PART III: LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA -- PRACTICAL ASPECTS Author: Ennio Nimis

PART III: LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA -- PRACTICAL ASPECTSCHAPTER 9 PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF MEDITATION AND KRIYA YOGA The theme of this chapter is potential dangers of Kriya Yoga in connection with alienation from reality and with the premature awakening of Kundalini. A reader who browses through the Web pages dealing with Kriya Yoga or Kundalini Yoga, will find some pages warning against the dangers of "premature awakening of Kundalini". It is necessary to deal with this theme before facing any didactic issue. There are millions of people in the West practicing meditation every day, but there is few information about how to avoid dangers. Usually meditation is introduced as an omni-beneficial activity. But meditation is taking a walk in your psychic inner world, thus necessarily there should be obstacles and dangers to be considered. 1 This subject has aroused a great interest: the list of the problems that the allegedly premature awakening of Kundalini would cause is limitless. Besides Kundalini, there are a few web sites that warn against any form of meditation: all hinting at the possibility of a break with reality with unusual or extreme strengthening of emotions, in particular agitation and anxiety, long-term disorientation where one spaces in and out of higher planes, unable to focus long enough to work. There are evident exaggerations. Unfortunately there is a tendency in the Web to duplicate pages from site to site without changing a coma. If one makes up that a yogi died of spontaneous combustion during the practice of Pranayama, he can verify that after a physiological time (one or two months) this story will appear on a couple of other sites. Thus we can read also that: "Trough practicing Kundalini Yoga, an aspirant can develop occult, psychic powers. These powers can be used for constructive or destructive purposes, but quite often they are misused. For example the ability to read someone else's mind can create problems and is likely to be ... resented by those who it is used on." This is comic! When we find such amenities we wonder: "who on earth has written such nonsense and with what purpose"? We can also read that Yogis are inclined to fall into sorcery and black 1 This theme could have been placed in the first pages of this book, but I think it is convenient to deal with this theme now because few people ever read a preface. Most readers behave like timorous animals in unfamiliar territory, wondering whether to give a modicum of trust to the author. They prefer to get a general idea of the author's motivations (…and obsessions) by concentrating on certain techniques to see how deeply they are discussed. Only if they are convinced of the value of a book, they might pay attention to the author's message in a preface. I have also decided that the first part of the book conveys my first enthusiastic idea of Kriya as a path of Beauty. I was not aware of any danger. Now I realize that possible dangers must to be discussed seriously; however in my opinion it remains marginal in the discussion of the mystical path, quite tied up to deviant behaviors of people. 153 magic because they evoke, unaware, negative entities. One guy claimed that: "When you repeat that Mantra Om, Om... you are actually invoking a demon spirit to come and possess your mind. Whatever that follows is the result of that specific Hindu Demon you are invoking. " The same person adds that during a meditation session began to levitate and "... ever since that second I haven't slept as a human, I lost my sleep! Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw the flames of Hell, I didn't dear to close my eyes, I couldn't! I became a psychiatric case, and 26 times I've been hospitalized." We are baffled when we meet people in real life (maybe even our friends) who claim that Kriya is responsible of all their psychological and psychiatric problems and of some physical troubles too. They want to convince you that by breathing fresh air (Pranayama) they have developed all kinds of mental ailments, even schizophrenia too. From a benediction as it seemed at the very beginning, Kriya turned out to be a curse, a misfortune. They mention contemptuously the same techniques that we have experimented so many times, with so much love, drawing the purest delight. When I read or heard all this, my first reaction was: "Now, if I must go crazy, I prefer to go crazy because of Kriya, instead because of life itself. If the germs of madness are inside me, they will come into bloom both if I practice Kriya and if I do not practice it. Any discussion about whether Kriya can accelerate the situation is perfectly useless because the answer will be never demonstrated. Yet, considering the glorious moments experienced, I will walk such path without an ounce of fear, had I to burn in it." For a lot of time, this has been my way of thinking, also because I believed after all that the alleged dangers were imagined by minds full of confusion. But life taught me that there is a part of truth there. I continue with the usual enthusiasm and courage but I am prudent when I talk about Kriya to other people. The situation I am totally unprepared to deal with is what can happen to those who have made use of drugs or who have shown symptoms, even weak, of mental disturbances and start practicing Kriya either because it's a trend or as a treatment. I don't know what counsel to give to them or if in this situation it is better to exclude the practice of Kriya altogether. Sometimes the situation is not clear and I just guess what is confirmed by their friends and never by the reluctant student: a desultory life-style marked by drug abuse. Personally, I've always been taken aback when people blame their spiritual practice for damaging their psyche but say nothing about the drugs they have taken! How came that a person went to India every year for a series of years? How came that for many years there wasn't any interest in learning Yoga? Only recently they have practiced some mild form of concentration and lo, a catastrophe! They go on maintaining that now they are ill and suffer because of their prematurely awakened Kundalini! The same person who for years took acids, any kind of amphetamines, opiates and (emulous of Castaneda) didn't disdain the use of psychotropic plants, now is accusing the simplest yogic exercises to have caused their doom. We don't want to rub salt in the wound -- no one likes to put a past, which cannot be changed, in causal relation with today's troubles and tragedies. Anyone wants to exorcize the thought of having seriously damaged their brain and be in a condition of permanent, fatal psychic disorder. They ask us to respect 154 the psychological wall they have erected. That is their past, ended forever: we are invited to worry only over Kriya and its effects that had to be marvelous (as we hastily have promised them) and, on the contrary, have been frightening. We listen nodding our assent and we are not permitted to clamor for a mirror in which they can see how inconsiderate and cruel they had been toward their body. In other students we perceive that there is a pre-existing psychological trouble. They seldom confess how in the past at the climax of a psycho-physical breakdown they refused to take prescribed medications. They claim they succeeded in solving any problem through the sheer use of their will. But we see that the reality is quite different. How terrible is sometimes this illusion of self healing! If someone is psychologically fragile, it is very unlikely they use the techniques of Yoga in the right way. Probably they don't aggravate the condition of their alienation but fear and anguish might arise as an unconscious resistance to awaken they lurking mental nightmares. Let's get things straight: often it is the very mental disturbance that brought people to spiritual and esoteric interests. Failure is certain: fear forces one to remain on the surface and bars their way to deep practice. A radical transformation is impossible, feared as the worst spectrum, a menace to one's psychological stability. Let us remember this, when they give the most absurd and funny excuses to justify their leaving Kriya: they are doing the right thing! Often the worse experience for a kriyaban who has tried to help them is to be a witness of what seems a gigantic ingratitude: not only do they abandon the Kriya path but they revolt against it as if it was an horrible thing causing havoc. Sometime they claim Kriya is the arch-enemy of the spiritual experience. Let's bite our tongue: they are not ungrateful but sick persons and our biggest mistake was a failure to understand it and overestimate a pseudo, almost automatic, healing action of Kriya. On some occasions we meet both drug abuse and mental disturbance and will never know if there were the drugs who damaged their brain and nervous system, or it was because of an already damaged brain that they sought drugs as a remedy. The rules of politeness require that we listen to them without reacting. Another situation of real doom is when a student, curious of exploring the Afterlife unknown territory or dreaming to contact a deceased relative or friend, may get involved in spiritualism (mediumism). I have some grounds to believe that the untrustworthy soil of spiritualism is one of the best areas to cultivate splits inside one's personality. In my opinion, this is a field where one certainly would hurt their psyche. I deal with this minor-in-frequency theme because there are people who claim they have the privilege … to communicate directly with the historical Masters of Kriya. It is pathetic and, to an extent, even amusing being told that their message is coming from the hereafter: "In this epoch, the Kriya is old-fashioned and useless. Devotion is enough!". Classical spiritualism - characterized by a person (medium) who enters a trance state at a desk, answers the questions put by the bystanders through a code of loud raps - has handed over its place to more modern methods such as those where all the participants, putting their hands on an upside-down glass to move it among the letters of the alphabet stamped on a comfortable flexible tablet (Ouija board). Many prefer the more accessible revelations of a channeler who lets the invoked entity express through the flood of his own eloquence. It is interesting to see how the channeler's biographies trace a common scheme. All tell that once they were skeptic of their own faculties and would not accept yielding to the higher Will who had decided to entrust to them the mission to serve as medium between spirits and humanity. Once their mission was accepted, from the same ultra mundane source came the inspiration to mix the flow of 155 the various revelations with the diagnosis of unlikely illnesses, with prescription of expensive alternative remedies. If spiritualism kept its promises, it would be the most valid gold-mine of information - a direct connection with the beyond, far more accurate than any other source! Alas, reality has nothing to do with their imagination! Apart from the automatic writing in which the one who asks is the same person that gives the answer, the Medium knows in advance the preferences and anticipations of the person who addresses him. Therefore all becomes like a closed circuit: question and answer reverberate in an endless loop like the feedback of a microphone set next to its loud speaker. As anyone can observe, the messages are always agreeable. Every adept, even of limited intelligence, receives the message that the Divine has assigned him an important mission… I believe that this is, psychologically speaking, very dangerous. I knew some kriyabans who plunged into situations of such a narrow vision that their life style appeared grotesque. What I witnessed, with a sadness sharpened by the particular situations which at that time took place, was the mental fragility of most people practicing spiritualism. They puzzled me not only on account of their statements but also of what emerged through their eyes. It was as if, from behind the mask of their face, another personality appeared, extremely self-confident, who allowed others to defraud them in the worst of the ways. Their original desire to find total freedom, spiritual realization, ended in the worst of all prisons. They gave all their possessions, and their life, to a person who was an authentic rogue. Kundalini Let us begin by what is said in any Kundalini book. This concept provides a framework which is convenient for expressing what is happening along the Kriya path. Kundalini is Sanskrit for "coiled": it is conceived as a particular energy coiled like a serpent in the root Chakra (Muladhara). The representation of being coiled like a spring conveys the idea of untapped potential energy. A tremendous concentration of spiritual energy lies allegedly at the base of the spine. It sleeps in our body and underneath the layers of our consciousness, waiting to be aroused by spiritual discipline. In Kundalini Yoga a seeker aspires to harness this tremendous power through specific techniques (particular breathing patterns, Bandhas, Mudras, Bija Mantra...) and guide its rising from the Muladhara up through the Sushumna, activating each Chakra. It is explained that when Kundalini arrives at the crown Chakra (Sahasrara), it bestows infinite bliss, mystical illumination etc. Each book warns against the risk of its premature Kundalini awakening and asserts that the body must be prepared for the event. Some explain that the problems manifests when Kundalini comes up through the wrong channel. Others explain that even if Kundalini would come up through the right channel, the person is unprepared to sustain all that power. They claim that the enlightening and beautiful experiences can be so powerful that people doubt their sanity. 156 As he sat meditating . radiating light" at the crown of his head. and after withstanding patiently the tortures of the day. At the same time I felt a sudden distaste for work and conversation. This experience changed radically the scheme of his life. I felt a stream of liquid light entering my brain through the spinal cord. I was completely taken by surprise. quite without warning. " Let us see how the experience stabilized and he emerged from this negative experience into an awakening that blessed him to the end of his life. adding to the already distraught condition of my mind.he became aware of a powerful. He adopted a very strict diet and for years refused to do any other concentration exercise.. but regaining self-control instantaneously. He discovered that the esoteric teachings contained a number of simple practices that might help bring the energy back into balance after it had been awakened 157 . He practiced concentration exercises for a number of years. He experimented it in 1937 although he had not a spiritual teacher and was not initiated into any spiritual lineage. His life after awakening was both blessed by ecstatic bliss and tormented by physical and mental discomfort. pleasurable sensation at the base of his spine. His practice was visualizing "an imaginary Lotus in full bloom. The book gives a clear and concise autobiographic account of the phenomenon of the awakening of Kundalini. with a roar like that of a waterfall. entirely enveloped in a halo of light. the sensation began to spread and extend upwards. He continued to meditate.. I wanted to fly from even the thought of it. disappeared suddenly and was replaced by a feeling of horror of the supernatural. "Suddenly. a deeper fit of melancholy or more irritable condition of the mind which I had to restrain. At times he thought he was going mad. with the inevitable result that being left with nothing to keep myself engaged. Entirely unprepared for such a development. a fresh complication in the already disordered system. I had to prepare myself for even worse torment of the night.] Each morning heralded for me a new kind of terror. the roaring louder." (Gopi Krishna Living With Kundalini). I experienced a rocking sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my body. I remained sitting in the same posture.Gopi Krishna Let us consider an excellent testimony. Kundalini --The Evolutionary Energy in Man (currently available under the title Living With Kundalini ). to prevent it from completely overwhelming me. a roar like that of a waterfall and felt a stream of liquid light enter his brain. that of Gopi Krishna. by keeping myself alert. In 1967 he published his first major book in India. which had always been present during the preceding days. [. keeping my mind on the point of concentration. "The keen desire to sit and meditate. The illumination grew brighter and brighter.exactly as he had for the three hours before dawn each day for seventeen years . It continued to expand until he heard. usually after a completely sleepless night. time hung heavily on me. He experienced a continuous "luminous glow" around his head and began having a variety of psychological and physiological problems. bathed in light and for the first time after weeks of anguish felt the sweet embrace of restful sleep. religious and mystical experience. He went up and down India looking for someone who could explain what was happening to him. Could it be that I had aroused Kundalini through pingala or the solar nerve which regulates the flow of heat in the body and is located on the right side of Sushumna'? If so. wrote about the mystical experience and the evolution of consciousness from a scientific point of view. agonized. which he advocated. Goel's (1935. I was doomed. Tortured and exhausted almost to the point of collapse by the agony I had suffered during the terrible interval. He found many people that had theories. I brought my attention to bear on the left side of the seat of Kundalini. B. What he practiced as a remedy reminds a lot the practice of Kriya Pranayama. pouring an effulgent." From then onwards. exactly like the sinuous movement of a white serpent in rapid flight. psychic ability.incorrectly. However they did not know. his friends thought he was "losing his mind". as if waiting for the destined moment. to activity. which was responsible for creativity.. I immediately fell asleep. Goel Another interesting testimony is that of B. and tried to force an imaginary cold current upward through the middle of the spinal cord. known from ancient times in India as Kundalini. genius. darting across the entire network of my nerves only a moment before. He theorized that there existed a biological mechanism in the human body. a fearful idea struck me.. I remained absolutely quiet and motionless for some time. His experience of Kundalini awakening happened when he was 28 and was quite dramatic. I thought desperately and as if by divine dispensation the idea flashed across my brain to make a last-minute attempt to rouse Ida.. and overjoyed at the cessation of pain. cascading shower of brilliant vital energy into my brain. He was a very rare individual. Gopi Krishna believed that this experience began a process in himself in which his whole nervous system would slowly be reorganized and it would be transformed. or the lunar nerve on the left side. tasting the bliss of relief with a mind flooded with emotion. There was a sound like a nerve thread snapping and instantaneously a silvery streak passed zigzag through the spinal cord. filling my head with a blissful lustre in place of the flame that had been tormenting me for the last three hours. a miracle happened. His uniqueness lies in his experience of classical psychoanalysis along with meditation. S. In that extraordinarily extended. With my mind reeling and senses deadened with pain. unable to believe I was really free of the horror. In his opinion. When he was 35. Kundalini was the true cause of evolution. his Guru appeared in his dream.1998) described in his: Psycho-Analysis and Meditation. and exhausted state of consciousness. ". and told him that 158 . S. Kundalini got awakened on its own. thus neutralizing the dreadful burning effect of the devouring fire within. Then. During this long process. Completely taken by surprise at this sudden transformation of the fiery current. but with all the will-power left at my command. I distinctly felt the location of the nerve and strained hard mentally to divert its flow into the central channel. In the last part of the book. you can also live a couple of days in a state of emotional instability. When you feel uncontrolled movement of energy in your spine accompanied by a warm (or hot) sensation and you feel fear. sit with erected spine and concentrate all your mental strength in the point between the eyebrows. even if for a couple of days they feel they are walking in equilibrium on a rope between mental health and alienation." About "pierced". without problems. were false ways to happiness. he may often indulge in compulsive homo-sexuality. he opened an ashram in the Himalayas to help and guide other aspirants who had Kundalini experiences. What is interesting for us is that Dr. He quotes "the great desire for being pierced and penetrated. He told him the only path to inner peace and joy was through God. and above all. There is nothing to fear! All may cease by itself but. This can be done by inhaling through the mouth or through the left nostril -. Repeat this until you feel something changing. in dreams. 1. Use all your imagination to raise a fresh current up the spine. Goel talks about the different degrees of suffering he went through as his ego was destroyed and rebuild." A Down-to-Earth Approach The real problem is the fear caused by the first signs of Kundalini awakening. apart late Swami Satyananda Saraswati who studied the role of Bindu point. if you do nothing. both of which he had embraced. out of ego-ignorance "turn into the desire of passive anal-penetration. This is exactly what Gopi Krishna did to get out of his awful situation. He adds that: "as long as he does not reach that stage." He clarifies that an ordinary sexual act cannot satisfy the person who need really penetrated at the Bindu to get final spiritual bliss. This phenomenon has happened to all saints and it is only a fleeting experience. he clarifies that the desire of penetration at Bindu may. in meditation itself.having closed somehow the right nostril. Usually this fear (which can be real anguish) is absorbed in a short time. He explained that "when the consciousness marches toward Bindu (which he calls Brahma-randhra) the ego-formations will get exposed before the consciousness in free-associations. This is what happens to many kriyabans. He was the first. About "penetrated". In 1982. he exemplifies it with the "desire of putting a nail at the midpoint between the two eyebrows. in free writings. in the occipital region. while discussing "signals toward the final goal". 159 . among a lot of signals he had the courage to quote one in particular whom is not usually treated in book but in those book who want of mimic all the gurudom matter. Here you will find some urgent actions to do. It is very probable that many saints of all ages might have remained great homosexuals if they had stopped their spiritual efforet in their pre-sainthood period.Psycho-analysis and Marxism. especially during the first months of their commitment. you should start practicing Kriya. Forget the breath. The signal that will point out that everything has started over normally working is to feel a particular joy.2. Utilize this practice in those days when you feel yourself too much nervous. 4. try to have plenty of physical activity. Don't be in a hurry: each hold and relax should last at least four seconds. depressed or having any panic attack. after some days or weeks. follow the given instructions to push the energy up. do not stay longer. The final concentration on Sahasrara should be prepared by a long concentration on the point between the eyebrows. It is difficult to sustain that gloomy mood . maintain the contraction for a couple of seconds and relax. 108 Mula Bandha. the feeling of having found again the state of mind of the best times. The action of Thokar is very strong and it is difficult to assimilate its psychological effects. the result is mainly a state of greyish mind that appears in the day following the practice. 5. This is of course the goal of Kriya Yoga. use at least a mild form of Uddiyana Bandha to raise the energy up. try to attune to calmness in the point between the eyebrows. give the same concentration to all other Chakras and always end by concentrating on the point between the eyebrows. So after getting up again. If this is respected. but intensely. if it is combined with Maha Mudra. it is written: "Being tranquil at the coccygeal center. After studying the theory of knots (Granthis). 6. after a Thokar on Muladhara. 160 . Sit quietly and practice slowly. if you have not the time to practice Navi Kriya. It can help one to cover all the spiritual journey in a safe way. do not focus too insistently upon eliminating them. In one commentary by Lahiri Mahasaya to the sacred writings. but you might be non prepared for that. You can also resume the most simple form of Kriya Pranayama and create a very deep relaxed mood: after Kriya Pranayama. A routine which is totally based on a strong concentration on the Sahasrara is not appropriate for beginner or medium level students. Beside this.it is as if your soul is scratched. When. the crisis is overcome. Contract all the muscles at the base of the spine. Repeat. When you practice Higher Kriyas. Navi Kriya and Yoni Mudra. You can have more than one session in order to complete 108 repetitions." If you use Thokar and hit the Muladhara Chakra and you don't integrate this with other practices. Therefore. this action can never cause problems. 3. if you concentrate for some time on Muladhara. remember that it was conceived to be the foundation of an intrinsically healthy method. Building a strong magnet in Sahasrara is the most powerful way to stimulate the rising of Kundalini. In Kriya Pranayama you are taught to feel the coolness and the warmth of the breath to balance Ida and Pingala. either by adapting to your purpose some Higher Kriya techniques or by extrapolating other procedures from the classic Hatha Yoga. then negative Samadhi will take place. If you stay longer at the coccygeal center. you take back Kriya Pranayama. Kriya is a path in which one tries to awaken Kundalini by preparing the ground for its awakening in a sure way. Remember that the balanced techniques of Kriya Pranayama and of Omkar Kriya patiently but safely work upon all the knots simultaneously. channeling... Unclean is a path polluted by new age. The moment one starts retaining the breath. Always remember that when you do a purely mental work that doesn't envisage verification. USA) writes: "Kumbhaka affects the flow of pranic currents in a very marked and fundamental manner and enables the Yogi to gain increasing control over these currents. If it is taken up without the necessary preparation and guidance it is sure to lead to disaster. There are many pseudo spiritual/occult activities that won't lead you anywhere. whereas they were human wrecks. The worst of certain schools is that after having destroyed the attraction toward real life.] Not only is Kumbhaka the essential element of real Pranayama but it is also the source of danger in the practice of Pranayama." Kumbhaka is very powerful and in Kriya Yoga it is adopted with special procedures: Yoni Mudra. occult rituals.You risk to enforce those very knots you want to eliminate. magic. Il.. If from a certain school you have received visualization techniques with the suggestion that sooner or later your visualization will become reality. The visualization procedure brought to the extreme limit is useless and treacherous. the danger is certain. Keep your path always clean. Don't cultivate stupid theories according to which all your problems originate from the blockage of this or that Chakra. especially after inhalation. Be realistic and notice how in that ambient you have met persons who went around pretending to be spiritual..] Kumbhaka unlocks the doors of unexpected experiences and powers.K. You believe you are very spiritual but you are entering the kingdom of alienation. Between the two extreme eventualities: to never hold your breath or to overuse Kumbhaka. They have a kind of mutual dependence.. To be entangled in this activity is an amazingly easy way of destroying. Don't utilize techniques that work on a single Chakra with the hope of unlocking it. I remind Jung's words: "The deliberately induced psychotic state. in any abnormal manner the danger begins and one can never know what it will lead to. Unfortunately. Chennai. Don't be like a surgeon who wants to remove a gallstone embedded in a organ. 8. which in 161 . A clean path reaches the core of Kriya as fast as an arrow. without taking all the care not to destroy the organ and kill the patient. in a short time. India • Wheaton. Be always cautious with Kumbhaka (holding your breath). [. one inside the other. chose an intermediary percentage of seconds of Kumbhaka. Regulate this percentage according to your ability to bear the originated power... it is the basis of a boundless series of New Age methods. Increasing gradually the repetition of these basic procedures is always the best choice! 7. Our internal knots are not as we usually visualize them. they teach you to create a virtual reality with the strength of your imagination. Taimni in his The science of Yoga (The theosophical publishing house Adyar. esoteric. Thokar. The famous author J. namely like ordinary rope-knots. polish up your path and life forever from such a trash. they are subtly inter-twined. spiritualistic practices. [.. years of genuine spiritual effort. . is a danger that needs to be taken very seriously indeed. However it is not difficult to understand that a psychotic state is the one in which you see things that do not exist. If you are not a monk or nun. but without being obsessive. moving toward abnormal ways of living and behavior like avoid facing life challenges. Do not impose chastity to yourself. like taking antibiotics if you do not have an infection. have a relationship (listen to voices. These things really are dangerous and ought not to be meddled with in our typically Western way. these attitudes are simply toxic. don't start a war against yourselves. Terrible is the refusal of love. Any mystical practice that is combined with an unbalanced life style is harmful. Lahiri Mahasaya admits in his diary that at times his sexual desire was really strong. G. Don't amputate your individuality and your desires. according to Jung. There is a more moderate vision which deems the condition of chastity is linked with conserving the energy. If you learn other methods of meditation. you will tend to override your inner wisdom receiving wounds in various subtle ways. One day a disciple put him a direct question: "How can one be definitively free from sexuality?" He replied in a way that let struck dumb the disciple: "I will be free from sexuality only when my body will lie on the funeral pyre.. It is a meddling with Fate. Some kriyabans try uselessly to reach this state with a certain obsession and state authentic nonsenses (the married kriyabans practice sex once in a year only to give birth to children). renouncement of a family. that alienate you from the society you are in. Don't cut yourself from everything interesting and thrilling in life. You should not cultivate disgust for all that is interesting and enthusiastic in life and see everyday life as an illness. There is the danger to accept theories which throw you off balance. This attitude can produce disasters. Introduction to The Tibetan book of the Dead ] What are. never relax your guard and never stop using the common sense." God bless his sincerity! Very strangely some are inclined to take the afore quoted episode from Lahiri Mahasaya's life as a sign . I am referring to teachings that poison you against the world. the "deliberately induced psychotic states"? Unfortunately he does not explain it in detail and does not bring examples. Jung.certain unstable individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis. that he was not spiritually realized! 