Kriya References

The kriya of Lahiri Mahasaya is divided into four stages: 1. untying the knot of the throat (kechari mudra) and opening the knot of the navel (nahbi kriya); 2. untying the knot of the heart; 3. untying the knot of the muladhar (root chakra); 4. activating the kundalini. These descriptions can be very helpful in determining if you are being taught the original kriya of Lahiri Mahasay or a variation. For example, in the original 1st kriya of Lahiri Mahasaya, talabya kriya, pranayam, nabhi kriya, yoni mudra, maha mudra are taught. Some organizations claiming to teach the original kriya of Lahiri Mahasaya do not teach nabhi kriya or talabya kriya (prepares one for kechari mudra). In some cases, they do teach the kriya pranayam but in a modified form. Are the simplified or modified forms as effective as the original? Do the practices result in the breaking of the various knots or granthi's that are described described above? I can't answer this question for you. However, you should try to get answers from those whose kriya are derived from this tradition and who plan to teach you their modified version of it. Additional deep insights on kriya can be gained by study of Lahiri Mahasaya's commentary on the Bhagavad Gita located at the online library of Yoganiketan. Some additional rather unique information can be found on kriya in the Introduction and Sadhana section as well as other chapters of Pranab Gita by Swami Pranabananda Paramahamsa and additional hints on kriya yoga are given by Swami Satyananda, a direct disciple of Swami Yukteshvar Giri in Kriya Quotes from Swami Satyananda Giri located in the online library at Yoganiketan.

In regards to the practice of the kriya pranayam or kriya proper, Lahiri Mahasaya in letter number 79 (also see letter 78) from his Garland of Letters has given very specific guidance:

"Many do not practice mantra japa chakra by chakra. When this does not happen, it results in tamasic Kriya (Kriya with negative qualities), and the fruit of this is also "tamasic". Therefore, during pranayam, one must keep attention on the six chakras in the spine and practice japa in each of them." (Lahiri Mahasaya, Source: Yoganiketan.

To assure the reader of the accuracy of letter 79, shown below is a another translation of this letter by Swami Satyeswarananda Giri from the book, Babaji, Lahiri Mahasay, Vol II, p. 139:

Lahiri Mahasay wrote: " Many put attention in each center and do not make japa in each center. In this case, the practice becomes negative. Therefore, during the practice of Pranayam, japa should be made properly at the six centers in the spine." (Note: We must remember here that we are dealing with the etheric counterpart of the spine, and not with the bony structure which we call the spine or spinal column. This is a fact not sufficiently recognized by those who treat of the matter, the Tibetan Master DK, Cosmic Fire, p.135. Also see page 138 for a discussion of the gap between the medulla oblongata (altar major center) and the spinal channel. One of the uses of kechari mudra is to bridge this gap. Kechari mudra also has other functions.

When kriya pranayam is taught with only inhalation and exhalation in the sushumna nadi or spine and excludes the mantra japa at the chakras, the student is merely doing a physical exercise and not a spiritual exercise. The physical exercise of inhaling and exhaling through the sushumna nadi may prove relaxing, you may feel more physically energized, and may even clear the nadi of blockages but it will not lead to higher states of consciousness because without the use of mantra only the 5 pranas of material substance are being used. When the appropriate mantras of the Lahiri tradition are used, the light of the Soul / Krishna Consciousness is invoked and eventually experienced. The correct method for this practice should be learned from a qualified kriya guru. (Note 1: There are three fires man experiences, fire by friction (the fire of matter and the 5 pranas), solar fire ( the fire of Mind/Soul /Krishna Consciousness), and electric fire, (the fire of Spirit or Shiva). Of these three, fire by friction is the most tamasic. Solar fire is a blend of the fire of spirit (electric fire) and the fire of matter (fire by friction) and is considered a spiritual energy because it contains electric fire. Fire by Friction is the fire of matter and does not contain any electric fire and thus is not a spiritual energy. It is for this reason that Lahiri Mahasaya points out that the results of kriya practice will be tamasic when japa is not performed at each chakra. By this statement, he means that it will not lead to a higher state of consciousness. The online book Cosmic Fire describes these fires in detail.)

