Kriya yoga questions and practice issues

[Lynnel]

So I've been doing the practice explained in Leo's secret book for around 2 months and a half now.

Here is the list of difficulties I have encountered and I would really like any tips on them. I'd also like to check that I'm doing everything properly. I am currently stuck at the lesson ten : maha mudra. I've been doing the first kriya pranayama for 1 solid month. Hence I'm doing the page 102 routine daily in the morning. The book has been fascinating so far.

1. This question was partially answered by Leo's video but I used to disregard the concentration at the end of practice because I'm doing some SDS and tatraka on the side and now I realize it's a big mistake, but how impartant really are those concentration minutes at the end of the session ? Can I expect some practical results such as subconscious cleansing etc ?
2. Is the nadi shodana a Inhale 6-10 wait 3 exhale fully => inhale 6-10 wait 3 exhale fully from the other nostril mean that the inhale seconds have to be the same on both sides ? Do I need to close my eyes and look at brumadhya or not while I'm at it.
3. How can I be sure I'm doing Om Japa properly ? I have trouble visualizing when focusing my eyes upward on brumadya and I'm virtually touching each shakra and feeling it in my spine but I'm having trouble because I can't let go of the breath. I have to either hold it in or exhale when chanting Ooom because otherwise the chanting will stop inside my head => I can't separate it mentaly from the breath.
4. Next, for the frist kriya pranayama. I am supposed to keep the eyes focused on brumaduya, my focus on medulla, and ALSO visualize at the same time and also count to x on inhale because it has to be exactly the same as the exhale ! Where the fuck am I supposed to get such attention ?! I've been doing concentration time meditation for almost 2 years daily and I can't still fantom how to manage this. So what should I pay attention to ? Also one of the problems I have with the first kriya pranayma is that I'm not sure I'm visualizing it properly. I visualize some sort of blue energy and try to feel the coldness on inhale going up on the spine and then a red hot flow going down up to muladhara.
5. And the most annoying problem of all which is shortness of breath : I being to lack oxygen when I'm doing the first kriya for too long with the 10 sec pause 10 exhale cycle. I have to inhale/exhale very slowly and my body starts to lack oxygen which is very annoying. This is the reason I can't do the maha mudra because you need to inhale for 10 seconds, then chant mentally at least 6 times, and on exhale I would lack oxygen everytime and just grasp for air ! (And also I'm not flexible enough because I got huge ass muscular calves to do the pose properly).

Aside from that I love the practice and It feels very amazing on a psychological level. I laughed when Leo said " yeah you can master those techniques those are fairly simple" yeah . I'm quite serious about this practice which can be seen based on my love for detail.

@Leo Gura Any clever guidance would be appreciated.

Edited March 9, 2018 by Lynnel

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Lynnel said:

1. This question was partially answered by Leo's video but I used to disregard the concentration at the end of practice because I'm doing some SDS and tatraka on the side and now I realize it's a big mistake, but how impartant really are those concentration minutes at the end of the session ? Can I expect some practical results such as subconscious cleansing etc ?

Very important. Concentrate during those last 5-10 mins like a motherfucker.

The result you can expect is yoga: union with God.

Quote

2. Is the nadi shodana a Inhale 6-10 wait 3 exhale fully => inhale 6-10 wait 3 exhale fully from the other nostril mean that the inhale seconds have to be the same on both sides ? Do I need to close my eyes and look at brumadhya or not while I'm at it.

• Inhale very slowly from left nostril
• Pause
• Exhale very slowly from right nostril
• Pause
• Inhale very slowly from right nostril
• Pause
• Exhale very slowly from left nostril
• Pause

That is 1 cycle.

Yes, close your eyes and look up at 3rd eye.

Quote

3. How can I be sure I'm doing Om Japa properly ? I have trouble visualizing when focusing my eyes upward on brumadya and I'm virtually touching each shakra and feeling it in my spine but I'm having trouble because I can't let go of the breath. I have to either hold it in or exhale when chanting Ooom because otherwise the chanting will stop inside my head => I can't separate it mentaly from the breath.

During Om Japa, as I recall, you let the breath flow naturally. You don't control it.

Quote

4. Next, for the frist kriya pranayama. I am supposed to keep the eyes focused on brumaduya, my focus on medulla, and ALSO visualize at the same time and also count to x on inhale because it has to be exactly the same as the exhale ! Where the fuck am I supposed to get such attention ?! I've been doing concentration time meditation for almost 2 years daily and I can't still fantom how to manage this. So what should I pay attention to ? Also one of the problems I have with the first kriya pranayma is that I'm not sure I'm visualizing it properly. I visualize some sort of blue energy and try to feel the coldness on inhale going up on the spine and then a red hot flow going down up to muladhara.

