# Answer Key - Day 1 Meditation 1. What are the three parts of the sound HUNG, and which winds do they correspond to?  - HA → apāna vayu, the downward wind being drawn upward - UH → udāna vayu, the upward-moving wind being drawn downward - NG → prāna vayu, the inward-moving wind being gathered at the heart 2. In this meditation, the winds surround the drop like a cocoon of loving presence. How might you create a “cocoon of presence” for someone in your life today? Possible Answer: By listening deeply without judgment, offering calm words, or simply holding space for someone’s emotions without needing to fix them. This mirrors how the winds hold and protect the drop. 3. How does gently lengthening the exhale (as in yogic breathing or nadi shodhana) support your ability to hear the subtle sound of HUNG?  Lengthening the exhale calms the nervous system, settles the winds in the channels, and creates stillness of mind—making it easier to perceive subtle inner vibrations like HUNG. 4. The Song of Longing speaks of a deep wish to be “a steady shore in storms of sorrow” and “a blade of compassionate wisdom.” Which image speaks most to you right now, and why? Possible Answer: “The steady shore” resonates because I want to bring stability and calmness to my family when life feels overwhelming. Practicing meditation helps me cultivate that steadiness inside. ## Asana  1. Which is the primary pose used throughout the vinyasas in this sequence? Goddess Pose (Utkata Konasana). It’s the foundation and central posture linking the vinyasas — grounding strength, grace, and openness in equal measure.  Sadhana 1. What does the word sadhana mean?  The Sanskrit word sadhana comes from the root √Sidh, which means to reach or to succeed.  Sadhana was translated into Tibetan as druptap, meaning method.  So a sadhana, or a daily practice, is a method we use to succeed in our goals.   Sadhana also means to reach in the sense of reaching a perfect being, or a teacher, or the divine.  And when we reach them, they can teach us how to become like them or attain their same level.  So we reach them both in the sense of meeting them, but also in the sense of reaching their level, or in this sense, becoming them. Lastly, we could simply say, sadhana is your practice. It is the physical expression of the deepest longing for the Divine. 2. The sadhana is called Reaching the Lady of Illusion.  Who is the Lady of Illusion?  In one sense, the Lady of Illusion is Lady Niguma herself.  But the name Illusion demonstrates that she can appear to us in many forms.  So the Lady of Illusion is any way the divine manifests to us: in the form of a teacher, a partner, the whispered words on the wind, or even the most subtle sounds of the inner body. 3. The first line in the sadhana instructs us to WAKE UP!  What does that mean?   Wake up is a call to awakening from deep within our hearts.  Chasing around desires, as if that was the meaning of life, is just like licking honey off a razor blade: a short-term pleasure that results in suffering. This sense of renunciation of the meaningless things in our lives leads us to the subsequent realization of how precious our opportunities and resources are for spiritual progress in this life. 4. Why does the “path form”?  Throughout the sadhana, we will see that the path ahead is not always clear.  We often don't know which way to go in life or how exactly to get to our destination.  So we put one foot forward, take a step, and this allows us to see more clearly where the next foothold is. The first step is the decision to wake up, to go now.  Renunciation and the decision to get the most out of this life are two decisions that give clarity on the spiritual road. 5. What is the shelter, or refuge, we take at the beginning of the sadhana?  Generally, we take shelter, or go for protection in the Three Jewels.  These three all relate to emptiness.  Here, though, we take a special refuge in our perfect nature.  This perfect nature comes in two forms: 1. That which is innate, and 2. That which needs to be cultivated Pranayama 1. How does pranayama fit into the flow of Lady Niguma Level 3, and how does it prepare the subtle body for meditation? Pranayama bridges the body work of āsana with the stillness of meditation. - Blue Sky Body clears space inside. - Yogic Breathing steadies the winds. - Nadi Shodhana purifies the channels. - Nadi Tonglen unites compassion and wisdom. Through these, the prāṇa begins to flow in the central channel—calming the mind and revealing clarity. 