162 ."C. Even the most rational and intelligent person becomes an idiot that believes in impossible things. Meditation relaxes the mistrustful side of your personality. 9. receive messages) from a dimension you have created in your mind and that exists only for you. which strikes at the very roots of human existence and can let loose a flood of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed. You have the means to be your own "doctor" and let the effects of the blissful experience grow and mix with your life. It is like having a volcano erupting inside. you know how this event brought you to the edge of Eternity.NDE. it may appear like an intense bliss in the chest region -. Some accounts include meetings with deceased relatives. It is like a plunge into Eternity. that announces the experience. For you it remained the most real experience. Some call this experience "Kundalini awakening". We find the feeling of moving upward. propagating from feet up to head. Since I think the consideration of this parallelism very useful for a kriyaban. No one can come to you claiming that Selfrealization is something happening in the realm of your thoughts -. paradoxically the most "alive" of your existence. the repetition of such experience gives you an unshakable certainty of the value of spiritual techniques. The awareness is pulled through it. Each individual interprets such meetings according to their own culture and expectations. you won't feel disoriented. If you have had a similar experience.How should one behave when the experience of a substantial and spontaneous rising of energy through the spine happens? This state usually lasts from few instants to a couple of minutes. I would like to point at the similarity with a near death experience -. 163 . If you are having this experience as a result of Kriya practice.suddenly you are inside an immense joy and wake up with tears in your eyes. we find some details in common with the afore hinted experience. burning with endless joy for several seconds -you are filled with the euphoria obtained by this short but unforgettable glimpse of your eternal nature. I counsel Kriya students to read Life beyond Life by Raymond Moody. Then the feeling of having arrived at a threshold and being sent back to one's body -. offering a unique opportunity to glimpse it. Sometimes it is an electric wind on the surface of the body. But this flash of intuition is impossible without the body experiences a very particular state. through a tunnel or a narrow corridor.seems to conclude the experience.like an awakening of wisdom obtained by keen sophistication. and with spiritual figures (beings of light). The whole experience is lived within a feeling of endless love and peace. as a result of a serious accident.often with deep reluctance to return there -. You know that this is nonsense. Some spiritual seekers crown their laziness by indulging in the thought that it is our very idea of not having achieved Enlightenment that prevents us from getting it. The deepest experience is when the point (Bindu) in the center of Kutastha emerges and expands into a tunnel. You have had this experience first in your body and then your way of thinking has received a shock. It many appear as a series of bliss waves rising through the spine and entering the brain. a ''rocket'' shooting up through the spine! Other times. In the stories of those who had a NDE experience. of floating above one's own body and seeing the surrounding area. If not refused or repressed. I invite him to go ahead with the Kriya practice and avoid going to "traveling gurus" to tell what has happened.If one who has had this experience asks me what to do. Those who had this experience are like one who. But this has no importance. But this is not enough. Their lack of spiritual realization is. Therefore the path to enlightenment should begin now and there is no step that can be disregarded. Sometimes it is a hard work. In order to become an Emancipated Soul. continually working for retrieving and deepening. in some cases. Enlightenment is to be achieved giving all oneself to draw that experience down into the earthly dimension of life. They repeat hastily some general guidance and go away. interesting is the fact that their Ego is intact. but nothing in life can be obtained without hard work. one should never forget that experience. really remarkable. dead in appearance. had visited the afterworld and then had returned to walk again amongst human beings. They have no time to take care of anyone. They may even don't recognize the authenticity of the experience. 164 . it hasn't turned into a "divine Ego". one discovers to have entered a natural meditation state. can tread completely the highest path without including in his routine other practices that those already learned from the organization.I usually counsel the one I have myself practiced at the beginning of my path and hinted at in chapter 1. Ida (feminine in nature. many important patterns of energy imbalance disappear. This work has nothing to do with the soft. we shall discuss a particular way of perfecting Kriya Pranayama. I actually think that there have been a mistake not to include Nadi Sadhana among the basic technique of First Kriya. It goes without saying that there is no point in introducing students to Kriya if they do not succeed in this routine regularly for at least 3 to 6 weeks. How to test a student's predisposition for Kriya In my opinion a teacher should always test a student's predisposition for Kriya. I have chosen Nadi Sodhana because after years of research and experimentation. Besides. if one practices it for about 20-30 minutes of practice. We shall begin by introducing the most important tool to obtain a real transformation of one's personality: the "incremental routine". It is very important to balance Ida and Pingala currents. Ujjayi with or without Aswini Mudra and a deep concentration on the point between the eyebrows. the four phases of Kriya Yoga. a beginner receives a dramatic transformation from it. while Pingala (masculine in nature. tied to extroversion and to the state of physical activity) flows parallel to Ida on the 165 . In chapter 11. If one has already practiced Pranayama for months (either classic Pranayama or Kriya Pranayama alike) there is no need of tests. In chapter 12. I am going to share in my didactic opinions about how a student should be guided from the first steps of Kriya Yoga to the last attempts at reaching the lofty state of Samadhi. which is not discussed in Kriya literature. tied to introversion and to the state of rest) flows vertically along the left side of the spinal column. I will summarize the practical difficulties that can appear if you don't want to communicate a recipe to be followed always in the same way throughout life but disclose a challenging but very engrossing way to realize one after another. But for those whom you deem won't be able to carry on the discipline of Kriya. We add also an appendix explaining how a person who has received Kriya from an organization. Actually. you can counsel an alternate routine .CHAPTER 10 BUILDING THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR THE KRIYA YOGA PATH In the present chapter and in following 11 and 12. we shall focus about how to guide a student to experience the breathless state. I came to the conclusion that Nadi Sodhana Pranayama is far more important then it is currently thought. The routine consists of: Nadi Sodhana (with the three Bandhas after inhalation while holding the breath). sleepy daily routines we all know. ) dominate. In a healthy person. The amount of alpha waves therefore shows to what degree the brain is in a state of relaxed awareness. but still awake and able to experience. They cannot achieve a watchful but peaceful alertness which is the base itself of the meditative state. In a normal brain. the excessively introverted persons tend to lose contact with the external reality. As you know. The excessively extroverted person betrays frailty in dealing with what comes up from their unconscious and might face unexpected distressing moments.right side. and in a dozy the theta waves (4-8 oscillations per sec. But this is well-known. is mentally relaxed. But in the case of Nadi Sodhana is obligatory. The consequence is that the ups and downs of life seem to gang up against them in order to undermine their peaceful composure.). EEG measurements have shown that the amount of alpha waves increases during meditation. When the eyes are opened. or the person is distracted in some other way. I have chosen Ujjayi because it is the best preparation to Kriya Pranayama. the more they tend to become equal. We can measure separately the amount of alpha waves in each part of the brain and discover that the more we practice Nadi Sodhana. Unbalance between Ida and Pingala is a serious problem for those who try to internalize their consciousness. We know that there are moments of the day when we feel more externalized.). this alternation is characterized by a balance between a life of positive relationships and a serene contact with one's own depths. Unbalance between Ida and Pingala is be blamed for the lack of introversion-extroversion harmony in many people. 166 . During deep sleep delta waves are predominant (1-4 oscillations per second). They are mostly to be found when the person has closed eyes. depending on what one is doing. I don't like quoting scientific research invigorating the good of a technique. a Kriya teacher said that Ida and Pingala are so tangled up around the base of the spine that our awareness cannot enter the innermost channel of the spine during Kriya Pranayama practice. the alpha waves are weakened. and there is an increase of the faster beta waves (13-40 oscillations per sec. Over functioning of the Ida channel results in introversion. We are interested that a greater balance of alpha waves between the brain halves after Nadi Sodhana is proved. On the contrary. a spontaneous shift in balance occurs between left and right. there are four types of brain waves. Nadi Sodhana creates that perfect balance which is the best condition to begin the practice of Kriya Yoga. The brain waves that interest us the most are the alpha waves (8-13 oscillations per sec. Using a suggestive image. while predominance of the Pingala leads to a state of extroversion. Sushumna flows in the middle and represents the experience halfway between the two: the ideal state to be achieved right before the practice of Kriya. others when we are more internalized. Those who practice it and pay due attention to the natural throat sounds will begin to perceive the energy that flows up and down the spine. The inhalation lasts from six to ten seconds. If the obstruction is caused by a severe cold. Let us remind the definition of Bandhas: when the neck and the throat are slightly contracted. Then. so that the breath can flow smoothly. Uddiyana Bandha (in a simplified form useful for this exercise) consists in slightly contracting the abdominal muscles in order to intensify the perception of energy inside the spinal column. there are complaints that one of the nostrils is permanently obstructed. once again slowly. twelve of them. retention and exhalation is denoted as 1:4:2. and the chin tilts down toward the breast. This corresponds to one cycle. the mouth must be closed. the nostrils exchange their role. six cycles can be made. the perineum muscles between the anus and the genital organs . Imagine that you are drawing Prana with the inhaled air. while pressing back the inferior part of the abdomen. A yogi can use a mental count to make sure the time is the same for both the inhalation and the exhalation. Close the left nostril. In some cases. Release the 167 . Hold the breath for a count of six Om. no Pranayama exercise should be practiced.an almost ecstatic internal shiver. this is Jalandhara Bandha. air is slowly. uniformly and deeply inhaled through the right nostril. you'll feel a sensation of energetic current sliding up along the spinal column . uniformly and deeply inhaled through the left nostril. In time. amounting to a mental count of three. To begin this exercise. later.are contracted in an attempt to lift the abdominal muscles in a vertical way. 3 Om. It is important not to overdo it to the point of discomfort. the right nostril must be kept closed by the right thumb and air is slowly. uniformly and deeply. that is a problem of medical solution. Keeping the left nostril closed. Inhale through the left nostril till you count. Time can be measured through mental chanting of Om. Close the right nostril with your right thumb. the exhalation should last twice the time necessary for the inhalation and the pause after the inhalation should be four times as long. the yogi closes the left nostril with the right little finger and the ring finger .of the same hand. A famous Kriya school emphasize the utility of Viparita Karani either before of after Nadi Sodhana. uniform and deep rhythm. It is important to clean the nostrils before beginning the exercise. After having inhaled through the left nostril. closing the right nostril with the thumb.Nadi Sodhana Pranayama. slowly. The easy but extremely effective technique of the "forward bendings" we are going to discuss in this chapter (see: "A valuable variation of Maha Mudra in three parts") can be coupled with Nadi Sodhana bringing immediately visible benefits. This can be commonly done using water or inhaling eucalyptus essence and blowing the nose. During the pause. Variation. During Mula Bandha. A short pause. the choice depends on the preference of the practitioner only. At this point. In this variation. The one exhales through the right nostril with the same slow. happens after each inhalation. The nostrils can be closed with the fingers in different ways. Practice the three Bandhas intensively. the exhalation is made through the left nostril. the three Bandhas are applied simultaneously to produce an internal awakening of the Prana. In the beginning. The short pause follows. The ratio of inhalation. Of course. Now forget the breath. Even when it's necessary to demonstrate all the techniques in First Kriya for reasons of expediency.Bandhas and slowly exhale through the right nostril counting 6 Om. that could appear unpleasant and source of disturbance. Great Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh counseled to send the current down to the Muladhara Chakra. I don't advise waiting for a "perfect" situation before starting to practice. this allows the concentration to become deeper. This is what usually happens with mass initiations. with an attitude of deep relaxation. Repeat the process from the right nostril. Do the whole cycle at least 3 times. but on the comfort and the induced calmness as well. 168 . It does good to focus not only on the process itself. 2 Within a few days. Ujjayi Pranayama. A mental count makes sure that the inhalation and the exhalation have the same duration. the attention is intensely focused on the point between the eyebrows. During the exhalation. All this helps awaken Kundalini. The exercise can be further improved by strong concentration on Dantian during Kumbhaka. retention and exhalation is always 1:4:2. instead to Dantian. during Kumbhaka. The technique consists of breathing in and out deeply through both the nostrils. Gradually you can increase the count of Om while holding the breath up to 12 counts. the noise is not as loud as during the inhalation. for at least five minutes. producing a sound/noise in the throat. After a few days practice. This exercise is normally practiced twelve times. and after a lifelong work. The current is perceived striking against the Muladhara Chakra and awakening Kundalini. Feel that Prana is intensifying in that region. Things may of course go differently! Some rare people will always remember the few words of their teacher with the same voice inflection. and Yoni Mudra. and limit Kriya Pranayama to first part only. The ratio of inhalation. almost all details are forgotten and one goes through a crisis. How to introduce a student to Kriya Yoga I would avoid the particular frenzy that accompanies a traditional Kriya initiation where all the practical instructions are transmitted hastily in one single lesson! 2 I have found that it is more natural and logical to teach the Kriya techniques a bit at a time and let one experience each without any tension. otherwise the decision risks being postponed indefinitely! In the first lesson I would not teach Navi Kriya. their full meaning is finally realized. the respiratory action is lengthened without effort. With your breath held pull your abdominal muscles in synchronizing these movements with mental chanting of Om or with the syllables of your favorite Mantra. whose "moment" will come in time. I do not recommend starting out with a complete practice. choose to give Hong So and Om techniques for six months. Some organizations. 2. The first technique calms the breath and the psychophysical system. a life sentence. one can taste the power that is born from a practice which is limited just to those two techniques. An important point is to make one feel the difference between Kriya Pranayama with and without Maha Mudra. P. Kriya Yoga becomes a self imposed torture. A kriyaban should never override them. The importance of mental Pranayama at the end of a routine. Furthermore. 3. There are kriyabans who have set all the other Kriya aside and have been practicing 144 Maha Mudra in two sessions daily. generate sensitivity in the Ajna Chakra area in a very short time. the preliminary techniques are Talabya Kriya and the chanting of Om in the Chakras. can. maintaining the suction effect on the palate for 10-15 seconds." Oddly enough. Mental Pranayama has a divine beauty. Talabya Kriya doesn't require concentrating on anything. Y. and the Om sound. in and of itself. At the end of a routine a kriyaban must enjoy mental Pranayama for at least ten minutes. without it I can bet that (unless one is sustained for years by the excitement of the illusions created in him by a process of indoctrination) one abandons Kriya Yoga unfailingly. Without mental Pranayama. They consider Maha Mudra the most useful technique of all Kriya Yoga. 1. The second technique concerns the listening to the internal (astral) sounds. The detail of extending the tongue plays an important part too. According to their accounts. The importance of Talabya Kriya and Om Japa. When the tongue is fully extended. The calmness they induce in a couple of minutes is stunning. picked out some easy techniques as a preparation.After a couple of weeks. it pulls on some cranial bones and leads to decompression in the Rudra Granthi area. The importance of Maha Mudra. the second lesson should be devote to emphasize the details that really matter. 169 . You can ask that some meditation sessions are composed only of Talabya Kriya and Om Japa followed by ten seconds of enjoying the induce calmness. It is very wise that a kriyaban practice Maha Mudra both before Kriya Pranayama and after it. a nightmare. we can remark that merely pressing the tongue against the upper palate. These are wonderful techniques but in Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya. in their didactic effort to bring Kriya Yoga to people. A good teaching is to practice one Maha Mudra every 12 Kriya Pranayamas until one begins to feel the currents in the spine. There are reports of yogis having achieved fantastic experiences using only this technique. it is purely physical. When this happens. the perception of the Sushumna Nadi has increased tremendously. They lead a kriyaban to a state that is considered a "benediction. This happens by listening to the internal sounds. The importance of listening to internal sounds. adopting an attitude like that of a serious maid who. Often. "Meditation upon what?" is the common question. from the tedious task of peeling potatoes to the final art of putting the finishing touches. In time. armed with patience and circumspection. Their perceptions change and they discover the many beautiful aspects of life. 170 . they are not too insistent. They are overcome with a feeling of love they thought themselves incapable of. The main quality of Kriya students is to handle Kriya Pranayama as a joyous discovery. they practice it comfortably. thoughts calm down and won't disturb. a source of wellbeing and mirth and rely on the sheer "naturalness" of the procedure. Almost each Kriya student has difficulty in understanding the object of Kriya meditation. are not easy to put into practice. like Patanjali's rules of conduct. prepares a meal taking care of all the details. For them it is not a tragedy to not see the spiritual eye. a sweet comfort. which it is not emptiness but fullness. Remaining absorbed in them until they become the Om sound. Some rediscover an almost forgotten potentiality of aesthetic enjoyment. intellectual and artistic habits. internal joy. is the first duty of a kriyaban -. there is always a clear split between a kriyaban's new spiritual interest and other wellrooted social. Paradoxically. Yoga principles. in wanting to have all the possible and imaginable details of Kriya Pranayama clarified. The right attitude of the teacher and of the student A teacher should get over the fact that at the onset of the Yoga path. Although they look at this technique with caution. it is easier for most to give up a harmful habit because of a new ecological vogue rather than being able to grasp and analyze in depth the enslaving mechanism of any bad habits. But for them it is a great satisfaction to discover that all the best in them comes out amplified.4. others discover the wonder of their work. The signs of progress are very subtle and instable. Later. A teacher should avoid censorial attitudes and pretend he does not notice some problematic delusive student's behavior. "meditation" consist in the elaboration of lofty thoughts supported by fervid imagination. A Kriya teacher lays his confidence in the transforming Kriya effect.is the highest way of living the experience of Kriya meditation. Is perhaps Kriya meditation the awareness of inner bliss? Kriya meditation is surely this but is also the meeting with the Ineffable. They don't call their teacher every other day with questions that are overly intellectual. at the beginning of their efforts. with the Reality that is beyond mind. while are deeply moved by the significance of their family. It is as if they had eyes and heart for the first time. and at times obsessive. inexplicable elation appears. especially in nature. Students should have the quality of a self teacher and be able to use their common sense to slightly adapt the instructions to the contingencies of their own life. looking what is around. seeing the spiritual eye. whereas doing it for one's entire life is something else! A yogi wrote that the hope of obtaining a deep internal change by repeating an identical set of techniques during an entire lifetime is comparable to hitting a piece of iron once a day in the hope that the atomic energy it contains will someday be released. The more they strive. but as soon as they make known their reservations on the validity of their routine. 171 . Such a fixed routine is the best practice for beginners. Many achievements like listening to the internal sounds. they are told outlandish stories about loyal kriyabans who had a true spiritual experience only on their death bed! "A loyal disciple doesn't lament working for years or for an entire life without getting any visible results!" -. Now. and occasionally insensitive attitude they have in life — especially if they are full of esoteric and "magical" ways of thinking. CONSOLIDATING THE KRIYA PATH THROUGH THE INCREMENTAL ROUTINES Kriyabans customarily practice the same standard techniques day in and day out changing neither the sequence nor the number of repetitions. They will soon get tired of asking questions and will eventually abandon everything. but only partly and for a short time. impatient. They do not understand how important it is first to relax and enjoy. by readings. practicing a fixed routine for a period of time is one thing. or on the possibility of Kriya Yoga to produce any actual changes in the personality. How many times. They don't show trust in the naturalness of Kriya but believe that the miracle can spring only from an impeccable execution of the magic recipe that Kriya represents for them.Unfortunately. Unfortunately... and attending kirtans . They will suffer qualms of guilt and develop all kinds of paranoia. Few know how to get out of this unexpected situation in a positive way. Either they have been led astray by some text or they have not the faculty of understanding the spiritual dimension of life.this is the reproach. This is a "law" no one escapes. then their loyalty is immediately questioned. the risk of boredom and loss of enthusiasm is great. An unvarying routine that always takes the same amount of time is what is recommended by many organizations. Instinctively many succeed in rekindling their enthusiasm. There is no doubt that one should continue to practice through seemingly unproductive phases and will still get valuable experiences. unvarying routine. kriyabans will eventually reach a standstill and further progress appears impossible. the more problems they will have. some Kriya students show in Kriya the same eager. definitely will happen by practicing a fixed. And it is a grace when they leave. After getting through the initial phase. listening to taped spiritual talks. Many turn to experienced people (all organizations have "meditation counselors") to ask for suggestions. This is the danger point where interest and passion for Kriya is very close to waning completely. It is as if their knowledge is a shield preventing the genuine beauty of Kriya from entering their life. and then to work on refinements. when I trust the earnestness of the student. both require goals and the diligent channeling of one's strength toward achieving them. The results obtained prove that an Incremental Routine is one of the most worthwhile activities a kriyaban can engage in. Kriya Pranayama and Thokar and practice them intensively with progressive increments of the number of repetitions. Do not be offended by the comparison between Kriya and sports. that this process is an authentic challenge and beginning it is an act of courage. irreplaceable effect on one's personality. and both require a coach. I give this counsel without lingering or investigating too much. The Kriya techniques arouse specific effects (especially perceived in the day following the practice) in many ways: moods.In the first part of the book I have hinted at the Incremental Routines. fancies. I understand. familiar with the basic laws of human psyche. naturally. Both require self analysis: to analyze and evaluate one's performance and to learn from the experience. it has many points in common with the essence of athletics. Since they have a unique. results that are inconceivable for those who follow a traditional practice. Accept however to have humors full of ups and downs. I strongly recommend that a student focus on fundamental Kriya techniques like Navi Kriya. All of this is beneficial. After a beneficial pause of a couple of 172 . and to understand the causes of the alternating moods that appear when a Kriya technique is practiced intensely. These routines are the best foundation for a lifelong enjoyment of Kriya. I have witnessed unbelievable results in those who have completed Incremental Routines. I always encourage them to begin at least one Incremental Routine. Both shun the employment of brutal force. To vividly live long forgotten parts of our life through our stimulated memory is a cleansing process. However. For these reason. This process has within itself an equilibrating mechanism which will prevent one from being overwhelmed by sudden storms of grey moods. What happens in athletics gives us much rich material upon which to reflect. a decision that should only be inspired by one's intuition. one should sense if it is necessary to stop the practice for a few weeks or whether a technique should be done less intensely. will they succeed in accomplishing otherwise unachievable levels of performance. a mature act of trust in Kriya and in oneself. You have to be acquainted with the principle of unconscious resistance to change: they should understand the deep reasons of the alternating moods that appear when we practice intensely the Kriya techniques. This is a cleansing effect and does not damage you. Athletes who wish to achieve world class performance must somehow increase the intensity and the quality of their practice. You have to be intelligent. Only through short intensive interval training sessions where they push their physical and mental endurance beyond their normal levels. The experiences of inner awakening bring buried psychological problems to the surface. Kriya is not a sport but in the beginning stages of Kriya. memories and suddenly-arising desires. I take all the care to explain that it is important to be aware of our unconscious resistance to undergo change. while applying its different psycho-physical techniques. On Sunday. On Sunday rest with Japa and go for a walk. find a pleasant place to sit. it is advisable to break these long sessions into two or three parts -. Furthermore.. and then reserve some time to contemplate nature. take a break from all Kriya practices and instead do a tranquil Japa.. You can complete part of your practice early in the morning. Maha Mudra and Kriya Pranayama. this process should be incorporated within a regular active life. The next steps are: 36 x 3." I explain to the student that it is possible to choose any variation of Navi Kriya: the best is Variation 2 explained in chapter 7 (Variation 2.. Incremental Routine of Navi Kriya Here are the very words I use to introduce it: "On Saturdays. Our inner obstacles cannot be removed in one day. backward.. It is up to you to make your practice days as pleasant as possible.. It has been experimentally proved that there is no need to go beyond 36 x 20 repetitions. 20.to be completed before going to bed. that is 8 sets. this is always to be done within the framework of Talabya. and so on . 