Note 2: In kriya yoga, the practice of the pranayam with mantra japa at each of the subject chakras accelerates the process of the blending of the fires of substance ( 5 pranas) with the fires of mind ( Solar fire / Ishvara / Soul), and eventually with Spirit. "The aim for this greater cycle is the blending, as we know, of the two fires of matter, latent and active, and their merging with the fires of mind and spirit till they are lost from sight in the general flame; the fires of mind and spirit burn up matter and thereby bring about liberation from the confining vehicles. The altar of earth is the birthplace of spirit, its liberator from the mother (matter), and its entrance into higher realms" (Cosmic Fire, p.102 ).

It is very sad that many people have been taught kriya proper without mantra japa at each chakra. Some have practiced this incorrect method for many years with no spiritualizing results.

Another way to judge the effectiveness of kriya is to see what effect it has had on your teacher or others who have used the technique for many years. Is s/he honest, moral, healthy, wise, balanced, or enlightened? Regular kriya practice leads to improved health and inner purity. If the technique is effective some improvement overtime should be noticed in a variety of areas. Is the kriya presented with a price tag? Traditionally, it could not be purchased. At the time of the initiation a voluntary offering may be given, once the guru has agreed to initiate you. This book provides many tips on kriya practice.

Arrya Mission Institution was founded in 1886 by Yogacharya Shri Panchanan Bhattacharya (Chief Disciple of Yogiraj Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri) to publish the teachings of Yogiraj Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri. It has been reactivated to translate these teachings in Hindi and English for the modern student and to guide students in the Original Kriya of Lahiri Mahasaya. See their website for details.

Pre-Kriya Exercise / Rainbow Bridge Techniques. In 2002 when I visited a kriya guru of the Lahiri lineage, he noticed a remarkable improvement in the light and clarity of my aura and chakras. He noted that it was much more improvement than one would expect to achieve in two years of kriya practice. When I visited him again in 2004, I shared with him the technique that I had combined with my kriya practice to accelerate my growth. He watched me as I did the technique and observed the changes in my aura. That evening he tried it himself and made the following observations that: 1. New students to kriya would benefit in doing the technique because it would increase their sensitivity to energy and better prepare their nervous system for the practice of kriya. He also noted that when he used this technique at the end of kriya that it took him higher in consciousness. So, from these observations one can conclude that it can be used to prepare the body for kriya by purifying the vehicle and it can be used at the end of kriya. Students who are waiting to receive kriya yoga can increase their chances of receiving it by doing the pre-kriya exercises which are called Rainbow Bridge Techniques. These exercises consists of the using the Soul Invocation, building the central channel, widening the channel and once the central channel is built, continue doing the daily alignment, centering, and clearing exercise. You may also want to practice the kriya-like Alternate Clearing exercise. It is very effective in purifying the chakras and the aura and removing latent karmic patterns. Also always use the spiritual whirlwind after moving the Soul Star through your central channel. Full details of the technique are given here. There are more ways to use the Soul Star with kriya than have been mentioned here. Shailendra Sharma's students may also want to discuss with him how they can use the Soul Star in their kriya practice once they have built the central channel. It should be noted that the Rainbow Bridge technique uses the central channel as opposed to the back channel used by kriya yoga. See the following diagram on the centers in relation to the body here. This diagram shows the central channel in gold anchored by the Earth point below the feet, known as the Earth Star in the Rainbow Bridge process, and the Sky Point or Soul Star as it is known in the Rainbow Bridge process. It should also be noted that users of the Rainbow Bridge technique who have worked with the technique regularly for at least a year or who have cleared their external patterns, are free to move the Soul star through any channel of the body for the purpose of clearing them or infusing them with the light of the Soul.