2. ### What does prāṇāyāma mean, and how is it understood in the Himalayan Tradition? Prāṇa = life-wind, the energy that moves body and mind. Āyāma = to expand, lengthen, or gently control. So prāṇāyāma means “expansion or mastery of the life-winds.” Tibetan texts call it sok-tsul—training the breath until it flows long, smooth, and luminous. 3. ### What is the Sanskrit for “yogic breathing,” and what are its main qualities?  Dirgha Sukshma Pranayama — dirgha = long, sukshma = fine or subtle. It is a slow, deep, equal-ratio breath that calms the winds and clears the mind. Each full cycle nourishes the body and steadies attention for subtler practice. 4. ### Describe the three phases of yogic breathing and what each awakens in the body. - Lower Breath – Diaphragm leads (≈ 80%). Inhale expands the belly; exhale draws it back.  This awakens grounding and vitality. - Middle Breath – Ribs expand (≈ 15%). Creates balance and emotional spaciousness. - Upper Breath – Chest and collarbones rise (≈ 5%). Lifts energy and brightens awareness. Pattern: Exhale upper → middle → lower  /  Inhale lower → middle → upper. ## Storytime 1 — Marpa’s Third Journey to India 1. What did Marpa’s loss of his books in the Ganges teach him about true transmission? That realization cannot be lost. The teachings live within the winds of the heart, not in paper or form. This moment revealed the strength of his devotion and the inner nature of wisdom that cannot be destroyed. 2. How does Marpa’s life as a householder yogi expand our idea of what spiritual practice can look like? Marpa farmed, raised children, ran a tavern, and still practiced deeply. His example reminds us that awakening isn’t found by leaving the world, but by transforming every action—work, family, service—into part of the path. 3. Why did Marpa return to India a final time, and what does this reveal about devotion? Even after great learning and mastery, Marpa felt something missing—the wordless transmission of direct experience. His third journey shows that devotion doesn’t end with success; it deepens through humility and the longing to serve others fully. 4. What does Naropa’s “riddle song” symbolize? The impossible images—the flower in the sky, the whip of tortoise hair—describe how wisdom and emptiness merge beyond logic. Marpa’s eventual understanding shows that the highest teachings are lived through practice, not analysis. # Homework Answer Key - Day 2 Meditation 1. What are the three components of OM, and where do they reside in the body?   - A = life wind at the heart - U = upward-moving wind at the throat - M = the drop of enlightenment above the crown 2. Gratitude in this meditation creates a bridge of light between your heart and your teacher. How could you form a “bridge of gratitude” with someone in your daily life? Possible Answer: By writing a note of thanks, silently appreciating a parent or friend, or simply pausing to feel grateful for someone’s kindness without needing to tell them. 3. This practice invites us to listen for OM on the inhale and HUNG on the exhale. How is this similar to nadi shodhana or yogic breathing?  Both involve awareness of the inhale and exhale as carriers of energy. In pranayama, winds and channels are purified; in this meditation, the same winds carry gratitude and compassion as sound vibrations.  4. In this meditation, gratitude is described as a “sweet ache in the chest.” When was the last time you felt this kind of gratitude? How might you let it expand outward today? Possible Answer: I felt this when my child smiled at me after a hard day. If I let that gratitude expand, I can be more patient with others and share kindness even with strangers. Asana 1. After completing the main vinyasa, we explore four standing variations of Goddess Pose. Can you describe or name each one? - Goddess Open & Close – expanding and gathering the wings of the heart. - Goddess Up & Down with Slayer Mudra – rising and descending through strength and surrender. - Goddess Mandala – circular flow embodying completeness. - Goddess Snare of Hungkara (or Goddess Snare Dance) – dynamic, spiraling movement of purification and release. (If the last one is omitted, don’t count as missing — both names are accepted.)Q Sadhana 1. Where are these lines in the sadhana taken from, and what famous teaching do they explain?  I swear I will reach the state Of a totally perfect being And then I will free Every single living being From the ocean of pain Of this suffering life. And I will lead them all  To perfect purity. To accomplish all this I will now carry out Each of the steps On the path  To the Lady of Illusion. These famous lines are taken from the Angel of Diamond sadhana.  