24. the head movements are hardly noticeable.36 x 19. Its smooth shifting of energy along the circumference of the head has an unparalleled effect. Complete your routine with mental Pranayama as usual. which is twenty times the original recommended number. For the next few days. In other words.... resume the original standard routine. or on any free day. the forward. After one week.up to 80 sets. Then you can become absorbed in your practice perfectly at ease. arrange to have a tranquil walk in the evening. when the benediction of blissful silence comes. and sideways movement of 173 . The increase of this delicate Kriya technique should be gradual.. I. after a short practice of Talabya Kriya. It rivets the attention in a way the basic form cannot. or two if you wish.. and finish with something like mental Pranayama.. During long sessions. preceded and followed by chanting Om in the Chakras. practice Navi Kriya with double the repetitions.. practice 16 sets of Navi Kriya..weeks. the process begins with 36 x 2 descents. it is fine to go out.. nothing will come of it because the inner channels close up. Maha Mudra. On the following Saturday. put aside the usual routine and. since one set consists of 36 descents of energy. If you try to outsmart the process and perform too many repetitions all at once.. Navi Kriya – Four Directions). Everything will proceed harmoniously and the effect increases as daylight approaches twilight. After a light meal and a little nap. not only because our constitution is not strong enough but also because our inner force for dissolving them is initially weak and must be enhanced week after week. You can conclude each part by lying on your back (Savasana: the corpse pose) on a mat for a couple of minutes. 36 x 4.. 36 x 20. carefully respecting every detail – and do the remaining prearranged number of repetitions in the afternoon. go for a long walk to calm the deep regions of your psyche. As for this variation. and weather permitting. the "warrior" returns to the battlefield ready to bring their work to fruition. Of course. do three times the normal number of Navi Kriya: 12 sets. When you practice in your room. after the first half hour. yet while practicing one would swear it wasn't. Accept also that traits of hardness might appear in your temperament. One has the impression one could remain there forever. The effects are perceived inwardly and observed clearly in one's practical life. One feels an inward order settling. accompanied by a very pleasurable exhalation. like an internal all-pervading pressure which brings about a peculiar feeling of well-being. It is explained that the cutting of the umbilical cord at birth splits a unique reality into two parts: the spiritual. whereon my 174 . Some instants later comes the awareness of something subtle descending into the body. Sustained by a luminous internal intuition. harmony. a very interesting phenomenon can be observed: at a certain moment. it is possible you realize that those remarks were totally inappropriate. It reminds me of Ahab in "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville: "Swerve me? ye cannot swerve me. Main remarks about this Incremental Routine. A more calibrated. Intuition will flow freely and face the moments of life for which important decisions are expected to be made. Let us therefore see what is the meaning of the knot of the navel. Let us try to understand why this problem appears frequently. Some kriyabans find themselves uttering statements they feel are sincere but others find offensive and cutting. which manifests as joy and calmness. it feels as if the lungs can not move. often due to a kriyaban's newly acquired confidence and convictions that seems stubbornness or dogmatism. the visible manifestations can be interpreted negatively by others. notice how the same words resound in your mind in their cruelty. The breath is still coming out of the nose. … The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails. being alone and detached. you might hurt friends through your words and only hours later.the chin which is initially around five centimeters is reduced to three millimeters! What is the reason why this variation is preferable? After many repetitions of this variation of Navi Kriya. A good effect of this practice is to discover a striking increase in mental clarity probably due to the strong action on the third Chakra which governs the thinking process. This may be considered the first timid apparition of the Pranayama with the internal breath. the healing of this rupture takes place. precise and clearer logical process will rise from a more efficient synergy between thoughts and emotions. and freedom. The personality of a kriyaban is destined to be ideally collected around a central point and all inner conflicts healed. the exhalation seems to become internal. Through this incremental routine and through conscious effort of harmonizing in our daily life the two dimensions of Spirit and matter. With great embarrassment. the material side in the lower Chakras. The exhalation is a mental act. establishes itself in the higher Chakras and in the head. At the very moment the order to exhale has been imparted by the mind. each action seem as if it were surrounded by a halo of calmness and heading right for the goal. Although the healing is harmonious. That rupture between matter and spirit inside each human is the permanent source of excruciating conflicts in the lives of many spiritual searchers. that by focusing our attention on the Chakras. Let us clarify what it means adding six repetitions per week. After the first week with 12 repetitions every day. Let us clarify that during each stage of the process it is important to keep a slender thread of breath up to the completion of the prescribed number. let us consider 18 repetitions: if there are no problems at all.24 x 24 is lighter but also good. III. this amount of 18 repetitions can be practiced each day or every other day of the second week. Main remark about this Incremental Routine. It is a revelation: the light of the Spirit seems to twinkle in what seemed trite moments of our life. half completed). We have already said that a kriyaban is instructed to gradually increase its repetitions. Let us add that when more than a 100 breaths are practiced. the process should never become purely mental. This should be planned with great care: starting from 12.for example between morning and afternoon -. rather it is wise to work three days a week on the average. Incremental Routine of Kriya Pranayama After some months (when Navi Kriya is completed or. 36 x 3. 24 x 2. It happens.soul is grooved to run. The essence of past events (the beauty contained in them and never fully appreciated) is lived again in the quiet pleasure of contemplation while our heart is. The Chakras are like jewel boxes containing the memory of one's whole life: they give rise to the full splendor of lost reminiscences. it is because they do not have enough lucidity to notice it. The reason is that when you reach a consistent number of repetitions (more that 60) the effects are very strong. I invite the student to begin a similar process with Kriya Pranayama.…. In other words phase 1 is never eliminated and after phase 2 you move on to phase 3 only after having practiced at least 48 breaths. indeed. When the practice is broken in two or three parts -. pervaded by a restrained cry. This is a physiological fact and we have all the reasons to suspect that those who affirm they are exempt from such phenomenon. It is not necessary to practice every day. we obtain a particular effect: the inner screen of our awareness begins to display a lot of images.when you start again you respect the same principle to start from phase 1 etc. a kriyaban adds six repetitions per week. It is clear that you practice in sequence the three phases of Kriya Pranayama abiding by what it was said in the chapters 6 and 7. … Naught's an obstacle. The third week you can practice 24 repetitions on 175 . sometimes. naught's an angle to the iron way!" II. 24 x 3. To many kriyabans this routine becomes an extraordinary journey in their own memory.. which does not mean to apply all the subtle details of Omkar Pranayama but simply to use the beauty of the Mantra to overcome that normal boredom that would come by using only the Om Mantra. it is wise to make use of the 12 letter Mantra. at least.36 x 20 Kriya Pranayamas is a very good plan. In other words. 36 x 2. Incremental Routine of Thokar The third invaluable Incremental Routine is based on the basic form of Thokar.…. Those who have achieved the breathless state and are able to hold effortless the breath during this practice. A strength. as if a mighty hand were squeezing the chest region.) As for the advanced form of Thokar (the one with a lot of rotations of the head) an incremental routine is not one thing that can be "recommended". creating a before previously unknown devotion.each one of them on the verge of exploding from bliss. important experiences happen. It is because of the intensity of this experience. as soon as possible.. This is not an Incremental Routine proper. Begin each session with Maha Mudra and then begin breathing like in Kriya Pranayama but using the Mantra Om Na Mo. which keep one tied to this practice until the real experience happens. those improbable promises that books and gurus make to those interested in Yoga and meditation to attract them to the Kriya path. an internal abduction drives him in uncontrollable way. without being paralyzed by such a bliss! It is difficult to conceive how those devotees who never had a taste of such bliss are able to find the strength to continue practicing Kriya for years. having in one's heart the reverberation of such a state. but very similar in its intents -. The dazzling point that you perceive in the center of your heart and that turns out to be the star inside the third eye gives a kriyaban a deeper experience. comparing it with that of the mystics. You feel you belong for Eternity to that heavenly dimension. Enter. IV. A Delicious Break: 20736 Omkar Pranayama In certain moments of life it is fine to take the pleasurable commitment of completing 20736 Omkar Pranayama breaths -. which seems sometimes difficult to endure. Inspired by this new condition. It is only now. one realizes how difficult it is to live. that one learns to meditate without mental pollution. Main remarks about this Incremental Routine.either 144 each day for 144 days or 72 each day for 288 days. and without imaginings.it works like a spiritual bulldozer giving you the ineffable experience of the Omkar Reality! Don't practice only pure Omkar Pranayama. You can only thank those uncertain illusions about Kriya. (During the two previous Incremental Routines you let a minimum of six days pass by between two intensive practices. Who succeeds in such form of Thokar doesn't have the patience to gradually increase the number of the rotations. intensifies around the fourth Chakra. During this process... There comes the feeling of being divided into a thousand parts . the sweet dimension of the second phase of Kriya 176 . The fixed maximum of repetitions is 200. Use your commonsense and let the process itself guide you..alternate days and so on. One feels like being immobilized by an immense strength. carrying out daily and worldly duties. that the effect of Thokar has been described as "intoxicating".. An endless Beauty. do not need anymore numbers and won't follow any indication. Pranayama. Then remain all the time halfway between Kriya Pranayama (second and third phase) and Omkar Pranayama. Furthermore at a certain moment with your Omkar Pranayama you approach more and more the dimension of mental Pranayama. Unlike the incremental routine of Kriya Pranayama, don't be preoccupied of losing the thread of the breath: get all the time you need to pause in any Chakra to enjoy some particular Omkar experience, whenever it manifests. It may be internal sound, light, whatever... The immersion in the Omkar Reality plays an important role: life and spiritual experience become one. The deepest layers of your psyche will be harmoniously affected. This practice creates a burning aspiration which digs a stream of genuine devotion. You shall merge in something so intensely beautiful. Amid the ruins of many illusions, this procedure, in the simplicity of its essence, will open the doors of the spiritual realization. Global Results Achieved through the Completion of the Incremental Routines These three incremental routines put together are such that by the end of the process, one has the feeling that entire eons have passed but that one has achieved something concrete and permanent. After this once-in-a-lifetime experience, a persons seems "older", in wisdom and temperament, of many lustrum. a. The Achievement of Emotional Maturity These routines teach a kriyaban how to keep emotions at bay -- I mean superficial emotions, in a way that only deep sentiments guide their decisions. I have tried to retrace this theme in some oriental books but I have found so much rhetoric, so many words without a practical meaning. They distinguish between positive (affection, happiness, contentment...) and negative (envy, aggressiveness, illusion ...) emotions. But at the end of boring discussions you have not grasped the essential fact: untamed emotions can create a disaster in your life. This fact is serious, tremendously important. In my opinion, kriyabans who do not face at least once in their life the incremental routines are always on the verge of losing everything they have realized. We all know that frantic and hysterical emotions often rise unexpectedly from one's inner self, to disappear after a while. They actually express a reality devoid of authentic profundity but their propulsive action inevitably results in hurried acts accompanied by a sort of cerebral fever, nourished by a narrow, visceral pleasure. When passion inflames one's whole being, it is not possible to be guided by common sense; the consequence is that our deeper and most earnest choices sometimes withdraw to an irrevocable halt. Just like, during the summer, hail stones are molded, condensed and enlarged in the air before falling down to the earth causing disasters, fatal 177 decisions take shape in advance in one's imagination. During daily, frequent daydreams, the perspective of renouncing the fight throws a false light upon our immediate future, so that what in the past would appear as an act of cowardice, now seems to glitter at the horizon of our life, like a dull, flat, somber sky that suddenly lights up, serene, in luminous azure blue. When we listen to such alluring emotions, we pave the way for our doom. Superficial emotions are not tamed by self-analysis. Our way of reacting to emotions is the seal protecting "our right to pain and suffering" (the sentence in quotation marks is an expression of The Mother.) These mechanisms may become our crucifixion, our covenant with unhappiness. We can stupidly shed away our life, profession, family and friends. The effect of yielding to emotions does not differ from that of an asteroid falling through the atmosphere on its way to fire and destruction. "Emotional maturity" is a healthy relationship with reality, the quintessence of what we visualize when we use the term "mental health". Further, you don't imagine how remaining faithful to the Kriya path is a delicate operation that can suddenly go bad! We are governed by emotions and instinct that include our religious conditioning, our weak points, our fears, our doubts, and our pessimism. Most important is the ability to keep doubts at bay, to remain calm, to always go our way even when our closest friends are trying to convince us to follow theirs. b. The Ability of Standing on one's own Feet Another effect, only second in importance, is to gradually help an unsure and full of doubts kriyaban to become a self teacher, able to be acutely creative and ameliorate day by day the execution of the techniques, "reading" with objectivity the obtained results. Unfortunately most kriyabans begin their path as gullible persons, ready to be cheated. They harbor the illusion that Kriya be a series of secrets (of growing effectiveness as soon as they receive revelation of the Higher Kriyas) which function in an almost automatic way. They practice very little, while pretending to practice a lot -- satisfied that their Kriya be "the supreme among all the spiritual techniques, the airplane route to God realization". The incremental routines change one's life: they replace the infantilism of hanging on "authorized" teachers' every word with an objective estimate of the effects of each routine one has personally outlined. They give us the opportunity to detect mistakes in our understanding of a technique and to provide one or more corrective methods. While practicing, you will receive important clues, especially once you have experienced different stages of the process: certain details become wearisome; others, which you won't realize until much later, will disappear, and still other details that seemed meaningless will be amplified and greatly enhanced. In the days following the long sessions of practice, you will have a deeper understanding of the technique because you will perceive its essence intuitively. Other aspects will be revealed subsequently. Perhaps months 178 or years after this incremental routine, you will be able to draw interesting connections or deductions, and meaningfully alter your point of view. Let us avoid bowing to the authority of itinerant Gurus: life is too precious to entrust it to another. At the very beginning of our path, we are right to put a certain amount of trust in a school or in a teacher, but subsequently, we have to trust our own experiences and experiments. We neither have nor need any other tools to verify the value of a technique. When several Incremental Routines have been completed, one will have developed the quality of a selfteacher. A kriyaban will create a simple defensible vision of Kriya such that they do not feel the necessity of discussing their routine with other Kriya experts. Before closing, let me say that one definite result is that you will learn to meditate anywhere and not be disturbed by anything. While Kriya beginners are maniacal in preparing the proper meditation environment and become nervous and worried about the slightest thing, one who has completed a couple of Incremental Routines is able to meditate in unusual places and impossible situations – e.g. traveling by train or watching a play or an uninteresting movie. Strangely enough, such occasions may establish, by contrast, a particular state of awareness, radically eliminating the danger of falling asleep and yielding unhoped-for results. 179 CHAPTER 11 A TURNING POINT: THE BREATHLESS STATE The breathless state is a decisive result that marks a turn in one's life: it is a stupendous revelation, it is the true Initiation. I would want to console those people that feel they are orphans of a Guru, that discover they are proceeding along the spiritual path without a guide. I would like to tell them that in the breathless state they will find all the "blessings" they have not received before during a formal initiation. In my opinion, full mastery of the breathless state requires on the average two to three years of regular Kriya practice. When the time is ripe, this state appears during mental Pranayama naturally and spontaneously. After the practice of the Incremental Routines, after the transformation described in the previous chapter, the breathless state is possible. There are, as we are going to discuss, some procedures conceived for the express purpose of fostering this state. The mindful and devoted commitment we are describing in this chapter will provide kriyabans with the fundamental spiritual experience which will mark the most beautiful and deeply satisfying period of their life. The greatest help -- I'm sure this is true, at least for the vast majority of people -is extending one's spiritual commitment to the whole day. You cannot live in a chaotic way and then sit to practice Kriya and then pretend that in an instant the mind becomes like a laser. There is one single action that heals and calms the mind: to repeat constantly a prayer, a Mantra. I mean that practice that in certain mystical traditions is called Continuous Prayer. Let us connected to the teaching, to the atmosphere of the book The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way (Anonymous) because it is of that teaching that I want to speak now. Some kriyabans think that their discipline has nothing to do with prayer -"...Kriya Yoga is the best form of Pranayama for the awakening of Kundalini, for changing the atomic constitution of the cells of the spinal cord… As for Japa, they claim: "Neither my Guru, nor Lahiri Mahasaya taught it. I don't need it." On the contrary, not only you need it, but it is essential. I think that Kriya Yoga is the perfection of the spiritual path, while Japa (Continuous Prayer) is its foundation. I saw the eyes shining of joy and of boundless bliss of the few kriyabans who had a Japa-based approach. Keeping the mind always attuned to a state of calmness, which blooms by repeating our favorite Mantra, is the most effective action we can do to obtain undreamed of results during the practice of our Kriya routine. You will cross moments in which only Japa will remain, even when the vicissitudes of life attempt to destroy the very idea of the mystical dimension. It will remain when your Sadhana seems to break down in different clumsy attempts, each one frail and vulnerable. How to Practice Japa If you want to test what I am here describing, choose a Mantra (prayer). You should not feel obliged to use Lahiri Mahasaya's favored Vasudeva Mantra ("Om 180 Haum. Hrom. Gam. if necessary. Hreem. a sense of unworthiness or condemnation of their behavior. Kreem. literature excessively glorifies the virtue of traditional Mantra and experts tend to counsel everyone to practice their own beloved Mantra. This has nothing to do with what we are describing here.. because it should express exactly what you want to achieve. I want to be clear: I don't contest that an experienced person that helps you to choose a Mantra and uses everything of his power of persuasion to convince to apply it continually. Om or Amen at the beginning or at the end) twelve syllables. Unfortunately. placing one syllable in each different Chakra. Dúm. 3 Those who are familiar and have experience with Hatha Yoga and with the concept of Bija Mantra can forge wonderful Mantras. the attitude of surrender is expressed by those Mantra beginning with Om Namo . Glamu. from the well-known Adi Shankara's chant we can relish the beautiful verse: Chi-da-nanda-ru-pah-shi-vo-ham-shi-vo-ham (That Form which is pure consciousness and bliss. sometimes they find themselves repeating it once or twice during the day. Your chosen Mantra should have both a strong and a soft tone. "Strong tone" means that it is incompatible with an attitude of supplication and complaint. 3 Personally I chose Ramdas' Mantra (8 syllables: Sri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram Om) during the day and Lahiri's (12 syllables: Om Na Mo Bha Ga Va Te Va Su De Va Ya) during the Kriya practice. This persons does you the greatest of all the favors and is correct to compensate him. Streem. The selected prayer should imply the anticipation of a happiness which one is attracting through the very repetition of its syllables. Certainly if you want to lighten your portfolio then race to a Teacher and buy your personal Mantra. their practice falls apart. It sometimes happens that when reciting a Mantra.Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya"). After choosing a Mantra on your own. You can choose one from your favorite set of prayers. They were not given by any divinity. Shreem.. 181 . you find yourself reciting another. For example. It is important to relish it. after a few minutes. To experience this first hand is what counts. but that's all! Your Mantra it is you that have to choose it. use it a few weeks to find out whether your body accepts it or not. This and other signs mean you have not found the right Mantra and that your search must continue. one can add some "Bija" (seed) Mantra: Aim. Kleem. Other Mantras express the absolute non-dual realization. they were a human discovery. I am that supreme Being. Hoom. like a sigh of dejection. After a short time. Glom. There are some who choose a really unfortunate Mantra by which they seem to punish themselves: their chosen formula is an affirmation of their limits. one that has (by adding. Beautiful twelve syllables Mantra can be taken out of Bhajans or poems. Twelve is a perfect number because one can utilize it during Kriya. after the initial Om. As an example. … These are sounds chosen for their power by ancient yogis. Vang. I am that supreme Being!) I hope you are not so naive to believe that a Mantra works only if it is received from your Guru. Literature or an expert can help one make a good choice. you begin with enthusiasm but then. To a preexistent Mantra. murmuring under his breath. Otherwise they clean their life if unnecessary necessities and through Japa. but also to go beyond the state of "exhaustion. It is for this reason that one must be wise and choose the simplest life appropriate to one's temperament. He practiced Kriya without getting any result. They are simple 182 . When this happens. I had the impression that he took this activity as cerebral act. If life is too good with men they respond by filling their life with nonsenses. he reached the breathless state not only one time. after some time. and then let it resonate automatically in your mind. thanks to it. The ecstatic state assumed the consistency of reality. He did not realize he was about to become the greatest supporter of Japa. but each time he practiced this Mantra during the day and Kriya Yoga in the evening. I observed him carefully while he was practicing: I was witness of a lifeless practice. uttered one day a word: "EXHAUSTION".this is not a visualization but a real experience. He went on repeating the Prayer unremittingly for the entire path. Wonderful books are: In Quest of God by Swami Ramdas and the The Way of a Pilgrim. which he definitely identified with the Spiritual Reality. The turning point came when he took part in a group pilgrimage. This experience taught him the correct way of practicing Japa. give yourself some inspiring literature. His thoughts were repeating it. What is required is the resolute will to continue with this action so we can touch the dimension of Mental Silence. he entirely abandoned the practice. It was not for nothing he had put aside his initial beautiful Indian Mantra and chosen an expression in his mother tongue ." After some experiments he chose to repeat the Indian Mantra: Sri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram Om and. he did not withdraw himself from this pious activity. he began to taste a state of unknown calmness. For this reason I set as essential condition that life has not been very nice toward you. While walking and praying softly. Someone began to recite the so-called rosary (a set number of repetitions of the same prayer).Resolve to daily complete aloud at least one Mala (a rosary of 108 beads) of this Mantra (prayer). He said that the secret was not only to reach. If there happen problems of hardheartedness. When the group paused to rest. You will learn how to make the sound of the Mantra (prayer) resound in our head and you will feel its vibration extending to all parts of our body. completely forgetting he was tired and sleepy. There is no doubt that this requires additional time. you will be surrounded by a protective shell of tangible peace . There was nothing to be surprised at when. to which all the pilgrims united. He looked with different eyes at the show of continuously changing landscape and had the impression of living in a paradisiac situation. I talked to him about Japa but nothing changed. a tired plea for God's mercy. he slipped into an introspective state and was pervaded by something vibrating in his own heart. they are always able to regain their composure and will be able to pass through life with a smile. its vibration was not connected in any way to his body. The temptation to leave Japa aside is tremendous. he had the grace to be left alone —undisturbed. became almost unbearable. But when you chant it concentrate upon it with absolute fervor. although they through suffering unavoidable setbacks. Even if tired and almost gasping for breath. overwhelming him. Take this aloud practice back whenever possible.which was nothing else than a sigh of self-pity. One of my friends who mastered this teaching. let us take for granted that you have practiced all day long (aloud and mentally -. Arberry)] The Mantra creates a total order in your life but you must also make every effort to think clearly and logically when necessary. you discovers that the same Mantra utilized during the day is going on by itself in your consciousness. You might feel like one is in a difficult process of recovery.books. vulnerable and defenseless. Why should I fear? When was I less by dying? Yet once more I shall die as Man. The Sufi literature. and to feel the the goal as the nearest of the near. Japa is apparently deprived of action. sometimes the noise coming from the external world will reach your ears as amplified. I died as plant and rose to animal. and one must be aflame for it. You sits with your back upright. Remarks upon the Kriya routine Well. however it is from it that an action is born which changes your destiny. gives an idea of that state. Some outward changes will begin to happen. I died as a mineral and became a plant. I shall become what no mind e'er conceived. time. while the widened sensitivity will give you the impression of having become more fragile. When I have sacrificed my angelsoul. easily found.Translated by A. The heart should be turned in one direction only. where a celebration of God and nature shines with a strength and amplitude beyond comparison. to soar with angels blest. They inspire you to practice beyond the point of exhaustion.J. more appealing than anything else. One needs to be confronted with biographies of saints. Aurobindo wrote: "The mind does not act. But when you touch with your hand how hard. when existence seems to offer nothing that is worth seeking. For this purpose. The eyes are closed. intelligence. 183 . which explain with amazing simplicity everything essential about Japa.NOT only mentally!) Japa in such a resolute way that the body becomes a unique solid vibration. ready to touch the fullness and the peace of silence. (Rumi. otherwise you won't remain in the vibration of mental silence. A kriyaban should be able to give one hundred percent effort and this cannot happen when there are inner conflicts which constantly threaten the unity of the personality. it simply releases an irresistible action from its recess". After practicing Maha Mudra and having found a comfortable position. I died as animal and I was Man. and constant self-observation are required. Live Japa as if it were the only tool capable of knocking down the wall that life has placed before you. The Japa should become a genuine expression of your burning desire of extracting "something more" from the common way of living. and cruel life is. but even from angelhood I must pass on: all except God doth perish. you should bring ahead an internal alchemy and transform your sorrow in a form of internal dignity. terrible. Surely there are also web sites who can inspire you. He said also that: "Thokar opens the doors of the inner temple". you bring back the attention to only one action: merging the inner chanting of the Mantra with a slow. It was conceived to establish a particular calmness (tranquility) in the heart region. the repetition of 1728 Kriya Pranayamas (in one session!) is sufficient to get to the state of Dhyana. Prolong the beauty of this activity over a long period of time. This is your routine. A particular state happens in which you are on the verge of slipping into a state of sleep. it is akin to our well known Omkar Pranayama and can be brought ahead for 24-36 breaths. however it is worthwhile at least quoting it. even-paced breath. 