What is Kriya Yoga?

Kriya Yoga, as described by Yogananda,

"The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve around the six spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses), which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, the symbolic Cosmic Man, upward and downward."

The Kriya yoga method consists of several levels of pranayama, mantra, and mudra based on practices designed to hasten spiritual growth and induce a profound state of calm and God-communion.

Sri Yukteswar Giri, Lahiri Mahasaya, and Mahavatar Babaji are among Yogananda's lineage of gurus who helped him describe Kriya Yoga.

The latter is said to have presented the notion as fundamentally identical to Patanjali's Raja Yoga and the Bhagavad Gita's description of Yoga.

Kriya Yoga, as taught by Lahiri Mahasaya, is historically only studied through a Guru-disciple connection, with a secret initiation ritual.

"Babaji trained me in the old rigorous laws which regulate the transmission of the yogic technique from Guru to pupil," he said following his entrance into Kriya Yoga.

The practice of Kriya Yoga is said to purify the blood, allowing the life energy to retreat into the spine.

One half-minute of energy revolution around man's sensitive spinal cord causes subtle development in his growth; one year of natural spiritual unfoldment is equal to half-minute of Kriya.

Kriya Yoga is a basic psycho-physiological strategy for decarbonizing and recharging the human blood with oxygen.

The additional oxygen atoms are converted into life current, which rejuvenates the brain and spinal areas.

The yogi can minimize or avoid tissue degeneration by halting the buildup of venous blood; the accomplished yogi can transform his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir, and other prophets were masters of Kriya or a comparable method, which allowed them to control the materialization and dematerialization of their bodies."

"Kriya sadhana may be understood of as the sadhana of the 'practice of being in Atman,'" wrote Swami Satyananda.

INITIAL KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUE

The Sushumna nadi, which goes up the body from the Muladhara chakra (at the base of the spine), passes through the spinal column, and pierces the bases of the skull.

It splits at the larynx, with the anterior portion going to the ajna chakra (the region between the brows) and the posterior piece going beyond the skull to the Brahma chakra (at the top of the head)

Sit cross-legged or in lotus pose in a chair, feet flat on the floor. Straighten your head and neck, then place your hands in your lap, palms upwards. Close your eyes completely or partially. Maintain a steady stare on the ajna chakra (the point between the eyebrows). The neck should be expanded.

Directions for pranayam:

1. Breathe deeply and slowly via your nose, generating the steady sound of "AW" deep in the enlarged throat. Feel a chilly current being dragged up the sushumna as you pull in the breath to a count of 10 (or up to 15). Feel the coolness in your throat and hear the sound "AW," and mentally transport these feelings and sounds to your spine, as if a cool breath were coming up the sushmna with a "AW" sound. "AW's" sound should be detectable but not too loud.
2. After drawing the cold stream up to the ajna chakra, take a little rest; three counts should enough.
3. Slowly and quietly exhale through the nose to a count of 10 (or up to 15), generating a consistent "EE" sound high in the enlarged throat. Feel the breath moving down the sushumna as a warm, delicate (threadlike) stream. Feel the warmth in your throat and concentrate on the sound of "EE," then mentally transfer both the sensation of warmth and the sound of "EE" to your spine, envisioning the warm breath flowing down your spine with the delicate sound of "EE." Exhalation and inhalation should both be gradual and even.

Repetition is key. Concentrate on the chilly or warm currents you sense in the sushumna. Take a mental journey down the spine. Put all of your thoughts and feelings there. If you're feeling agitated, start your meditation by repeating the soham or another mantra to quiet your mind. The method should then be practiced (listening to the Om sound). Kriya should be performed on an empty or minimally full stomach.

MAHA MUDRA

1. Take a seat on the floor, upright.
2. Bring the left leg back under the body, with the sole of the left foot supporting the left hip.
3. Pull the right leg up against the body, bringing the upper half of the leg as near as possible to the chest and the sole of the foot flat on the floor.
4. Wrap your hands around your right knee, fingers clasped.
5. Inhale deeply into the extended throat, generating the sound "AW" and carrying the cool stream up the sushumna.
6. While holding your breath, lean your head forward and downward until your chin hits your chest, while releasing your grip on the right knee and lengthening your right leg forward till it is straight on the floor.
7. Holding the breath, grab the big toe of the right foot with the interlaced fingers of both hands and gently draw it toward you, mentally counting from one to six in this bent stance.
8. Sit up straightening your spine and raising your right knee until it is back in the initial position (see items 3 and 4 above).
9. Exhale with a high "EE" sound in the wide throat, allowing the heated circulation to go down the sushumna.
10. Reverse the leg positions such that the right foot is tucked behind the right hip and the left leg is brought up toward the body.
11. Sit with your left and right legs drawn up toward your body and your hands clasped over your knees.
12. Breathe deeply and carry the chilly stream up the sushumna, generating the sound "AW" deep in the throat.
13. While holding your breath, bow your head forward and downward until your chin hits your chest, then release the clasped hands and stretch both legs forward until they are straight out in front of you.
14. While still holding your breath, wrap your hands over the great toes of your left and right feet and draw them toward you, counting one to six.
15. Stand up straight with your back straight, both legs brought up close to your body, and hands clasped around your knees.
16. Exhale and send the heated current down the sushumna, generating the sound "EE."
17. Repeat steps three times.