They refer to the famous teachings on the Four Immeasurables.  These four are love, compassion, joy, and equanimity.  Each of these four can be found in the verse above. Can you find them? 2. “Take the path to the left”.  Why left?  Left is considered the feminine and is therefore connected to wisdom.  Left is also irregular, and so it shows that we are prepared to step out of the normal, and to give ourselves a chance to do something extraordinary.  Lastly, going left is considered to be a way to call out to the divine, to show that we are thinking of them, calling them, and reaching out to them.  3. Give the three main points in the death awareness meditation found in these lines:  Recall the certainty  And uncertainty of death. When we walk the path No matter with how many  or with how much, Forced to leave it all behind. We go alone. 1. Death is certain 2. The time of death is uncertain 3. At death, only our practice helps 4. What resolutions do we make at the end of the meditation on the awareness of death?  5. I will try to get the most out of this life by practicing well 6. I will start now 7. I will do the highest practices I can 8. What is the “highest practice”  In order to smash the chronic disease of taking care of ourselves, we determine to live a life where we “exchange ourselves with others,” as this is the antidote to the mighty devil of self-cherishing that leads us down the road to all misery. Pranayama 1.  How do we visualize the Blue Sky Body?  Begin by scanning slowly from the crown of the head down the front of the body to the toes, naming each part in your mind. Then trace awareness from the soles of the feet up the back of the body to the crown again. As you travel, invite softness and space into every fold and hidden place—behind the knees, in the palms, within the ears. Let the whole body feel like a hollow, radiant balloon, filled with open sky. Inside, there are no organs, no bones—only luminous emptiness. You are a vessel of light, calm and buoyant, your mind bright and clear.  2. ### Why is the Blue Sky Body an important preliminary for pranayama and meditation?  When we begin to see our body as made of light, it becomes easier to work with the subtle body—its channels, winds, and drops. There are no physical obstacles to visualization; lungs and stomach no longer block our inner view. From Lama Quicksilver’s commentary on the Six Yogas of Naropa: “It will be much easier to work on our body of light if we are already trying to see it as perfect light.” This inner spaciousness also begins to reflect the true emptiness we seek to realize— not the absence of form, but the understanding that all appearances arise from how deeply we care for others.  3. ### What does Nadi Shodhana mean, and how is it practiced? - Nadi means channel—the pathways through which prana, the vital wind, flows. - Shodhana means purification or cleansing. Together, Nadi Shodhana is alternate-nostril breathing, a gentle technique that purifies the channels so prāṇa can move freely and the mind can rest clear. Nadi Shodhana brings balance to body and mind, preparing the ground for meditation by harmonizing the winds of compassion and wisdom. After Yogic Breathing and Blue Sky Body, begin this nine-round cycle: #### • Ida Shodhana (left-channel cleansing) Exhale left nostril → Inhale right nostril. Repeat three times. #### • Pingala Shodhana (right-channel cleansing) Exhale right nostril → Inhale left nostril. Repeat three times. #### • Sushumna Shodhana (central-channel balancing) Inhale both nostrils → Exhale both nostrils. Repeat three times. Exhalations begin and end softly, slightly stronger in the middle to clear the passage. Inhalations are smooth and unhurried. With steady practice, you may later explore breath-retention ratios such as 4:4:4 or 4:12:8—but only under qualified guidance. Rushing ahead can disturb the winds and agitate the nervous system. Pranayama should always be learned and refined under the care of a living teacher.  ## Storytime 2 — Marpa’s Inner Pilgrimage 1. What realization caused Marpa to begin his journey of confession and offering? He saw that pride and forgetfulness had dimmed his devotion to Naropa. He had stopped bowing inwardly, stopped offering gratitude, and understood that these seeds had made his teacher seem distant. 2. What is the purpose of the Ganachakra, or sacred feast, that Marpa was advised to perform? It is not an ordinary meal, but a circle of reconnection—a way to purify broken commitments, honor the teacher’s companions, and restore the golden thread of devotion through offering and rejoicing. 