Mouth Open - Mind on the Middle of Tongue
पृष्ठशून्यं मूलशून्यं युगपद्भावयेच्च यः । शरीरनिरपेक्षिण्या शक्त्या शून्यमना भवेत् ॥
prsthashUnyam mulashUnyam yugapadbhAvayeccha yah | sharIranirapekshINyA shaktyA shUnyamAnA bhavet ||
VBT Verse 66
The Sutra
"With mouth slightly open, keep mind in the middle of the tongue. Or, as breath comes silently in, feel the sound HH."
Paul Reps translation, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (1957)
Understanding
Two subtle techniques. Method one: keep your mouth slightly open and rest your awareness at the exact center of your tongue. The tongue is a powerful energy point, and the center of it is a point of stillness. Method two: as you breathe in silently, feel the sound HH at the point where air enters. Both techniques use the subtle vibration of breath and mouth as a focus.
Original Sanskrit
पृष्ठशून्यं मूलशून्यं युगपद्भावयेच्च यः । शरीरनिरपेक्षिण्या शक्त्या शून्यमना भवेत् ॥
prsthashUnyam mulashUnyam yugapadbhAvayeccha yah | sharIranirapekshINyA shaktyA shUnyamAnA bhavet ||
Vijnanabhairava Verse 66 (Technique 43 of 112)
How to Practice
Method 1: Open your mouth slightly. Let the jaw relax.
Bring your awareness to the exact middle of your tongue. Not the tip, not the back - the center.
Rest your mind here. It is a surprisingly powerful anchor for attention.
Method 2: Breathe in through the mouth silently. Notice the very subtle sound of HH.
It is not a voiced sound but the whisper of air entering. Feel this sound.
Both methods create a subtle focus that quiets the mind through attention to the micro-level of experience.
Duration
10-20 minutes
Best Time
Any time
Related Techniques
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