Relax the muscles that go down the spine. The extended leg's knee should not be bent.

JYOTI MUDRA

1. Sit upright on a straight chair with your feet flat on the floor, cross-legged, or in a lotus position.
2. Place the thumb of the left hand over the left tragus and the thumb of the right hand over the right tragus. (The tragus is the cartilaginous protuberance in front of the ear's entrance or hole.)
3. Lightly push the index fingers of each hand over the closed eyelids' outer corners with a moderate pressure.
4. Place the middle fingers towards the nostrils on the sides of the nose.
5. Place the fourth and little fingers over and below the corners of the.
6. Inhale with the sound of "AW," pushing the cold river upward via the sushumna while staring at the ajna chakra with your fingers softly in these locations.
7. Close the ear, nose, and openings entirely and keep the eyeballs locked in the upward-gazing posture by holding your breath and knitting your eyebrows firmly and swiftly. At the same time, apply strong yet mild pressure with all of your fingers.
8. Watch the rotating light of the spiritual eye—the spiritual aurora borealis—while continuing to hold your breath for a mental count of 1 to 12 (or as long as you can hold your breath without pain).
9. With the sound of "EE," release the pressure on the fingers (without removing them from their places) and exhale, releasing the warm current downward down the spinal tube. Rep three times more. When you see the spiritual eye in its entirety, you'll see a five-pointed star in the center, surrounded by a blue light, which is encompassed by a halo of golden light.

When holding the breath during Jyoti Mudra (see point 8 in outline), the rib-cage tenses reflexively in order to sustain the chest expansion.

During this section of Jyoti Mudra, the Kriya yogi might improve his or her results by intentionally relaxing the chest. If his attention is deep and peaceful, he may notice that the epiglottis relaxes (i.e., opens), letting air into the. The escape of air (and consequent deflation of the chest) is avoided, however, since the fingers securely block the and nostril holes.

THE SECOND KRIYA

Place your chair in front of a table high enough that you may comfortably rest your elbows on it while sitting with a straight spine and cover your ears by pushing the tragus of both ears with your thumbs after doing Kriya Yoga, the First Initiation.
Then press the tips of your forefingers into the closed eyelids' outer corners.
Rotate the fingertips on the corners of the eyes gently with slight pressure, while simultaneously contracting the muscles below the muladhara chakra.
Focus your focus on the constricted muladhara chakra while listening for the sound of the bumble bee. Sound and light will be produced as a result of positive attention on the negative muladhara chakra. It's a lot easier to make the sound.
To perceive the ray-petaled lotus-stars or chakras, you must have a high level of development. The spiritual eye, on the other hand, may take on a dark reddish color, or orange, or blue, depending on the vibrations of the five centers below, and will reflect in the sixth spiritual center, or taluka chakra.
Keep your eyes closed and your concentration on the muladhara chakra muscles until you hear the bumble bee, then relax your eyes and the muladhara chakra muscles.
Allow your attention to travel up the spine an inch or two, contract the swadhisthana chakra muscles, and rotate the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners softly but slightly, listening for the sound of a flute. Then watch how the hue of the spiritual eye changes.
Then mentally go up the spine to the manipura chakra opposite the navel, relaxing the swadhisthana muscles and your eyeballs.
By jerking the navel, you may pinpoint the exact location of this spot.
Hold the tension in the manipura chakra while slowly spinning the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners with a mild pressure; then listen for the harp sound.
Relax your eyelids and the manipura muscles.
Bring the shoulder blades together and concentrate on the spine opposite the heart to find the anahata chakra.
Rotate the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners gently and with a gentle pressure, noticing the color shift and listening for a deep bell sound.
The shoulder blades should be relaxed, and the eyes should be pressed together.
Raise your mind to the Vishuddhi chakra. Moving your head swiftly from side to side produces a cracking or grinding sound in the Vishuddhi chakra vertebrae, which you may feel.
Listen for the sea roar at that precise location. Gently rub your hands over the closed eyes' corners, observing the shift in color in the spiritual eye.
Continue to concentrate until you hear the sea roar emanating from the Vishuddhi chakra, and then relax.
Then, opposite the taluka chakra, tension the rnuscles at the rear of the head. Concentrate on the symphony of the bumblebee, flute, harp, bell, and sea roar by gently rotating the fingertips on the closed eyes' corners.
Try to see the spiritual eye as well. Muscles and eyes should be relaxed. Finally, knit your brows and gently spin your fingertips on the closed eyes' corners with slight pressure, with your closed eyes centered at the spot between the brows.
Visualize the golden ring surrounding the blue center with the diamond star while doing this, and focus on the symphony of sounds from the five centers under the taluka chakra. Then let your brows and eyes relax.
Repeat the above procedure 6-12 times while moving. Mentally move your attention downward and then upward down the spine, focusing on the various sounds emanating from the various centers until all of the centers' positions are well established in your mind.
Finish your practice with an upward movement to the ajna chakra. If you don't hear or see the light from each center right away when you concentrate on it, try deepening your focus there for a few seconds longer. If you still don't see or hear anything, move on to the next center.

