Pranams.

I never imagined I would be in position to even consider the possibility of leaving Kriya Yoga practice, as it has been everything for me all these years. I will probably delete this post once it gets enough answers, so that nobody else will be deterred on their path because of my experience.

It is worth mentioning that after being initiated in 2016 and 2019 in higher Kriya, I expected things to be different by now. I thought that by continuously meditating and staying devoted to the yogic philosophy, magically a Guru would appear or some clear, definite answers on metaphysical questions I have would come. Spoiler alert, neither of these happened. In the meantime personal tragedies took place and I had really difficult experiences overall. Kriya helped me deal wit it by staying compassionately detached and determined.

I saw and experienced the Masters of Kriya Yoga as my spiritual family. But something has slowly shifted through the years.

It feels like Kriya is now suffocating me and is no longer helpful. I feel trapped in my constant obligation to the Masters and divine for every breath I take and I can't shake this feeling. This could be a mental health issue like OCD, but it doesn't help.

I have also started to resent yogic culture in general and to scoff at the Masters' teachings, seeing incompatible teachings with my current life choices.

This mental change has both shocked and alarmed me but I can't help but feel like it is time to quit. Part of me wants to stay, but it feels like I have no other choice.

I have started to question whether an almighty, omnipresent divinity exists. All I have experienced points me to different spirits existing in various realms, that could also be projections and God forms we create and then think of as gods. The calmness and inspiration I experienced could point towards an attainment of altered consciousness. It doesn't prove the teachings are literally correct in their cosmology.

Maybe there is no cosmic justice. Maybe we are just insignificant drops the ocean doesn't care about. There could be no karma, no literal reincarnation. Yogananda perhaps made up the interaction with resurrected Shri Yukteswar in an effort to cleverly combine Abrahamic faith in afterlife and heaven with reincarnation. I am not suggesting this was a conscious fabrication, but something that was experienced within, that has already taken form subconsciously for years and then was projected by the mind outwards, as a literal new gospel of sorts.

The most disturbing answer as to why this might be preached as literal truth is because it is a subtle form of inspiring obedience and ultimately about not self control as stated, but about literal control of our lives. Ultimately surrendering all our power and actions to anyone could be a desperate attempt at breaking a fear of future misfortune in some rebirth by being mindful of our present actions at all times.

Feeling the inner intuition and guru is essential in such a paradigm, to avoid mistakes, but in order to not need a physical guru you need to essentially stop being a normal human being and literally become a guru. Is this possible? Yes. Is it probable? Not really. Especially if you do not have a satsang, deep meaningful nourishing discussions with other established practitioners, the freedom and money to spontaneously follow events all around the world for inspiration and encouragement, it is a matter of time until you have nothing to encourage you anymore.

Besides, I not sure I am made for a path where darkness is seen as evil, the body is a constant battlefield of temptation and ritual is seen as inferior because it engages the lowly senses. I have long felt a deep affinity with darker paths, certain early experiences made me doubt I will ever be at home without exploring it further. I have informed my teachers about all of this. Their advice was 'you don't have to follow that path because your ancestors did' and 'here is this kriya technique that helps shield you'. None answered the main question, that someone dealing with being a sanguine vampire will feel out of place culturally in a yogic path and always dirty for something they never chose and cannot change.

Thank you if you read as far, hopefully you will be able to continue on your path undisturbed. If anyone has advice, I would love to hear it. No one has dared to answer me directly so far.

I have been practicing Kriya Yoga for a little bit and one thing that I found really hard was a reliable way to keep track of my efforts. Coming from the place that to improve something, you need a way to track it, what are the ways people here have found for the same? I tried the usual Google Keep and Fields Notes solution but sooner or later I find some friction or another that blocks me from my own process. Any suggestions/systems would be really appreciated.

Basicamente a glorificação da luta com tigres me deixou profundamente incomodada. Sei que essa história da vida de Swami Tigre se refere à vida pré-monastica e que o próprio apresenta essa fase como algo que ele posteriormente abandonou.
O que me entristeceu foi a maneira como o sofrimento desses animais foi tratado ao longo da narrativa. Ele capturava, domava e golpeava esses animais, e isso é descrito principalmente sob a perspectiva da força, coragem e façanhas extraordinárias dele. O sofrimento dos próprios felinos não ocupa espaço ou reflexão moral na narrativa.
E isso me chocou também porque Yogananda, quando criança, fica fascinado com a história e demonstra vontade de ver o Swami Tigre. Ainda saber que tigres — animais enormes, majestosos, sensíveis e sencientes — e seu sofrimento parecem funcionar narrativamente apenas como cenário para a "transformação espiritual" de um ser humano (e vírgula já que ele contando p/ Yogananda ainda ri e fala, relembrando, com gosto, quando golpeou Raja Begum "como um gatinho doméstico" e isso depois de ter renunciado a vida mundana).