4 I hope that recalling a theory which is often quoted in the Kriya literature is not disturbing. it is a happy invention!) that the Higher Kriyas like Thokar are taught to avoid sitting for such a long time and reach anyway the states of Dhyana (and. A good solution is: Maha Mudra • Navi Kriya • Talabya Kriya • Om Japa • Kriya Pranayama (either part 1 and part 2 or all the 3 parts) • Thokar (12-24 repetitions of its basic form) • Omkar Pranayama (6 breaths only) • Kriya Pranayama (6-12 breaths of part 2) • Mental Pranayama where you will try to achieve the breathless state. the repetition of 12 Kriya Pranayamas is sufficient to get to the state of Pratyahara. but the practice of Mantra will help you to settle in the intermediate area between the perceptions of the external reality and the allure of enjoying some fantasy. Lahiri Mahasaya explained that when the cardiac plexus is struck by the strong action of Thokar. the repetition of 144 Kriya Pranayamas is sufficient to get to the state of Dharana. It is explained (an attractive theory indeed. At a certain point you will discover that you are not breathing. you don't need any other practice! Sometimes it is necessary adding at least 12-24 Thokar. Well. If is not true.implying an intention of detaching from the world. Body and mind reach easily a clear perception of pranic immobility. I am not sure it comes from Lahiri Mahasaya himself. consequently. the breathless state) and Samadhi. appease the heart ganglion which regulate the heart pulse. 4 We have already explained how to conceive a routine containing the practice of Thokar without creating discomfort. it comes to mind an Italian saying: "Se non é vero. according to a tradition. From that moment onwards repeat your complete Mantra in each Chakra and enjoy the breathless state. the Prana that is linked to the breath is directed inward and this results in a spontaneous state of profound and prolonged absorption. like continuing the act of prayer experienced during the day. there is the discovery that the Kriya routine develops in a simple and natural way. You can tell that this is not Kriya. At that moment. if this comes spontaneous. Thokar helps to calm. 184 . The idea of taking a long breath and chanting the Mantra during the inhalation and repeating it (or completing it) during exhalation will come naturally! With extreme calmness. é molto ben trovato". Yes it is Kriya. We know that Lahiri said: "In First Kriya you can find everything" but you should not be stubborn. The mood is deeply serene. the repetition of 20736 Pranayamas (in one session!) is sufficient to get to the state of Samadhi. if open or half shut. even at a molecular level. medulla. Life is momentarily extraneous.for instance to avoid drowsiness . 2.you wouldn't see anything. if this happens. Facing any possible resistance. The order is always: Chakra 1.while intensifying the concentration on the point between the eyebrows. you will need not minutes but perhaps hours to restore the peaceful and relaxed mood that was lost. 3. After Thokar. 1. 2. Remember that you should be completely isolated so you cannot be disturbed. 3. while our consciousness settles in a vast space extending behind and over the Bindu. Some deep breaths (3 or 6) are sufficient to regain a good starting calmness. while going up and down the spine. Repeat the whole Mantra in each Chakra.Other Valuable Technical Details My conviction is that this is enough. giving further details to deepen each one of the four phases of Kriya Yoga. this is only a sensation -. To some kriyabans. Our intention is not to stimulate the Chakras but to surrender to the overpowering process of interiorization. strong Aswini Mudra -. Regrettably. Sweet Absorption. We continue it more and more subtly. 5 and occipital region. the breathless state is waiting for the appropriate moment to spill an unparalleled experience of divine bliss into your being. Perfect Immobility of Body and Mind. You distinctly perceive a fresh energy sustaining your body from inside.however when you have it. 4. A feeling of comfort and being enveloped in sweet absorption is the first experience. 185 . Your eyes. You have the perception of having calmed down the inner movements of the body. Letting your breath subside completely. 2. can provide good cues to increase the intensity of one's Kriya routine. This is the signal that the heart ganglia which regulate the pulse and the breathing rhythm are appeased. add during each Kriya Pranayama. After the first round. It is like sowing with utmost care each of its letters in the sod of each Chakra. Chakra 5. Certain technical details can be the decisive turning point to those kriyabans whom the previous instructions seem not to work -. will close by themselves. Deepen mental Pranayama in the following way: 1. practicing Kriya Pranayama with Aswini Mudra is the valuable detail that breaks a stalemate. Focus on one Chakra at a time. You can remain in each Chakra long enough to mentally repeat the prayer once slowly (it is possible to repeat it two. you feel intuitively the power to do without breath. If they were kept open . 4. intensify the presence of energy in the heart Chakra by practicing Bhastrika Pranayama. But it is correct to consider also other people's experiences.their breath subsides markedly but the real breathless state always eludes them. a continuous. 3. Of course. Engraving in each Chakra the Devoted Practice of Prayer. The last part of chapter 7. three times). Now the Fourth Kriya technique can be fruitfully practiced and Samadhi attained. the more your breath comes to immobility. There is no need to breathe! Enjoy the fresh energy that is sustaining the body from the inside: your lungs do not move. It is an unbelievable state . You can be "lost" in a Chakra for some seconds but you must move up and down the spine. your mind manifests a perfect silence and is enraptured by the thrill of an unequaled freedom. Surely the reaction is: "I won't lose it. Mystics describe its effect as a paradoxical mild pain perfectly melded with a sweet goodness. which cannot be compared with any earthly pleasure. we sip the celestial honey of a radiation of sweetness which annihilates every desire and fills the soul with ineffable Beauty. The experience of being in contact with an Endless Goodness (I know of no better way to describe it so I have borrowed the expression from S. This event is enjoyable beyond words: it contains much more than what one could imagine. Inner light may appear in the spot between the eyebrows and in the upper part of the brain. The radiance brought about by prayer becomes the gold of your first experience of the Divine. Your routine should be intense and.4. Breathlessness. Consciousness is transported a far greater distance than any known territory. like a pendulum gently reaching the equilibrium point. every object will appear transfigured. you are above life. and accomplishment. You are projected out of time. After this meditation. Samadhi is within your reach. The spiritual journey is nearing its end. The prayer has become the Reality pulsing inside the heart Chakra. Being Lost in the Meditative State. our common way of living is suffocation. 6. The cells of your body are internally recharged by a mysterious source that you perceive as cold liquid light. Teresa of Avila) arises: we are permeated by a taste of Eternity. physical reality will reveal the indwelling presence of Spirit. It varies from a diffused intensity to the brilliant light of the so-called spiritual eye. without the least quiver of surprise -. Your body is constituted by an intensity of gilded light. Prayer of the Heart. One day you will discover that the prayer has entered your heart. When you lie on your back after your Kriya routine. The experience is the quintessence of love. 5. it should include an intense concentration on the point between the 186 .you have the power to "see and touch" each thought and therefore to "halt" it. under any circumstances!". You peacefully realize that you don't need breathing at all. solace. as it is envisaged in Fourth Kriya. This is a state that renders indifference to death and from which an incommensurable Good is born. the sound of a far-off bell or of rushing waters will be heard. For many weeks (perhaps months) you are so thrilled that you are not able to overstep this lofty stage. The heart thrills in welcoming that state. shifting your awareness from one Chakra to another. This condition lasts some minutes. You experience that the "wind" of your breath has subsided completely. The more you are aware of our body in its entirety. Most probably.compared to it. When you lay supine.eyebrows -. so many to be counted on the fingers of one hand? Lahiri Mahasaya's instructions require the state of breathlessness and this. tense and relax the body different times.very deep sleep -.and at the same time maintain a perfect position. 187 . you will discover that the meditation position is far from being correct. explains everything. It is almost impossible to cross the state of sleep -. When the Samadhi experience happens. as everyone can infer. stimulating for others) according to which the great Sri Yukteswar would have granted the initiation to this technique to very few disciples. what about the famous affirmation (paralyzing for some kriyabans. Now.better if followed by that on Sahasrara. All of a sudden will feel a surging wave of fresh energy and be projected into the ecstatic state. Then practice mental Pranayama until you fall asleep. This will happen by coupling the daily practice of 12 Fourth Kriya repetitions with a constant effort to keep spiritual aspiration alive and burning. It is difficult to obtain the same experience in the standing position. is the base of any disease and apparently any casual incident.. This process that I define the "Kriya of the cells". Through her indomitable will.CHAPTER 12 KRIYA OF DESCENT At anytime during the learning process of Kriya Yoga. eternal. The meaning of unfastening the last knot of Muladhara. in . b... beyond everything. the origin of every feeling of desperation. 5 According to the person I have before. unremittingly concentrated on her body. a.. I decided not to discuss them there. today (the purpose of ) my descent (on earth) has been fulfilled!" What is a "wholly internally oriented" breath? It is surely not what happens to a Kriya novice. crossing various layers of consciousness: thoughts. Lahiri Mahasaya wrote: "Following an excellent Pranayama. b. outside time. according to her explanation. deposited therein over thousands of years. when I assume a person will appreciate a new perspective of considering the basic technique of Kriya Pranayama. Obviously these four points of view are undoubtedly an approximation of this "frontier" issue. She liked the Mantra: "Om Namo Bhagavateh" which she repeated while walking back and forth in her room.. and sensations. perfect. The luminous vibration easily made its way through her body until she lighted up a negative layer which. A particular affirmation of Lahiri Mahasaya. I discuss what could be considered an interesting way of making the spiritual path complete. the breath is wholly internally oriented. outside space. 5 Since these ideas are not shared by most Kriya authors and since in chapter 7 I did not want to make my reflections too elaborate while I was just giving a brief outline of the four Kriya stages theory. Her Agenda is a must read: an amazing "log" of her attempt to descend into her body to contact the "Consciousness of the Cells". which although having been broadly explored since time immemorial. In her attempt she found an invaluable help in the practice of the Mantra. The concept of Macro Cosmic Orbit drawn from Taoist Internal Alchemy. emotions. she was able to cross it and reach an unexplored territory: ". Many experiences that Mirra Alfassa (The Mother) disciple and spiritual successor of Sri Aurobindo recounted to Satprem bring us back to the themes treated here. d. c. I don't know. She recharged each syllable of it with her laser-like will and aspiration. A couple of years after his initiation in the Himalayas.. A "downward" contraposition to what we have seen till now: the majestic "upward" direction of the traditional mystical path. needs great intuition and sensitivity to be developed. After a long period. I introduce this practice starting from: a. has not been thoroughly described in mystical literature. outside movement . 188 . in particular. according to a universal spiritual law. or are connected with. Muladhara. each yogi is called to cooperate with the collective evolution. This experience succeeds in breaking the barrier of the mind and touches the psychological dimension which ties all human beings together: the vast ocean of the Collective Unconscious. completing the work on Muladhara means directly touching this vast expanse. All spiritual paths have an ascending and descending component. something ineffable.final emancipation also implies dispersing the mental and physic agonies of others. The cells have. We know that unfastening the last knot. This surrender is the best thing we can do. you have no other choice than guiding energy and awareness into your body. The cells. This explains the "borderline" trait and the substantial difficulty in describing any phenomenon emerging from it. If you seek a complete contact with Muladhara. the spiritual experience mixes with all the aspects of life. Now. We should always be open to let the Divine Force descending into our body. constitutes the last phase of the spiritual path. each spiritual researcher and. the Kriya Pranayama with internal breath that we are going to introduce. a beatitude. There is no doubt about the freeing power of the Fourth Kriya technique which develops the inner vision of the Tattwas overcoming thus the illusion of Maya. Well. is indefensible -. d. When you have crossed the thick wall of the collective opacity. It embodies the fourth stage of Taoist internal alchemy. In this vaster aspect the Muladhara knot embodies not only the illusion that blocks our own vision of Reality but the ignorance in all human minds as well.in an ecstasy. This is not a poetic concept but a real widening of the sphere of our awareness. During the descending phase. If in our predilection (or Karma) it is written that we practice Kriya Pranayama. act as doors: opening on a totally new dimension of the consciousness – the only one free from the labyrinths of the mind. The contents of the Collective Unconscious have never been in our consciousness. As for Taoist Internal Alchemy we have observed that the Micro Cosmic Orbit technique resembles the basic form of Kriya Pranayama. The idea of personal salvation. where all those around us remain exactly the same. and when an infinitesimal part of them bursts forth in our psyche. a very attractive theory explains that the Muladhara knot exists not only in the coccyx region but in each cell of our body as well. we are momentarily dismayed. c. this should be the means we utilize to fill our body with awareness and touch thus the Collective Unconscious. is akin to the experience of the Macro Cosmic Orbit. you can 189 . The main lesson we receive from Mère is that." implying that the cells had their own consciousness.a universal mind. a particular mind -. according to her. The experience she describes is like a breathing of the whole body that bypasses the lungs. Our "Kriya of the cells" is in fact a peculiar phenomenon of circulation of energy in the body." That sublime state was the very "consciousness of the body. Aware or unaware of what is happening. reduced sometimes to a single vowel or syllable. These books can be found by rummaging among occult and magic texts. On such occasions. the best experiences happen under conditions unfavorable to one's concentration. Lasario. Regarding the right attitude. Peryt Shou. Maha Mudra. Then the same process is repeated with another vowel and so on. The strangest thing is that. These prayers are very short. The essence of these teachings is that any sound vibration. if repeated with an unfaltering concentration in the body. sometimes."the whole body will be re-activated with new life and be reborn". will find paragraphs of inimitable charm. Kolb. is far more effective than any preparation. and touching its beauty.. or sitting erect in a train and giving the impression of being absorbed in one's thoughts. 190 . Even though these mystics were born within Christianity and felt on the average in sync with its doctrines. or magicians whose aspirations were to develop secret powers. A small collection of written material about this practice has been published almost exclusively by specialized publishers in the esoteric field. meditating outdoors with the eyes open and with the adamant. The main technique is to choose a vowel and begin repeating and vibrating it in one's feet and gradually bringing it up to different parts of the body. as always. beginning with a precise mental effort and going toward effortlessness. the question is whether we can conceive a useful preparation. TECHNIQUE OF THE KRIYA OF THE CELLS Since the exercise is comparatively difficult. It is better to avoid any form of Kechari Mudra: sometimes it even seems to hinder our efforts – but after mastering the procedure. or a tree in front of us. The first practice to be taken into consideration is Japa in the body. It is essential that our sensibility be in tune with all that is around. repeated aloud and then mentally. In my opinion. can reach its cells -. one can make experiments with or without Kechari.. A not widely known fact is that there are mystics who are able to "think" their prayers in their body. We can use our chosen Mantra in a similar way.tune in to the divine intelligence enclosed in matter and touch the truer dimension of existence. Any reader who has the patience to research this material and skim through pages and pages of trivial theories and practices whose only goal is to confuse and mislead. Weinfurter. we must listen to our subconscious and to the voice of our meditation-born intuition. a lake. they have been confined to a corner as if they were exponents of esoteric thought. steadfast will of becoming one with a mountain. remains unquestionably precious. A suitable Mantra. the joy becomes so great that it's difficult to hold back tears. Kerning. Spiesberger… are just a few of the authors. with full concentration on our body (either by concentrating on it as a whole or following an orderly scheme of "conquering" each part of it) is the best tool to approach the experience of the Kriya of the cells and to prevent it from losing its fascination and degenerating into mental speculations. for example: practicing in a waiting room while pretending to read a magazine. and then into the head where it blends with a luminous substance. Exhaling Shee sound guides energy into the body. I. the reverse takes place: concentrate intensely on the navel as it moves toward the spine. You have already learned doing this during basic Kriya Pranayama.3) II. Maybe that you will find yourself becoming crazy with joy -. It will transform your breath into a pure flow of energy.thus Sri Aurobindo was referring to the power of Bija Mantra. make a loud sound and visualize a powerful vibration departing from the sexual zone. expand the abdomen by pushing out the navel which pushes down the diaphragm. all of the vitality remains in the body. After each inhalation. Then again a very long exhalation increases the internal pressure all over the skin.130. The Shee sound should be like "the cry that breaks the hardest rock" -. During exhalation. The experience is similar to a Navi Kriya diffused throughout the body. Prana ascends from the navel and accumulates in the brain. At the beginning of inhalation. it comes spontaneously making exhalation last a lot more than inhalation: the sound of the breath comes out more acute and it seems easier to guide the energy into the cells. absorbing the energy there and bringing it into the heart Chakra. directed toward the navel as if it were a magnet and unaware of 191 . within the infinite rock (Rig-Veda. you will discover and release: the treasure of heaven hidden in the secret cavern like the young of a bird. Then.Practical Instructions in Four Steps I.sometimes with the chin slightly lowered. strengthen the intention of finding (or opening) an internal way to reach the cells of your body. Concentration on the navel and lengthening the exhalation. During inhalation. focus your attention on the internal gathering of energy and on a peculiar ecstatic sensation that begins to spread into the abdominal and chest region. during the instants you don't breathe. deep rhythm of breathing. While maintaining a slow. Observe how it spreads out to the internal organs and to the skin. After about 24 breaths. Through a short inhalation. during exhalation retain full awareness of your body and perceive not just the downward flow of energy in the spine but its permeation into all parts of the body. you begin to increase the intensity of the sound of the exhaling air in the throat. The inhalation is limited to six seconds but the exhalation can be lengthened indefinitely. The Sheee sound of exhalation helps to inject energy into the cells of your body as if it were a micro hypodermic needle. By targeting your will to obtain an unlimited internal pressure of your awareness over the whole body. the "sacred sound of the Rishi". Not one iota of vitality in the air leaves your nose. It is in itself pleasurable. without ever exhausting its marvel.no longer sitting upright. The sensation is reminiscent of a brisk walk in the wind. and inhale briefly and then take back the exhalation and the downward movement of the energy. It is as if we had vainly hoped for years on end that the Divine would be part of our daily life and suddenly we discover that the Divine has always been there. Usually. this experience is enriched by hearing a loud and continuous Om. You have crossed a barrier and reached a seemingly breathless state where there is no air coming out your nose -. Internal breathing. This can not merely be called a joyous state: it is a feeling of infinite safety surrounded by a crystalline state of an immobile mind. (Sri Aurobindo. like innumerable suns radiating in a brilliant transparency. It's as if an impressionist painter had finally succeeded in actualizing their visionary conception conveying the idea that the painted inert substance of matter is composed of multicolored particles of light. A God's labor.) 192 . There is an inner source of fresh energy making you lighter and filling you with strength. The exhalation seems to become endless and the fragments of breath seem to have practically dissolved! There is also a faint but clear component of rising energy in the spine. An entire life is not enough to explore the wonders contained in this Kriya of the cells. The pleasurable sensation becomes orgasmic and only a faint signal of the need of oxygen appeases its progressive growth. IV.even if this cannot be affirmed with scientific certainty. This tranquil way of changing the way of breathing makes us feel the beauty of living in a surprisingly new way. "To cheat" means to interrupt the exhalation. Now only a frail shell separates you from the coveted state where all effort ceases: it is possible to cross it by means of a subtly fragmented exhalation. This comforting sound is the confirmation that you are heading in the right direction. You can "cheat" a little – but only if necessary and provided it is done with a good measure of delicacy. The process of Kriya Pranayama is leading us toward something stunningly new: a rotation of energy independent from the act of breathing. especially when each fragment tends to become microscopic. when necessary. Your feel you could lengthen this process infinitely. Fragmented exhalation. To be able to do this without disturbing the delicacy of the phenomenon is an art. Heaven's fire is lit in the breast of the earth and the undying suns here burn. III. My life which. we had shaken hands and talked with a sincere involvement. It is only after listening to similar effects by other researchers and on account of my commitment to total sincerity. The practice absorbed me in a blue-colored profundity where I felt the brightness of the skies of my infancy. but when a similar episode is observed with due detachment and.. a disharmony. I have hesitated a lot. up until that point. 6 It happens that all of a sudden. seemed a nightmare which had dissolved forever. Nature was to me the source of inspiration from which I didn't want to abandon. that I have made up my mind to write about it. The naïve conception of devotion as a hectic emotion arising either from devotional bhajan. and from the physical body. Kechari Mudra detached my attention from the external world. The beauty of living. lasts several hours and then disappears.what was passing in another person's consciousness (not each thought of course. No benefit was received from Kechari Mudra: I felt an inexplicable repulsion to using it. I discovered the role of practicing in impossible places where the whole attention is naturally turned outside and one must work hard to bring it inside. I had the impression of having touched and disturbed the surrounding environment. a deep depression takes hold of my mood (I was never subject to depression). was left behind forever. in a strange way. All the problems connected with my emotions. The reader may be disappointed by it because it may evoke the New Age manias. I rejoiced in feeling an unfathomable clarity of mind. strange to say. I felt I could perceive . to mistake it for my own.not only through my awareness but. The state of meditation after Kriya Pranayama was lengthened and lived as it were the search of a perfect Beauty unattainable through physical human means and abilities. then the 6 Before writing this. as the days and the months go by. but an agonizing pain in a moment in which there is no justification for it. It is well known how good our mind is when it comes to clutching at straws. Unfailingly I realize that a significant circumstance has happened: I have been introduced to a new acquaintance.Personal Remarks My first attempts at this "Kriya of descent" began in a period during which I lived from the beauty oozing from Mother's Agenda. but just one's mood) and. as well as negative moods tied with intricate and thwarted plans for the future. Let me quote a recurrent example. Then in the following days I experienced something strange: I felt as "not having a skin anymore". seemed to overflow from every atom and fill my heart. My experience was more or less the one afore described: it was like merging the totality of my being in the power of Kriya Pranayama. it is not a simple dissonance. 193 . like wine from a full cup. had been full of asperities. it repeats with mathematical precision. an illusion out of which I had emerged definitively.. also through my body . seemed to stretch out evenly toward the future. from the scent of certain incenses. too heavily. Trying to find a way to ameliorate that experience. from certain pictures. emotive and psychological planes? I believe that Jung's discoveries are precious for the understanding of the mystic path . but in a different way) is quite another thing. the enthusiasm for his writings remains. Similarly your environment appears to you as more agitated. What one is and what others are. the emptier the nonsense appear to us when they deal with the Siddhis in the many books on Yoga.such as Alchemy (deemed an absurdity). Since we have hinted at particular facts that in their manifestation seem to ignore the principle of cause-effect. through guiding breath and awareness into the cells of our body. we obtain such an important result. How many times I wondered: how is it possible that. it is important to remember that Jung put a rational basis for the study of this subject in his Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. which he considered something universal and fundamentally sane. you observe that many long lost acquaintances appear and call on you with demanding challenges that require radical changes of attitude on your part. How is it possible to conceive that what happens within you can have an effect on the surrounding world? Even after months. especially among those who study topics of a spiritual and esoteric nature.perhaps more than many other concepts formulated during the 20th century. This hypothesis has all the appearance of a figment of our imagination. part of it shared by humanity and called Collective Unconscious. The principle of cause-effect implies that the world ignores what happens inside your consciousness while you sit immobile in your secluded retreat. mixes. Being utterly sincere with yourself is unavoidable. the great value he attributed to the religious dimension. Nowadays. the realm of myths (considered the result of a senseless imagination) and. the scientific community never forgave him for dealing with matters that were not considered a part of Psychiatry . Now. cannot be denied. The more we consider how intelligent.evidence of a phenomenon of tuning into another person's consciousness. You feel the unavoidable duty of facing intricate. Jung introduced a terminology which permits one to probe an aspect of the mystical path which would otherwise risk being totally extraneous. The image of an anthill that's been disturbed comes to mind: scores of ants immediately appear to begin repairing it. unsolved issues that in the past you smartly succeeded in avoiding. but to assume that it makes things happen that would not otherwise happen (or that would have happened anyway. In the esoteric literature there is the vast chapter of miracles and Siddhis 194 . fascinating and stimulating his thought. to affirm that Kriya Pranayama leads us to perceive reality in a different way is obvious. not only to our capability of expression but also to our comprehension. which has so tangible effects on the material. you cannot know whether this is simply an impression or real. It is as if everything (especially in the field of human relationships) is conspiring to reveal "your sins. Jung discovered that human psyche is made up of layers or strata. at times frenetically active and partly aggressive toward you. more than any other thing." Surprised. instead of a pathology. Even though his statements never lacked the necessary prudence. Lahiri Mahasaya went out of the shell of his individual consciousness and put his being into that of his disciples and also into that of many other people whom he never physically met. They recommend to their readers not to ever indulge in these powers since "they are a great hindrance to spiritual progress"..including mental and physical disorders. We can send good vibrations to the world if we want -. Magic rituals. It's typical to find the ridiculous warning of the danger coming from the abuse of the Siddhis. a feat which implies a momentary loss of your spiritual realization.but the real work happens in our body. we are bound to receive various sharp tugs downward -. We have experienced many times in our life how a malady is a signal sent by the body to implore our attention and to oblige us to initiate the necessary treatments.. The Final Phase of the Spiritual Path If we just try to forget the world in order to focus on our own conception of the Ultimate Reality because we want to live peacefully attuned to the higher Chakras and occult centers of our brain. using Kriya Pranayama to guide the energy down in the organs of the body. telepathy. to materialize objects and more. namely the subtle laws that work in the life of a mystic. taking part in talk shows etc. to become as small as an atom. New Age remedies. perhaps they already visualize all the fuss which will come out: interviews. Quoting Patanjali (IV:1). and esoteric way-outs are poignantly vain. Pure love for humanity is born. This cannot be obtained by any other way other than sharing part of their suffering.. in its cells. the necessity of entering this downward phase. which have always been there but needed the active share of our mindful awareness in order to work. Joining your consciousness with someone else's means involving yourself with their problems. to awake its self healing powers. Lahiri Baba is a mirror for all kriyabans.