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE CHAKRAS OR PLEXUSES?

1. Ajna chakra (Spiritual Eye). By squeezing the muscles between the brows, you can find it.
The "two-edged sword" is the Taluka chakra, which has two petals or blue and gold rays. Tensing the muscles at the base of the skull will help you find it.
3. The lotus-star of sixteen rays of the Vishuddhi chakra. By rotating your head and hearing the "cracking" of vertebrae, you can find it.
4. lotus-star of twelve rays anahata chakra Contract the muscles in the spine opposite the heart and draw the shoulder blades together to locate. Locate the
5 manipuralotus-ten-ray star by squeezing the muscles in the spine opposite the navel.
6. swadhisthana lotus-six-rayed star By compressing muscles in the spine an inch or so above the muladhara chakra, you can find it. The lotus-star with four rays is the seventh muladhara chakra. Locate the muladhara chakra, or base of the spine, by squeezing muscles in the spine.

THE THIRD KRIYA

The popular krisha mantra, Om namo bhagavata vasu devaya, is utilized in the Third and Fourth Kriya.
Take a seat in a straight chair and sit up straight.
Maintain a straight spine, shoulders back, chin parallel to the floor, chest out, abdomen in, hands interlaced and put over the navel, eyes closed or half open, eyeballs tilted upward, and gaze fixed between the brows without effort.
Practice Kriya twenty times before moving on to the third initiation.
For the first three months, stick to this timetable, and then repeat the third introduction twelve times.

Instructions

First, take a full, cold Kriya breath, slowly drawing the current up the sushumna with the sound of AW.
Mentally recite the following as the current ascends from center to center in the spine:

1. At the muladhara chakra center, say Om.
2. Swadhisthana chakra, at the swadhisthana chakra
3. At the manipura chakra, Mo
4. At the anahata chakra, Bha
5. Ga is located at the vishuddha chakra.
6.Va is located at the ajna chakra.

Continuously use mental pressure to force the breath from the lower region of the belly, gradually pushing it up to the breast bone and into the chest, while chanting mentally and pulling the cool breath and stream up the sushumna.
At the ajna chakra, hold the breath and current. Consider the point between your brows as the source of all physiological energy and breath.
Then, while holding your breath, slowly jerk your head to the left shoulder and mentally say Ta, focusing on the taluka chakra and feeling the current reach it.
While keeping your breath held, slightly jerk your head to the right, envisioning the current traveling downhill to the Vishuddhi chakra. C
hant Va in your mind while keeping your concentration and subtle current focused on the vishuddhi chakra.
While still holding your breath, swiftly lower your head forward until your chin lands on your chest. Feel a gentle current reaching the anahata chakra, like a thread of warmth. Mentally recite Su-as to achieve this.
At the anahata chakra, feel the breath and current resting. Continue to convey the warm thread of breath and current downward with the sound of EE (as in Kriya during exhale), mentally reciting Da at the manipura chakra, Va at the swadhisthana chakra, and Ya at the muladhara chakra.

THE FOURTH KRIYA

The highest of the initiations, the fourth, varies from the theory and practice of the preceding initiations only in a little but crucial technicality, which is highly fundamental to the eventual achievement of samadhi.

This fourth initiation uses the same strategy as the third, but with the following modification:

Instead of spinning the head once while you mentally chant Ta, Ba, Su-(with the breath held), rotate the head three times, repeating Ta, Ba, Su with each revolution and holding the same breath throughout.
For six months, practice this fourth introduction, turning the head three times. After then, progressively increase the number of revolutions to twenty-five, as long as you can hold your breath easily and without strain throughout the entire series of revolutions.
The exercise is mentally chanting Om, Na, Mo Bha, Ga, Va to bring the breath, life current, and awareness upward to the ajna chakra, and then holding the breath and spinning the head while mentally repeating Ta, Va, Su.
The technique's trick is to increase the amount of times you rotate your head while holding your breath and mentally reciting Ta, Va, Su.
The head is transformed into a spiritual magnet as the number of revolutions rises (while holding the breath as long as possible without discomfort).
This cerebral astral magnet draws all currents traveling through the neural system upward as one through the six cerebrospinal plexuses, concentrating them in the pineal gland, medulla oblongata, and cerebrum, where they are ready to flow out through the medulla oblongata into the Spirit.
The more attentively the pupil increases his head rotation and chanting of the Ta, Ba, Su while holding his breath, the stronger his brain magnet gets.

You may also want to read more about Yoga, Yoga Asanas, Kriyas, Pranayama and Mudras here.