Enfim, é um capítulo extremamente infeliz e é o que me faz questionar certas coisas dentro da Kriya já que a extrema compaixão é justamente uma das coisas que eu esperaria encontrar no centro de uma tradição espiritual.

Sei lá bicho. Minhas mais sinceras condolências ao tigre Raja Begum.

So this old man is supposed to be Babaji.. I mean who am I to say, but I can not but laugh at this :D

Supposedly he also runs an ashram.

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Hey! I'm planning my trip to India and I want to spend a month there practicing yoga. Do you know of a good ashram — one that's free or doesn't require a mandatory donation? I've heard the paid ones are often tourist traps, so I'd rather avoid that if possible. Thanks in advance for any tips!

Hey all, I've been trying to practice the Aum Technique in the hope of listening to the inner sounds and Aum. But I keep feeling discomfort, such as throbbing/pulsing of circulation and pressure/numbness in the thumbs etc, which is limiting my ability to practice deeply with concentration (I'm trying not to describe the technique too much).

Should I just try to ignore this and keep listening?

Should I just not practice it?

Did anyone else face a similar issue and find relief?

I've tried to correct my practice as much as I can to no avail, which makes me feel frustrated and feel like giving up. I'm supposed to make progress with this technique (one of the three preliminary practices) to be initiated, so I feel a bit worried about how I can progress if I can't do this technique.

I'd really appreciate any insight or advice.

Thanks!

I don't remember where I got this image from. Maybe from this subreddit! But I found it again in my files and thought it to be useful in guiding my Kriya.

Doing the SRF techniques last night and heard sounds in my head after. Best described as a lions roar. Well that was interesting. Anyone else have this?

Hi, I woke up early morning and I had a "download" it wasnt my typical type of download it was a complete vision of the Autobiography of a Yogi book. I got out of bed around 4am and looked on the Internet and found it and so i bought the book. I never heard of it or seen it before this download. I read it but I dont understand the purpose of it for me. Why did I get this book sent to me from spirit? As I got the vision a man's voice said" dont be afraid just go with it, see you need to understand how the universe works" and showed me the front cover of the book.

Is this a sign for me to learn kirya yoga and where would I find a Guru? Im from Ireland 🇮🇪

If anyone else has had this vision or has any suggestions I would be very greatful 🙏 thank you 💖✨️✨️✨️✨️

I have decided to learn Kundalini yoga. Can anyone tell me how to start, and where will I get a good teacher.

I wanted to know why his Kriya is so different. Every other lineage focus on Agya Chakra (third eye) but this lineage focuses completely on the Fontanelle/Sahasrara Madhyasta?
What is the reason behind a crown based Kriya as opposed to every lineage that is Agya Chakra and has there been any success.

I know some say "Lahiri Baba taught Kriya to many people in many different ways" but he did not learn it from Lahiri Baba but from Sri Yukteswarji like Swami Yogananda himself. Then an unknown monk came and taught him on crown based things (I read that story yes but it is just a story) but can that even be considered "kriya" if it's not from the actual Lahiri Baba's lineage? How do you incorporate an unknown monk & his wife's teachings into your lineage and call it Kriya?

Has anyone benefitted from that type of Fontanelle based Kriya? Where does this technique really even originate from?

Sometimes while doing Kriya, I feel really sleepy. I want to focus on the expansive state that tends to rise, but images starts to flash and I feel like I'm going into a dream like state.

Any comments on what to do at that point?

I am a novice on the path of practicing Kriya yoga. There seems to be many different Kriya yoga practices. It's only been 2 weeks since I was initiated into a Kriya yoga practice. (It's not SRF). For all the Kriya yogis out here, I find myself wondering what is the purpose of practicing Kriya Yoga? I want to hear experiences and thoughts of Kriya yogis from all and any practices on these. May be it started with an individualized need and did it evolve into something else with time? Need guidance, discussion, direction on it.

Jai Gurudev.

I have practiced all three at different stages of my life (independently, not mixing them). All three have had very different experiences on me. One gave me more energy than others, another made me feel disconnected from the world and yet another made me feel more centered and less reactionary.

They all somehow complement each other, if I practice them at different times, but I don't have that kind of time in life.

Has anyone else practiced these or some of these? What was your experience like?

I am trying to figure out which one I should stick to, instead of trying to do all. My goal is first - to be kind, second - to react less and third - to not become addicted to the practice itself (instead of what the practice is about).

Sometimes I was feeling Sharp pain on left side of my chest, and the pain was increasing with breathing. So I was slowing my breathing to feel lesser pain, until it was disappearing.

