The Biological-Neurological Basis of:
Fourth Technique - Divine Nectar

The physical modification of the "Nectar" technique during the Rejoice overhaul (and subsequent years) produced a parallel shift in physiological output and reported results.

1. The Original Nectar Technique (1970s): Extreme Physicality

In the 1970s, initiates were instructed in a practice closely derived from traditional Khechari Mudra (a Tantric/Hatha Yoga practice).

• The Instruction: Practitioners were told to curl the tongue backward along the roof of the mouth and insert the tip behind the soft palate/uvula into the nasopharynx.

• The Target Outcome: They were told that with enough effort, practice, or stretching, they would taste a literal physical substance—a sweet, liquid "nectar of the gods" (or amrita) dripping down the throat—which was claimed to sustain yogis for months without food.

The Physiological Reality of the Early Outcome

• Salivary Stimulation: Stretching the tongue into extreme retroflexion compresses and stimulates the minor salivary glands in the posterior palate as well as the sublingual/submandibular ducts. This induces a continuous release of saliva, which practitioners were told to interpret as "holy nectar."

• Mucus and Secretions: Reaching into the nasopharynx places the tongue in contact with post-nasal mucus and sinus drainage, which can carry varied taste profiles (salty, sweetish, or metallic depending on hydration, diet, and sinus health).

• Extreme Strain and Fatigue: For most people whose hyoglossus and genioglossus tongue muscles are not surgically cut or intensely trained for years, curling the tongue that far back causes intense physical discomfort, gag reflexes, and muscle spasms.

2. The Shift in Instructions (Rejoice 1987 onward)

During the 1987 Rejoice events, Rawat modified the practical instructions for all four techniques:

• The New Instruction: Practitioners were told to simply rest the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth (palate) comfortably, without straining, forcing it back, or attempting to reach behind the soft palate.

• The Immediate Result: Relaxing the posture meant practitioners no longer engaged in intense salivary stimulation or nasopharyngeal contact. Consequently, reports of tasting a literal "sweet liquid" or physical "nectar" dropped off sharply.

3. Re-framing the Expected Experience

Just as with the Light technique (where dramatic flashes caused by eye pressure were replaced by quiet focus), the expected result of the Nectar technique was systematically reframed:

• From Physical Taste to 'Subtle Experience': The earlier promises of tasting literal physical "nectar" were re-characterized by senior instructors (such as Charanand) as past misunderstandings or over-literal expectations held by followers in the 1970s.

• Redefined Output: The practice was officially reframed as a subtle, calming focus—a quiet exercise in internal resting rather than a dramatic sensory spectacle.

Summary

Across both the Light and Nectar techniques, reducing the mechanical strain (eye pressure in the 1st technique; extreme tongue retroflexion in the 3rd/4th) directly removed the underlying physiological triggers (pressure phosphenes and forced salivary/mucal secretions). In both cases, altering the physical stimulus led to a predictable loss of the sensational physical output, which in turn required updating the movement's official narrative of what the meditation was supposed to produce.

The modifications during the 1987 Rejoice events were applied across all four techniques, not just the Light and Nectar practices.

In every instance, the physical mechanics were relaxed, and the official narrative surrounding what practitioners should expect to feel was systematically reframed.

Summary of the Overall Overhaul

The Rejoice overhaul in 1987 reshaped the entire system of Knowledge:

As senior leaders within the movement explained publicly at the time, the early accounts of "thundering light," "divine music," and "tasting nectar" were reframed as mistaken, over-literal expectations. The desired outcome was redefined across the board: meditation was no longer presented as a dramatic sensory spectacle, but as a subtle, quiet, and calming internal state.

Click Here for the specific primary sources confirming these historical events and physiological descriptions.