(powers). If we don't consider the commitment of filling our body with awareness and energy as an integral part of the Kriya path. A lasting transformation in another's consciousness happens only when the opacity in them is purged bit by bit. 7 Fortunately.and surely this is a positive action -. they recount that Siddhis are the spiritual powers (psychic abilities) that may occur through rigorous austerities. would you tell?! Perhaps they don't think enough about what they are writing because they let themselves be seduced by the dream of possessing those powers . Like other mystics. something will force our attention toward the body. Indulge: what a beautiful word! If you did see someone practicing Pranayama and indulging in a little bilocation for fun. 7 195 . to being able to levitate. Those who write books on Yoga are not able to resist the temptation of copying some lines from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. In order to cooperate with the collective evolution we must descend in the matter. they explain that they vary from relatively simple forms of clairvoyance. to be present at various places at once. happens only after going a long way and when we have sincerely surrendered our ego to the spiritual dimension. and then if possible. but to infuse the Divine into our body. It is true that we are going to contact somehow the quagmires of the Collective Unconscious and we cannot predict your endurance but the intrinsic balance of the Kriya path (its unique process of opening the knots from top to bottom) shall spare us from all dangers and psychological suffering. All the work we have previously done to open the knot of the heart has made us strong as steel. irremediable feelings of impurity. and we have understood that this is what saints do. even if they have the drive to go ahead with outward expressions of faith. Often they are lead to consider every physical illness as the expiation of the remnant debt of their own past sins and the psychological agony of "night of the soul" as a hard test imposed by the will of God. into our surrounding environment. Religious dogmas make it all the more difficult. they may doubt the existence of God. John of the Cross maintains that mystics almost invariably confront a critical period which he calls the "dark night of the soul. Doubts that appear in their consciousness (caused by contamination with another person's state of mind) are not the emergence of their unworthiness. Although their consciousness should be filled with the joy of the Spirit. Had they understood and done this at the beginning of their path. Perhaps they don't understand what is happening. mystic must go out of themselves and mix their consciousness with that of other persons." We have heard about "burning another person's Karma in one's own body" many times." They feel as though God has suddenly abandoned them and doubt the validity of their spiritual path. How is it possible? Unfortunately their beliefs might be an obstacle to true understanding. the process would develop more positively. But few have learned the great secret of infusing their body with awareness by literally thinking the prayer in their body. Had they brought awareness and divine light into their body. how many things would have changed! In my opinion. Many times they face excruciating physical and psychological suffering. Day after day. In order to "love thy neighbor as thyself". they persist in believing they are sinners and their psychological suffering increases. the consequence is total desperation. patches of darkness are dispelled and light emerges. bringing energy and awareness into our body decreases the time a karmic disease can affect our body. If they don't understand this. St. The Kriya of the cells with its sweet pressure on the body. In a lengthy and profound absence of light and hope. Yet little reflection would be enough for understanding the recondite beauty of what is happening. This is how we can interpret the meaning of the sentence attributed to the mythical Babaji (quoting Bhagavad Gita): "Even a little bit of the practice of this (inward) religion will save you from dire fears and colossal sufferings. and a complete failure for eternity. While physical suffering is made less 196 . with an indomitable serenity. has effects that we cannot even imagine.Our goal is not only to fly out of the body toward the rarefied dimensions of the Spirit. The nobility of this practice is not grasped even if they read about it somewhere. where "the breath is wholly internally oriented" is really the last step.Canto IV) 197 . Some authors and Kriya schools claim that Babaji will introduce us to these levels in the astral worlds. Savitri.) Perhaps we are not ready for it. In my judgment. those Acharyas would attract so much excess negative karma that they would experience tremendous suffering as a result. When Initiation is given to all who apply for it. sure. Mystics are not demigods. That seems to me a parody of the esoteric and theosophic thought. Then our Yoga could resemble a chronic state of drowsiness. A researcher is rarely accepted as a disciple unless there is an unavoidable strong and tranquil inner confirmation. Conclusion Some students are lost in conjectures on improbable levels of Kriya beyond the Fourth. Therefore. (The same theory implies that only one quarter of the remaining karma is burned by the disciple's own efforts because God supposedly burns the other half) True teachers never promote themselves. choked by an addiction to the basic well consolidated routine. risks making your heart hard and resistant and freezing its natural aspiration. We have neither the wisdom of Lahiri Mahasaya nor the inner "Sun" of "Mother" but we can at least patiently turn our heart toward this new dimension: the Divine immanent in matter and "the abysses of truth and the oceans of smiles that lie beyond the narrow peaks of truth" (Sri Aurobindo. fixed In tranced cessations of their sleepless thought Sat sleeping souls. Touching the "mind of the cells" is the ultimate achievement. with the same instincts and sensitivities as anyone else. instead they hesitate a long time before accepting a new student.painful by contacting the "mind of the cells". our spiritual venture risks falling apart. If the theory is true that a Guru assumes one quarter of a disciple's karma. Book X . reaching an excellent Kriya Pranayama. (Sri Aurobindo. Useless to say that what we have just described cannot happen in seminars that attract hundreds of new disciples or when Kriya Acharyas automatically grant initiation to thousands of people. almost no one gets the opportunity to talk and introduce themselves to the teacher. They are well aware of the responsibility and problems such relationships entail. they are fully human. Seeking heaven's rest or the spirit's worldless peace. but if we exclude any difficult achievement from our dreams and goals. Or in bodies motionless like statues. The obsession of conceiving Kriya only as a means of obtaining the ecstatic trance. their first instinctive reaction will be to avoid suffering and all that detracts them from ecstatic absorption. psychological suffering is dismantled by a quiet internal dignity which refuses to yield to desperation. and this too was a dream. I avoid the annoying "he/she". and for me. if not contradictory. K2. K3 and K4 to denote the Kriyas as they are described in the written teachings of PY. I've done this search and the information received is summarized here. K2. Unfortunately. The crisis was at times acute. 198 . The purpose of the following text is to bring to light something precise and useful to the students who. the crisis with our organization began when we tackled the study of the Higher Kriyas. at times moderated by the thought that the guilt was ours. but not fully satisfied. we didn't dismiss it but continued to entertain many doubts. Thus. 8 After my book appeared on the Web. Our organization (other schools understood very soon that it didn't pay to behave in such a way) never gave a seminar on those techniques. ] For many of my kriyaban friends. I will deal with them in the same order of priority that emerged in a series of talks with one brother student whom I met after an exchange of emails. The arguments are many.I won't allow myself to do such a thing.APPENDIX 1 REMARKS UPON KRIYA AS TAUGHT BY THE ORGANIZATIONS ■ Kechari Mudra and Kriya Pranayama routine ■ Information about K3 and K4 ■ Information about K2 ■ A remark about the breathless state before discussing K2 ■ Some remarks on the preliminary techniques ■ Hong So ■ Om technique This appendix is not a sort of "open letter" addressed to those who are part of one of those organizations that spread the teachings of PY -. By referring to this student in this appendix. The subject matter of this appendix is understandable only by those students who are conversant with those techniques. I had an intense email exchange with various researchers. A 8 At different moments of our lives we studied the same written material. are trying to find in this book a key to clarify their technical doubts. [I will use the symbols K1. Unsatisfied about our practice. We were happy of having found this great path of Kriya Yoga. replying to our letters. being faithful to the teachings of PY. we queried whether it was fair or necessary to embark on a search in order to clarify our doubts and receive an exhaustive key to improve our practice of PY's Kriya techniques. given that their organization has declined to clarify them. It is obvious that you can't find here a description of K1. There is no doubt that among these. remember that I am not talking about the technique of Fourth Kriya as it is described in this book (chapter 8). when you read "K4". K3 and K4. those who had attentively studied the writings of PY proved to be the most "serious" people. this organization remained somewhat vague. through a naked and raw definition. from which he had learned various aspects of the original Kriya. He had planned to reappraise them in the future since he intended now to improve only what he had received from the organization. because they have not understood what it means to make their tongue adhere to the palate like a sucker before opening the mouth and stretching the frenulum. many years ago. we missed having a sound theoretical scheme that provided us with resources to conceive -.our routine according to the various stages of our development. 199 . reflected in his eyes. Kechari Mudra and Kriya Pranayama Routine The first point of discussion with any Kriya student is always the "original" technique of Kriya Pranayama with Kechari Mudra. The mistake is to concentrate only on what happens to the tip of the tongue. I skimmed through the pages of the same book. Furthermore. for prudential reasons. he didn't feel the necessity of adding any other technique to his practice. The friend to whom I refer in this appendix was following the Kriya path for one reason only: to surpass the boundaries of his mind in order to merge with the Ineffable. I felt that the bitterness. Always remember that. and my fully approval put his mind at ease. In a correct Talabya Kriya. It has been observed that practicing this detail since the first Kriya breaths can make you moody. without mentioning all their possible developments."serious" kriyaban is in my opinion one who doesn't mix Kriya Yoga with New Age suggestions or with the madness of esoteric-magic thought and who has not gotten stuck on any religious dogma.and subsequently modify -. 9 To those who want to achieve this practice. the tongue is perfectly horizontal. He had read and studied my book. that each part of them was precious. few minutes before he summarized the ups and downs of his Kriya path. It was necessary for me to meet such an ardent devotee to find again. Many are not doing it correctly. He struck me for his extraordinary commitment to Kriya. mixed with curiosity and trust. Apart from the technique of Kechari Mudra. the awareness should be shifted from the point between the eyebrows to fontanelle only after 40-50 Kriya breaths. The safest practice is the current one. was dissolving. I had the impression that his heart was overcome with the same emotion he experienced while reading for the first time the AOY. We agreed that the only problem was that those teachings were described only in their basic form. it is necessary to check their Talabya Kriya. the gold that once lighted my life when. the tip of the tongue has no role: the sucker effect is obtained with the whole body of the tongue! 9 Sometimes the discussion focuses on the detail of chanting Om in the Chakras and on the first version of PY's Kriya written instructions where the higher part of the head was crossed by the exhalation current. He was convinced. which I had perceived in his mind when. While I was giving him some explanations. that the techniques of PY were indeed good. the Nadi Sodhana Pranayama. they cannot respect verbatim the instructions received from the organization and." (Chapter 7) Anyone can do this.Kechari Mudra is important but not indispensable -. at the very beginning of their routine. keep your tongue in that position. I counsel to add. on the other hand. represent the best thing you can do. When the tip of the tongue touches the upper palate (or the uvula or the roof of the nasal pharynx) you cannot breathe through your mouth. practiced mouth-Kriya-Pranayama followed by nose-Kriya-Pranayama. Only the breathless state succeeds in bringing energy and awareness into the subtle channel of Sushumna. Naturally. The tongue is behind the uvula and is blocking the flow of air through the mouth. Prana flows into Sushumna". Those who are not able to achieve Kechari Mudra proper. His attitude. The polemic: If mouth-Pranayama is superior to nose-Pranayama because. Usually the kriyabans I have met. On one hand. at the same time. deceived into believing they are more evolved than others. happens also when the tongue tip is simply turned back to touch the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard palate become soft: the current passes through the tongue. are meaningless. I cannot conceive that the achievement of Kechari was intended to create a sharp division among people. we have those who are hopelessly depressed for failing in something that does not depend on effort but only on physical constitution.. "through it. Both forms of Kriya Pranayama are good in preparation for this event. adding to the forward bendings of Maha Mudra some form of lateral bending and torsion. For a student who has learned Kriya through the organization. Many kriyabans have made this exercise become integral part of their daily routine. are broadly utilized in the PY's Recharging Exercises. by the way. we have the very proud kriyabans. the best way of improving Kriya Pranayama is to grant himself the pleasure of practicing it both through the mouth and through the nose. as some suggest. can practice in this way.there is no reason to leave it aside. Kriya Pranayama as taught by PY has a remarkable power of granting a clear cold-warm sensation of Prana moving along the spinal column -. I simply choose to believe that Lahiri Mahasaya also gave Higher Initiation to those who could not assume the correct tongue position for Kechari Mudra. I am not saying that Kechari is not important. PY's decision not to deny initiation into the Higher Kriyas to those who were unable to practice Kechari Mudra wins my total approval. I think that the value of the preliminary exercise of drawing air in and out 200 . What good does it do to split kriyabans in this way? I have already written that: "piercing the knot of the tongue . To those who are not satisfied with their execution of Kriya Pranayama.. Many Hatha Yoga Asanas embody these movements which. comes down into body and spine. It goes without saying that moderate exercises for the spine. his partaking of human suffering leads me to believe this.this is my opinion. who feel that they are far from perceiving the movement of Prana along the spine. This simple practice has the power to open the door of the Sushumna. through the tube created by the loosely clenched fists before beginning Kriya proper should not be slurred over. like the hollow tube we visualize during Kriya Pranayama. during inhalation. Dividing the breath in small fragments while you are intensely concentrating on the spine. But this happens only when the spine is clean. then chant Om again in medulla and in the Chakras in reverse order during exhalation. During the second part of nose-Pranayama. I recommend to avoid the mental chanting of Om in the Chakras. It is a smart variation of Sitali Pranayama. feeling a power that rises millimeter after millimeter (and likewise descends during fragmented exhalation) is a very effective action. but this exercise is extraordinarily effective. accomplishing the formula 14+12+12+12. 11 After these breaths. An optimum situation is to practice at least 12 repetitions of each phase. I counsel then to practice the three phases of Kriya Pranayama as explained in chapters 6 and 7. encapsulated in it. I counsel. others with half open mouth with the central part of the lips touching (as other direct disciples have taught). then pause in the point between the eyebrows. Even if the sound of the breath is not loud and clear. The energy in Muladhara will awaken and rise like a missile through Sushumna into the brain. without closing his ears. I don't know if it is also because the pulsing movements of the navel stimulate the Dantian region. we can close the mouth putting the tongue in Kechari Mudra -. especially when the student begins to listen to the internal astral sounds." This is a common way of practicing Sitali Pranayama. One should remain attuned to the same sounds which occur when the technique is practiced with mouth open. without modifying the cycle he has learned during initiation. This part of the practice is very nice. one day it will be flute-like. Inhale deeply and smoothly through the tongue and mouth -. 11 Some kriyabans practice with visibly open mouth (as some direct disciples of PY teach). After it. 10 I counsel to add it.no problem if a student can only turn the tip of his tongue upward to touch the roof of the mouth (soft palate). will lead one the peak experience of the Kriya path. Each one of the three parts of Kriya Pranayama has a precise role: this first part is devoted to come near to the most perfect throat-and-nasal-pharynx sound. that the student places all his being in 10 "Curl comfortably your tongue and protrude it slightly past the lips to form a tube. This will be a great event: the hidden power. It is only at this point. and also to practice it with a fragmented breath. The oceanic Om sound will be audible and the joy experienced will be overwhelming. the practice of fourteen consecutive Kriya breaths grants a keen sensation of presence in the spine. to chant Om in the first five Chakras and in medulla. Exhale through the nose ideally directing the fresh breath in all the parts of your body. 201 . not before. we chant Om in each Chakra. During the first part of nose-Pranayama. I don't think that this exercise is conceived as a didactic tool to be utilized only during Kriya initiation. Since I have recommended not to modify the path of the current learned during initiation.a cooling sensation is felt over the tongue and into the throat. Fixed in this position. the theme was the teaching that in original Kriya is called Thokar.this applies obviously for all the follows) that receiving K3 and K4 does not mean receiving one main teaching (K4) accompanied by a temporary. If Kriya Pranayama has granted the blissful experience of listening to internal sounds then meditation means to go on listening to these sounds for some minutes. he turns his eyes upward as much as possible. 202 . first with open ears and then.like one who is waiting the effect of an intramuscular injection. I do not pretend to assert an absolute truth -. we stopped . moving the awareness up and down the spine."if it leads to the Samadhi state. we were not able to resist the temptation of trying K4 on the spot -. while discomfort increased and a feeling of nausea went on launching its alarm signals.defeated: the gain was null. Instead of giving up. It was clarified (this is the result of my search. the most delicate part of the routine begins: the meditative phase. Our talk departed from this point and developed freely. After about 15 20 rotations Kumbhaka became stressful. simplification of it (K3). as if he was looking at the ceiling..fontanelle. hurried by the frenzy of experiencing this "supreme" technique. We had the same experiences. we tried to practice K4. without raising the chin.this procedure is called Omkar Kriya.) After Kriya Pranayama. Information about K3 and K4 During a second meeting with the same dedicated student of Kriya Yoga.optionally proceeded by Maha Mudra. less than null! Not only there was no trace of Samadhi. With his eyelids closed or half-closed. Meditation does not mean remaining immobile waiting while the strong energetic charge of the spine dispels -. Still. he practices like in the second part (mental chanting of Om. Kriya meditation means carrying on an active concentration on the Chakras. soon to be discarded. K3 without head movements -. but the initial internalized state created by the previous techniques was destroyed. When we received K3 and K4. why not try it now"? At the end of a short routine. But the results were considerably unsatisfactory. we didn't forget the beautiful promises with which the explanation of K4 had been introduced and we utilized this technique on other occasions. Eventually. a. with closed ears. This teaching is described without ambiguity in the written teaching of PY (K3 and K4) but we miss seeing it well-adjusted within a complete routine. Actually. if possible.. we repeated the same attempt many times. Since this seldom happens. It fits into Kriya's theoretical scheme to practice Jyoti Mudra at the end of the routine -. the teachings are three and many Kriya schools give them during three different initiations. pausing in each Chakra for 10-20 seconds. • The technique of Omkar Kriya (K3 without the movements of the head) is obtained by applying all the details of the received technique (mental pressure at the base of the spinal column. The result is this: during sleep. K4 -. inhalation placing the syllables where prescribed. Kechari Mudra is extraordinary in creating the necessary "mental pressure". The difference is that the kriyaban uses all the power of concentration (and also of Kechari Mudra if he is capable of assuming it) to subtly vibrate each syllable with intensity. The gist of the practice lies in the constant effort of raising one's awareness along the spinal column millimeter after millimeter with a continuous mental pressure. or a "slight jolt". This is exactly what happens in Kriya Pranayama. The exhalation is more tranquil: the energy glides downwards and the previous pressure is perceived effortlessly at each Chakra's location as a cascade of light coming from above. mindful physical effort is simultaneously aimed at striking the chest. Each technique has to be mastered with great commitment before moving to the following one.b.this procedure is called advanced form of Thokar. then into the cervical Chakra. With this practice in immobility "a kriyaban learns the art of astral diving through the spinal tunnel". This great work would be disturbed by the movements of the head of K3 proper. blissful experiences begin to happen in the spine and the person enjoys it in a state in which the body is half-awake but the awareness is lucid as ever. One must have trained the power of his concentration to the point of being able to maintain this sensation with uninterrupted continuity. The long exhalation guides the current into medulla oblongata. However. while resisting the force of gravity. "Jolt" means that the 203 . Perhaps it is much more correct to define it a "tap".this procedure is called basic form of Thokar c. K3 with head movements -. and the inhaling and exhaling sound remain continuous. the physical movement is definitely too powerful and harmful for the neck. the flow of the breath does not lose its quality of smoothness. Hence. One should not allow the weight of one's head to push the chin toward the chest: in this condition. creating a micro pause in each Chakra. It must be lived in immobility. Subsequently. after months or years of effort. the heart Chakra and then down into all the other Chakras. • The nucleus of the basic form of Thokar (K3 technique with head movements) is the action of dropping the head forward so that the chin strikes the chest. intensification of the awareness in the point between the eyebrows) but remaining immobile during all the exhalation which begins immediately after the concentration at the point between the eyebrows. should perform this movement in a very delicate way. Some define this last movement of the head a "blow" or a "stroke". Those who embark on this venture. such experiences begin to happen during deep sessions of one's daily Kriya routine. I explain that it is like squeezing with the thumb an almost empty tube of toothpaste (from its base up to its opening) to get the last little bit out. To increase the number of rotations of the head up to 200. The concentration on the spiritual light in the head is a key point. [See chapter 10 for definition of incremental routine. The difficulty in practicing this technique lies in being too much in a hurry and trying to hold the breath without having first calmed the Prana in the body and raised the energy (Apana) residing under the belt into the higher part of the thorax.. forget the breath and remain immobile practicing the best form of mental Pranayama. The first incremental routine concerns Omkar Kriya (K3 without the movements of the head).when the person has completed the right preparation. Te. Va. . Then practice 50 repetitions a day for another two weeks. Va. but it is also something more.) If you have a secondary session. the same technique can be resumed for 12-36 times. all the 12 syllables are chanted with the same rhythm.. When the previous incremental routine is 204 . Ya that accompany the exhalation. What is important is that its effect is intensely felt within the fourth Chakra. during the main routine. Instead of adding one repetition a day. but not particularly difficult. and Su happen without altering that rhythm. Now. Let me give a clarification about the speed. it is possible . Su can be chanted with the same rhythm of De. Usually. Va. The second incremental routine concerns the basic form of Thokar (K3 technique with head movements). This is to be done once a day.. there is plenty of time for concentrating deeper on each blow and perceive something emanating from each point.. Some practice Te. Since there are only three syllables De. it is quite natural to chant them in a slower rhythm. Completing this incremental routine is a challenging. Va.is to complete two incremental routines concerning the two aspects of the K3 technique. and so on until you practice 200 repetitions a day for two weeks. you can adopt a simpler plan: practice 25 repetitions a day for two weeks. On the contrary. The Right Preparation for K4 The decisive procedure -. Su in a slower way. In this way.endowed with a shattering psychological cleaning power -. does not remain glued there. Tradition envisages beginning with 12 repetitions and adding one repetition a day until you reach 200 repetitions. b.then 100. Ya.125..chin comes down. (After this practice. So if the three movements linked with Te. without breathing. touches the chest for an instant and comes up immediately. undertaking: time goes by without much notice and what could seem to be an exhausting task (doing more than 100 repetitions) turns out to be as easy as a moment of rest... this is considered the normal speed of K3.] a. • The technique of the advanced form of Thokar (K4 technique) is undoubtedly a variation of K3. Va. Then practice 75 repetitions a day for another two weeks .. seems a mere illusion. Through this way of proceeding. not impeded. This one cannot be called a commonly accepted method. he perceives an increase of Prana in the upper part of the lungs. When N+6 movements are completed. What is important is that he does not lose the sensation that the physical breath does not exist any more and all Prana is immobile and goes on remaining immobile in the upper part of the lungs. the student starts again from the beginning and should practice K3 proper (with movements) increasing the number of repetitions. he does not feel pain in the cervical vertebrae or in the neck muscles. If the day after this practice. One 205 . If there are problems with the cervical vertebrae.therefore he still does not set the objective of achieving the 200 rotations. the student is able to practice the movements of K4 for a certain amount N of times before exhaling. I know that it can really help those who are stuck in an unsatisfactory practice of K4. The plan of incrementation is the same of the previous routine.completed. The ability gained through the previous procedure assures that during each movement of the head he does not lose the perception of the current reaching and piercing each Chakra (medulla. he can wisely practice on alternative days. rather. Let us suppose that while holding the breath in a non-forced way. At the completion of both procedures (a year or more is required) the student is able to direct a tremendous amount of energy into the heart Chakra and is ready to reach high levels of perfection with K4. He does not make the act of sealing his lungs (closing the trachea -. He repeats N+6 cycles of the movements of the head with no hurry whatsoever. If everything goes in the best of the ways. he exhales comfortably and does not repeat the procedure till the next day. For one week he does not try to increase beyond this new "record" of N+6. and an imperceptible sip of air can enter whenever the chin is brought up. let us openly say that it will find many detractors. he increases of six rotations a week. K4: the Great Procedure of Astral Samadhi An easy way of tackling the K4 technique is here described. his role is limited to letting the afore-described phenomenon happen freely.as when one is diving into water) but keeps them as if he is going to begin a new inhalation. keeping his chest expanded and the abdominal muscles and diaphragm perfectly immobile. cervical and heart Chakra). he allows that a minimal (almost imperceptible) sip of air can go out whenever his chin is lowered toward the chest. he can try to practice N+6 rotations abiding by the following principle: he inhales slowly following the instructions about placing correctly the syllables in the Chakras. He increases until this is comfortable -. He has the sensation that the breath is annihilated. This is a crucial detail whose importance cannot be over emphasized. But. Let us be clear: he does not make the act of inhaling and exhaling. something beautiful is approaching. meditate on the six Chakras one by one. The procedure for extending Thokar to all the Chakras is called "Micro Thokar" because it is characterized by a drastic diminution of the dynamic of the 206 .the joy which is expanding in his heart becomes his "Guru" and guides him. Thokar (K3 and K4) affects the higher Chakras (medulla. He realizes he is rotating his head while keeping a perfect effortless Kumbhaka. Unfortunately no further practical explanation is given. An increase of energy in the fourth Chakra is strikingly perceived. water. The noteworthy fact is that there is not only this technique in the group of the writings related to K2! After a few pages. Actually. without a specific name." I have known students who felt deceived just for this reason and had dropped it after many years of concentrating instead on K3 and K4. The information I have received is that this is obtained by a particular way of mentally placing the syllables of a Mantra at each Chakra's location. two techniques are described which are extremely important. cervical and heart Chakras). This has a soothing effect on the ganglia tied with the breathing process. Indeed. One is the practice of the "Micro Thokar". Such procedure leads one to perceive the colors of the Tattwas namely of the five elements (earth. PY explained in a very clear way the physical changes that happen when your conscience attunes to the different Tattwas: the way your breath flows through the nostrils and the perception of different flavors in your mouth. You focus mind and Prana on each one of them until their essence is revealed as a variation of astral sound and as a particular state of consciousness. . A wonderful sensation of freedom from breath happens.. It is based on a procedure which is not restricted to "physically locating the centers".. 