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Kriya Yoga

            

The Meaning of Kriya

 

The word Kriya  is composed of two syllables, kri and yâ. In Sanskrit, kri means karma dhatu - action of the elements, and yâ means Soul or Atma. The word Kriya indicates action of the Soul or prâna karma. The first and most important action of the Soul is breath.

 

The word yoga comes from Sanskrit yuj which means union. The union of the individual soul with Spirit.

Kriya Yoga is a method to attain the union of breath and Soul in each inhalation and exhalation. Expressed in other words: the union of the individual soul with Spirit is called Kriya Yoga. This is true karma.

 

The practice of Kriya Yoga is based on breath, the brain and the spinal cord. Breath is the mediator between Soul and mind. The brain is the mediator between the sense organs and the mind. All our physical actions are reflected on our sense organs through the intermediary of the lower part of the brain located in the spinal cord. From this lower part of the brain where the lower mind is situated, we pass to the higher mind, then to breath, and lastly from breath to Soul (and then inversely).

 

The brain is connected to the mind and the mind is connected to chitta. Chitta (the higher mind) is composed of five actions, or five minds which have twenty-five qualities or natures, each creating two results which are called vrittis. This gives fifty types of different inner and outer results - fifty vrittis, which are manifestations of chitta. The vrittis are created by chitta, the higher mind, directly from the Soul through the means of breath. The object of yoga  is to control the actions of chitta - Yogâshchittavrittinirodhah (Pâtanjali's Yoga Sûtra I, 2).

 

The mind is in constant motion. Our inner and outer actions change constantly and this is reflected by our breath. When we are afraid our breath is agitated, when we feel joy our breath is different, it is also different when we are angry or have any other type of emotion. When the breath is calm, the mind is calm. So, it is only through breath that we are able to control chitta and come to the state called nirodhah. Nirodhah means to close, to lock with a key - which means to stop all actions (vrittis) of chitta and thus have easy access to the meditation state of yoga. The control of chitta, stopping the actions of the mind is obtained by controlling the breath.

 

Since Kriya Yoga is based on breath, you can practice this special technique during the whole day and in whatever activity you do. When it comes to sitting for meditation, it may be practiced whenever you have time.

 

                         

           

Kriya Technique

The teaching of Kriya Yoga is done gradually. It is sectioned into six stages referred to as First Kriya, Second Kriya and so on. The beginner starts with First Kriya. First Kriya is the root, the very foundation which allows for progress through the spiritual path for followers of any religion. It gives access to knowledge of the body, of the Soul and the chakras. It allows for comprehension of the gross body, the astral body and the causal body. Later, after having practized regularly over a period of time and achieved the necessary demanding level of mastery, one can receive second Kriya, and thus progress towards the higher Kriya levels.

 

Describing Kriya Yoga in words has little meaning. A person may truly understand only through practice. If you wish to know what an apple is, a simple description is not enough. Take the fruit, touch it, taste it, then you will really and immediately understand what an apple is. The same goes for Kriya Yoga.

The Ultimate Goal

The constant practice of iswara pranidhana (practice of breath control in every moment) gives the siddhi (perfection) of samadhi. The incoming breath is î - power, outgoing breath is ra - light, sva - yourself, is between these two. isvara gives life and will fill yourself.

 

Iswara pranidhana  means that by constantly observing the breath which enters and leaves the body, through practice one will come to the formless state. Then you remain in the divine light enabling yourself to achieve constant nirvana or liberation in your life time. As Jesus Christ said in the Bible: "You can’t see, feel or realize God, but you can be".

 

             

Effects on Life

Prana shakti (life force) flows from the top to the bottom, then inversely from the bottom to the top, of the spine. In this way all the chakras (centres) are touched by life force and by vacuum. The first and second techniques are called pranam and correspond to Yama in Patanjala’s Yoga Sutra. Yama means to obtain inner control or sâmyam. Nothing can be controlled from without because the root is found in our spine. This is why we during the practice of Kriya Yoga bend the spine forward allowing the magnetic life force to flow in the spinal cord. The vacuum is always at the top of our body, this is why we retain equilibrium. So when we bend our spine, the vacuum magnetizes the spine.

 

Shûnya dhaur bhavet prâna: The vacuum element is our life force. When the vacuum leaves the body, life also leaves.

By practicing Kriya Yoga, we create an inner fire called tapa agni. In the same way that the outer fire, drabya agni, burns whatever we put into it, the inner fire, tapa agni, allows the practitioner to burn his karmas, the results of his past actions, his thoughts as well as all his mental or psychological problems.

For more help and to organize workshops in your city, call Swamiji Sri Selvam Siddhar @ 408 829 7780. E- mail: avtemple@aol.com

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