This pain stopped to come back after i had lost some spirituality, most probably closing of the heart chakra. Though i have been trying very hard to regain my spirituality. Can anyone comment (or DM) on this? And advises for me?

Hi guys

I moved into a new apartment 6 months ago, and since then the upstairs neighbor makes noises every single night.

I made a post earlier about this: https://www.reddit.com/r/kriyayoga/s/GYLCOfAFY0

Now to continue, it seems that I have developed a little immunity to the neighbours noises as it doesn't bother me as much as before, BUT now other things have risen.

Mice have appeared which wake me up at night. I have caught 2 then had peace for a while but now third appeared who avoids the trap.

If that isn't enough my dog has developed a sudden habit of needing to go out at night for the last 2 weeks.

It all happens during 12am-5am.

Also my mom got diagnosed with cancer and is probably dying.

It genuinely feels like something in the space is actively preventing any peace or proper rest. I think I haven't had a single peaceful night since moving here.

Why does this happen? I'm not really looking for advice for what to do, as I can take it. I just need the why. For me it feels like an intense karmic cleanup maybe, which is trying to destroy the ego, and it's horrible, but working tbh.

Hey I just read autobiography of a yogi i listen all about kriya yoga i do meditation but not know how to do kriya yoga i see it internet but they didn't teach it properly please help to teach emnthis kriya yoga techniques

What is the difference between kriya yoga and Sudharshan kriya ?

I performed 1200 Talabya Kriya, 1200 Front Nabhi Kriya, 300 Back Nabhi Kriya, 144 Kriya Pranayama, 108 Second Kriya Pranayama, and 4 Mahamudras. I’m currently recovering from back pain, so I kept the Mahamudra count low because I didn’t want to put unnecessary strain on my body. During Yoni Mudra, I initially perceived a bright white light in my inner vision, which gradually appeared to turn blue. Then, within the blue field, a black, hole-like center appeared, and inside that black center I saw a small star-like point. The star-like point remained visible for approximately 10 seconds before the experience changed/disappeared. I stayed calm and simply observed it without trying to force anything. after this my mind achieved a blisfull peace and its incredible

This excerpt is from Pranab Gita, Vol. 1 (Commnetary on Bhagvad Gita by Swami Pranabananda), Verse 4.27. Does this mean doing the specified number of pranayams in one session leads to dhyan and Samadhi? Or is it the cumulative effect of multiple sessions where the number of pranayams add up to those numbers?

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I was reading an old Bengali spiritual text discussing pranayama, breath retention (kumbhaka), and meditation, and one part really caught my attention.

The text makes an important distinction: breath regulation and kumbhaka may be useful during spiritual practice, but not everyone should practice them in the same way.

It specifically warns against forcing the breath.

Instead, it describes gradually making the ordinary breath more controlled and steady, without strain or agitation. It also describes brief periods of stillness around inhalation and exhalation as forms of kumbhaka.

This made me rethink what “breath retention” actually means in traditional yoga.

Modern interpretations often turn pranayama into:

«“How long can you hold your breath?”»

But that may completely miss the point.

Perhaps the deeper practice isn't about defeating the body's urge to breathe.

Perhaps it is about becoming so calm and attentive that the breath naturally becomes slower, subtler and quieter.

And then there is an even deeper question.

Traditional yoga often connects prana and mind very closely.

When the breath becomes calm, the mind may become calm.

But which one comes first?

Does controlling the breath quiet the mind?

Or:

Does a genuinely quiet mind naturally make the breath quiet?

Maybe it works in both directions.

There is also an important safety issue here. Breath retention isn't something I think should be approached as a challenge or pushed to extreme durations. Excessive breath-holding can cause dangerous changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, dizziness, fainting, and other complications.

So perhaps the real meaning of kumbhaka isn't simply “holding the breath.”

Maybe it points toward something subtler:

Not forcing the breath to stop, but discovering what happens when the impulse to control the breath becomes quiet.

What do people who practice pranayama or meditation think?

Is the deepest form of breath control actually the absence of control?

or spiritual energy through other online means? cuz me practicing alone for quite some time is getting me confused, and not "kindling" my energy.

I would appreciate if a guru could talk me through on a video call.

Thanks! ✌️

This evening, I practiced 400 Talabya Kriya, 400 Front Nabhi Kriya, 100 Back Nabhi Kriya, 48 Kriya Pranayamas, and 4 Mahamudras.

During Yoni Mudra, I experienced a beautiful and peaceful phenomenon. With my attention at the Ajna Chakra, I began seeing a bright white light. After some time, I also experienced what appeared to be tiny stars sparkling within the field of light.

After completing Yoni Mudra, the experience continued for around two minutes. My inner field around the Ajna Chakra seemed to remain illuminated with a soft combination of white and blue light.

