Basically, the tongue rolls into the back of the mouth behind the uvula, and there presses against the soft roof of the throat.
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In order to help the release of amrita from the pituitary gland, a mudra know as Kechari (tongue lock) is practiced. The precious immortality-giving nectar is said to flow from the pituitary gland into the back of the throat during very deep states of meditation. He advised them to call a truce and seek amrita- a nectar that could be found in the ocean of milk separating different realms of existence.Īfter churning the ocean for years, amrita was discovered, along with Lakshmi and several other important gods.Īmrita is not just an interesting mythological story, however. Seeing they could not win, they went to Vishnu for help. Seeing this opportunity, the asuras (demons) attacked the devas. This sage supposedly contained a large portion of Shiva’s wrath, and when he felt insulted by Indra, he cursed the devas to lose their immortality. The story goes that the devas (Indra and others) were cursed to lose their immortality by an incarnation of Shiva known as the sage Durvasa. The MythologyĪccording to Hindu lore, the gods achieved their immortality by drinking Amrita- a nectar created by churning the ocean. To this end, all religions have mythology based around the afterlife, and Hinduism is no different. It wouldn’t be incorrect to assume there isn’t any religion that exists without some belief in the afterlife, or that our existence doesn’t end with death. Thankfully they don't use the flaming rum on other, chilly body parts.Immortality is something often talked about in many religions in fact, you could say it’s the driving force behind most spiritual beliefs. Some have even been known to wash their hands in flaming rum without showing any signs of pain - at least, we can assume, until all that rum they drank wears off.
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These possessed men will wildly wave a machete, smoke cigars, chase women, and demand rum by saying, “Gren mwe fret,” which translates to “My testicles are cold” (presumably the rum will warm them). For example, he will become brash and antagonistic, which is fine because Ogoun is supposedly bulletproof. When Ogoun takes over a man, the original personality is replaced by one that is often completely different. Rum has been known to do some very strange things to a person, many of which sound a lot like when a person is possessed by Ogoun, a warrior spirit in the voodoo religion. Of course this could have all been avoided if Loki had simply known when to say when. According to legend, Loki's violent writhing is what causes earthquakes. This meant the venom would occasionally drip onto her husband, causing him immense pain. Whenever the dish filled, she had to pull it away and pour the venom on the ground. Above his naked body, she hung a poisonous snake, whose fangs dripped acidic venom into a small dish, held up by Loki's wife, Sigyn. Skaoi, one of the goddesses he insulted that night, caught up with the god and tied him to a rock. The others kicked him out of the party for being a jerk, but he returned shortly after, demanding to be shown some respect and allowed back at the table. The snobby rich kid of the gods, Loki, in his drunken arrogance, took offense to the gesture, feeling the servants were not worth such accolades, and killed Fimafeng.
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As they sat down for the big feast, the inebriated guests offered praise to the two lowly servants, Fimafeng and Eldir. However, like so many off-campus college parties, alcohol and animosity could sometimes spoil a perfectly good evening.Īccording to the Poetic Edda, a collection of mythological poems, the party started off great, with everyone drinking and eating and telling stories. The shindig was the highlight of the social season and all the gods attended. He even had a couple of loyal servants who distributed food and otherwise cared for the guests' needs. The special beer for the event was brewed in a giant cauldron given to him by Thor and served in magical cups that refilled as soon as they were empty. The party was held inside a great hall whose floor was littered with glittering gold, providing enough light that no fires were necessary for illumination. Norse mythology tells of Aegir, the ale brewer of the gods, who held a big party for honored guests every winter. Here are a handful of stories from around the globe that illustrate the long-time love of alcohol that connects the world.