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Why keep the tongue against the palate in some exercises?

Hello friends!! Why should we keep the tongue against the palate in some exercises?
One of our facebook friends asked this question and received several replies - what would you advise?

Sunita: Keeping the tongue this way helps in generating more saliva which when goes in to the body helps in degiestion.

Ian: Thanks Sunita!

Ellen: to estimulate the pineal gland

Victor: I had the same q. mostly for it use in in meditation. I´ve read everything about it and found something talking of an exercise with the tongue back, more and more each time. At some point this practice will lead you to a wake of some so pure elixir in the throat. A panacea... This and more...

Dharmendra: ‎...because we conect spritual energy{crown chakra} to chakras{other lower chakras then become cricle for kundlini,,,

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Permalink Reply by Babananda Kim Katami on January 24, 2012 at 9:38pm

If we are talking about soft palate and khechari mudra then...

Before one is born, the soft palate and the pituitary (not pineal) gland are united but they separate later. However, an energetic connection remains. Therefore, the soft palate is like a trigger to activate the pituitary gland which is an important part of the spiritual eye system. I covered some of this in my book which is downloadable for free: http://en.sundarayoga.fi/77

I'd like to elaborate a little bit what Dharmendra said above... What I'm about to say is the theme of my mentioned book. There is a whole system (7 altogether) of chakras above the sahasrara chakra in the crown. Khechari Mudra establishes an energetic line by keeping the tongue folded backwards against the soft palate. This can be seen as a function of the Sushumna Nadi or, in more general, as a function of the Kundalini Pillar consisting of chakras below the body, in the body and above the body which untaps areas of ones consciousness (via chakras) and hence the person becomes established in turiya and para turiya-states.

Aum,
- Babananda