Kriya Yoga

1. Kriya Yoga is an ancient and powerful system of meditation, which promises perfect health, peace of mind and a stressfree life. The people of India have practiced it for many centuries under the guidance of trained teachers. Kriya Yoga approaches the study of the Self with a sense of reflection and introspection so that the spiritual traveler may understand the conditions of his her mind. The everchanging mind is the biggest barrier to calmness .....

Benefits of Kriya Yoga

2. MentalCalmness of mind, inner peace and the stilling of the internal chatterbox An ability to be in the present moment rather than in the past or futureEnhancement of ones concentration and focusing abilitiesRelease of anxiety and stress, lessening of orry.EmotionalTransformation of negative emotions into more positive energyTransformation of negative and toxic emotions such as anger, resentment and worryPhysicalImprovement of physical health, he .....

Science and Spiritual Life

3. Science or material well being is never an obstacle for a truly spiritual life. The human being is a complex combination of body, mind and intelligence with the constant association of the Soul. Science has been a blessing, to some extent, for body, mind and intelligence, but without spirituality neither complete manifestation of the Soul, nor perfection of life is possible. Science and spirituality complement each other. Without science, spiritu .....

Scientific Path of Soul Culture

4. Kriya Yoga is the scientific technique of meditation that brings allround development in man. The human being is a complex creation of God. As for the human brain, it remains a mystery to the scientists even now. A complex mechanism of brain cells and the cerebrospinal system not only regulates the human activities, but also the entire world. The human brain has immense capability. The physical, mental and intellectual growth can be accelerated t .....

Breath and Mind

5. In the teachings of Kriya Yoga we are taught how mind and breath are correlated We are what our mind is and our mind is what our breath is. The significance of breath has been known to human civilizations by realized souls for thousands of years. In the middle part of the 19th century an elusive and mysterious Master Mahavatar Babaji brought this technique to the world through the lineage of Masters Sri Shyamacharan Lahiri, Swami Shriyukteswar, S .....

Kri and Ya

6. The word Yoga comes from the root yuj. It has 32 meanings in Sanskrit, but the most appropriate here is to unite. The union of the individual Self with the Cosmic Self, the child of God with God, the Father. Therefore, the body with the Soul is Yoga.Kriya Yoga is a supreme science of Selfrealisation. It is a scientific technique of action with constant Godconsciousness, which ultimately leads to realisation going beyond the body, mind, intellect .....

History and Tradition of Kriya Yoga

7. Kriya Yoga is an ageold tradition. There is no record of its history. It is the technique of spirituality, which has been practiced by saints, seers and sages from time immemorial. Even in Indian mythology, it is mentioned that Rama and Krishna also practiced and taught this technique of Kriya Yoga.After apparently being lost in the increasing spiritual decline of later epochs, towards the middle of the nineteenth century, a mysterious Master, th .....

Lineage of Kriya Yoga Gurus

8. In ancient times, Kriya Yoga was revealed by God to Vivaswan, the first King of the solar dynasty in ancient India. Vivaswan taught it to Manu, and Manu in turn taught it to Ikshwaku, and the teaching continued to be past down through the ages. Later it was taught by Krishna to Arjuna and many others... then many centuries later Babaji taught Yogiraj Lahiri Baba who passed it on to his disciples.Since then it has continued to passed on through th .....

Prajnana Mission

9. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, the current head of a great lineage of Kriya Yoga, is the president of various charitable organizations which are run by the Kriya Institute.One of these organizations is the Prajnana Mission, which was founded in 1993 by Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, on the advice and divine guidance of his Guru Paramahamsa Hariharananda. The mission provides educational grants to the blind, handicapped and orphaned students, and towards .....