Sutras of Patanjali translated and paraphrased by the Tibetan Master Djwhal Khul. The Patanjali Sutras is the best book ever written on raja yoga. It contains all of the underlying principles and ideas for all of the techniques that have been used during the past 2,000 years to control the mind and to achieve self-realization. The Tibetan master DK has said that the Sutras of Patanjali will be the handbook for consciousness control for humanity for the next 7,000 years. The principles underlying many key techniques in kriya can be found by study and reflection on the Sutras of Patanjali. There are many versions of the Sutras of Patanjali available on the world wide web. A good introduction to the Sutras by Swami Sivananda can be found here. Another version of the complete sutras with Sanskrit and English translation and commentaries by the theosophist, Raghavan Iyer is available here.

Bhagavad Gita. No list of books on kriya yoga would be complete without the Gita. Many principles of kriya yoga and inner development are revealed by a careful study of Lahiri Mahasaya's commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Many versions of the Gita are available on the Internet. An abridged version of the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Sivananda can be found here for those who would like to get a quick overview of the book.

Another commentary on the Gita (Pranab Gita) written from a kriya yoga perspective is available on line at http://www.yoganiketan.net/

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. This link points to Chapter 26 of the book which deals specifically with kriya yoga.The whole book may also be read online at this site. This is the book that popularized kriya yoga in the west. Yogananda introduced a modified version of the original kriya taught by Lahiri Mahasaya to the U.S. In the book, Kriya Yoga:Finding the True Path, Swami Satyeswarananda Giri describes the original kriya, and outlines and critiques the modifications made to it by Yogananda. If you do not have access to a guru who can teach you the original kriya, or have no prior background in yoga, Self-Realization Fellowship or the Center for Spiritual Awareness, headed by Roy Eugene Davis - a direct disciple of Yogananda, may be a good place to start your spiritual training. In addition to teaching their version of kriya yoga, these organizations provide sound advice on living a life based on spiritual principles.

Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Hatha Yoga Pradipika is one of the key classic texts of hatha yoga. The opening verse makes it clear that the goal of the yoga taught here is the same as that of Patanjali's Yoga sutras, raja yoga. Hatha Yoga Pradipika emphasizes the need to keep the teachings secret, and the text is often difficult to interpret without the assistance of a commentary or guru. For those who do not have a guru, the Bihar School of Yoga publishes this book with commentaries. The author is Swami Muktibhodananda( a direct disciple of Swami Satyananda Saraswati), ISBN: 8185787387, 641 pages. If you can not get it locally, in the USA, it is available from Nataraj books. Fans of Swami Vishnu-Devananda may be interested in his commentary on Hatha Yoga Pradipika, ISBN: 0931546028, 210 pages. Another Edition of Hatha Yoga Pradipika with good commentary by Hans Ulrich Rieker and a foreword by B.K. Iyengar.

Gheranda Samhita. Alongside the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Gheranda Samhita is one of the key classic texts of hatha yoga. Presented as a dialogue between the sage Gheranda and an inquirer, Candakapali, the book is divided into seven chapters, lessons covering the training of the physical body, postures (asana), seals (mudra), withdrawal of the consciousness from the senses (pratyahara), control of the vital force (pranayama), meditation (dhyana) and contemplation (samadhi). The online version is incomplete but provides some useful information. I recommend purchase of the Gheranda Samhita by Sris Chandra Vasu, Theosophical Publishing House,ISBN: 0722950683.

Gorakhnath. Goraknath is the name of the author of the first book on Hatha Yoga. The history and practices of the Goraknath sect were discussed in Goraknath and the Kanphata Yogi's by George Western Briggs (ISBN 81-208-0563-1). The book contains the 100 sutras of the Goraksa Sataka which all kriya yogi's would benefit from studying.

