Yoga for CM

Yoga is the union of the individual soul with the Infinite Consciousness or Paramatman. The goal of all spiritual practices is the attainment of the same Infinite or Super Consciousness, by whichever name one may describe it. In this wider sense all spiritual masters are Yogis. There is, however, a particular variety of spiritual practices (Sadhana) which are called Yoga in a narrower sense, and it is usually in this sense that the word Yoga is used. This Sadhana consists mainly in controlling the Prana-vitalizing breath with Pranayama and other processes. The Yogi starts with the postulate that the microcosm contains everything that is in the macrocosm.

There is a Bengali proverb which states that what is absent in our body is also non-existent in the universe. The Yogi therefore considers his own body as the temple for worshipping the Supreme Self (Paramatma).

Kriya Yoga Simplified for the Common Man

simplified the infinite multiplicity of the processes of Raja yoga into a few stages and made it available to the common man, especially the householder who is simply lost in the wilderness of worldly duties. It is next to impossible for a householder to follow the strict principles of restraint enunciated in the ‘Ashtanga (eight step) Yoga’ of Patanjali. The processes in the Kriya yoga make us gradually fit to unfold the Divine within ourselves, with much less effort than is usually necessary. Individual Yogis have always been there in India, but due to a great general deterioration in the mass consciousness characteristic of the current world cycle of Kali Yuga, Yogic processes remained circumscribed in the hands of Yogis alone. It was much too difficult for the common man to follow. Only those who would be ready to dedicate their lives to the cause of the Divine, would be initiated into the teachings. Naturally, their number was very small. The majority of the people had no opportunity to follow the principles of Yoga even if they might have eagerness for these.

Kriya yoga teaches man that God is to be discovered in his own body first, concentrating his gaze on the point between his eye-brows. Once man realizes God within his own body, he automatically realizes Him in others too. His body is the temple where he starts worshipping the Prana which controls the entire physical machinery. Each and everybody has this Prana-vitalizing force in common and by realizing its mystery through Pranayama, etc., man realizes the Supreme Consciousness that controls the universe, for it is the same force that impels the individual and the universe. Thus, Kriya yoga will go a great way in bringing about a sense of unity amongst all men and women, and ultimately in bringing about world peace. We are on the threshold of a new era. Preparations have been going on, and we are surely ahead of a great spiritual resurgence of India and the world.

Kriya Yoga and Mantra Yoga Work Well Together

Mantra yoga can certainly lead man to success, because through a constant chanting of the Mantras the Sushumna is gradually opened up. But the opening of the Sushumna through chanting of the Mantras is an indirect process, although it is easier for the common man. The Kriya Yogi makes the Sushumna his starting point by taking recourse to different processes of controlling and channeling the Prana-lifeforce through the right path. The combination of both practices can only accelerate ones progress.

When one is not doing Kriya proper, one can keep his attention focused at the point between the eyebrows and meditate on one's mantra, practice remembrance of God's name, or attunement to Ishvara, the Soul within (editor).

Since Kriya Yoga is a series of techniques and not a Religion, Kriya Yogi's can be of Any Religion

The liberality, inherent in the Kriya yoga .As to places it on a universal footing. A man practicing the teachings of any religion may be initiated into Kriya yoga without the necessity of leaving his own religious faith. Besides, Kriyayoga may be given to any one having eagerness for Self-Realization, to whichever caste, creed or country he may belong. The Kriyayoga propounded. and the Yogasutra of the great sage Patanjali. It is a compendium of all kinds of spiritual training. But, after all, Shastras are the records of spiritual researches conducted by Great Saints. Unless one follows the teachings of the Shastras in practice, one cannot have the experience of the Divine Bliss. That is why the mystery of Dharma described in the Gita has to be realized only by direct experience. Shri Shri Lahiri Mahashaya’s Kriya yoga leads the Sadhaka to the final goal, each stage unfolding its peculiar effect and thus encouraging the seeker. As the difficult processes of Raja yoga have been much simplified , the Kriya yoga as propounded by them has been called the ‘Sahaja Kriya yoga’, that is the Kriya that comes naturally to man, without putting any artificial strain on the physical machinery. This again, is another point in favor of Kriya yoga that it is free from the dangers which sometimes come in the way of the Sadhaka in the shape of some physical distortion or disease, the outcome of mistakes in following the processes of Yoga. There is no such danger attending Kriya yoga even if one commits a mistake. Of course, Kriya yoga is "Sahaja" (meaning literally ‘that which originates at our very birth’) also in the primary sense that it is a process where we have to take recourse to the regulation of breath, the process of inhalation and exhalation which is co-equal with the very being of man.


