Tongue splitting is a part of Hatha and Kumbhaka yoga practice. Yogis split their tongue and lengthen it to the point of turning it back to the inside of the mouth to reach the epiglottis. This is for the purpose of breathing exercises, purportedly to seal the body’s energy leaks and being able to focus only within. This way, a person will be able to cross back and forth between life and death.
Yogis practice these rites believing that it allows them to be one with the God within or what they call the universal soul. This practice is also seen in suspension and other body rites.
Tongue splitting is a heavy body modification, so naturally, it costs high. To get your tongue split, you need as much as $1000-$2500. The expense varies according to location and the professional performing it. Also known as forking the tongue, tongue splitting is considered a surgical process and, therefore, only licensed medical professionals are allowed to do it.
If you have decided to have your tongue split, you must seek out the best oral surgeon in your locality to do the job for you. The most ideal procedure and most favored by medical practitioners is oral surgery using laser in cutting through the tissue. This usually takes at most fifteen minutes to perform, with very little or no blood at all. This is a far better method than scalpelling, a very bloody procedure and at times, bleeding is very difficult to control. Laser procedure usually takes only one to two weeks to heal primarily, and a month for complete healing.
Since this is a major body modification, opting for a lower cost surgery is out of the question. Bleeding and infection are risks that you have to consider, so be careful to choose a professional with a good reputation. There is also the danger of tongue swelling that may block the airway, so utmost care must be observed. There may be minor changes in speech, but for most, this is negligible. . Never consider or having it done by an unskilled practitioner – you don’t want your speech and eating ability impaired. Worse, doing it yourself may be a ground for a psychiatric examination and commitment especially if complications occur.
Tongue splitting is legal in the United States, except in the military where those who have split tongues are either discharged or forced to have a reversal. Having a tongue reversal is a more painful process and is prone to side effects, complications and lasting damage.
So weigh each angle very carefully before forking your tongue, in order to avoid legal and health issues.
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