Only through ascension of the individual human soul into the Kingdom god can find everlasting happiness and freedom that it is seeking since eternity. The ascension is possible only with the expansion of it’s consciousness. When, in the past, the humanity understood this, it began the search for ways and means to develop one’s own consciousness to a higher state. As a result of man’s enquires, he has arrived at various methods and path that aid him in the expansion of his consciousness. Among the various lands on this earth, it was in India, this enquiry and research were carried out the most. So, the rishes of ancient India, discovered the secret behind ascension, i.e, brain expansion, hidden in the nature. They called these methods collectively as yoga. Among such various path ways or yogas that leads to God, the quickest one is the path of Kriyayoga meditaion.

Kriyayoga is a scientific and systematic meditation methodology. It is extolled very much in ancient Hindu scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, books of Tantra Sāstra etc. as well as literatures in Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism etc. The only yoga practice mentioned in the sacred Hindu scripture of Bhagavad Gita is the Kriyayoga. 

Meaning of ‘Kriyayoga’

The root word ‘kri’ in Kriyayoga means ‘action’ and ‘yoga’ connotes ‘union’.  So, Kriyayoga is attaining the union of individualised self or soul (Jivatma) and Supreme Self (Paramatma) through action. Here the term action requires a special mention. The term Kriya or action does not connote any kind action; but it means a special kind of action that helps the devotee to expand his consciousness and commune with Supreme Consciousness or God.

History of Kriyayoga

The science of Kriyayoga was known to most of the people who lived in India in the past and were practiced as part of their daily spiritual routine. The science of Kriyayoga originated at the time of creation itself. When a soul takes birth in a body, it will naturally be tied to the body. The divine know-how of how to break the bodily prison and get liberated from it is also embeded in the soul. When soul’s centre of awareness begins to shift from its true nature of pure consciousness to the body, world and its pains & pleasures, this knowledge will be  lost.

In the sacred scripture the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna speaks about the origin of Kriyayoga. He says, it was he who in a previous incarnation taught this immortal yoga to Vivasvan, ancient illuminato. Vivasvan instructed it to Manu, the first legislator. He then gave it to his son Ikshvaku, the founder of India’s Solar dynasaty. Thus it continued to pass down in succession. In course of time, due to man’s inability to assimilate the highest knowledge, it got lost temporarily.

The yoga was protected in the sacred armour of guru-disciple relationship. From the records of Lahiri Mahasaya, it can be found that the yoga was practiced by almost all people of this subcontinent till the time of the great poet Kalidasa. With the coming of the materialistic ages, the royal science of knowing God was shrouded. In modern times, the lost yoga was revived by immortal yogi Sri Sri Mahavatar Babaji by instructing it to his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya. Lahiri Mahasaya taught it to many disciples. Later, it was Paramahansa Yogananda who was instrumental in spreading this yoga in the west.

While initiating his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya into this sacred yoga, Babaji told him: “The Kriyayoga which I am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century is a revival of the same science which Krishna gave, millenniums ago, to Arjuna, and which was later known to Patanjali, and to Christ, St. John, St. Paul, and other disciples.” (Autobiography of a Yogi)

Read More About Masters of Kriyayoga Lineage

Scriptural References 

It was Mahavatar Babaji who named this art and science of God-knowing simply as ‘Kriyayoga’, which literally means ‘union through action’. Various scriptures refer to it in different names. In the Bhagavad Gita, the art and science of Kriyayoga is described as ”the process of offering the incoming breath into the outgoing breath and outgoing breath into the incoming breath”.

In various Yoga-Upanishads, Kriyayoga is referred to as Ajapa Vidya or Ajapa Gayatri, SO-HAM pranayama, Kundalini Yoga etc. In South Indian tradition of Siddhas it is called as Vāşi Yoga (not what is populary known now a days). Real Vāşi Yoga is same as Babaji’s Kriyayoga.

