For Good Health And A Calm Mind – Control Your Tongue

We can be healthy, we can be happy only if we can decide what our tongue speaks and what it tastes.

Mind what you speak

Silence is the ‘closed golden treasure’ of every individual. But the ‘eager for recognition’ in the community or group of people and ‘ambition for opportunity’ will make us to open this treasure very often. Once opened, everybody will peep into this ‘magic box’ and the nobleness of the mysterious golden antique is lost. This is quite frequent in some individual. Most likely the ‘nature’ of the individual prompts the person to do so. But repercussions after the break open of the silence, what everybody feels,  will repeatedly occur and the individual is restless or uncontrolled. Ultimately, a chain of ‘discomforts’ is ensued and the pleasure of the mind is ruined.  That is why excess talk is is not entertained in business and have golden opportunities only in reality shows!

There are two famous proverbs in Kannada (south Indian language, my mother tongue, ancient and beautiful 🙂 )
Talk is silver, Silence is gold.
It is better to be famous as dumb, being silent, than as rude / awkward by being talkative.

Even though the ‘urge of talk’ starts from the mind, ‘ever alive’ tongue takes up the next step, even before mind has made its decision, words are ejected out and casualty strikes. The cleverness is hidden in controlling the tongue.

It does not mean that we should close the mouth and avoid speaking all the time. But we should have awareness about where one should speak and where to avoid. It is like exhibiting the ‘golden antique’ in front of people who are seeking to buy it from you. Only in such cases it gives big return/ recognition/appreciation or else it becomes a common object of lesser interest.

Master Vagbhata opines

As per Ashtanga Hrudayam, Sutrasthana 2nd chapter,

One should be willing to help even his foes, even though they are not helpful.
One should maintain Eka Mana (balanced mind) both during calamity and prosperity.
One should not be jealous of other’s wealth and happiness.

काले हितं मितं ब्रूयादविसंवादि पेशलम् ।
पूर्वाभिभाषी सुमुखः सुशीलः करुणामृदुः ॥ २६ ॥
नैकः सुखी न सर्वत्र विश्रब्धो न च शङ्कितः ।

kāle hitaṃ mitaṃ brūyādavisaṃvādi peśalam |
pūrvābhibhāṣī sumukhaḥ suśīlaḥ karuṇāmṛduḥ || 26 ||
naikaḥ sukhī na sarvatra viśrabdho na ca śaṅkitaḥ |

Kale bruyat – speak only on the right occasion.
Hitam bruyat – speak good words, be pleasant.
Mitam bruyat – speak little, as per necessity.
Avisamvadi peshalam – speak without giving a chance for arguments.
Purva abhibhashi – be the first to greet, to start a conversation.
Sumukhaha – have a smiling face.
Susheelaha – have a good character.
Karuna – be courteous.
Mrudu – be soft in speech and activity.
Na Eka sukhee – Do not be a person who likes to be alone always.
Na sarvatah vishrabdo – do not believe everything around you.
Na shankhitaha – do not suspect everything around you.

न कञ्चिदात्मनः शत्रुं नात्मानं कस्यचिद्रिपुम् ॥ २७ ॥
प्रकाशयेन्नापमानं न च निःस्नेहतां प्रभोः ।

na kañcidātmanaḥ śatruṃ nātmānaṃ kasyacidripum || 27 ||
prakāśayennāpamānaṃ na ca niḥsnehatāṃ prabhoḥ |

Na kanchit atmanaha shatrum – Do not instantly consider someone as your foe.
Na aatmanam kasyachit ripum – Do not consider anybody’s hostility toward self.
Prakashayet na apamanam – Do not publicly talk about insults that you faced.
Na cha nisnehata prabho – Do not publicly talk about disaffection towards your king.

जनस्याशयमालक्ष्य यो यथा परितुष्यति ॥ २८ ॥
तं तथैवानुवर्तेत पराराधनपण्डितः ।
janasyāśayamālakṣya yo yathā parituṣyati || 28 ||
taṃ tathaivānuvarteta parārādhanapaṇḍitaḥ |

One who is skilled in pleasing others, should keep in mind the nature of people, should deal with them in a manner best pleasing to them, and become well-versed in the art of adoring others.

To sum up, the tongue has the power to make the time and energy  as an investment or tool to invite trouble.

How to control what you speak

Ghee – Regular use of ghee makes your brain sharp and enables it to control tongue. Make sure to use at least a teaspoon of ghee in your diet. – Read more – Ghee benefits

Regular practice of pranayama – Pranayama gives good control to your breath, mind and tongue. Hence, practice it regularly. – Learn a simple Pranayama method

Bhramari type of pranayama is especially prescribed to control tongue and mind – Learn Bhramari (video)

Before a meeting Plan well ahead about what to talk and what not to. A conscious mind will help you to delete unnecessary chatters from the mind. Bite your tongue gently, before starting a conversation. This alerts the mind and tongue to be double-careful.
After a conversation, repeatedly analyze how you could have made it better.

Another mishap usually is caused due to hyperactive tongue is – longing for all the dishes this universe has to offer. The rule of Ayurveda is, eat only when your hungry and stop eating just before you feel you are satiated. You are suppose to include all the 6 tastes in your food – sweet, salt, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent. But no! tongue wants to continue with only one or two tastes, neglecting others.
Once again it is due to the greediness of the hyper-active mind the individual likes to have varieties of food. Ultimately, one will end up in indigestion and is exposed to all sorts of diseases – obesity, diabetes, etc.

Let’s think for a moment, about the fate of food, The fate of all the food, once it passes beyond the tongue into stomach,  is one and the same. But the craving of the tongue makes our gut miserable by taking unhealthy food.

Remedy for extra craving: There is no remedy for this, just stop over-eating, avoid junk foods, aerated drinks, soda, and excess alcohol. Of course, Pranayama, strict lifestyle, a co-operating family help a lot.
Dear readers, lets control our tongue both while speaking and eating and let’s enjoy a healthy body and calm mind.
Article by Dr MS Krishnamurthy and Dr Hebbar