3. How did Lady Niguma’s dream confirm Marpa’s progress on this inner pilgrimage? Her vision of the trumpet and the lamp in the vase showed that Marpa’s three channels had become aligned and his subtle winds purified. He had become a clear vessel—ready to meet his teacher again. 4. What commitment did Marpa make as he prepared to meet Naropa once more? He committed to reflect his teacher’s wisdom in the world, to remain humble and steady, and to let every offering—material or inner—shine as the gold of devotion. ** # Homework Answer Key - Day 3 Meditation 1. In this meditation, which bija syllable is emphasized, and what does it represent?  AH. It represents the pause—the space between inhale and exhale—where winds merge, the mind becomes still, and bliss and emptiness unite.  2. Which three winds come together in the bija AH? - Life wind at the heart (first “a”) - Upward-moving wind at the throat (second “a”) - Downward-clearing wind at the secret place (“ha”) This parallels pranayama practice, where the winds are guided into the central channel and allowed to rest.  3. The meditation teaches us to see bliss not as something to cling to, but as a doorway. In your daily life, how might you shift one moment of pleasure or relief into a deeper reminder of your potential?  Answer (examples): When enjoying a meal, pause to dedicate it to all beings; when feeling relaxed in nature, recognize it as a glimpse of inner stillness. 4. The practice asks: “Bliss without emptiness is a beautiful mistaken dream. Emptiness without bliss is a black and white mirror.” Which side do you tend to lean toward in your own experience—and how might you bring them closer together? Sample Reflection: I often feel emptiness as dry clarity (the mirror), but rarely bliss. To bring them closer, I can soften into gratitude and let joy be present alongside insight. Asana 1. Which are the three “Small Drops” postures we work with in this asana sequence, and where are they located?  The Three Small Drops are performed three times, each activating a sacred region: - Lower Drop: base chakra area. (Muladhara) - Middle Drop: sacrum and navel region (Svadhisthana–Manipura). - Chest Drop: heart center (Anahata). Sadhana 1. Why does the lake still, allowing us to see the reflection of the Angel?  Because of the practice of “the book”, done properly, every day, and with no gaps, we finally have the goodness to get a glimpse of the divine. 2. Why does the Angel disappear?  And if they do, what should we do?  When we buy something really expensive, our bank account drops dramatically.  The same can be true of our seed bank account when something very special happens. The appearance of the divine disappears as we no longer possess the seeds for that projection.  Then, we have a decision to make.  Do we react to the world as it now appears, or do we hold onto that pure projection as real?  Or “real”.  3. Why do we see OM AH HUNG in places throughout the text?  The OM AH HUNG is to remind us of our Meditation practice, Song of the Indivisible.  At these points in the sadhana, we could stop and do this meditation practice.  Further, it is this song, or the calling from the most subtle winds of the heart, that leads us to the Lady of Illusion and our ultimate destination.  4. At last, we meet the Lady of Illusion.  She is described as having adornments and attainments.  What is your favorite adornment, and what attainment does it refer to? Possible Answer.  For example, a student could choose the chop knife, which is symbolic of cutting off all of our negative thoughts and negative emotions.  Pranayama 1. ### How can we use Nadi Shodhana to purify the channels and prepare the winds for meditation?  Begin with the Blue Sky Body visualization — see your form as hollow, luminous, and filled with light. Then bring to mind the three main channels: - Ida (left) – moon channel, cool and receptive. - Pingala (right) – sun channel, warm and active. - Sushumna (center) – the radiant pathway of awakening. Start gently: - Inhale through the right nostril, exhale through the left — purifying attachment. - Inhale through the left, exhale through the right — purifying anger. - Inhale and exhale through both nostrils — purifying ignorance. Three rounds each, nine in total. Breathe softly, evenly, allowing the winds to travel down to the triveṇī (the juncture beneath the navel) and up the central channel. With each