| People seeking a deeper spiritual meaning in their lives | | | | 2. Bhakti yoga aims to achieve peace with all the |
| have found Kriya yoga. Yogananda brought Kriya | | | | elements of your life through the power of love. It is |
| yoga to the West in the 1920's. He established the | | | | often stated as "oneness with all creation and cosmic |
| Self-Realization Fellowship as a total yoga experience | | | | consciousness." |
| that addressed the spiritual as well as the physical, all | | | | 3. Jnana yoga is concerned with intellectual discipline |
| most other western yoga disciplines concentrate on. | | | | leading to wisdom gained from spiritual knowledge |
| A Kriya yogi, as described by Yogananda, mentally | | | | giving freedom of the mind. |
| moves his life energy around the six spinal centers - | | | | Thus, Kriya joins the three into a single discipline. It |
| the medullar, dorsal, lumbar, coccygeal, cervical, and | | | | highlights the relationship between breath and mind. |
| sacral plexuses. These each relate to the twelve | | | | Breath control is self control. Breath mastery is self |
| zodiac signs. This subtle energy revolution progresses | | | | mastery. |
| his evolution, and it is said that this 30 seconds of | | | | Preparation is the first step in Kriya yoga. The body |
| Kriya is equivalent to a year of natural spiritual | | | | is prepared with a Hatha yoga exercise routine. For |
| growth. | | | | beginners or the less flexible, other alternative |
| Kriya yoga is based on Kundalina yoga and includes | | | | preparation routines are provided. |
| similar asana and meditation methods. Kriya adds | | | | Mind preparation comes next. Here you focus your |
| some spiritual and esoteric guidelines. It does have its | | | | mind by studying general conduct, analyzing your |
| detractors that point out Kriya does not maintain | | | | overall health, cleanliness and purity. You may even |
| your power comes from within, but that you need a | | | | study your relationship to certain metaphysical |
| teacher, or guru, to release your spirituality. Although | | | | principles. These reflective studies help to prepare the |
| it sounds like an admirable goal, Kriya's attempt to | | | | mind for later techniques intended to refine and |
| eliminate obstacles begs the question, are the | | | | improve the nervous system. |
| obstacles there for a reason? Is the guru the right | | | | Mantras are taught in Kriya meditation in order to |
| person to decide how and when to remove them? It | | | | tune the mind and body to a single frequency. Again, |
| is very important to go into Kriya yoga with a strong | | | | the detractors point out, one must be careful that |
| sense of self. Never allow another to hijack your | | | | YOU are the chooser of the destination and your |
| self-determination! | | | | mind isn't being controlled by another, even a trusted |
| Advocates of Kriya yoga believe they can achieve | | | | other. |
| self-realization faster by combining three other yoga | | | | Although one of a handful of more controversial |
| methods: | | | | yoga paths, Kriya yoga has helped many attain |
| 1. Karma yoga is concentrated on the movement of | | | | spiritual levels they couldn't quite reach with other |
| the soul, both out in the world and the inner actions | | | | methods. It may be right for you, but go into it with |
| of the mind. | | | | your eyes open and your protection activated. |