The Science of Kriya Yoga

10. A sincere spiritual seeker who follows the path of Kriya Yoga with love and devotion and a desire for spiritual growth can attain Selfrealization even within one lifetime. This powerful yoga is a manifestation of the many yogas described in the Bhagavad Gita, but primarily it derives from Karma Yoga detachment from the fruits of actions in the world, and more importantly, from the inner activity of the mindJnana Yoga a disciplined intellec .....

A Simple NonSectarian Technique

11. Kriya Yoga is nonsectarian. Its simple technique causes no hardship, requires no austerities, and suits aspiring householders as well as monks. From the principles of Karma Yoga, Kriya Yoga teaches that all action, kri, is done by the indwelling soul, ya. Continuous awareness of the power of the indwelling soul can transform all activity into worship. Awareness that the soul must inhale every breath leads to mind control and liberation.The Kriya .....

Direct Transmission From Teacher to Student

12. Kriya Yoga is a golden opportunity to reach higher states of consciousness and change your life, by developing the body, mind, intellect, and awareness of the soul. It is a quick and easy path. Kriya Yoga techniques are passed down from master to disciple, master to aspirant, teacher to student.No written document records when the ancient tradition of Kriya Yoga began. This spiritual technique has been practiced by saints, seers, and sages from t .....

Technique Origins

13. n modern times, in 1861, an elusive and mysterious master, Mahavatar Babaji, reintroduced the ancient Kriya technique to the general public through his able disciple, Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri, a pious householder. Lahiri Mahasaya, as he was popularly known, had many realized disciples. Foremost among them were Swami Shriyukteshwar Giri, who was well versed in the scriptures of both the East and West, and who attained the highest state of realizat .....

How To Get Started

14. At Kriya Yoga ashrams and centers throughout the world, guided meditations are open to those initiated by authorized teachers. Introductory programs and initiations are offered regularly.We are happy for the opportunity to help you in any way we can with your Kriya practice. To learn more about Kriya Yoga, please see the listing of the ashram or center nearest you and call the contact person directly. .....

Preparing the Field

15. People who wish to receive initation are encouraged to prepare their field by becoming familiar with the teachings of Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. A good place to start is to read past issues of the Soul Culture magazine (currently free on the www.kriya.org website), or purchase one of the books written by Paramahamsa Hariharananda or Paramahamsa Prajnanananda. .....

Attending a Kriya Yoga Program

16. Yogacharyas regularly tour the United States, Europe, and India to deliver lectures, initiate students, conduct guided meditation classes, and provide spiritual counseling. Please consult our calendar section for their touring schedules, or contact your regional center or ashram for information about dates and locations of programs.A Kriya Yoga program consists of an introductory lecture, followed by initiation into the authentic Kriya Yoga by an .....

The Tradition of Kriya Yoga

17. The ancient tradition for learning the royal science of Kriya Yoga meditation begins with purification. Students participate in a holy ceremony to purify the spine and the body. Each seeker is initiated on an individual basis through the direct contact of a teacher of this lineage. The teacher directly infuses the triple divine qualities of sound, vibration, and light into the initiate. Through this process, the seeker learns to perceive the inne .....

Health is Wealth

18. The human body is the principal thing and the foundation for a happy and spiritual life. It is why there is a proverb in Sanskritarram dyam khaludharma sdhanam Take care of the body; through good health one can practice and progress in spiritual life.The body can be compared with a car or a machine. Kept in perfect condition it gives immense utility. If the bodyvehicle is not in good condition, then it is difficult to reach the destination of lif .....

Mind Control

19. Mind is the greatest blessing as well as a terrible human predicament. A regulated, controlled and channeled mind can give and fulfill all the expectation of human life, but if uncontrolled, it brings hell, miseries and sufferings. Although man is endowed with tremendous mental power, it is unused, misused and even abused. The mind is most powerful and moves faster than any thing else.The Kriya technique highlights the relationship between breath .....