1.. Technique of the Micro Thokar to Awaken the Chakras The procedure of "Micro Thokar" is hinted in a not-easy-to-understand sentence about the "psycho-physical blows given at the different locations of the Chakras".. The story that PY received this instruction from Swami Kebalananda is plausible. which on various forums are indicated as the real. ether) each one tied with a different Chakra. the other is a delicate technique to perceive the astral spine. Second Kriya. air. At this point he is able to reach the 200 rotations -. I believe that a similar technique is hinted in Gheranda Samhita: ". in other words "original"..day he realizes that during his practice the previously hinted little sips of breath do not happen any more. fire. close ears. Information about K2 Many are convinced that K2 as taught by PY be incorrectly named "Second Kriya". it is quite different from the Second Kriya as taught by various schools. the writings of PY related to the Second Kriya are very odd: the technique K2 is an advanced and extremely difficult teaching that is somehow related with the Fourth Kriya level. they are not necessary. eyes. Another version is given here. medulla. heart Chakra .movements of the head and by a shrinking of the dimensions of the internal movement of energy and awareness. Then we vibrate Te Va Sù and eventually De Va Yà... fifth. we give four psycho-physical blows to each Chakra. "Na" at the right and "Mò". third. mentally chanting Om in the location of the Chakras. We look "down" at it as if it were a horizontal disk like a coin. with a soft tap. You mentally chant Om at each Chakra's location. The order is the same that PY utilizes: first. second. through the help of this Mantra. cervical. • The breath is forgotten. left and right in order to feel the astral spine as separated from the body. The ideal would be to be able to complete from three to six rounds. Bà. In chapter 8 I have given one version of this beautiful procedure. Technique to Perceive the Astral Spine The technique to perceive the astral spine is explained after PY has expatiated on Kundalini and given a clear hint at the necessity of Kechari Mudra. once stable in the meditation Asana. from Muladhara to the point between the eyebrows. The oscillation perceived during this internal action is a matter of millimeters. second and first Chakra. we mentally chant "Om" at the left of its center. 207 . then in Sahasrara. 12 It is a very simple teaching and yet it is great! The result can leave you astonished! I don't comment it further. since the PY's few lines about it are exhaustive. We divide the Mantra in four parts: Om Na Mò // Bha Ga Bà // Te Va Sù // De Va Yà. fourth. This cycle is to be repeated but the practice is concluded by a final rising into Sahasrara. Four taps (soft blows) happen when we think the accented syllables Mò. PY explains how. A Remark about the Breathless State before Discussing K2 K2 is an advanced technique whose mastery can be achieved only after the mastery of the breathless state. The practice of techniques [I] and [II] is the best thing to prepare your body for the K2 technique. Always remaining in Muladhara. Let explain how. When I discuss with a kriyaban 12 There is a direct disciple of PY who teaches Second Kriya exactly in this way. Let us mentally repeat in each Chakra the Mantra: Om Na Mo Bha Ga Ba Te Va Su De Va Ya. point between the eyebrows. fourth. then medulla. third. a kriyaban gently sways the spine. This time we try to keep the spine immobile. 2. in the center of it. A light oscillatory movement of the spine can accompany and strengthen the internal movement. We repeat the same procedure with all the other Chakras. we repeat the same procedure with Bha Ga Bà. Many kriyabans are not able to conceive of this state to the point that it doesn't occur to them. thus giving a second psycho-physical blow at Muladhara. At a certain point. We start by placing our awareness in Muladhara Chakra. Sù and Yà.. Then we repeat the whole round trying to be more internalized. The core of the teaching is then experienced in immobility by traveling up and down the spine. fifth Chakra. by mental silence during your daily life. Yet. after few breaths of Kriya Pranayama. and 2. surely he has practiced Kriya for at least three to four years.about K3 and K4. It is necessary to live a spiritual life. the fourth is the final liberation given by the awakening of Kundalini (.. The first part of any rationally and functionally built routine is helped -. For example I want to be sure that the student understands that it is not important to think about the meaning of the Mantra though it is essential to vibrate it strongly in the breast and in the head. To this the two afore described techniques 1. Kriya is a challenging art to raise the state of your consciousness into four main states: the first is characterized by a perfect mental silence. One should commit himself as if he had a strong will to knock down a wall that life has placed before him.the "palate" Kriya.and thus brought to perfection -. In meeting a kriyaban. At this point I cannot avoid hinting at the importance of calming the mind with Japa. the right time to make a further effort and achieve the breathless state. To the student I explain that he cannot practice Kriya by the sheer strength of will alone.. I try to convince them that the right moment has arrived to fully realize the words of PY in AOY where he explains how Kriya frees you from the chain that ties your soul to the body: the breath. I never found anything like Japa to improve my Kriya. in my opinion. I acknowledge: I am fixated on this tool! On the other hand. a strong push from life experiences is the best thing. I have written that: ". some great disciples of PY actually hinted at Japa: they knew that those who practice Kriya immersed in the ensuing state. follow...it touches all the Kriya levels. the third is the breathless state. the second is an terrific euphoria in the heart where one loosen himself out of devotion.. I try to understand if he is at moment of his life in which he has the determination to make a greater effort. but with a moderate number of repetitions.. Thus I check that the teaching of the Japa is understood without misinterpretation. I want that they practice it and tell me if it is not true that it comes also to them the irresistible impulse to put everything in order.. and also as preparation for the deep absorption to be gained in Kechari Mudra. Then I recommend an extremely simple routine in which they have K1 and K4 also. intended both as an exercise for stretching the frenulum.here in a few words a synthesis of the four levels of Kriya Yoga). We know that for the second state there is K3 and K4 and for the first state what have we? It is not Kriya Pranayama because Kriya Pranayama is always present -. Perhaps the pride and arrogance of some kriyabans estranged them from a practice that they consider much too simple. " To those who are in this phase of the spiritual path. For this purpose I counsel Japa: something that acts both on the conscious and the subconscious mind. I think that it is a mistake that the Kriya schools don't officially give the teaching of Japa. At this point the student can tackle the advanced K2 208 . will not encounter obstacles in calming the breath almost suddenly. that he cannot move Prana along the subtle spinal channel by the most intense visualizations only. Yes. This is. Usually the breathless state appears during procedure 2. namely one in which the mind is almost always in a state of silence. Specific of the first level is Talabya Kriya -. while dwelling in the state of Antar Kevala Kumbhaka (effortless holding the breath after inhalation. he takes a long inhalation. His breath remains immobile in the upper part of the lungs. Another day will come when he will be able not only to enter again in the breathless state but he won't feel the need to breathe between one Chakra and the next. Therefore. always remaining without breath. without exhaling. slowly. He concentrates on Muladhara. then climbs up the spine. Then. if he feels that Prana has glided down.teaching. He will raise each Chakra into the light of Kutastha. He applies then the typical procedure of K2 (contraction of the muscles near the Chakra.. with his tongue in Kechari Mudra.. When he reaches the heart Chakra he has a remarkable blissful sensation. How to Experience the K2 Teaching inside the Breathless State To those who have realized the breathless state. he accomplishes the internal act of raising it ideally into the point between the eyebrows -. This state is a divine gift and is the result of the completion of the incremental routines and of a good command of K4.). This is no place for tension and discomfort. If he feels that his body needs breath. he breathes.) 209 . I counsel the following: Having reached the breathless state. concentration on the changing of color. keeping Prana immobile in the upper part of the lungs. rotation of the fingers. diversifying from Chakra to Chakra.this happens without using the physical breath. with his awareness. plus moving the awareness from Chakra to Chakra perceiving the Omkar vibration. But first. a kriyaban puts his arms on the armrest. He will have here the assurance that he can go further holding his breath. He does not exhale. he may stop here for this first day. He expands the rib cage and keeps it expanded while completely forgetting the breath. At this point. without breathing. Then he relaxes the contraction of the muscles and prepares to move to the next Chakra. he applies the instructions of K2 to Muladhara. millimeter after millimeter. below the chest. and revealing that each center has its own vibration (its own "rhythm") -. K2 means closing the ears and contracting certain muscles. If he is not able to restore the breathless state.. Hong So Facing the issue of the Hong So technique. When the Higher Kriyas are added. My thought on the subject is that these techniques can be used with good effects. remaining faithful to the received teachings.mixing and the balancing Prana and Apana. of which you must be constantly aware of. must be endowed with the ability to maintain a high level of concentration. we agree that this is not a technique that gives you the ability of concentration. Literature explains that they oxygenate the blood and calm the system: actually they put into motion the essential mechanism of Kriya Pranayama -. and the Om technique is the ideal practice of K2 and Jyoti Mudra -. In my opinion. Those who have read my book and. Let us suppose therefore to put us under the ideal conditions: we have only ten minutes free. they are practiced after Kriya proper or after Jyoti Mudra. you shall be disappointed. In time. As for the Hong-so Mantra there's not much to say about it: it should not be taken as a "magical formula". set themselves the goal to achieve Kechari Mudra. 210 . in a matter of two three minutes we shall find ourselves 13 This techniques is also taught with So during inhalation and Hong during exhalation. Many eliminate entirely the preliminary techniques Hong So and Om.especially at night: a calm meditation where no limit of time is set. Now if we respect two fundamental principles. unless you already possess it! Whoever decides to practice it. Your mind will not be prone to being internalized and it won't surrender to the meditative state. some practice only one or both after Kriya proper. where there is no trace of hurry. or as mental Pranayama after Kriya proper. there comes a tendency to simplify. Hong So is excellent for a brief session. You discover that by practicing with So-Ham instead of Hong-So. at the place of the final concentration in Kutastha. start their routine with Talabya Kriya. If you relax your keen awareness of it and remain there like hypnotized by the pleasing sound of the two syllables Hong and So. we have made some deep breaths. 13 It must merge with your breath. the effect is same. It begins with some deep breaths which are very similar to Kriya Pranayama. Therefore we seldom talk about the Hong So and the Om techniques.Some Remarks on the Preliminary Techniques The routine recommended by the organizations that spread the teachings of PY is: •Recharging exercises •Hong So •Om technique •Maha Mudra •Kriya proper •Jyoti Mudra •Final concentration in the spine and in the Kutastha. If your breath follows this rhythm... one tries to feel this micro breath happening in each Chakra.not only by the rhythm. a student must always wait for the impulse to breathe to appear. only Hong So in each Chakra. After inhalation or after exhalation. the breathing process will continue implacably. a "virtuous circle" between this growing calmness and the reduced necessity of oxygen is realized.. Putting all this into practice. One short.. When there are the physiological conditions that a pause can exist. Being aware of the spine calms the breath enormously. The second principle is to be conscious of the movement of one's rib cage. then the problem is nearly cured. the chest swells out and gets into an elastic tension. can easily and naturally conform to a hard-to-change rhythm.. A student must be aware of this elastic strength: this guarantees that the pause after the inhalation can freely exist. During inhalation. When the student understands that almost always a rhythm was present in his practice. this procedure can give you the vision of the spiritual eye. then in the third .in a fantastic state.. The mental chant of this Mantra. you can observe the breath goes up the spine with Hoooong and comes down with Soooo. When the breath subsides and becomes so short that the procedure is on the verge of evaporating into nothing. until there is no more breath. and so on . After the practice of Kriya proper. no matter if it lasts just an instant! A student who abides by this principle. even if the body "could" stay off-breath for some instants. The 211 . The first principle sounds strange to many students: It is very important to not establish any rhythm in the mental chanting of Hong So. short breath. almost invisible breath happens in Muladhara and it is blended with the soothing chant of Hong So -. repeated over and over. it is clear as the sun that it will never settle down! Once the rhythm has stabilized itself. The same happens in the second Chakra.a peaceful vibration in a silent mind. It is a natural. up and down the spine . not the strong one of Kriya Pranayama. In this situation. it should be experienced. This elastic force tries to annihilate the pause between inhalation and exhalation. We have said that this practice can be used as mental Pranayama after Kriya proper. in a very drastic way. the pause of the breath after inhalation is jeopardized by the chest elasticity -. Om Technique It is auspicious that a kriyaban practices the Om technique remaining in the same state that we have described dealing with the advanced form of Jyoti Mudra. The fact is that I deal with persons who have practiced this technique for years and cannot doubt the correctness of their practice. will soon verify how this small detail is sufficient to ease the breath off. I am sure that many times the student doesn't understand the point. Sometimes I must take a significant amount of time to dwell upon the concept of rhythm. In other words. one is lost in them and finally meets the ecstatic state. Despite apparently fruitless attempts. after days or weeks. for some it happens when the body is distended to sleep and the consciousness enters the forgetfulness of the sleep state. It can happen only in a state of depth relaxation. This technique realizes fully the final three levels of the Yoga path described by Patanjali: Dharana. 212 . a remarkable experience of Kundalini awakening will very likely happen. By concentrating actively on the internal sounds. Dhyana and Samadhi.ideal is to practice it for at least 30 minutes. The impact of certain readings. a mystic is one who tries sincerely (adopting any form of mental and or bodily discipline) to surrender themselves to something which is the quintessence of supreme comfort. I was aghast at realizing that too many listeners came to my lessons in order to receive support and fuel for their illusions. with the concept of initiation (from the Greek μυστικός [mustikos]. there was also a practical introduction to elementary practices like Japa and Pranayama from classical Yoga. interests and way of behavior. They cleverly disguised improper attitudes. by its discouraging slowness in dissolving glaring deceptions and fallacies. inside them. I accepted the assignment for the subsequent years which. I appreciated those texts that were capable of presenting the essence of those religious movements which flourished freely around the great religions. widely recognized as demanding and elitist. had the effect of melting away some strong conditioning. It was not difficult to see the devastating theoretical inconsistencies of many esoteric movements. Even serious and reliable Kriya researchers were more or less in the same situation. The mystical path was considered from different points of view and. An incredible amount of magnificent terms. I was delighted to prepare the lessons by studying the best available essays and textbooks -. which would have once allured me..APPENDIX 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESEARCHERS [This theme will be expanded in the next edition of the book] While I was completing the book. I had many opportunities to reflect upon how common were those tendencies..unattainable by the acrobatics of a never satisfied mind. became five. the boundary line between the genuine mystical quest and the cultivation of magic ambitions lay. I proposed adding to our study some information about the most known esoteric movements. I 213 . Unfortunately. something which lays beyond the territories of the mind -. This was an unclouded period of my life: I was very gratified to have time and opportunity to pursue such studies. My teaching was that even if in some context the word mystic evokes a relationship with the mystery. filled me with nausea as if they were an obscenity brought forth by a monster. My purpose was to compare them with the New Age tendencies and show where. in all. Rather. I was more and more stricken by the weakness of the human mind. during the last two years. the interest of my students about this subject was almost nonexistent. I was invited by a local cultural institution to give lessons about the history of the mystical paths. the liveliness of certain biographic stories. After completing the first cycle of lessons. to conceal). its suggestibility and vulnerability when it deals with approaching the spiritual path. an initiate) into secret religious rituals (also this from the Greek μύω.I mean books written by academics who didn't belong (or were so smart as to hide their membership or affiliation) to any particular mystical school and manifested a detached attitude toward the whole matter. Once this period was over. They didn't seem to realize the relation it had with their own life. admitted innocently into my life through the door of meek adapting to the ideals of my first Kriya organization. I inevitably drifted into that most interesting field of studies: the human psyche. those for whom esoteric knowledge is all in all. but their basic idea is that the Divine resides outside our human state and that an individual can come closer to It only if they have gained some merit.talked sincerely with many spiritual researchers without any reprimand. of my habits. in time Kriya will disappear from their life. They are so admirable in their efforts but if during meditation.a path not polluted by the fantasies and deformations of the human mind. they. don't trust the sheer employment of a technique unless it is coupled with a toilsome effort of tormenting their psychological structure. To be lost in the core of the Kriya meditation is only a corollary of this pivotal work. they work very hard through self discipline and hard renunciations. Only in this way they think it is possible to uproot any deeply ingrained bad habit. Often they are keen on dreaming a life of pure meditation. The mystical experience happens when one is totally relaxed and at peace with oneself. fatal in certain cases. when they have worked hard. with magic and esoteric tendencies A.that a spiritual experience emerge when they are physically tired. while their free time becomes filled with trivial occupations. any progress on the spiritual path is really difficult. and the very roots of iniquity and egoism. Religious conditionings can be very strong. Religious Conditioning Some people pour into their path of Kriya Yoga a remarkable commitment. their Redemption. 214 . fatiguing at the extreme. Usually they belonged to one of the following four categories: with religious conditioning. They don't relax enough. I saw that very rarely they seemed to appreciate the concept of clean mystical path -. In the beginning of their path. in order to ameliorate myself?" They want to build brick by brick. block the experience. just as if it is a complex construction. What comes out by yielding to this plan? They discover that this sudden leap into a "new and happy condition" has put an halt to an irreplaceable chance to grow and it is not automatic that it becomes the best territory for deep meditations. The problem is that they feel they are totally unworthy of blissfully divine experience. Otherwise. They entertain the thought of limiting as much as possible the normal activities of the day to embrace a work of spiritual study. Only then something tremendously vast. Often the new situation is subtly corrupting a kriyaban with the vice of boredom and sloth. They are convinced that they have to carry on with formidable work on the psychological plane. instead of relaxing. Perhaps it is only my perception. being always on the alert. There may be only one way out -. breath seems to disappear. beyond the mind. sweated blood over doing their duty. They brood over one single worry: "What can I do in the domain of my mind. mentally disturbed people or psychically frail. With this attitude. but get nothing in return. rather with perhaps too much empathy. gaining also more time for meditation. manifests itself and overwhelms any sense of guilt and the dichotomy of worthy or unworthy. they hoped to obtain greater attention from them. there remains nothing. knowing in their heart they will be disappointed. pulse. I accepted to support people in their effort of utilizing Kriya as an alternative medicine. Trying clumsily to camouflage their skepticism by pretending a nonexistent spiritual interest. Perhaps the main miracle it will produce will be the joyful decision of dropping all the useless habits through which you have hurt your own being and jump courageously into a new life. cerebral waves) that can be influenced by meditation. above all the other achievements of the world. up to a point where. but it should become an integral part of your life. emphasizing the fact that their present suffering 215 . In almost all the cases I observed two negative tendencies: they push away from themselves any intelligent and sincere person that can help them and. are not able to get rid of the parasite people and negative situations. they seem to look at Kriya with suspicion . as by a miracle. I was perplexed because of their obsessive selfobservation but accepted with enthusiasm to work with them. then. In this they seemed to use always the same lethal scheme of behavior."does it really work"? But no human can ever touch the supreme Good of Kriya unless they place it. They have the tendency to squeeze people. will have no other result than a headache. Mentally disturbed or psychically frail Some mistake meditation for alternative medicine. to apply the mystical techniques of Kriya hoping to come out. led me to encourage a couple of persons suffering of. "Guaranteed"? What does that mean? Although there are physical states (breath. let us say.. We can rationally expound its principles but we cannot bring the whole entirety of it onto the table of a laboratory. I hope people will understand that it is not correct. the essence of Kriya can be neither measured nor granted. They exasperated and eliminated definitively those few persons who accepted to help them. They whined that they had followed the instructions to the letter and now they were in very bad conditions . The expectation that Kriya could work as a mental therapy began to take shape in me after reading a book where a physician described how he cured some cases of mental disturbances through Yoga. applying it. as Carlos Castaneda writes. they hurt themselves. a chronic unhappiness to venture on this enterprise. with unshakeable trust.. at the same time. and it leads nowhere. Therefore let Science be Science and let the mystical path be "another thing". only when I saw that they strove to master Kriya with a dedication which excited my admiration. of a depression. The reason some people place in vain their hopes in Kriya comes from the fact that some authors wasted their time in asserting that Kriya is a science with guaranteed results. extolling the evolutionary value of Kriya. Other books. Those who practice Pranayama within the negative state of an ill person who clings to it just like another unlikely alternative medicine. slowly but unrelentingly. They used to "wring" an accurate and detailed therapeutic counsel. Kriya cannot be a graft of a foreign organ. Trying to make their friends feel guilty for having given a wrong counsel. Kriya can work even if you are not a "religious" person. The result was almost null.B. It was impossible for me to consider the complete picture of their life. Knowledge is all in all Usually they place a great emphasis on ethics. who blamed the techniques for having caused their sufferings. He took an oath not to help them anymore in any way. the author's imagination dared to develop free from the relationship with reality and from the rules of logic. for a long time. he annihilated them with a merciless judgment. C. of whose hardness and inflexibility he would have.was due not to their chronic disease. He preferred to keep them at a distance. by studying such junk. but to this specific wrong counsel. 216 . They conceive the spiritual path as a philosophy which in itself has the power of redemption. to experience something beyond mind? I counseled him some good books from which he could draw benefit. The whole thing seemed to me pure fun -. After a great insistence. All ended when one day he started a polemic about the fact that aspiration toward mastering a meditation technique like Kriya Yoga 14 This pernicious mechanism might have exacerbated not only people but organizations as well. I'm not referring to intimate matters but to facts about which it is acceptable to discuss . He stated he had already read them. grounds for regret. forgetting any past habit of courtesy. but it was a lie. I sensed that in their life there was a region where they preserved and nourished a malefic mushroom from which they extracted the elixir of their suffering. seized with blind fury. I wonder if those Kriya organizations that have gradually turned away from a positive attitude toward all people and shifted toward a plethora of prohibitions and of what seems an absurd bureaucracy. While reading it. How could he think. they would grow darker and roughly break off the conversation. try to get you involved in endless discussions.for example to maintain a double life when it is not essential and it is extremely wearing… When I went straight to the point. They spend too much time reading spiritual books. They love to cultivate purely esoteric-occult knowledge. I accepted to read what for a friend was a masterpiece of esoteric literature.comparable to that of reading a fantasy novel. they lost him definitively. there were some "rooms" where they wouldn't let me enter. but they won't allow its radiance to clean the dusty cellar where they prefer to live. I had other grounds to feel uncomfortable. The book surprised me for the quantity of information it contained. Having seen the specter of ingratitude. As in the fable of Bluebeard. were forced to react in this way by the recriminations of ungrateful and mentally disturbed people like the ones we are considering here. You try to no purpose to make them realize that an endless wealth is waiting to manifest behind the screen of their mental revolutions. 