exhale, visualize dullness and distraction dissolving into space — like clouds fading from the sky.  2. ### How do outer methods like Nadi Shodhana and inner visualizations work together? When we combine breath control with subtle-body awareness, the outer and inner paths merge. This reflects the YSI axiom chi nang tab la tsowor bey — working from the outside in and the inside out to reach realization. Outer control steadies the winds; inner visualization gives them purpose. As another saying reminds us, lung sem jukpa chikpa — winds and thoughts move as one. When the winds become still, the mind naturally becomes still. When the mind settles in compassion and clarity, the winds find their home in the central channel.  3. ### What are the key Sanskrit terms for the breath cycle and the three primary channels? Breath Cycle - Puraka – inhale - Recaka – exhale - Antara Kumbhaka – retention after inhale - Bahya Kumbhaka – suspension after exhale Channels - Ida – left channel - Pingala – right channel - Sushumna – central channel - Numbers 1–10 (for mantra counting) eka, dve, trini, chatvari, pancha, shat, sapta, ashta, nava, dasha ## Storytime 3 — Marpa’s Visions of Devotion 1. In Marpa’s first vision, how did Naropa appear, and what did the tiger, sun, and moon represent? Naropa rode a tiger through the sky, with two radiant maidens standing on the sun and moon. The tiger symbolized transforming desire into the path; the sun and moon were the right and left channels. To rise above them is to move beyond duality. 2. Who were the two maidens in the vision, and what qualities did they embody? They introduced themselves as Jñānamatī (“she whose insight is pure wisdom”) and Guṇasiddhi (“she who has perfected the qualities”). Together they represented direct perception of emptiness joined with perfected compassion and virtue—the wisdom and method that complete the path. 3. What lesson did Marpa receive in his second vision of the golden deer and the “whip of exertion”? He learned that devotion alone was not enough. He must urge the horse of faith with joyful effort—tsundru—and avoid the trap of grasping at “me” and “mine.” When he offered effort as devotion, longing turned to bliss. 4. What realization came from the third vision and the footprint in the crystal? The voice in the sky taught him that the footprint was like the trail of a bird in flight—freedom leaves no trace. True practice means seeing causes, not chasing results; learning to act from the level of seeds rather than appearances. # Homework Answer Key - Day 4 Meditation 1. In this meditation, what do the three syllables OM, AH, and HUNG represent?  • OM = the inhale, the entering wind. • AH = the pause, the still point of emptiness. • HUNG = the exhale, the rising wind. Together, they express the cycle of winds entering, staying, and rising—dissolving into the drop at the heart.  2. How does this meditation mirror what we practiced in pranayama (nadi shodhana and nadi tonglen)?  Both guide the winds into the central channel and drops. Pranayama uses breath and visualization to purify channels and emotions, while this meditation uses OM, AH, HUNG as “wind syllables” to ride the prana directly into the heart drop, opening it to bliss-emptiness.  3. The practice asks us to take full responsibility for the world’s suffering instead of looking away. What is one way you can “not look away” today—in small or ordinary moments? Answer (examples): - Listening fully when someone is upset instead of changing the subject. - Noticing my own irritation and seeing it as “my wind” rather than blaming others. - Choosing one painful situation in the news or community and silently dedicating my practice to it. 4. This meditation suggests that every joy and every sorrow we see is our own projection. How does this change the way you feel about responsibility for your life and the world? Do you feel it as heavy—or as empowering? Sample Answer: At first, it feels heavy, but then I realize it means I am not powerless. If the suffering comes from me, I also have the power to plant new causes and create a different world. Asana 1. At the close of class, we complete the practice with two mudras symbolizing offering. What are they, and what do they express?  The Flower Offering Mudras — two gestures of reverence symbolizing gratitude and surrender. They remind us that the physical practice is a gift, an offering of beauty and effort to all beings. Sadhana 1. Who wrote the Springtime Song of Colourless Light, and what is the meaning of the poem’s title?  