1The human body has 3 great nerve-cords. On both sides of the spinal cord there are gangliated cords of sympathetic nerves. Ordinarily the Prana-life force moves through the passage within the gangliated cords: Ida and Pingala. But it must move through Sushumna (the very subtle passage through the spinal cord) before any success in spiritual practice (Sadhana) is to be attained. The unfolding of this passage is called the rousing of the Kundalini or the spiritual force latent in every man.



All religious and spiritual schools of thought all over the world have declared in unison that the mind has to be stilled. Only when the mind has been stilled, can there be room for the ultimate experiences that one may desire. Those who wish to have visions of divine beings (of their religious tradition), even they have to still their mind in order to achieve this vision. Those who wish to reach the stage beyond all beings – the ultimate – they too must still the mind.

However, the achievements (through the teachings) of the Bhagavad Gita are a little different. It suggests that we should reach a stage where the mind has overcome desires, where the mind should not be mindful. As long as the mind is there, there will be resolutions and dissolutions of desirable activities, and because of this, it will be impossible to overcome the cycle of birth and death.

It is because of this it is necessary to still the mind. The sum substance is that if the mind is not still nothing will happen – to that extent even our worldly activities will not be fulfilled properly . . . the human being becomes a monster.

Now the question arises: what is the mind? The agitated movement of Prana is the mind. Prana by its nature is still. However, because of several reasons it loses its stillness and starts vibrating. On the flag of this chariot called the body, rides Hanuman in the form of still current/Prana. The Prana current is still in the Sahasrara (Crown Chakra), but becomes agitated when it descends to the lower Chakras. In the five parts of the body, that Prana is given the five different names – Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, and Vyana.

If these five Pranas reside in the body in equal balance, then there is no form of agitation in the mind. Otherwise it becomes agitated by reasons that are very ordinary.

The body is in good health when Vayu (Air), Pitta (heat) and Kapha (Moisture/Water) are in proper balance. However, because of reasons that are quite ordinary, when the balance is lost, it may fall ill. e.g. exposure to cold creates an imbalance, which may become the reason for illness. Therefore, one has to be careful not to cause any imbalance or agitation.

Similarly for the five Pranas, care must be taken not to disturb the balance by dealing with the Prana.

The chief practice to do this is Pranayama. By doing Pranayama, the Prana and Apana currents are stilled; with Nabhi Kriya, Samana current is stilled, while Mahamudra stills Udana and Vyana currents.

With these tools (the kriyas), the 5 Pranas are stilled (made quiet), and when that happens one perceives the nature of the soul through Yoni Mudra. This is the ultimate success of a human life.

As a result of these practices, in the stilled Prana at the Sahasrara, the state of the mind finds it advantageous, and one experiences the state of no mind. To date, among all practices discovered and known to the world, Pranayama is the best (most effective).

There are many types of Pranayama, but among them that Pranayama that is done along the Sushumna through the Six Chakras1, is the best, because by this Pranayama the movement of the mind and Prana are done together in unison. Those who practice this know that when the Prana is exercised along with the mind in unison, the mind does not wander in other directions. Over a long period of this practice, the mind becomes still, and no agitation remains. Just like Ganga is the best among rivers, Kashi among all places of pilgrimage, Gayatri among all Mantras, Pranava (Om)2,3 among all Beejas (root sounds), so also is Pranayama the best among all practices. This has been accepted in one voice by all sages and those practicing it, because the result of this practice can be experienced and achieved in this lifetime, at this time, and within this very body.

1The chakras are the major means upon the physical plane through which the Soul works and expresses its purpose. The glands are the physical correspondents of the chakras. The condition of the chakras and the reflection of this condition in the glands determine the state of evolution and consciousness of man and the degree to which the soul can fully express itself on the physical plane. Through the practice of kriya yoga, the kriya yogi purifies the chakras and accelerates the evolution of his consciousness. He makes his body a fit vehicle for the expression of the Soul.

