The benefits of kriya yoga are many and varied. It can help to improve physical health, mental well-being, and spiritual understanding. It is a powerful tool for self-transformation, and spiritual growth and can help us to experience the joy of our true nature.
What is Kriya yoga?
Kriya yoga is a system of meditation and spiritual practices that lead to union with the Divine. The word kriya means “action” or “service,” and yoga means “union.” It is thus a path of action that leads to union with God. It is the type of yoga that emphasizes the spiritual and physical aspects of the practice.
Kriya yoga meditation technique includes practices such as pranayama (breath control), mantra (repetition of sacred sound), and yantra (visualization of the divine form). These practices help to still the mind and open the heart so that we can experience the peace and love of our true nature.
Kriya yoga is not a new practice; it has been practiced for centuries by kriya yogis and saints in India. However, it was brought to the West by Sri Paramahansa Yogananda in the early 20th century and has since been popularized by many different teachers.
The practice of kriya yoga is an effective way to achieve the goal of yoga which is the union with the divine. What made the kriya yoga technique most effective is that it directly works in the spiritual energy deep in our spine which is the source of growth. It works by mentally withdrawing the life force up and down the spine. This allows the kriya practitioner to control the life force with awareness and will.
How to practice kriya yoga?
Kriya has a higher purpose. And to get there is not an easy task. It takes time, patience and practice to attain the purpose of Kriya. You need to learn and practice the basics of meditation to become initiated as a disciple of Yogananda. To prepare for the initiation, the course of study will take up to a year. By then, you should be able to meditate for one and a half hours per day.
Here are the seven steps to prepare for your Kriya practice.
1. The art of meditation
You start the process by doing basic meditations. After a week of doing regular meditation, you should be able to experience awakening, health and spiritual awakening.
2. Energy and concentration
You should be able to learn to generate energy and focus where you want to direct this energy. As part of your training, you will learn the “Energization Exercise” which was developed by Yogananda.
3. Devotion: opening the heart
As you practice your meditation, you will have a deeper and more profound experience, even greater than yourself. You may call it a relationship with god, or your higher self or with your soul. But what is most important is that this step awakens your heart and the beginning of the “Divine Romance”.
4. The bond between Disciple to Guru
There is a special bond between a disciple and their guru which is very important. This relationship is based on respect and trust. The guru provides guidance and wisdom to the disciple, who in turn, follows the guru’s teachings which will help a disciple to develop the student’s inner power so he can be unshaken even in the most difficult situations. . This relationship is beneficial to both parties involved.
5. Aum technique to expand awareness
There is a technique that you can use to expand your awareness, and it is called the Aum technique. This technique involves focusing on the sound of the word “Aum” while simultaneously allowing your mind to become aware of the silence that surrounds it. By doing this, you will eventually reach a state of pure consciousness.
6. Kriya yoga preparation
Kriya yoga is a form of yoga that involves specific breathing techniques and postures. The goal of Kriya yoga is to help the practitioner to still the mind and connect with the innermost self. In order to prepare for Kriya yoga, it is recommended that one practices the basic yoga postures and breath control exercises. It is also important to have a quiet, comfortable place to practice, where you will not be disturbed.
7. Kriya initiation
After all the preparation, you will be initiated as a disciple. Most Kriya initiations are done at Ananda Sacramento which is the oldest and largest kriya guided meditation center in the Sacramento area.
How long does it take to learn Kriya meditation?
It takes a year or more to learn this technique. Learning Kriya also depends on how fast a student can incorporate the teaching into his life. There are different techniques that are involved in learning kriya.
Each of these techniques should be practiced before jumping to the next technique. It takes time, patience, and devotion to experience the realization of your goal. You will experience inner transformation as you learn the spiritual teachings of this meditation practice.
What are the benefits of Kriya yoga?
Some benefits of Kriya yoga can be felt right away, while others may take a longer time to experience. Here are the common benefits of practicing Kriya yoga:
- One of the benefits that you can feel right away as you meditate is inner peace and clarity of mind.
- It can help improve your concentration and gives you clarity of mind.
- It opens up your heart that gives you the capacity to love more and to be more understanding. This generates harmony and joy with your family and other people surrounding you.
- It promotes harmony to the life forces in your body and it helps in removing stress and promotes health.
- The most important and biggest aim of practicing Kriya yoga is to be in tune with the Divine, to be calm, and feel secure even in the most difficult and troubling situations.
What is Isha Kriya meditation?
This is a simple meditation practice created by Sadhguru. Isha Kriya’s guided meditation aims to help a person be in touch with the source of his own existence and to create life according to his will and vision. “Isha” The benefits of Isha Kriya are to develop mental clarity, create peace and well-being and create mental stability. It also helps in reducing tension, anger, fatigue, and stress. This is a 12-32 minute activity that can transform and improve your everyday life.
Is Kriya yoga the same as kundalini yoga?
Kriya yoga and kundalini yoga are two famous yoga practices. These two yoga practices have different aims but are closely related. Kriya Yoga aims for higher spiritual growth and union with the divine. While
Kundalini yoga is a physical and mental yoga discipline that aims to develop the purity of the mind and body. The achievement of purity of mind and body through Kundalini yoga paves the way for higher spiritual growth.
What happens if you practice Kriya Yoga without proper training?
Kriya yoga is a deeper and more serious form of meditation. Without proper guidance and training, a person practicing this may not gain the full benefit of this activity. There are many ways to get kriya-guided meditations.
There are many kriya yoga centers that support everyone who wants to try and experience this higher form of meditation. Kriya teachers are traveling across the world to give guidance and to make sure that the spiritual succession will not be broken.
Conclusion:
Kriya yoga is a higher form of meditation that requires discipline, patience, and time. This form of meditation needs strict preparation. It may sound complicated and too exhausting but just remember that good things do not come easily.
The union with the divine is something extremely special and important it takes full commitment to achieve this goal. You may think that this form of meditation is too much for you. And that is fine.
You can start practicing simpler forms of meditation and if you feel that you are ready for higher spiritual growth, then you may consider the technique of kriya meditation.