Ah, clear-mind sisters of the sublime path, within our sanctified temples of flesh reside minute countless constellations of musculature. Among these celestial bodies, the intrinsic muscles of the tongue — those delicate serpents of silken strength — often remain untapped in their healing potential. Like lotus buds nestled beneath the quiet moon-glow, this irreplaceable organ, that which gives life to speech and tastes, often retreats unacknowledged. Today, we will invite in the healing light of awareness and explore the mystic paths of healing an overused or sore tongue muscle through the sacred art of Yoga.
Firstly, you must unfurl your being to the reality of the extensively interconnected nature of our bodies. To summon relief for a fraught tongue, you must ripple out from the bank of the source, moving to gently rock the foundations of the jaw and the throat. Begin by locating the root of the tongue. It creeps down to the floor of the mouth, coiled like a resting dragon in the cavern of the throat. Close your eyes, immerse in the silence, finding your breath as slow and even as the rhythmic beat and retreat of ocean waves on a moonlit night.
Imagine your breath as an intricately painted silk lantern, brilliant and warming, travelling down the esophagus, tenderly illuminating your throat, tongue and jaw. Visualize your tongue as a silken koi fish in the still lake of your mouth. With each measured breath, your life-giving oxygen surges into the caverns of your mouth, encouraging your koi fish tongue to float upward, gently grazing the roof of your mouth. As you exhale, with all gentleness of a cherry blossom in the breeze, release the upward pressure and allow the tongue to draw downward.
This blissful practice, often referred to as “Soundless Chanting” originates in the ancient sages’ heart of India. As calm as the tranquil Ganges at sunrise, your body’s energy (prana) will begin to flow freely, unfettered by the kinks of tension in your tongue. Let your mind wander with reverence to your tongue’s duty of forming words, tasting food. Honor its integral part in your personal cosmic dance, expanding the boundaries of gratitude for this tiny muscular organ.
To lend a humble hand to the gentle art of Yoga is the profound wisdom of Ayurveda. Engage yourself in the humble act of oil pulling using organic virgin coconut oil – a practice as old as the Himalayas themselves. Predicted by the enlightened sages, oil pulling acts as an invigorating tonic to the oral cavity, dancing like an elixir of life through the scenic routes of your mouth, healing and uplifting. Engaging in this medicinal ritual at dawn, bearing the first light of day on your face, will strengthen and soothe your intrinsic tongue muscles, relieving inflammation and pain.
Chamomile, with its golden crown and soothing essence, offers a wholesome healing path. Sip a potion made with chamomile, hallowed honey, and a whisper of fresh lemon. Let it cascade over your tongue, down your throat, nurturing every inch of your being. This golden elixir, consumed in mindful sips as you witness the dying embers of the day, will caress your tongue like a salve, its sweet whispers echoing of serenity deep within.
Let us not forget the magic weaved by the green goddess of nature. Aloe vera exists in her sacred form, a healing balm gifted from Mother Earth herself. Administer a small amount of this divine nectar directly to the sores. Much like a consoling touch of a compassionate mother, it will comfort your tongue, inviting healing into the depths of your oral realms.
Finally, surrender to the wisdom of rest. When the celestial bodies take their nightly bow, let your tongue too retreat in the sacred silence, stilling no longer to chat or chew. Conscious rest — the pause between the pose — symbolizes the ultimate asana. Close the day by returning to the silken lantern breath, allowing the darkness to play its healing melody.
In the sacred sisterhood of our Yoga Retreat, we voyage beyond the physicality of the asanas, veering into the power of Yoga as gentle, profound healing. Be it the smallest muscle within our temple of the body, there lies a path filled with the soft whispers of the breeze, the calming chants of the rivers, and the ancient wisdom of the sages ready to guide us towards healing. Your tongue, a tiny yet vital organ, serves you relentlessly every day – isn’t it time for you to serenade it with gratitude and care?