The poem was written by none other than Geshe Michael Roach. The meaning of springtime is in reference to the drop of spring at the heart chakra. The colorless light is the experience of ultimate love that can follow the direct perception of emptiness. When the heart chakra opens, it’s a pure, colorless light that comes out of the chest. It is this light that connects us to all beings, and we make a profound commitment to serve them all.  2. From the perspective of the open teachings, what meditation leads us to this experience of ultimate love?  The Seven-Step Cause and Effect Method for Developing Ultimate Love. With this meditation, we train the mind to see all living beings as our very own mother, and to use this profound connection to inspire us to treat all beings with total love and compassion.   3. What is the meaning of the following: Om Arya Sumati Dharma Dhara Ah Hung  This is the Sanskrit name of Geshe Michael.  It shows us that we can use the name of our heart teacher as a mantra or a method to call out to our heart teacher, the divine, or the deepest, most pure essence of our heart. 4. What is the connection between the experience of ultimate love and the following lines:  Who isn’t the Lady Illusion?  I will serve them all. With the experience of ultimate love, we are connected with every being, committed to ending their suffering.  In these last lines of the sadhana, we ask, who isn’t the Lady of Illusion?  And that is the point - we don't know.  She could be anyone and everyone.  With that commitment, we resolve to walk through our days serving others as best we can, striving to live a perfect life as shown to us by Lady Niguma.  Pranayama 1. ### What is Nadi Tonglen and why do we practice it?  Nadi Tonglen joins two ancient lineages: the breath purification of Nadi Shodhana and the heart practice of tong len—“giving and taking.” Through the winds, we learn to exchange self-concern for compassion. By visualizing a loved one (tonglen friend) and cleansing their channels as our own, we plant powerful seeds to become someone who can truly remove suffering.  2. ### How do we practice Nadi Tonglen? Begin with Blue Sky Body, Yogic Breathing, and Nadi Shodhana to prepare the channels. Then: 1️⃣ Set your intention: to use this breath to help others. 2️⃣ Visualize the rose and diamond at the heart — the rose of compassion, the diamond of wisdom. 3️⃣ See your tonglen friend before you. Breathe for them.  • Exhale left / inhale right → release attachment.  • Exhale right / inhale left → release anger.  • Inhale & exhale both nostrils → release ignorance. 4️⃣ When their suffering appears as dark smoke, let it touch the diamond—see it dissolve instantly into golden light. 5️⃣ On the next exhale, send radiant light through their central channel, filling them with joy and ease.  3. ### How does Nadi Tonglen deepen our understanding of OM AH HUNG?  Just as OM AH HUNG unites entering, staying, and rising winds, Nadi Tonglen unites taking, transforming, and giving. When wisdom (the diamond) meets compassion (the rose), suffering transforms into light. Breath becomes offering; offering becomes bliss.  ## Storytime 4 — The Real Gold 1. In Marpa’s sixth vision, what offering did he make to Naropa, and why did the teacher reject it? Marpa offered a mandala made of gold dust—his most treasured possession. Naropa rejected it, showing that attachment to praise, gain, and approval still bound Marpa to the eight worldly thoughts. The true mandala was not gold but Marpa’s transformed mind—joyful, detached, and free. 2. What realization did Marpa reach about the “offering of realization”? He understood that the highest offering to the teacher is not wealth or ritual, but the living demonstration of inner transformation—emptiness applied in daily life. The real gift is a mind freed from grasping and filled with joy and understanding. 3. What lesson did the seventh vision—the dismembered corpse—teach Marpa about bliss and equanimity? Naropa’s shocking act revealed that bliss and revulsion arise from the same source: the student’s own mind. Until Marpa could meet every experience—pleasant or disgusting—with equal taste, his winds would not obey, and true samadhi would remain hidden. 4. What was the final teaching of the eighth vision about the teacher and the path? When Marpa tried to chase Naropa and failed to reach him, he learned that the guru is not found by pursuit but created through devotion. By surrendering pride and resting in the emptiness of coming and going, the teacher appears naturally as the mirror of one’s purified seeds.