What Do Pulling Sensations During Meditation Mean?

Dear Nitesh,

A pulling sensation in meditation can happen because it is normal to become aware of subtle energy movements. Rarely is such an experience of any concern and generally it carries no special significance.

As these experiences have a tendency to distract the meditator, there are two basic choices:

1) Ignore the energy distraction and stay centered in the spine, at the point between the eyebrows, or, otherwise, on whatever technique, mantra, image, prayer, etc. that is your focal point for meditation. Or,

2) Enter into the center of the energy field and sensitively coax or draw that energy back into your own center.

In the later case, the yogi views subtle energy not just as the “prana” spoken of in yoga, but as the living presence of Divine Mother (the Aum vibration). Thus to “meditate upon” prana is a perfectly valid form of meditative concentration and devotion.

The reason to coax this energy into the spine is that the spine is the channel through which kundalini energy awakens and rises towards the brain on the journey to enlightenment (which takes place at the spiritual eye, the point between the eyebrows). Thus drawing the energy first inward to the spine and then upward to the spiritual eye is the most common counsel given to the yogi.

A caution however: you can be guaranteed that the ego will claim credit for the appearance of any subtle energies, images, visions, etc. and the inclination to be “humbly proud” of one’s accomplishment is certain to arise. Paramhansa Yogananda cautioned us by saying “The road to enlightenment is not a circus!”

Jesus said “Test the spirits to see if they are of God.” “Of God” includes this tendency for the ego and subconscious to claim credit “of themselves.” Thus it is also valid in respect to choice #1 above!

Patanjali (in the Yoga Sutras) says that any such experience, such as your pulling sensation during meditation, can be used for meditative concentration. Feelings of deep peace, joy, awareness of prana, chakra sounds, tastes, smells, shapes, colors, and on and on help validate and also sharpen one’s astral senses and sensitivities.

Beyond that, however, psychic powers are no guarantee of spirituality! Yet, they have their place in the journey upwards to God. Thus it is that some say to ignore these and others say to focus upon them. Both have a certain validity, given the warning offered above.

Fair enough, friend?

Nayaswami Hriman
Seattle WA USA
www.Hrimananda.org