Seven major chakras. Kriya practitioners should have a working knowledge of the 7 major chakras. Here is a side view of the 7 chakras along the central channel. Another concise summary of the function of the 7 major chakras plus 4 other important chakras and their location in relation to the physical body can be found at the Pranic Healing site. The discussion of the chakras at the Pranic Healing site avoids the confusion between the navel (Manipura) chakra and solar plexus chakra that some writers on this subject have created. They show them both in their proper locations. This site also provides information on the health implications of malfunctions of the chakras. The solar plexus chakra is not used in the kriya yoga techniques. The three head centers. Some may find this view of the chakras in relation to the body interesting. The seven major chakras which Kevin Farrow refers to as the chakras of "inner being" or the "central chakras" are shown along green line above the body to symbolize their location in a subtle body which is not connected with the circulation of light also known as the microcosmic orbit. Study the chart below the diagram. The seven chakras are listed under the heading of "inner being/ central chakras". These are the chakras used in kriya yoga. The author draws a distinction between the "chakras of inner being" and the corresponding chakras along the governor (back -Yang/Rajasic) and conception (front -Yin/ Tamasic) channel used by Taoist to circulate chi/prana in the microcosmic orbit. Note the relationship of the perineum with the sattvic central channel shown in gold in Kevin's diagram. It is the meeting place of yin/tamas and yang/rajas. Quotes by the Tibetan Master on chakras. For further information on chakras, see Laya Yoga: The Definitive Guide to Chakras and Kundalini by Shyam Sundar Goswami. Published by Inner Traditions Intl Ltd; ISBN: 0892817666, April 1999. This book contains much information that is useful to students of kriya yoga. Another good book on chakras that is a little easier to read, though less comprehensive than Goswami's book, is Theories of Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness by Hiroshi Motoyama.

The Five Coverings or Sheaths (koshas) of the Self (Atma). Traditional yoga teaches that man has five sheaths. They are (1) Annamaya, (Gross physicals body made of and sustained by food), (2) Pranamaya (vital covering consisting of five Pranas or vital force also known as the vital body or etheric body), (3) Manomaya (mental cover), (4) Vigynanamaya (cover of intelligence), (5) Anandamaya (cover of bliss). These are described by Swami Sivananda here. Other classifications of the vehicles are here. The pranamaya kosha is the principal physical body and the gross physical body or annamaya kosha automatically reflects changes that have taken place in the pranamaya kosha or vital body. The pranamaya kosha or etheric body contains a network of very fine hollow tubes called nadis. The five pranas flow through the network of nadis in the vital body. Through the practice of kriya yoga, the nadis are purified and the kleshas or obstacles to union are removed. An online book by A. E. Powerll on the pranamaya kosha also known as the etheric double can be found here.

Power of Thought. Over many life times the quality and purity of the substance of your physical and subtle bodies are determined by the quality of your thoughts. More on the Power of Thought here.

The Secret of Prana. Excellent introductory article on the five pranas by the vedic scholar, Dr. David Frawley. Since a kriya yogi works with the pranas of the body, it is important to have some understanding of their purpose. The technique of reversing the flow of prana and apana mentioned in this article is one of the techniques of 1^st kriya. The exact method of doing this is one of the secrets revealed during initiation. I have never seen the correct breathing method in print in any of the kriya yoga lessons and books I have read. When it is done correctly the aging process is slowed. An authentic kriya guru can easily determine if you are doing the breathing correctly because he is able to see the flow of apana and prana in your body. If your kriya teacher can not determine this for you then you need to find one who can or your growth may be limited with this technique.

More on Prana. Another interesting article on prana by G. de Purucker that mentions two higher pranas in addition to the commonly known 5 can be found here.. One of the higher pranas is located in the heart and has the quality of Love-Wisdom, also known as Ray 2, its color is blue and it is associated with Krishna/ Christ consciousness; and the other is located in the crown chakra in the head and its quality is Divine Will also known as Ray 1, its color is red and it is associated with Shiva consciousness. In addition to this, he mentions 5 additional secret pranas for a total of 12 pranas. These 12 pranas have a correspondence with the 12 signs of the zodiac are based on combinations of the 7 Rays.

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