14 Spending a lot of time with them. I will tell an anecdote. through an intoxication with words. I was amazed to see how. About their inability to get rid of negative people and situations. was the offspring of the unbridled imagination of the author. I entered an almost hypnotic state and didn't immediately realize that each chain of ideas therein contained was without support. There is no much to be said about them. Instead of binding that friend to them. during meditation. Magic esoteric tendencies Lastly.far more advanced than those known today . to assume the correct position of the backbone. didn't even try to get immobility in the final part of his routine. as well as the attitudes to be changed in order that his problem be astrally destroyed) but. completely reduced to shambles. As opposed to his sophism. formulas and initiatic symbols. For some time he tried to "improve" Kriya by incorporating various esoteric techniques." He used an enchanting terminology similar to that of the Kabbalah (mystical teaching within Judaism) and talked effortlessly about original Christianity also.) It was impossible to correct him. which constituted a short-cut to Self realization. I would (one hundred-fold times more!) prefer to listen to a funny guy shouting at me: "I leave Kriya to idiots like you: I like to eat. but was not so naïve as it seemed. by few privileged beings. To my surprise. a common friend told me that our "philosopher" had self imposed an Indian name and was teaching Yoga. finally concluded: "Today's students would not know how to appreciate them and. then after a pause and with a sigh. He argued how it was possible to practice it without using not even an ounce of will power. (For instance. haunted a church where he pretended a genuine devotion while asking a "particular" benediction as a bland form of exorcism. known only to a few elects. who created the impression of being a dreamer. I recall a friend of mine who was adamant in practicing Kriya making glaring mistakes. He was convinced that only by using certain rituals. showed a dialectical gift that made me feel like an idiot. even those described in the rituals of ceremonial magic. He met a self-named expert in occult matters who purported to know the secrets of an almost extinct esoteric path and. whose texts (canonical 217 . "Now that humanity is different from before. He behaved toward me in a very cordial way but. such teachings are not revealed to just anyone" he started off. was at risk of being swept away. he didn't stop dreaming that in the esoteric field there were secret techniques. in particular. he neglected the normal rules of health. a spiritual technique . they could be dangerous. was it possible to complete the evolutionary jump conducive to liberation. after about five years from our last meeting. in their hands. to drink and to enjoy life!". He intuitively understood the difference between the mystical and magical dimensions. there were those to whom Kriya was just another esoteric school which sometimes encroaches on magic territory. nevertheless. I respected his choice and immediately ended the farce. He had a following of ladies who where enthralled by his spiritual talks. easily bewitched him. at the same time. He sought total harmony with life. essential to his living. at the same time utilizing any means to develop his hidden psychic potential. I saw the case was beyond cure. refused. when it dealt with defending his choices. He went on paying attention to the revelations coming from a healer (. I began to laugh and I was not able collapsing into giggles for the rest of the day.meant cultivating desire and this was against Buddhist principles. He got into a situation in which his economic base. D.which was practiced centuries or millennia ago.a channeler -) (to whom he went in order that the spirits reveal to him the karmic reason of an illness. The pseudo expert. My thought was fixed on a sentence of Sri Sri Aurobindo which I repeated as if hypnotized: Enough. The donation he offered during the initiation . I don't need a recharge of motivation by turning back to old readings: it is the radiance of my memory that saves me each time. After having expressed some reservations. As soon as the new technique was acquired and tested with indescribable emotion. implacable logic. After reading it. let's turn on the suns that are never off! I had a thought. convinced that the meeting with the expert had been decided in the higher spheres. I felt the need to walk in the open air and practice Japa. so he would not to guess their origin. in effect. completely satisfied." 218 . he witnessed the rekindling of his passion and the comedy repeated. lived the best moment of his life. a poor victim quivering with emotion. My friend. I could not practice my Mantra but a couple of times. Confiding that he was willing to accept whatever toll and deprivation. he actually fell into the trap.and apocryphal) he was able to interpret in a non-conventional way. murmuring: "Only for you.) While my friend. my friend spent two days in sheer fervor. I would stand fast anyway. After having received his "drug". This illusion is.. luminous and warm and fancied to tell it to him: "Even if all my friends.was conspicuous. The donation would enable the teacher to carry on the good works. would leave Kriya. consenting to whatever behest . not because I hope one day obtaining some particular result from it. since in that way he would confirm the great value attributed to that event. was preparing to receive such an incomparable gift (our occult expert underlined with emphasis that it was a gift and that nothing could adequately compensate the benedictions that such an initiation would bring to his life) the teacher distractedly decided what kind of trash-stuff he was going to demonstrate with glaring solemnity. During the jubilant season of his training. but because Kriya has already given me something incomparable. My feeling of alienation seemed to stretch out as far as the horizon and touch the rim of the sky. I cannot predict if. he will realize that the techniques for which he paid a fortune had been taken from some books and altered.. every day. indomitable. imprisoned in his chimera.provided that this extraordinary secret will be revealed to him. one day. Later. It was an essay on the basic theories which supported his practice. only because I feel I am guided to make an exception".united to the promise of keeping absolute secrecy . gasping in order to find "myself" again. obviously! (Such teachers affirm invariably that they give the donations to a certain monk— interestingly not a priest— who supports an orphanage. My friend tried to captivate the teacher in order to receive more information. our smart teacher at long last capitulated. enough I've had of the mind and all its phony stars. I received a very long letter from him. all the people I know. He heard about other incomparable valuable "revelations". it was written with a lapidary. he continued his inexorable run toward the abyss. Sushumna Awakening is sustained. it is responsible for all the bodily functions (elimination for example) that take place there. The basic definition is to repeatedly contract the muscles at the base of the spine (sphincter) with the rhythm of about two contractions per second. The three Bandhas. "Aswini Mudra" means "Mudra of the female horse" because the anal contraction resembles the movement a horse makes with its sphincter immediately after evacuation of the bowels. Alchemy [taoist internal -.GLOSSARY This glossary has been added for those who already know the meaning of the most common terms used in Kriya but do not wish to retain uncertainties about the way they are utilized in this book. reaches the Bindu. a yogi has only an approximate understanding of the Bandhas.Nei Dan] The Taoist Internal Alchemy is the mystical tradition of ancient China. Aswini (Ashwini) Mudra "Ashwa" means "horse". the yogi's posture must be steady and pleasant. the perfect position is undoubtedly Padmasana [see]. This Mudra is a direct way of getting in touch with the locked and stagnant energy at the base of the spine and to pump it up. during exhalation. with slight adaptations. in its initial phase. create an almost ecstatic inner shiver. When we inhale. They are energy valves as much as they are locks. The most part of the kriyabans are comfortable with the so-called Half-lotus [see]: this. [See Jalandhara Bandha. later one will come to a complete command and will be able to use them. Asana Physical postures fit for meditation. There may be slightly different definitions of it and. scattered in the body. who have become very flexible. not simple muscle contractions. Bandha In Yoga no practice of Pranayama is considered complete without the Bandhas. indeed. is essentially the movement of Prana (the particular form of energy present in the upper part of the trunk – lungs and heart) into Apana and the movement of Apana into Prana. Until the energy. Apana Apana is one of the five forms of energy in the body. Siddhasana [see] is considered superior to any other Asana. For the average kriyaban. it is confused with Mula Bandha [see]. It reminds us of the techniques of First Kriya with such precision that we have all the reasons to assume that it consists of the same process. Bindu A spiritual center located in the occipital region where the hairline twists into a kind of vortex. applied simultaneously. in most of the Kriya techniques. sometimes. According to Patanjali. The continuous repetition of this event generates an increase of heat in the navel region: this calms the breath and kindles the light of the Spiritual Eye. a feeling of energy current moving up the spine. Bringing all one's force 219 . which prevent the energy from being dissipated and redirect it inside the spine. Associated with the lower abdominal region. a sort of shroud prevents the yogi from contemplating the Spiritual Eye. Kriya Pranayama. Uddiyana Bandha and Mula Bandha] In the very beginning of the Kriya path. If we take finally into account those kriyabans who are expert of Hatha-Yoga. the Apana moves from its seat up and mingles with Prana. avoids some physical problems. the energy from outside the body is brought within and meets Apana in the lower abdomen. Chakra The word Chakra comes from the Sanskrit cakra meaning "wheel" or "circle". is not an easy task because the deeper roots of the Ego are to be found right there. Located over the anus at the very base of the spinal column.) The breath becomes so calm that the practitioner has the factual perception that one is not breathing at all. we encounter the root Chakra . It has nothing to do with holding the breath forcefully. According to the Kriya theory. in that tiny place. its action may be perceived as a feeling of living a fable. sustaining its life from inside. in a book entitled The Serpent Power. These concepts had been further polluted by theosophy and similar esoteric literature. almost impossible to be utilized. Breathless state It is experienced after years of Kriya practice. to the lowest part of the pelvis. a deep stimulus of it produces deep involving dreams. we are centered and have a strong will to live. In any Yoga book we find descriptions which rest on a translation of two Indian texts. with the subsequent dissolution of the mind. whose essence gradually has expanded in more and more gross levels of manifestation. whose 220 . this state is the result of having completed the work of cutting of the heart knot. Bhrumadhya The region between the eyebrows. We human beings consider only the physical world as real: it is only when our Kundalini awakens that we regain the full memory of the reality of the subtle dimension of the Universe. W. Leadbeater book "The Chakras. The descended energyconsciousness lies coiled and sleeping at the base of the spine and is called Kundalini she who is coiled. they must be faced and eradicated. in the lower part of the coccyx. It is difficult to describe them: we cannot bring them onto a table in a laboratory." is in large part the result of the mental elaboration of his own experiences. the Muladhara. we can have an experience of the Chakras. Muladhara symbolizes the objective consciousness. to the desire for material goods and also the building of a good self-image.there. irradiating especially the Gonads (testes in men. by Sir John Woodroffe. ovaries in women).named Muladhara in Sanskrit. If this Chakra is in a harmonious state. Since it is related to base emotion. It is related to instinct. It is the state where the breath is entirely non-existent. one feels a fresh energy in the body. a center which distributes energy to the legs. It is said that its energetic projection is the area of the sexual organs . the awareness of the physical universe. security. When it manifests. reaching eventually the dimension of the base Chakra. alias Arthur Avalon. embodying the physical world. The matter depicted there seems to be unnaturally complicated. creativity. and to the deepest part of the subconscious realms. No author has ever "proven" the existence of the Chakras – as no man has ever proven the existence of the soul. to our ability to ground ourselves in the physical world.is placed inside the spine between the last lumbar vertebrae and the beginning of the sacrum. the Sat-Cakra-Nirupana. a kriyaban does not feel the need to take in any breath at all or one takes in a very short breath but doesn't feel the need to exhale for a very long time. The Chakras are the "wheels" of our spiritual life. The controversial C. (Longer than the time which medical science considers possible. The second. linked with Ajna Chakra and with the vision of the third eye (Kutastha). without the necessity of oxygen. It does not simply mean that the breath becomes more and more quiet. and the Padaka-Pancaka. sexuality vitality. or sacral Chakra .Swadhisthan . they are described in the tantric texts as emanations from the Spirit.in part it intersects the region of Muladhara's influence. Through the practice of Kriya. Vishuddha . It is said that it fosters a sense of personal power. 221 . the pineal gland.influences the pituitary gland [hypophysis] and the small brain. compassion. This connection gives fuel to the idea that this Chakra has the same role played by those glands: higher emotion and energy . What is of great interest for us.heart center. Since it controls the activity of the vocal cords as well. it is said that it has something to do with the capacity to express our ideas in the world. It seems to be related with the capacity for communication and with taking personal responsibility for our actions. which is part of the immune system. Many authors state it awakens artistic inspiration. In Sanskrit.is said to influence thyroid and parathyroid. Teachings pertaining to the "Frontal Chakras" are to be found by some kriyabans coming from Sri Yukteswar's disciple lineage. love and intuitiveness. Grounded and comfortable with our place in the universe.crown Chakra . even the strangers we meet on the street. in the sense that together with the hypothalamus it acts as a command system of all other endocrine glands. It is possible to "tune" into it by utilizing the Bindu as a doorway. When a person concentrates on it. It is a superior reality and we can experience it only in the state of breathlessness. The core of the Kriya teaching regarding them. One is able to love everyone. Consequently. The perineum is the first one. exactly amid the last cervical vertebrae and the first dorsal vertebrae .is said to influence the thymus. The person with a healthy throat Chakra no longer thinks to blame others for his or her problems and can carry on with life with full responsibility. secure feeling of "I Am. it is said that Ajna Chakra has a vital role in the spiritual awakening of a person. Ajna . located in the spine at the height of the middle part of the dorsal vertebrae .navel center or solar plexus . is that when these points are touched with concentration. The Anahata .right above the top of the head. The hypophysis has a vital role in organism. The supreme Chakra is the Sahasrara . There is a progression from the instinctual "gut emotions" of the lower Chakras to the higher emotions and feelings of the heart Chakra. A healthy and fully open heart Chakra means to be able to see the inner beauty in others—in spite of their apparent faults. The Manipura . or is bound with.is placed in the spine at the level of the navel. the genitals region is the second one. It allows detachment from illusion and is related to one's overall expansion of awareness and degree of attunement with the Divine Reality.just like the role played by adrenalin." which means it has the command or control of our lives: through controlled action. the energy around the correspondent Chakra in the spine is revived.". it brings to reality the fruit of our desires.the third eye Chakra. the ability to develop superior aesthetic perception. the navel is the third. feelings of profound tenderness and compassion will start to develop. It is said that it influences. is that opening this center means to see life in a more neutral manner and see what others cannot see.throat center. the Adam's apple is the fifth and the point between the eyebrows may be considered as the sixth.nature is sweet and alluring. "Ajna" translates to "command. by churches and by organizations in general. near the end of the dorsal vertebrae and the beginning of the lumbar vertabrae. located in the central part of the brain . It ends the predisposition to being influenced by other people. It is the seat of the intuition. we are able to affirm with determination the purpose of our life. the central part of the sternum region is the fourth. There is a universal agreement that it is related to higher emotion. It is said to influence the pancreas and the adrenal glands on top of the kidneys. Lahiri Mahasaya describes it: "as if someone blew through a keyhole". This happens just after having calmed the breath. Dharana is the concentration on a physical or abstract object. Kriya organizations don't insist upon the concept of Shaktipat but accept all the rest. during initiation (Diksha) Gurus bestow the esoteric knowledge upon their disciples. in which the Guru is seen as the dispeller of darkness: "Gu" stands for darkness and "Ru" for one who removes it. Many kriyabans are confident they are able to transform the no-matter-how-received instruction into "gold". In Kriya. increases mental calmness and transparency and helps to prolong effortlessly the practice of Kriya Pranayama. according to them "Gu" stands for "beyond the qualities" and "Ru" for "devoid of form". a guide and much more. sincere. then the quality of that sound increases. In Kriya. the awareness. During this event. We are accustomed to explaining the term "Guru" on a metaphorical interplay between darkness and light. a slight hiss is produced in the throat. and movement sensation. The scriptures declare that the Guru is God and God is the Guru. through which they will progress along the path to Self realization. Granthi [see knot] Guru The importance of finding a Guru (teacher) who supervises the spiritual training of the disciple is one of the tenets of many spiritual paths. rather they are founded upon the afore summarized tenets. the Kriya practice will be able to produce. The internal phenomenon of Shaktipat happens: the dormant spiritual realization within the disciple is awakened. On the contrary. let me roll my sleeves up and move on!" Half-lotus This asana has been used for meditation since time immemorial because it 222 . Lahiri Mahasaya's ideas seem to go in a significantly different direction. In order to gain all the benefits from the contact with the Guru. It has been likened to the "flute of Krishna". In this matter we can use either faith or reason. Some scholars dismiss that etymology. This highly enjoyable sound cuts to pieces any distraction. Once he said: "I am not the Guru. pure in body and mind and ready to surrender to his Guru's will and instructions. in due time. Usually. whose vibration will be so strong as to overwhelm the flute sound. light. but as the personification of all the wisdom and spiritual realization which. I don't maintain a barrier between the true Guru (the Divine) and the disciple".Dharana According to Patanjali. A Guru is a teacher. Dhyana ensues from contemplating the essential nature of the chosen object as a steady. a strong movement of energy climbs up the spine. a disciple has to be humble. is soon lost in Samadhi. uninterrupted flow of consciousness. Dhyana According to Patanjali. Dharana consist in directing the focus of our attention toward the revelation of Spirit: Omkar's inner sound. it gives rise to the Om sound. In other words. They think: "Beyond either reasonable or improbable expectations of finding a Kriya expert at my disposal. Now the question is: do the Kriya techniques work outside the Guru-disciple relationship? There is of course no scientifically proven answer. In other words. One day the flute sound turns into the Om sound. dwelling upon the Omkar reality. He added that he wanted to be considered a "mirror". Flute sound (during Kriya Pranayama) During the exhalation of Kriya Pranayama. when a kriyaban succeeds in assuming the position of Kechari Mudra. each kriyaban should look at him not as an unreachable ideal. while practicing contemplation and self-discipline: they had no doubts about the fact that knowledge of God could be obtained only by purity of soul and prayer and not by study or mental amusements in the field of philosophy. Gregory Palamas. have mercy on me. a sinner"). It was already used by the early Church Fathers in the 4th and 5th centuries) with the practice of asceticism. sitting position. tranquility and stillness. The right leg is bent at the knee and the right foot is placed over the fold of the left leg where the thigh meets to hip. was scandalized and began to combat it both orally and in his writings. who developed the quietist theory which such detail that he may be called the father of this movement. Son of God. Barlaam propounded a more intellectual approach to the knowledge of God than the one taught by the hesychasts: he asserted that the spiritual knowledge could be only a work of inquiry. the position is prolonged by reversing the legs. There were hermits dwelling in the desert. thick enough. seeking inner peace and spiritual insight. was intended to perceive the Uncreated Light of God. His energies or operations can be known both in this life and in the next. There he encountered the hesychasts and heard the descriptions of their practices. The objection was mainly based on a vigorous denial of the possibility that this Uncreated Light was God's essence. Hesychasm attracted the attention of a learned member of the Orthodox Church. which involved specific body postures and deliberate breathing patterns. between the energies or operations of God and the essence of God: while the essence of God can never be known by his creatures. a Calabrian monk who held the office of abbot in a Monastery of Constantinople and who visited Mount Athos. very easily obtained. In this way. brought ahead by one's mind and translated in discrimination between truth and untruth. He held that no part of God. The left leg is bent at the knee. Barlaam of Seminara. Barlaam. Hesychasm The word Hesychasm derives from the Greek word "hesychia" meaning inner quietness. their method of asceticism came to the fore as a concrete set of psychophysical techniques: this is properly the core of Hesychasm. The secret is to maintain an erect spine: this can be obtained only by sitting on a cushion. "the new theologian" (1025-1092). The right knee is dropped as far as possible toward the floor. Outside this condition. brought toward the body and the sole of the left foot is made to rest against the inside of the right thigh. meditation is not possible. The practice. He was well educated in Greek philosophy and defended Hesychasm in the 1340 at three different synods in Constantinople. The hands rest on the knees. while the knees are resting on the floor. In certain delicate situations. The practice of the hesychasts was defended by St. trained in Western Scholastic theology. one leg at a time can be lowered and the knee articulation relaxed! Some Yoga teachers explain that the pressure of a tennis ball (or of a folded towel) on the perineum can give the benefits of the Siddhasana position.people having their souls in their navels (owing to the long time they spent concentrating on the navel region). When the legs grow tired. and he also wrote a number of works in its defense. provided it has no arms and is large enough. with the buttocks toward the front half of the cushion. it may be providential to do it on a chair. they convey to the Hesychast the truest spiritual 223 . The monks of Athos might have kept on contemplating peacefully this Uncreated Light (they considered it to be the highest goal of earthy life) had not their methods been denounced as superstitious and absurd. In this way the buttocks are slightly raised. already articulated in the 4th Century in the works of the Cappadocian Fathers. could be viewed by humans.provides a comfortable. He used a distinction. It was Simeon. It is a discipline integrating the continual repetition of the Jesus Prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ. He called the hesychasts "omphalopsychoi" . The heel of the left foot should is drawn in as far as possible. In approximately the year 1337. whatsoever. Later. In 1341 the dispute was settled: Barlaam was condemned and returned to Calabria. Kechari turns this pernicious way of exhausting all of our vitality into its opposite. Kevala Kumbhaka [see Breathless state] Knot The traditional definition of the Granthis identifies three knots: the Brahma Granthi at the Muladhara Chakra. Japa [See prayer] Kechari Mudra This Mudra is carried in one of the two following ways: 1. Today Mount Athos is the well-known center of the practice of Hesychasm. Kechari is literally translated as "the state of those who fly in the sky". A more elusive claim is the experience of the elixir of life. Ida [see Nadi] Jalandhara Bandha In Jalandhara Bandha the neck and the throat are slightly contracted. it is the uncreated energy of God which illuminates the Hesychast who has been vouchsafed an experience of the Uncreated Light. Instead of allowing the thoughts to jump like frogs here and there. it causes the mind to be quiet and allows focusing it on the goal of meditation. afterwards becoming bishop in the Roman Catholic Church." This is a fluid with sweet taste perceived by the kriyaban when the tip of his tongue touches either the uvula or the bone protrusion in the roof of the palate under the hypophysis. By placing the tongue in contact with the uvula at the back of the soft palate. the nasal septum. Later. Those are the places where Ida. while the chin is pressed against the breast. By slipping the tongue into the nasal pharynx touching. energy radiates through its tip and when it touches that bone protrusion. there can be no distinction between the energies and the essence of God. We do not realize the quantity of energy we squander away when we get lost in our thoughts. The mind begins to lose its despotic role: the "inner activity" happens no more by the thinking process but by the effortless development of the intuition. but only in the next life. The world of names and forms creates restlessness and 224 . Up to this day.knowledge of God. 2. "Amrita. since it obstructs the Kundalini's path as she begins to move toward the higher centers." the "Nectar. The Yoga tradition explains that there is a Nadi going through the center of the tongue. Kechari is compared to an electrical bypass of the mind's energetic system. Pingala and Sushumna Nadi meet. in the "inner space". this radiation reaches and stimulates the Ajna Chakra in the center of the brain. Coupled with Kriya it is a substantial aid in clarify one's complicated psychological structures. It changes the path of Prana flow causing the life force to be withdrawn from the thinking process. in our plans. It is related to our physical body: it preserves the ignorance of our infinite nature and is the first obstacle in the spiritual search. the Vishnu Granthi at the heart Chakra and the point between the eyebrows. Brahma Granthi (located in Muladhara) is the first knot. According to Lahiri Mahasaya a kriyaban should achieve it not by cutting the tongue Fraenulum but by means of Talabya Kriya [see]. the Roman Catholic Church has never fully accepted Hesychasm: the essence of God can be known. In Palamite theology. Hesychast doctrine was established as the doctrine of the Orthodox Church. if possible. " "Kriya Yoga is a technique that activates the astral cerebrospinal centers." "Kriya Yoga brings about the stilling of sensory input. Knot of Brahma (Muladhara) & knot of Rudra (point between the eyebrows) As we can see. Patanjali refers once to Kriya Yoga: "Kriya consists of body discipline. Knot of the tongue II. heart and navel. Lord Vishnu is the lord of preservation. we are led astray. Although he states that by constantly remembering the inner sound of Om we can achieve the 225 . The knot of the tongue." I don't want to contest them. institutions. Until one unties this knot. This knot creates the desire to preserve ancient knowledge. cuts us off from the reservoir of energy in the Sahasrara region. the time bound consciousness dissolves . Ambitions and desires trap the mind. At a point between the eyebrows." [Yoga sutras II:1] This is definitely correct. "Kriya Yoga is the science of controlling life energy [Prana]. after piercing the Rudra knot. Actually. you come up instantaneously.] It has been explained that there is a strong connection between Brahma and Rudra knots. as soon as you cross the door of Sushumna (in Muladhara). The knot of the navel originates from the trauma of cutting the umbilical cord. Vishnu Granthi is located in the area of the heart Chakra (Anahata). in the following order: I. Kriya Yoga If we want to understand the essence of Kriya Yoga it is necessary to put aside some definitions found on the web. unimpeded. having already unfastened the knots of tongue. one cannot meditate effectively.prevents the mind from becoming one pointed. to the "door of the infinite" in the point between your eyebrows. Rudra Granthi is related to the causal body and to the world of ideas. visions. [see chapter 7 for further discussion. Discriminating knowledge combined with Yoga effort can unfasten the Knot of Vishnu and obtain deliverance from the traditional bonds. deeply rooted in our genetic code. the Ida and Pingala Nadis cross over and then come down in the left and right nostrils. mental control. Lahiri Mahasaya underlines the importance of overcoming two other obstacles: tongue and navel which are unfastened by Kechari Mudra and by Navi Kriya. a keen desire to help suffering humanity. and religious orders. respectively. but I think that Kriya is broader than what is implied.the yogi establishes himself in the supreme Atman whose seat is Sahasrara Chakra." "Kriya Yoga hastens the practitioner's spiritual development and helps to bring about a profound state of tranquility and God-communion. two secondary knots (tongue and navel) have become of primary importance and two main knots (Brahma and Rudra) are considered a two-phased event that characterizes the fourth and last stage of Kriya. traditions. and is related to the astral body and to the world of emotions. in Lahiri Mahasaya's vision. but by following the further evolution of his thought. Perfect emancipation is achieved. Knot of Vishnu (heart Chakra) III. The four phases of Kriya Yoga are experienced by unfastening all the afore mentioned knots. There are definitions which say nothing: they make a misleading synthesis of its methods and list its effects in the same way one would describe Hatha Yoga or Raja Yoga practice. and meditating on Iswara. Knot of the navel IV. It produces "compassion". and intuitions. Ida and Pingala are time bound. respectively. In the Kriya praxis. contains also – in a broader sense . happens in different Kriya techniques. is present in some variations of Navi Kriya and in all those procedures involving a series of very long and calm exhalations which seem to end in a sweet nothing. It consists of control of breath [Kriya Pranayama]. In Pranayama the inhalation is called Puraka. Kriya Yoga is a "mystic path" utilizing the best tools used by the mystics of all religions. Usually this kind of Kumbhaka is accompanied by the use of the Bandhas. II. Maha Mudra and Thokar. "Antar (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka" (the development and climax of II. so in Kumbhaka the breath and the Prana is held in the body. holding thus. We breathe out deeply and hold the breath for a few seconds. is holding the breath after a deep inhalation. the kriyaban perceives a radiation of fresh energy sustaining each cell from inside. The soothing process of calming the breath. This is known as "Bahir Kumbhaka" (External Kumbhaka). Mantra] and pure effort of attuning with the Omkar Reality. Internal Kumbhaka II. I.: alternating breathing. guides the bodily energy into the heart Chakra. The second. and not even the slightest desire to breathe. A turning point in Kriya is the achievement of IV. We are not deliberately doing Pranayama. with its balancing action on the right and on the left side of the spine.) 