: In kechari, which way should I push the tongue to get into stage 2?

A: To get into Kechari Stage 2, once the tip of the tongue is behind the soft palate, push the tongue forward. This forward movement helps open the soft palate. The soft palate will then open downward like a trap door.

Here are some additional details about Kechari Stage 2:

• It involves the tongue reaching behind the soft palate and going into the nasal pharynx cavity to find the edge of the nasal septum.

• Entry into stage 2 may be achieved on the left side, right side, or in the center. The shortest path is usually to the left or right side.

• In the beginning, using a finger to press the tongue back from underneath can help in getting behind the soft palate.

• With practice, finger help may not be necessary.

• Nasal breathing is not blocked in stage 2 kechari.

• The nerves in the nasal septum are stimulated in stage 1 from underneath through the roof of the mouth, and in stage 2 by direct contact of the tongue with the edge of the nasal septum.

• The importance of the frenum: According to the source texts, the main physical obstacle to kechari mudra is the membrane under the tongue, called the frenum. Trimming the frenum may be helpful in advancing through the stages of kechari. However, some enter kechari with no snipping.

• The importance of ecstatic conductivity: Kechari is most effective when used with a balanced routine of practices and the beginning stages of ecstatic conductivity. Kechari can help take it much further, but not much before then.