2In the Sutras of Patanjali in Sadhana Pada, OM is discussed in the following Sutras:

23. By intense devotion to Ishvara, knowledge of Ishvara is gained.
24. This Ishvara is the soul, untouched by limitation, free from karma, and desire.
25. In Ishvara, the Gurudeva, the germ of all knowledge expands into infinity.
26. Ishvara, the Gurudeva, being unlimited by time conditions, is the teacher of the primeval
Lords.
27. The Word of Ishvara, is AUM (or OM). This is the Pranava.
28. Through the sounding of the Word and through reflection upon its meaning, the Way is
found.
29. From this comes the realization of the Self (the soul) and the removal of all obstacles.

3 The sounding of OM has four effects on the subtle body. It: (1) burns out coarse matter, (2) builds in refined matter, (3) it carries force through all the inner chakras to the pranamaya kosha or etheric body, and causes a definite stimulation of the petals of each chakra. If the lotus is only partially unfolded, then only some of the petals receive the stimulation. This stimulation creates a vibration (especially in the chakra in which one meditates- the head or heart) which causes a reflex action in the sushumna and down to the base. This is not in itself sufficient to arouse the kundalini; that can only be done when other conditions have been met. And (4) it sets up a vortex of energy between the reciter and the Soul / Ishvara / Source of grace invoked and creates a vacuum that results in a down pour of energy.




Why is the Kriya pranayam important? Why is the end result of the pranayam practice soul realization? How is the spirit and physical body linked? It is linked through your breath. As long as the spirit and the body are together you are breathing. The moment that spirit leaves you are not breathing. So, one end of the breath is connected to your physical body and the other end is connected with your spirit. So if you will catch hold of the breath and move along with it, you are bound to reach your spirit one-day. That is why the pranayam practice is so important. Breath links body and spirit. It is the bridge between the two. Everybody breathes but no one has seen his own breath. It is invisible but you can feel it and the spirit is even more subtle than that. And you have some control over your breath. So, if you just realize the link and the connection and if you practice ardently, you're bound to realize your spirit, the Self.

First, you become aware of the breath then the prana in the breath and then the spirit within the prana. It is the breath that indicates that the soul is there and the soul pervades your entire body. It is not centered somewhere. Life is everywhere. Even in a single hair there is life.

Though you are using your physical body to practice kriya, you should always focus beyond that.

The focus should be on the soul or spirit. And that is done through the breath.





What is the kutastha? Kutastha is a Sanskrit word that means immortal Soul.

Kriya yogi’s use the term in ways that are often confusing to westerners with no knowledge of Sanskrit. It is commonly used in two ways among kriya gurus. It is used either to describe the immortal Soul or to designate a place to focus in the head, e.g., the ajna center. When writers instruct students to focus in the kutastha, the student will typically interpret this to mean focus in the ajna center. If the student does this, he has only followed half of the instruction. Since the kutastha represents the unchanging divine aspect of the Self, what is really meant when the guru tells us to focus in the kutastha is to focus on the Soul that is revealed at the point between the eyebrows. The real point of focus is not so much a place in the head as a state of consciousness. Since the light of the Soul or Kutastha is revealed at the point between the eyebrows, kriya gurus instruct us to physically focus there. The point I am making is that the ajna center is not the kutastha. It is an instrument of perception that is able to perceive the light of the kutastha (immortal, unchanging Self) as well as many other things unrelated to the Soul. However, through usage some writers have begun to substitute the word kutastha for ajna center. This narrow use of kutastha to specify ajna center focus has been a source of some confusion. The goal of kriya yoga is union with the Soul. Kriya yogis keep that goal in view right from the start by being instructed to focus on the immortal Soul in the ajna center or the kutastha.

Let us examine some definitions of Kutastha to get a better feel for what it means.

Def. 1 The Kutastha is eternal and unchangeable

Def. 2 Kutastha, in philosophy, whatever is immovable, unchangeable, perpetually and universally the same; the indestructible spirit. (kuta, the summit; stha, standing: standing on the peak.)

Def. 3 Kutastha A philosophical term meaning 'holding the highest position,' hence the primordial divinity. As a noun it is often used as a synonym for Isvara, the Divine-Spiritual Monad. Kutastha is often used derivatively for Akasa (q.v.) and for Mulaprakriti. (Compound kuta, the highest, the summit; stha, standing. Bhagavad-Gita, W. Q. p. 108).

Def. 4. One who pervades all, supports all, and yet Himself undergoes no transformation.

Def. 5 Kutastha refers to Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, who is the "abhimAni"(controller) of all nature; thus, she is like a changeless anvil which supports change in others, in being herself changeless, but supporting all of nature that is ever-changing.