226 . When the physical breath is totally transcended and a circulation of energy happens in the body – the breath is said to have become "Internal" – a feeling of infinite safety. It is like having crossed a barrier and moved into a measureless space: Kriya yoga is a miracle of beauty. but our breath is suspended of its own accord. then the breathless state settles in. particularly in Yoni Mudra. which literally means "the act of filling". Retention of breath is called Kumbhaka. the underlying principle of I. the peak of Pranayama. "Bahir (external) Kevala Kumbhaka" (the development and climax of I. He is far from describing the same spiritual discipline taught by Lahiri Mahasaya. Maha Mudra. Kumbhaka Kumbhaka means holding the breath. Kumbha is a pot: just as a water pot holds water when it is filled with it. followed by the Thokar procedure. It is called Kevala Kumbhaka or automatic suspension of breath: it is the breathless state where there is no inhalation or exhalation. the unceasing reflex originating the breath. the exhalation is called Rechaka.removal of all the obstacles that block our spiritual evolution. It is observed that when we are about to do something which requires our total attention. When a perfect stillness is established. our breath is automatically held. In the classic Yoga literature there are described four types of Kumbhaka.the principles of III. then holding the breath and then exhaling through the right… It is considered the easiest form of Kumbhaka. The fourth type is the most important of all. Kevala Kumbhaka. as in a grip of calmness. this demonstrates how natural this fact is. It is such an important phase in Pranayama that some Yoga teachers doubt whether a modified way of breathing which does not include any Kumbhaka can be called Pranayama at all. III. prayer [Japa. solidity and reliance originates. In Kriya we distinguish between "Bahir" (external) and "Antar" (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka. The third type is that practiced by alternate breathing . meaning "holding".) appears during mental Pranayama (or during any procedure linked with the Third Kriya) after having relaxed and thus emptied the rib cage. " Antar Kumbhaka" (Internal Kumbhaka). meaning "the act of emptying".breathing in deeply through the left nostril. when all the inner and outer movements cease. IV. he does not develop this method. without problems. then other lights. there is an evident resistance in trusting the reports of Kundalini awakening accompanied by troubles such as patently disturbed breathing patterns. It is only through repeatedly raising of the Kundalini. Kutastha Kutastha. Its movement is like having a ''volcano erupting'' inside. In the Kriya theoretical framework we consider Kundalini to be the same energy that exists throughout the body and not specifically residing in the Muladhara Chakra. Kundalini is Sanskrit for "coiled": it is conceived as a particular energy coiled like a serpent in the root Chakra (Muladhara). with the rib cage moderately full of air-Prana. without ever establishing a minimal foundation of mental silence. We seldom use the term "Kundalini awakening" and try to avoid what could give the impression that such an experience has an alien nature: Kundalini is our own energy. Maha Mudra and Thokar (or during any procedure linked with the Fourth Kriya) after having completed a long inhalation. which is located at the root Chakra. the place in our body where the spiritual Light manifests. it bestows infinite bliss. The representation of being coiled like a spring conveys the idea of untapped potential energy. then a small crepuscular light. Each book warns against the risk of a premature awakening of Kundalini and asserts that the body must be prepared for the event. of its awakening. Therefore both affirmations are one and the same. It is depicted as rising from the Muladhara up through the Sushumna. eventually we have the experience of a golden ring surrounding a dark stain with a blazing tiny white point inside. mystical illumination etc. that the yogi succeeds in obtaining Self realization. it is the purest layer of our consciousness. Its rising is not a mild sense of energy flowing inside the spine. In a ''true awakening. Insomnia. particularly. Alas. the "third eye" or "spiritual eye" is the organ of inner vision (the unified astral counterpart of the two physical eyes). Kundalini The concept of Kundalini and. There is a connection between Kutastha and Muladhara: what we are observing in the space between the eyebrows is nothing but the opening of the spinal door. Most of the spiritual traditions have some awareness of Kundalini. activating each Chakra. Almost any yogi thinks he or she is capable of sustaining this premature awakening and the warning excites them more than ever: the problem is that many do not have (or have lost) a genuine spiritual approach and nourish a fairly egotistical condition. hypersensitivity to environment may indeed follow the authentic experience. It sleeps in our body and underneath the layers of our consciousness. By concentrating between the eyebrows. brought to open manifestation by thoughtless practice of violent exercises or drugs is the cause of those phenomena. unusual or extreme strengthening of emotions… We are rather inclined to think that a dormant malady. the search for a repetition of the episode may lead to disorderly and careless practice of strange techniques.appears during the highest refining of Yoni Mudra. a ''rocket missile'' shot through the spine! Its nature is beneficial. waiting to be aroused either by spiritual discipline or by other means like particular experiences of life. when it arrives at the crown Chakra (Sahasrara).'' the force of Kundalini eclipses the ego altogether and the individual feels disoriented for some time. others identify it with the condition in which the energy is perfectly calm at the base of the spine. 227 . Some Kriya teachers affirm that the condition for entering the last and the highest Kriya stage is that the vision of the spiritual eye has become constant. All is absorbed in a short time. not all are equally open in exposing the practical details of the process. distortion of thought processes. provides a framework which is convenient for expressing what is happening along the spiritual path. a formless darkness is first perceived. just to give an example—to plug both the ears. It is recommended to repeat mentally. especially the blood pumping. Awareness of inner sound must happen. the breath becomes so calm that the practitioner has the absolute perception they are not breathing at all. while over time gently easing the mind into relaxed concentration. The importance of this technique becomes clear as soon as we observe how it incorporates the three main Bandhas of Hatha Yoga. Lahiri Mahasaya describes it as "produced by a lot of people who keep on striking the disk of 228 . It is a highly enjoyable form of meditation. unremittingly. the flute. Surat-Shabda-Yoga is another name for Nada Yoga. You may use a particular position of the body— a squatting position with the elbows resting on the knees. gradually uniting with Prana at the navel. There are different levels of development in the experience of inner sounds: you will hear a bumblebee. one does not simply tighten the sphincter muscles. Nada Yoga is an experiential meditation. There are indeed a thousand and one reasons to practice Maha Mudra with firmness.) By contracting this muscle group. It is into this deeper realm that. the clapping of thunder or a hum like an electrical transformer. Mula Bandha In Mula Bandha the perinea muscles . rather than the audible sounds from outside. It has its basis in the fact that one who follows the mystical path infallibly meets this manifestation of Spirit . This action is marked by the end of all the physical movements. The sound is perceived in different variations. Some of these sounds are actually just the sounds of your body. Other sounds are actually the "sounds behind the audible sound".between the anus and the genital organs . your favorite Mantra. the drum.are slightly contracted while a mental pressure is exerted on the lower part of the spine. Mula Bandha has thus the effect of causing Prana to flow into Sushumna channel. After some weeks of dedicated practice you will tune in with a sound deeper than all the above-quoted astral sounds.whatever may be their preparation and their convictions. by a perfect physical and mental stillness. in Mula Bandha the perineum seems to fold upward as the pelvic diaphragm is drawn upward through the motion of the pubic bone. rather than along Ida and Pingala. Nada Yoga Nada Yoga is the path of union with the Divine through listening to inner sounds. your awareness is drawn. the current of Apana which normally gravitates downward is pulled upwards. Remaining quietly seated. the lute. sooner or later. anyone can be involved in this even without having fully understood it. Mahasamadhi [see Second Kriya] Mantra [See prayer] Mental Pranayama In mental Pranayama a kriyaban controls the energy in his body by forgetting the breathing process and focusing only upon Prana in the Chakras and in the body. This is the cosmic sound of Om. you simply focus all your attention on subtle sounds that come from within. the harp. (Differently from Aswini Mudra. your listening skills will improve and you will become more sensitive. His awareness dwells on both the inner and the external component of each Chakra until he feels a radiation of fresh energy vitalizing each part of the body and sustaining it from inside. At times.Maha Mudra Maha Mudra is a particular stretching position of the body. There is a ratio between the number of its repetitions and the number of the breaths: it is recommended that for each 12 Kriya Pranayama. one should perform one Maha Mudra. Navi Kriya The essence of this technique is to dissolve inhalation and exhalation at the state of equilibrium in the navel. the developments of the Depth Psychology. and Pingala (of masculine nature) which flows parallel to Ida on the right side. has become common heritage. The term "Omkar" or "Omkar Kriya" is also utilized to indicate any procedure fostering the Omkar experience -. human thought has made a strong step forward in a healthy direction. There are many grounds to believe that. the Divine Reality sustaining the universe. The most important are Ida. Some schools which do not specifically teach it provide some substitutes for it. The New Age thought deserves a deep respect for many reasons. the seat of the Samana current. there is no need to dwell on the affirmation.. Padmasana In this asana the right foot is placed on the left thigh and the left foot on 229 . psyche and spiritual dimension of human beings. irrelevant for our understanding. Since distinguished men of science have contributed to the New Age sensibility.. It is continuous "as the oil that flows out of a container". Nadi Subtle channels through which life energy flows throughout the body. whose nature is vibration with specific aspects of sound. in the expansion of the awareness out of the narrow fences of the small ego tied up obsessively to the maintenance of its petty conveniences. light and inner movement. rather than to a depth progress in the understanding. it may include the practice of Thokar.it may be a variation of Kriya Pranayama utilizing the Mantra Om Na Mo Bha. had already recognized this truth. some kriyabans make it a regular part of their routine. according to which such a progress coincided with the entry of the solar system in the sign of Aquarius . New Age The New Age sensibility is marked by the perception of something "planetary" at work. such an epoch will be studied with the same respect with which nowadays Humanism. Yet. overcoming for a long time the differences of culture and religious vision. During the twentieth century. If I hint at some "frenzies" I refer to the excessive use of alternative remedies for any type of real or imaginary troubles and to even more dangerous theories borrowed with a lot of superficiality from various esoteric currents. in the future. Nirbikalpa Samadhi [see Paravastha] Omkar Omkar is Om. all converged toward one and the same understanding: the substantial interdependence among the universe.a bell". Nadi Sodhana Alternate nostril breathing exercise.. which now. Sushumna flows in the middle and represents the experience that is beyond duality. body. of Alternative Medicine. it is not a part of Kriya Yoga proper. It is coupled in various ways with the practice of Kriya Pranayama. Renaissance and Enlightenment ages are studied. because its effects of appeasing and cheering up the mind (especially if it is practiced in the morning) are unmatched. The essential thing is that people realized that the discoveries of Physics. The esoteric-initiation societies.from this belief it derived the term "Age of Aquarius" or "New Age". which flows vertically along the left side of the spinal column (it is said to be of female nature). In Kriya Pranayama the breathing process is coordinated with the attention of the mind up and down along the spinal column. I would prefer the first but I think that the correct one is the second. when the breathless state is familiar: the tranquility state lasts forever. we perceive moments of deep peace and harmony with the rest of the world. at least for those living in the west and not used to assuming it since infancy. combined with Kechari and Shambhavi Mudra. in the region of the belt. this Asana creates an energetic condition in the body.arms and legs. which have their location respectively in the chest. While the breathing is deep and slow. By deepening the process. When by a long practice a subtle form of energy circulates (in a clearly perceivable way) inside the body while the physical breath is totally settled down. Personally. Thus. Paravastha comes after years of discipline. Ayama (expansion) or Yama (control) is the second. The name means the "posture in which the lotuses (the Chakras) are seen. Paravastha designates the state that comes by holding onto the after-effect of Kriya. Udana and Vijana. Flashes of the ending state of freedom comfort the mind while coping with life's battles. it is no longer to be sought with care. In Kriya Yoga. healthier and comfortable to practice either the Half lotus or the Siddhasana posture. From our initial efforts directed at mastering the techniques. Pranayama The term Pranayama is comprised of two roots: Prana is the first. Named by Lahiri Mahasaya. It is not just joy and peace but something deeper. Prana is divided into Prana.can create a remarkable experience of energy rising in the spine. in the low abdomen. the current flows in the deepest channel in the spine: Sushumna. vital for us as a healing.the right thigh with the soles of the feet turned up. The common Pranayama exercises . which extend during the day. Paravastha This concept is linked with that of "Sthir Tattwa (Tranquility)".although they may not involve the perception of any energetic current ." It is explained that. 230 . Apana and Samana. with the tongue either flat or turned back. Samana. it is much wiser. I do not counsel anyone to perform this difficult posture. When we use Shambhavi Mudra and during mental Pranayama we contact Udana. That the term Prana is interpreted in two ways should not create confusion – provided that one considers the context in which the word is used. Apana. This is not negligible since this experience causes the skeptical practitioner the discovery of the spiritual dimension and pushes him or her to seek something deeper. Pingala [see Nadi] Prana The energy inside our psychophysical system. the word Pranayama can be understood either as the "Expansion of Prana" or as the "Control of Prana". Pranayama is the control of the energy in the whole psychophysical system by using the breathing process with the purpose to receive a beneficial effect or to prepare the experience of meditation. There are yogis who had to have cartilage removed from their knees after years of forcing themselves into Padmasana. Through many techniques (like Maha Mudra) and by the experience of Kriya Pranayama with Internal Breath we experience the fresh vitalizing nature of Vijana. the awareness accompanies the movement of the energy around the six Chakras. the kriyaban has an experience of unthinkable beauty. suitable to producing the experience of the internal light coming from each Chakra. In the initial phases of Kriya Pranayama we are mainly interested in Prana. in the head and in the remaining part of the body . In other words. is the attunement with it possible. such as walking. The number of beads is generally 108 or 100. This opinion may disappoint those who smell a restrictive and limiting shade of meaning in it. Usually a Mantra is repeated verbally for some time. everlasting. The sequence of words used in a prayer may either be a set formula or a spontaneous expression in the praying person's own words. repeat internally". which can be experienced only in the breathless state. Samadhi According to Patanjali's Ashtanga (eight steps) Yoga. a particular pressure over the head may be felt. The Mala is used so that the devotee is free to enjoy the practice without being preoccupied with counting the repetitions. 8. the awareness can provide a glimpse of the Eternity beyond mind. which is a broader term than prayer. Japa is also the repetition of any Mantra. It may be performed whilst sitting in a meditation posture or while performing other activities." We take so many things for granted. It is not easy therefore to concentrate upon it as we do with the other Chakras. Let me therefore define Samadhi as independent from any accident. which is 231 . beatific. In my opinion. when the breath is very calm. this act presupposes a belief in the Divine Will to interfere in our life. One is thrilled by words such as: absolute. divine…. Samadhi is the state of deep contemplation in which the object of meditation becomes inseparable from the meditator himself: it results naturally from Dharana and Dhyana. In India. Only after a deep practice of Kriya Pranayama. Mantra can be a name of the Divine but also a pure sound without a meaning.meaning: "to utter in a low voice. however I prefer to think in this way and …. In both the experiences. The term Mantra derives from the words "Manas" (mind) and "Tra" (protection): we protect our mind by repeating unrelentingly the same healthy vibration.Prayer [Japa. integrates with the customary life. and ye shall receive" (Matt. which may stimulate a reflection upon the meaning of the spiritual path. In most forms of Japa. 7:7. Even if Samadhi were no more than a NDE experience. "Ask. discover much more during the actual Samadhi experience than to thrive in rhetoric. to offer praise or simply to express their thoughts and emotions. Our language is strongly hampered: magniloquent words risk meaning nothing. I have half a mind to suggest a sober definition of Samadhi. but a superior reality. infinite. the repetition of the Name of the Divine is known as Japa. celestial. This word Japa is derived from the root Jap . Prayer is a subject of wide range and scope. Samadhi does not mean "union with God. Sahasrara The seventh Chakra extends from the crown of the head up to the Fontanelle and over it. to seek guidance. supreme. then (this happens to the trained yogi) that lofty awareness blends. Mantra] Prayer is an act of communion with the Higher Reality that allows a person to make a reverent plead. however it would have a superlative value. the repetitions are counted using a string of beads known as a (Japa) Mala. A certain number of sounds were chosen by ancient yogis who sensed their power and used them extensively. near death experience (NDE). To become one and the same thing with God is different from to awaken to the realization that we are a part of That One? Words deceive our comprehension and kindle egoist expectations. 21:22). Whatever be the appeal to God. It cannot be considered of the same nature as the other Chakras. then in a whisper and then mentally for some time. The descriptions of Samadhi and of NDE follow the same pattern: actually the nature of the phenomenon which takes place in the body is almost the same. (Some believe that the repetition of a Mantra has the mysterious power of bringing about the manifestation of the Divinity "just as the splitting of an atom manifests the tremendous forces latent in it"). here I will restrict it to the repetitive prayer. eternal. c… In my opinion. Similarly when other great ones left their body there was no movement. To those who wonder if it is fair to diminish the worth of the Kriya ecstatic state by reducing it to a process of contacting for some time the after life dimension. even after Kechari Mudra is achieved. the lights of all the other Chakras are revealed. Thokar A Kriya technique based on directing the calm Prana . Sushumna [see Nadi] Talabya Kriya It is a stretching exercise of the muscles of the tongue. He might have done one single Thokar and stopped his heart. This fosters the breathless state. By increasing the concentration on the spiritual light.toward the location of one (usually the 4th) or more Chakras. This practice creates a distinct calming effect on the thoughts and. for this reason. and particularly of the Fraenulum. Guiding Prana into the Anahata Chakra. The purpose is to attain Kechari Mudra [see]. Swami Pranabananda. The reports say that those who were around him did not notice any head movement. It is possible that he arrested the movement of the heart and therefore left his body.the conscious exit out of the body. the soul's natural desire to regain union with the Infinite Source puts in action a natural mechanism of appeasing the cardiac plexus. closes the pranic circuit and makes Kriya Pranayama easy and profitable. we could reply that this genuine experience is unmatched in fostering in a clean way the Kriya Yoga ideals of a balanced spiritual life. b… Some believe that this supreme calming of the heart was achieved only by a mental action of immersion in the point between the eyebrows. this means he put so much mental strength in this act as to block the energy which kept his heart throbbing. left his body consciously (this feat is called Mahasamadhi . Lahiri Mahasaya in his well known portrait is showing this Mudra. Mahasamadhi is not a "shrewd esoteric trick" to master the mechanics of a painless suicide. All the visual force of the ocular nerves is gathered on the top of the head.totally transformed for the better.collected in the head through Kriya Pranayama . By creating a total peace in his being. an eminent disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya. Siddhasana The Sanskrit name means "Perfect Pose". The right heel is placed against the pubic bone. by a particular (jerking) movement of the head. often the inferior eyelids relax and a bystander can observe the white of the cornea under the iris. Surely each great master relies upon his already built ability to enter Samadhi. Shambhavi Mudra A Mudra in which the ocular bulbs and the eyebrows are upturned as much as possible. a light grows in the region between the eyebrows. at death). The practice of Thokar is to be deepened throughout the 232 .according to a Karmic point of view when the moment was right. the feat happened only at the most proper moment . the sole of the left foot is placed against the right thigh so that the heel presses on the perineum. combined with Kechari Mudra. entering the light of Kutastha. Now the debate is: what procedure did he make use of? a… Many claim it was the technique of Thokar. There was no violence to the body. In this Asana. it is never put aside. This position of the legs. Second Kriya It has been reported that by using the Second Kriya technique. Tribhangamurari Some Kriya Acharya teaches the practice of Thokar in a very particular way. Yoga Sutra (by Patanjali) The Yoga Sutras are an extremely influential text on Yoga philosophy and practice: over fifty different English translations are the testimony of its 233 . it descends into the seat of the Rudra knot (the region from medulla oblongata to Bhrumadhya between the eyebrows). into particular centers of the body through specific head movements. which is also crossed by entering the spine and coming up toward Bindu. Jalandhara Bandha. and non-attachment. an ideal to bear in mind. Uddiyana Bandha Abdominal lock: it is usually practiced with breath out but in Kriya it is also utilized with breath in especially during the practice of the main Kriya Mudras: Maha Mudra. after having given absurd clarifications of some of the above points (in particular which mental trick to utilize in order to … avoid being lustful). during moments of seclusion or group devotional practice. esp. Take a false inhale (perform the same action of an inhale without actually pulling any air into the body. (see the studies conducted by Gardet and M. but not a vow. the necessity of observing those rules and. consequently. It might have happened that Lahiri knew this technique since youth. Then it reverses again its direction pointing toward the seat of the Brahma knot in the coccyx region. which is brought about by repeating a particular short prayer during the day and by guiding it. Studying the practices of the Sufis. Yama and Niyama are a good topic to study. avoiding lies. goes across it and continues toward the right side of the body. This path begins in Bindu. discipline.) Draw the belly up as much as possible. Anawati. While in most Kriya schools these rules are put as premises to be respected in order to receive initiation. It was His genius to develop it to the utmost perfection. When an affirmation is made. Dhikr is the practice of the "memory" of the Divine. see them flourish in one's life. Niyama is religious observances: cleanliness. a discriminating researcher understands that they are to be considered really as the consequences of a correct Yoga practice. avoiding being lustful. Then it reverses direction cutting the Vishnu knot whose seat is in the heart Chakra. Only through practice is it possible to understand their real meaning and. M. study of the Self and surrender to the Supreme God (Brahman). A beginner cannot to much depth understand what "Study of the Self" means. Some teacher repeats. The central teaching is guiding your awareness along a three-curved path called Tribhangamurari (Tri-bhanga-murari = three-bend-form). Navi Kriya and Yoni Mudra. it is that. To practice it with breath out. passes on to explain the techniques. parrot fashion. Why utter empty words? Whom is he trying to fool? The mystic path. cannot compromise itself with any rhetoric. avoiding stealing.years in order to get the ability to enter the state of Samadhi with just one stroke. bending to the left. Hold your the breath out. Yama – Niyama Yama is Self-control: non-violence. at least partly. contentment. when followed honestly. Gardet in Revue Thomiste (1952-3)). Lahiri Mahasaya drew with extreme precision the three-bends form which is perceived by deepening the afterKriya-Pranayama meditation. utilize. To practice it with breath in. we discover that Thokar is a variant of the Sufi's Dhikr. Some forms of prayer he saw were mild forms of Thokar. These teachers explain that in the last part of His life. contract slightly the abdominal muscles until you intensify the perception of the energy in the spinal column in the region of Manipura Chakra. thus establishing a sound theoretical basis of Raja Yoga . Patanjali is called "the father of Yoga". Kutastha ." besides being a rigorous system of meditation practice. We do not find the least suggestion of worshiping idols. common to all the traditions of the Indian thought. Patanjali affirms the importance of directing our heart's aspiration toward Om. meaning "uterus". Yoga is described as an eight stage (Ashtanga) path which are Yama. One satisfactory remark. Asana. to focus upon each Chakra and to perceive their different colors. the practitioner has no contact with the external world.C. The Sutras define also some esoteric concepts. such as Karma. About its practical implementation. Dharana. or sacred books . at times. Pranayama. However. deities. the importance of Patanjali's work is beyond discussion: he clarified what others had taught. We know that "Yoga. while keeping more or less the same position of the fingers. there are those who teach. The first five steps build the psycho-physical foundation for having a true spiritual experience. His equilibrium between theism and atheism is very appreciable. Although we are not sure of the exact time when their author Patanjali lived. what was abstract he made practical! He was a genial thinker. 234 . we can set it between 200 B. Dhyana.at the same time we do not find any atheistic doctrine either. The Yoga Sutras are made up by a collection of 195 aphorisms dealing with the philosophical aspects of mind and awareness. implies devotion to the Eternal Intelligence or Self. not just a compiler of rules. Among the first.importance. an inhomogeneous whole of practices betraying an indistinct and contradictory theoretical background. Pratyahara. gurus. The core component of this Mudra is to bring all the energy into the point between the eyebrows and hinder its scattering by closing the head openings – the breath is quieted in the region from throat to the point between the eyebrows. no externalization of consciousness. and Samadhi.D. there are minor differences among the schools: some give a greater importance to the vision of the Light and less to the dissolution of breath and mind. in all effects. the final realization of the Kriya path. his work is actually a compendium of pre-existing oral Yoga traditions. Yoni Mudra The potential of this technique includes. because like the baby in the uterus. Niyama.is the place where the individual soul had its origin: the delusive Ego needs to be dissolved there.the Yoga of self discipline and meditation. which spreads throughout one's being.between the eyebrows . 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