Kundalini Yoga Certification Meditation Practices & Methods 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the role of 'Pratyahara' in a Kundalini meditation session?
- It is the withdrawal of senses from external stimuli to turn attention inward (Correct answer)
- It refers to the final relaxation at the end of class
- It is the practice of alternating nostril breathing
- It describes the energetic lock at the base of the spine
Correct answer: It is the withdrawal of senses from external stimuli to turn attention inward
Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, involves consciously withdrawing the senses from their external objects so the mind can focus inward.
Question 2: Which mantra is specifically associated with connecting to the 'Infinite Self' and is considered the highest mantra in Kundalini Yoga?
- Har Haray Haree Wahe Guru
- Sat Nam
- Ek Ong Kar Sat Guru Prasad (Correct answer)
- Ra Ma Da Sa Sa Say So Hung
Correct answer: Ek Ong Kar Sat Guru Prasad
Ek Ong Kar Sat Guru Prasad (and its reverse) is called the Maha Mantra or 'magic mantra' and is considered the highest mantra for reversing the mind.
Question 3: During meditation with a mudra, the pressure applied at specific points on the fingers is believed to:
- Increase cardiovascular output
- Activate specific meridians and influence brain function (Correct answer)
- Cool the body temperature during intense breathwork
- Prevent the practitioner from falling asleep
Correct answer: Activate specific meridians and influence brain function
In Kundalini Yoga, finger pressure in mudras activates meridians connected to reflex zones in the brain, influencing mental and energetic states.
Question 4: A student reports feeling intense heat rising up the spine during deep meditation. According to Kundalini Yoga, this most likely indicates:
- Dehydration requiring immediate water intake
- The awakening and upward movement of Kundalini Shakti energy (Correct answer)
- An incorrect posture causing muscle strain
- Overactive sympathetic nervous system requiring cooling pranayama
Correct answer: The awakening and upward movement of Kundalini Shakti energy
Heat ascending through the spine is a classic sign of Kundalini energy moving upward through the Sushumna Nadi during deep practice.
Question 5: What is the correct sequence when beginning a formal Kundalini meditation practice?
- Sit, close eyes, apply root lock immediately
- Tune in with Adi Mantra, set intention, begin practice (Correct answer)
- Begin with Breath of Fire for 11 minutes, then sit silently
- Chant Sat Nam 108 times before any breathwork
Correct answer: Tune in with Adi Mantra, set intention, begin practice
Every Kundalini Yoga session begins by tuning in with the Adi Mantra (Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo) to connect to the Golden Chain of teachers.
Question 6: The '11-minute meditation' timing in many Kundalini practices is significant because:
- It mirrors the 11-year solar cycle
- It is the minimum time required to change a habit pattern and flush the lymphatic system (Correct answer)
- It corresponds to the 11 major chakras
- It was Yogi Bhajan's personal meditation duration preference
Correct answer: It is the minimum time required to change a habit pattern and flush the lymphatic system
Yogi Bhajan taught specific meditation timings; 11 minutes is said to flush the glandular system and begin reversing habitual patterns of the subconscious mind.
Question 7: What differentiates a 'kriya' from a standalone meditation in Kundalini Yoga?
- A kriya is always silent; a meditation always uses mantra
- A kriya is a complete action-sequence combining postures, breath, and mantra toward a specific outcome; a meditation may be a single technique (Correct answer)
- A kriya is only practiced in groups; meditation is solitary
- A kriya lasts exactly 62 minutes; meditations are shorter
Correct answer: A kriya is a complete action-sequence combining postures, breath, and mantra toward a specific outcome; a meditation may be a single technique
A kriya (meaning 'completed action') is a specific prescribed sequence of exercises, breathwork, and/or mantra designed to produce a defined result.
Kundalini Yoga Certification Meditation Practices & Methods 3
What is the role of 'Pratyahara' in a Kundalini meditation session?