Kriya yoga is a form of hatha yoga that includes breath work, meditation, sound work or chanting and physical poses. The purpose of Kriya yoga training is to bring about the spiritual growth and happiness of a participant. Kriya yoga training encourages students to develop a spirit of charity, compassion, service and study.
History
Kriya yoga is one of the older forms of yogic tradition passed down through texts such as the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras. The Sanskrit word "kriya" means spiritual work and effort. According to present-day masters of Kriya yoga, Mahavatar Babaji Maharaj revitalized this meditation-rich form of yoga in the 19th century. The most mainstream name associated with Kriya yoga is Paramahansa Yogananda, who wrote "Autobiography of a Yogi." Paramahamsa Hariharanand founded the Kriya Yoga Institute, which is the largest and most official authority on Kriya yoga in the world.
Process
Kriya teachings pass down from one master to the next. Authorized teachers under a master are often referred to as yogacharyas. Authorized yogacharyas, or masters, take a student through a mystical purification process that includes symbolic and literal elements of breath, fire and flowers. Once a student is initiated, he is allowed to learn the first of six stages of Kriya yoga. Self-realization is the core lesson of Kriya yoga. The Kriya Yoga Institute states its mission as "Mediate and be realized."
Meditation
Part of a student's initiation into Kriya yoga includes lectures from a master Kriya teacher and meditation sessions. Meditation is an important element of Kriya yoga used to help a student connect with her divine self, to bring a person to a state which is free of attachments and to bring the body and mind into balance and harmony. A student is taught meditation techniques which they can eventually practice on her own.
Physical
In a student's effort to find higher spiritual enlightenment, a master teaches him to use the breath as a tool. Breathing exercises teach a student to control his thoughts, to regulate the nervous system and to practice yoga poses with greater ease and balance. Students learn kriyas (combinations of breathing techniques, meditation, poses and sound) so they can achieve joy and spiritual enlightenment in this lifetime.
Kriya Yoga Schools
There are Kriya yoga training centers around the world, including India, North America, South America, Asia, Europe and Australia. As the founding country of Kriya yoga, India claims the highest number of official Kriya yoga schools. The Kriya Yoga Institute consists of three main headquarters located in the U.S., Europe and India.
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