The ‘Yoga Sutras’ of Maharshi Patanjali mentions Kriyayoga at two places. At first he describes Kriyayoga as “body discipline, mind control and meditating on AUM” (Yoga Sutra II.1). In second place he says, “liberation can be attained by that pranayama which is attained by disjoining the course inhalation and exhalaion.” (Yoga Sutra II.49)

The highly acclaimed classical text Hathayoga Pradeepika describe the practice of Kriyayoga as Khechari Mudra, the practice of which is much revered by its author Rishi Svtāmārāma. He says that among the various mudras Khechari is considered the best. Hathayoga practices of pranayamas, mudras etc. are done as part of body discipline before starting actual yoga of mental control . After the body disciplining, yogi moves to thep ractice of Kriya or Khechari Mudra. Then, he meditates deeply on his inner experience of Divine Sounds (Meditating on Aum).

The Science of Kriyayoga

The union of individual soul with God is the result of gradual evolution that is going on in the universe. Based on the natural laws, the nature bestows a definite amount of evolutionary progress to every human souls. This natural evolution is depended on the revolving of earth around the sun. The rishes of ancient India found out that in twelve year cycles the nature pushes man forward in the path of evolution. It means when a human being leads a life free from disease, worries and other negative states of mind and body, the nature bestows him an evolutionary progress which manifest as positive changes in his understanding of his life and universe. The positive changes are the result of refinement that happens in his spine and brain, the instruments of higher perception, and gradually he develops naturally to connect and commune with the higher realms of consciousness. This will finally manifest as his ability to attune with God, or the Cosmic consciousness.

But, this natural evolution is a very slow process. As per rishes and later testified by Lahiri Mahasaya, it requires a million years for a man to achieve evolutionary perfection. But this is practically impossible. So, rishes sought for easy but effective ways through which this can be accomplished in a single life time. Finally, they discovered that by circulating life-force internally thorough the cerebrospinal centres, and energizing them, this can be accomplished. This circulation of life-energy through the cerebrospinal centres and brain refines man’s instruments of higher perception thereby speeding up the evolution of the yogi. This technique is known as Kriyayoga.

Kriyayoga is a simple process; but the effect it produces in the body and brain of regularly practicing devotee is tremendous. It is basically a life-force control technique. Paramahansaji describes it as “a simple, psycho-physiological method by which the human blood is decarbonised and recharged with oxygen”. By continuous practice of the technique, an extra amount of oxygen is supplied to the body. This extra oxygen is transmuted into life energy and is used in a specific way to stimulate and enlighten the cerebrospinal centres, the seat of higher consciousness or “altar of God”. This stimulation and resultant awakening manifest as divine experiences upon which the yogi meditates to enter the Kingdom of God within him.

Each Kriya done perfectly requires only a time period of around 30 seconds. But that Kriya is capable of providing an evolutionary progress equivalent to that of one year of natural spiritual evolution. So, by practicing Kriya 108 times, which requires around one hour, twice daily, the devotee advances by 216 years in a single day. By completing such 10, 61,000 Kriya, the yogi can liberate himself from the necessity of repeated births and deaths, and the state of Godhood becomes his natural state.

Describing the science, Paramahansaji continues: “By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues; the advanced yogi transmutes his cells into pure energy. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir and other prophets were past masters in the use of Kriya or a similar technique, by which they caused their bodies to dematerialize at will.” Even though this may not be possible to everybody, a faithful practitioner of Kriyayoga can bring death under his control. The time of death will be informed prior to him from heavens. He can do necessary preparations for the final conscious exit from his body without any pain or confusion.

Spiritual Practices

Maharshi Patanjali describes Kriyayoga as “body discipline, mind control and meditating on Aum”. Since the practice of Kriya is a very subtle process, the physical instrument must be perfected first so as to make it conducive to practice Kriyayoga. For it the methods utilised is known as Hatha Yoga. The second part of the practice is the practice of Kriya proper. Kriya should be learned through a sacred initiation process and the initiation should be received from a Babaji-initiated or ordained teacher. The third part of the spiritual routine is meditating on Cosmic Sound of Aum. Through Aum, the yogi unites with God.