Intellectual Development

20. Mans memory, intelligence, brain power bring success in the material and worldly life. Kriya Yoga will make one simple, pure, perfect, humble and constantly alert. By the practice of the scientific technique of Kriya Yoga, one gets promptness, ready wit, fitness to cope with any situation or circumstance, and positive thinking.Through more circulation in the head, thereby energizing the brain cells, the working capacity of the brain is enhanced. .....

Personality Development

21. The word personality comes from the Latin word persona, which means mask or covering. The formless soul is covered with the three bodies of ignorance (causal), thought (astral) and gross activity (physical). Man suffers from weak personality because of falsehood, hypocrisy, jealousy, ego, arrogance, malice, duplicity, all negative qualities. All these negative qualities diminish the standard of human personality.By the practice of Kriya Yoga, one .....

Spiritual Growth

22. Selfrealization is ones birthright and the highest objective of human life. The power of God is ever present, but one is not able to perceive it constantly, in every moment, due to delusion, illusion and error.Kriya Yoga enables constant soulawareness, in every breath, in every thought and every moment. It quickens spiritual evolution and takes one to the door of spiritual realization in a short time.Free from unnecessary hardship of other socall .....

Dangers to Kriya yoga

23. Kriya yoga is absolutely safe for everybody. Anyone who has an inclination towards better health of mind and body can practice it. The only thing that you need to be aware of is that you should always learn the practice from a reputed guru. The reason for this is that selfawareness brings with it complications that can very well unhinge an unprepared person (someone who does not receive guidance from a learned guru). If you want to practice yoga .....

Open Oneself to the Blessings of God

24. Prayer with devotion is a wonderful means of opening oneself to the freely flowing blessings of God, a necessary link of mans life to the Infinite Source of all benefaction. But it takes a long time for prayer to be effective when the mind is outwardly roaming. That is why one hour of Kriya Yoga meditation can bestow more effect than twentyfour hours of ordinary prayer.Those who practice the technique of Kriya deeply for even a little while, and .....

Highest Method of God Contact

25. Kriya Yoga is the highest method of God contact. In my own search for God I traveled all over India, and heard wisdom from the lips of a number of her greatest masters. I can therefore vouch for the fact that in SelfRealization teachings are the highest truths and scientific techniques given to mankind by God and the Great Ones.The aftereffects of Kriya bring with them the utmost peace and bliss. The joy that comes with Kriya is greater than the .....

Eradicate Bad Mental Habits and Karma

26. Each of your habits creates a specific .....

Learn to Meditate

27. Paramahansa Yoganandas personal instructions on how to practice the science of Kriya Yoga meditation, taken from the classes he gave for more than thirty years, are presented in detail in the SelfRealization Fellowship Lessons.In addition, the Lessons provide his practical guidance and techniques for attaining balanced physical, mental, and spiritual well being the health, healing, success, and harmony that yoga bestows in every aspect of life. .....

Daily Practice

28. The meditation period should last at least thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes at night. The longer you sit, enjoying the state of meditative calm, the faster you will progress spiritually. Carry into your daily activities the calmness you feel in meditation; that calmness will help you to bring harmony and happiness into every department of your life.Through daily practice of the foregoing instructions, you can prepare yourself for .....

Pray Deeply to God

29. Whether you see the light of the spiritual eye or not, however, you should continue to concentrate at the Christ Consciousness center between the eyebrows, praying deeply to God and His great saints. In the language of your heart invoke Their presence and Their blessings.A good practice is to take an affirmation or a prayer from the SelfRealization Fellowship Lessons, or from Paramahansa Yoganandas Whispers from Eternity or Metaphysical Meditatio .....

Focus Attention at the Spiritual Eye

30. With the eyelids half closed (or completely closed, if this is more comfortable to you), look upward, focusing the gaze and the attention as though looking out through a point between the eyebrows. (A person deep in concentration often knits his brows at this spot.) Do not cross the eyes or strain them; the upward gaze comes naturally when one is relaxed and calmly concentrated.What is important is fixing the whole attention at the point between .....