The Art of Peace Manifesting outer peace through inner transformation
The art and science of Kriya Yoga
The simplest and quickest journey home
Kriya Yoga is a simple, practical, scientific technique of meditation leading to God-realization. It is non-sectarian and can be practiced by people of all religions and beliefs. It brings about the simultaneous development of body, mind, intellect and soul.
Kriya is a word composed of the Sanskrit roots kri, which means “action,” and ya, “soul” or “God.” Yoga means “union.” Kriya Yoga is therefore the art and science of achieving divine union by witnessing the soul as the sole doer of every action.
The living power of God (prana, or life force) within us is doing the work. If, at every moment, we feel that we are not the doer, that only God or the Cosmic Force is the doer, then the action becomes worship, and we get constant liberation. God actually means one’s true Self, one’s inner reality. It is the pure, all-pervading consciousness that manifests in the practitioner after learning to go into the emptiness of inner silence, which is real meditation.
You do not need to believe in God or follow any religion to practice it. Kriya Yoga is not a religion, it is a spiritual science founded on empirical and verifiable truths—a systematic practice which gives quantifiable results. “If you take a very little breath and fix your attention in the fontanel, you will see light” would often say Paramahamsa Hariharananda (1907-2002), the last God-realized master of Kriya Yoga. Through the Kriya techniques you get calmness of body, peace of mind, and a loving heart, which are essential in order to access a state of true meditation.
"Meditation is the silent art of withdrawing yourself into the source of life. It is as if your body is completely burnt to ashes. Meditation is going beyond mind, thoughts, ego and body sense; it is going to the supreme state, the formless state.”
- Paramahamsa Hariharananda
The sacred heritage of Kriya Yoga
The modern revival of Kriya Yoga began in 1861 by Mahavatar Babaji and has been handed down to the current Kriya lineage of masters—Lahiri Mahashaya, Swami Shriyukteshwar, Paramahamsa Yogananda, and Paramahamsa Hariharananda—directly through the master-disciple method of teaching.
Kriya Yoga has been revived as an answer to modern man’s problems. It teaches how to have an active, enjoyable, creative lifestyle and profession, and still remain completely engrossed in the inner peace of the soul.
“Kriya Yoga meditation is a shortcut technique of soul culture. Kriya Yoga is such a simple, practical technique that one can practice it 24 hours a day. In every moment, in every breath, in every disposition or mood, the striver feels united with the power of God within.”
- Paramahamsa Hariharananda
The initiation process
In order to learn Kriya Yoga, a student must receive an initiation which can only be imparted by an authorized yogacharya (empowered teacher) serving as a transmitter of spiritual energy on behalf of an authentic lineage of Kriya Yoga masters.
The Kriya Yoga initiation is a sacred process involving purification of the chakras, sense organs, and cerebro-spinal axis; it is followed by a re-awakening of hidden soul qualities, and spiritual instruction. During initiation, seekers will learn to perceive the inner light of the soul, hear divine sound, and feel the divine movement sensation.
Kriya Yoga is based on breath control
Breath is the power of God; it keeps the body and soul together. Every breath is an action; when you practice conscious breathing, witnessing the kri-ya connection, you are performing prana karma (action of life force). This is the real fire sacrifice, the essence of Kriya Yoga which will purge your past karmas.
There are fifty types of breath, out of which forty-nine are extroverted and restless. “As is the breath, so is the mind” declared the ancient yogis. The fiftieth breath however is very slow and feeble, and comes naturally when one is in deep meditation due to extreme calmness and reduced body metabolism. This is the breath which leads to liberation.
“Breath control is self-control, breath mastery is self-mastery, and breathlessness is deathlessness.”
- Paramahamsa Hariharananda
This witnessing consciousness is gradually refined by the daily practice of the Kriya methodology, which includes some simple physical postures (asanas), concentration exercises (dharana), life force control (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), and union with God (samadhi). What makes Kriya special is the ability to be connected with the inner qualities of the soul by always watching the inner sound, light and vibration, which are gradually coming with practice.
Come, experience it for yourself, and verify whether these claims are true or not. That is the ideal attitude of the spiritual seeker.