A summary of techniques and methods we practice ourselves and teach are described below.

1. Hatha Yoga Pranayama and Mudra

These are wonderful ways of taming the body and mind quickly so as to make them suitable for the practice of Kriyayoga. Actually, Kriyayoga and Hatha Yoga are no two different spiritual methodologies. Without the practice of Hatha Yoga, the practice of Raja Yoga (Kriya Yoga)  will not bestow full result. And, if Hatha Yoga alone is practiced and Raja Yoga is ignored, such practice is rendered futile. Hatha Yoga includes superior techniques to expel of excessive carbon dioxide from the body and refills it with oxygen and life-energy, prana. Secondly, Hatha Yoga employs techniques to lock and protect the excessive prana in the body. It helps to cure diseases and enhances immunity. Enthusiasm, devotion, alertness, spiritual development, healthy body and mind etc. are the result of practice of Hatha Yoga. Through its practice, the first necessity to realization, i.e., body disciplining is quickly accomplished.

2. Ajapa Meditation

Ajapa meditation is the simpler form of Kriyayoga pranayama. Breath is the cord that ties the soul with the body. Only by untying this cord of breath, man can liberate his soul from the bondage of body and unite with the Spirit. In Ajapa Meditation (also known as SO-HAM or Hong-Sau Technique), yogi focuses his attention, without any strain, in his breath. This will gradually shift his centre of awareness from the body to the breath. The breath gradually slows down and the entire system calms down, thereby yogi enter a tranquil breathless state of full awareness. This is the point of beginning of real meditation. With the manifestation of this pleasant breathless state, mind will be focussed and calm, which is ready for meditation upon God.

3. Sanjeevini Pranayama

Sanjeevini Pranayama is a comprehensive relaxation, recharging and rejuvenation technique. The practice of pranayama brings in so much of prana in the body. This prana is then used to stimulate and rejuvenate each and every part of the body consciously. By moving prana throughout the body with concentration and awareness, it is made to penetrate every nook and corner of the body, energizing each and every cell.

4. Kriyayoga

Kriya is basically a pranayama or life-force control technique. Unlike Hatha Yoga pranayama, which uses gross level of prana control by utilising breath, Kriya is a subtle pranayama. In Kriya, the prana is controlled in a scientific and systematic way to master the mind. Kriya also expels excessive carbon dioxide from the system and fills it with oxygen. When this is done continually and regularly more and more oxygen is pushed into the system. Along with the special kind of breathing, the yogi through Kriya transmutes oxygen into prana or life-force which is then pumped into the brain through the spinal cord, by moving it up and down in a special spinal elliptical path. This will enlighten the subtle centres in the brain and the spinal cord. This brings to him the inner experience of the divine as Cosmic Sound.

In Kriyayoga, various techniques are employed to hasten the spiritual evolution of the individual. Of which four are most important. They are named as the First, Second, Third and Fourth Kriyayoga. The basis of all Kriya is the first Kriya. Without achieving a remarkable progress in the first Kriya, the practice of advanced techniques is of no use. Even by practicing the First Kriyayoga and Meditation, the seeker can achieve liberation.

5. Aum Mediation

The practice of Hatha Yoga, Ajapa Meditation and Kriya Yoga enhances the devotee’s ability to perceive the cosmic sound. The Hindus calls this sound as Aum, Christians as Amen and Muslims as Amin. Whatever name one may give, Aum is the primordial vibration from which the entire cosmos is manifested. So, it is the connecting link between the creation and the creator. Actually, Aum is nothing but the vibratory form of the creator God. So, Aum is God himself. Meditating the sound of Aum is the surest way to attain God. Remember, Aum is the sound that is heard with the highly developed faculty of intuition; it is not the sound made with the vocal cord, lips nor produced in mind. The real Aum can’t be chanted; but only be heard in meditation.

How To Learn Kriya Yoga Meditation