question prease

[theELementalist]

hi. when you put your tongue to the roof of your mouth, to complete the 2 main channels. where EXACTLY...do you put it. right behind the teeth, or in the cavity about and inch behind the teeth.

[konchog uma]

i have been taught right behind the teeth to close the small orbit.

 

the soft palette on the top of your mouth is used for drawing symbols and such, and im sure, for other things as well. but thats the only use i have ever put it to. charging the tongue with energy and drawing characters or symbols with light up there is something i found in a daoist book.

[Aetherous]

You can feel a drop off point about a centimeter or two behind the teeth. I've heard this called the 'dragon ridge'. Anywhere from the teeth to the end of the drop off point is where you can put the tongue. Find a point within there that feels best. Sometimes it changes...

 

What I'm talking about is the top 1/2 of the hard palate in this picture, where it looks...well...uglier:

 

 

According to some (Jerry Alan Johnson if I remember correctly), this is the "fire" position.

 

I've heard that you can put your tongue to the left or the right of the area, to activate either side channel.

 

The "wind" point is after the dragon ridge, but still on the hard palate...which is probably about an inch back.

 

The "water" point is where the soft palate begins, at the end of the hard palate.

 

"Void" is when the tongue pushes up behind and over the soft palate into the nasopharynx. This is the beginning of kechari mudra (which isn't part of Taoism as far as I know...)

 

Another point is where the bottom teeth connect to the gums, which activates the heart and is good for dealing with negative emotions.

 

These classifications are just things I've read, and might not be accurate according to the actual elements.

 

Another thing I've read about is from Yan Xin, where if you have high blood pressure you don't touch the tongue to anything while keeping your mouth closed.

 

Another consideration is do you close the teeth, or keep them separated?

 

Hopefully more information surfaces...there are other mouth positions to play with which might be useful...

[dawei]

99.9% of the time, including during the day or for most practices, I place it on upper palate near and behind the teeth but not touching them; resting very lightly. This is called the "fire position". That is why it is done for most Qigong activity. Yang Jwing-Ming says to not touch the teeth as it can make you tired. I cannot vouchsafe for that tired feeling but the teeth is one of the five elemental tongue positions.

 

Two indications of the fire connection could be frequent saliva (just swallow it) and when meditating you can lightly tap the teeth and there should be a soft numbness feeling as indication of qi flow.

 

The Five Elemental Positions:

1. Earth/Spleen - Beneath teeth and gumline on lower palate; like opposite of fire above.

2. Metal/Lungs - Between the teeth

3. Fire/Heart - top palate near teeth but not touching

4. Wood/Liver - Straight upwards (12 o'clock)

5. Water/Kidney - Backside of upper palate where it is soft (1 o'clock)

[Aetherous]

Ah yes, that's probably more accurate!

[dawei]

Hey Scotty,

 

My info is from Jerry's program... interesting to hear different locations or terminology for what reason. I thought to post a picture of these but it's hard to follow up on that picture of yours

[theELementalist]

thanks everyone. i am doing chi kung, and kung fu. should i hold my toungue in the fire position during forms?? and also should i clench my teeth slightly?? thats all.

[Aetherous]

I was taught to have the tongue in the fire position at all times (unless you're eating, sleeping, talking, doing another position for a practice, etc).

 

Keeping the teeth clenched is only indicated when your teacher tells you to do that...mostly with sitting still practices.

[Harmonious Emptiness]

I don't know what this might do, but I usually have the tip of my tongue in the fire position, the back of my tongue on the kidney position, and the center of my tongue not touching anything.

 

Does this have any effect on the kidneys, or anything else?

 

thanks

[dawei]

I don't know what this might do, but I usually have the tip of my tongue in the fire position, the back of my tongue on the kidney position, and the center of my tongue not touching anything.

 

Does this have any effect on the kidneys, or anything else?

 

thanks

Interesting idea to root the heart to the kidney. I know of some practices which focus on this but never used the tongue position in combination like this. Thanks for sharing.

 

Maybe SmallFur, who explained the tongue connection as a 'mudra' (which I know this term for hands) has some thought.

[suninmyeyes]

I was just passing by and saw you mentioning mudra with the tounge connection..

There is Kechari Mudra,bringing tounge behind the uvula.It is one of the hardest to accomplish but most rewarding yogic techniques by which one pointed concentration is achieved and amrita(yogic nectar) is activated,which leads to the states of samadhi.

The success in practising it/achieving can only happen due to psychological maturity and certain realizations/understandings.It has to do with subtle changes first occuring of in mental/emotional body that affect physical body.

Some people cut the bit under their tounge which IMO is unadvaisable and unecesarry .

This is Kechari Mudra:

Edited September 5, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[de_paradise]

Elementalist, I like that avatar pic.