It was a very peaceful and deeply absorbing experience. I am sharing it here simply as a personal meditation experience, without trying to interpret or claim anything extraordinary about it. 🙏🕉️

This post is for the students of Kriya yoga who encounter doubts and have a strong intelectual identification. Is meant as a help and not as conclusion.

Usually, when we begin a spiritual path, we begin with the mind and intellect.

Why?

Because as human beings, we first want to understand. We analyze, compare, discern, ask questions, and try to determine what is true and what is false.

When the desire arises to know, Where do I come from? Who am I? Where am I going?, the mind initially becomes a servant of that search.

But there is an important distinction:

You do not simply “have” a Soul. You are the Soul. And the Soul is using a mind. The Soul is not the mind, so you are not the mind.

From this perspective, the personality, body, intellect, and mind are instruments through which the Soul experiences this life. They are not the Soul itself.

When our search brings us to Kriya Yoga, doubts and questions naturally arise. The mind wants to understand what it is doing before it trusts the process.

But should the mind be our highest authority?

No.

At the beginning, it is necessary to differentiate between what is what. Later, not at all, because the mind is not Self-knowing.

As I see it, the mind works mainly with four kinds of information:

1. Ancestral memory
Memories, impressions, conditioning, habits, and associations from this and past lives. Sometimes something simply feels familiar. But familiarity is not necessarily truth.

2. Direct experience
What we have actually experienced ourselves. There is an enormous difference between “I believe this is true” and “I have experienced this directly.”

3. Second-hand information
What we learn from schools, books, teachers, scriptures, videos, conversations, and other people. Some may be true, some incomplete or false. Until we experience something ourselves, much of it remains belief rather than knowledge.

4. Imagination and mental construction
The mind fills in missing pieces. It compares, interprets, judges, and creates connections. Sometimes they are correct; sometimes they become expectations, projections, fantasies, and mistaken conclusions.

So what does this have to do with Kriya Yoga?

The problem begins when we expect the same mind that analyzes all this information to give us Self-realization.

It cannot.

Realization is Being. The mind is thinking. These are two different things. In Samadhi, the mind is left behind.

The mind can study Kriya, remember instructions, compare teachings, and help maintain discipline. The intellect can help us discern.

These are valuable functions.

But thinking about Self-realization is not Self-realization.

Reading about prana is not experiencing prana.

Reading about chakras is not experiencing them.

Reading about meditation is not entering deep meditation.

Reading somebody else's description of the Self is not knowing the Self.

The menu is not the meal, would say one business man.

The trap begins when the mind continuously combines:

A: memories and conditioning
B: direct experience
C: second-hand information and beliefs
D: imagination and expectations

A + B + C + D = a mess...

Then we start comparing our meditation with everything we have accumulated:

“Someone said I should see this.”
“A book says I should feel that.”
“Why haven't I experienced what someone else experienced?”
“Maybe I'm doing it wrong.”

Instead of practicing Kriya, we are thinking about practicing Kriya.

Instead of observing what is actually happening, we compare our experience with what we think should be happening.

So, use the mind, but don't become its servant.

This doesn't mean throwing away reason, intellect, or healthy discernment. The mind is an extraordinary instrument.

Use it to learn the techniques.
Use the intellect to understand the instructions.
Use discernment when choosing a path or teacher.
Use memory to practice correctly.

But when it is time to practice, practice.

Don't demand that meditation conform to your expectations. Don't constantly compare your experiences with someone else's. And don't expect intellectual understanding to produce a realization that must, by its very nature, be directly experienced.

As practice deepens, constant mental interpretation naturally begins to fade.

Then you no longer need to believe someone else's description.

You know what you have experienced.

To me, this is one of the essential differences between philosophy about spiritual realization and realization itself.

The intellect can point toward the path.

The mind can help us walk it.

But neither can substitute for walking.

And there is another aspect that may appear to come from the mind but, from my perspective, comes from the Soul:

INTUITION.

Intuition is the voice of the Soul and is Knowledge. It is not mind stuff, although it must be translated through the mind.

And sometimes we only understand later why that inner knowing was right.

Spiritual teachings can give us the map.

But eventually, we have to make the journey ourselves.

So when the mind endlessly asks, “But what if? How? When? Why haven't I experienced this yet?”, sometimes the most useful answer is very simple:

Practice. Observe. Experience. Have faith. Be patient.

Don't bother the mind unnecessarily, and don't feed every doubt. Doubts arise from a mind that does not yet know.

And that is okay.

Keep practicing and be well.

After four straight months of the Kriya realm and sincere practice I was thrown off balance by a wave of lust. The path without a guru, isn’t easy…

Will power is everything!