The most important part would be visualizing the energy flowing up and down your spine and through each chakra. Focus your limited attention on that. As you get good at that, I think you'll develop more attention capacity.

You don't need to do everything perfectly at the start. You will get much better over the months. Just focus on 80% that really matters.

Quote

5. And the most annoying problem of all which is shortness of breath : I being to lack oxygen when I'm doing the first kriya for too long with the 10 sec pause 10 exhale cycle. I have to inhale/exhale very slowly and my body starts to lack oxygen which is very annoying. This is the reason I can't do the maha mudra because you need to inhale for 10 seconds, then chant mentally at least 6 times, and on exhale I would lack oxygen everytime and just grasp for air ! (And also I'm not flexible enough because I got huge ass muscular calves to do the pose properly).

Yes, I experience this problem too. You can decrease your need for oxygen by first taking 3 short breaths before beginning one of the long mahamudra breaths. You can also try quickening the rate at which you pull energy up and down the spine, so it doesn't take so long. And your Oms should be fairly rapid as you bend down and hold your breath.

Building lung capacity is part of this whole practice, from what I understand. You have to learn to breath more deeply and consume less oxygen.

[Vignan]

@Leo GuraWill I become intelligent? I mean will my iq levels or studying capacity increases? If yes, to what extent? 

It's because I have goals which I need to achieve in a very short time, for which it actually takes 2 years or more

[Leo Gura]

@Vignan You will die, and so will all your goals.

[Vignan]

@Leo GuraSorry, I'm speaking about my life purpose which is to become a doctor. There are some really tough exams that I need to prepare to enter into a good medical school which leads to full filling my purpose. I'll do Kriya regardless. But I'm just asking if it also helps me in raising my knowledge and become a good doctor!

[Leo Gura]

@Vignan You're not getting it. Yoga is not done for that. Yoga is your escape from all that monkey business. You're not doing yoga to become a more effective monkey.

[Vignan]

@Leo GuraYes you're right. I'll get it when I start practicing it! Thanks. 

[Lynnel]

@Leo Gura  Thank you a lot Leo. So I got most of it right I'll focus on sharpening the practice. Really appreciate your help.

11 hours ago, Leo Gura said:

Yes, I experience this problem too. You can decrease your need for oxygen by first taking 3 short breaths before beginning one of the long mahamudra breaths. You can also try quickening the rate at which you pull energy up and down the spine, so it doesn't take so long. And your Oms should be fairly rapid as you bend down and hold your breath.

Building lung capacity is part of this whole practice, from what I understand. You have to learn to breath more deeply and consume less oxygen.

How would you pull up energy faster ? I mean I can only imagine energy - I cannot feel it yet or really percieve it even if I really want to.

Yeah I came to the same conclusion. I've been swimming weekly so this lack of breath capacity came as a suprise. I thought about going and doing some mountain retreat to get oxygen efficiency way up. (Or start a clarinet practice ? xD)

[Leo Gura]

@Lynnel You can imagine faster.

Imagine a snail.

Imagine a cheeta.

 

[SeanD]

Is anyone else having basic nasal congestion problems. I am finding it surprisingly difficult to breath through a congested nostril, and haven’t yet found an adequate solution.

[Leo Gura]

@SeanD You must clear out your nostrils completely. I do this every day.

Nasal strips also help a lot.

[egoless]

@Leo Gura Do you think Yoga become more relevant after you have lived through your LP? Like you. You first decided to follow your LP and then slowly switched to hardcore spirituality.

[Leo Gura]

56 minutes ago, egoless said:

@Leo Gura Do you think Yoga become more relevant after you have lived through your LP? Like you. You first decided to follow your LP and then slowly switched to hardcore spirituality.

No, it is always relevant. It helps with LP and everything else.

Of course if you're not ready for it yet, then you will have to live through whatever karma you must until you become ready.

[cetus]

@Leo Gura What is this @16:00 ?

 

[Leo Gura]

@cetus56 Oh, that's easy, that's what you do when you are meditating in a cave and you get a fly stuck up your nose.

 

[cetus]

54 minutes ago, Leo Gura said:

@cetus56 Oh, that's easy, that's what you do when you are meditating in a cave and you get a fly stuck up your nose.

 

@Leo Gura You jest but maybe that's a secret passageway to the infinite first discovered by gurus sitting in caves getting bugs up their nose. What could be a more ironic discovery than that? Licking a frog? 

[Leo Gura]

@cetus56 Here's a secret Kriya technique only the true masters know: stick some 5-MeO up your butt.

 

[Rilles]

Just stick the whole frog up your butt!

[How to be wise]

@Leo Gura in the book ‘Kriya yoga exposed’, the author reveals a secret Kriya technique which no Kriya guru has ever mentioned. It will take you straight to Sahaja samadhi. Worthwhile to check out. Also he reviews most of the Kriya gurus and their way of teaching, including the book that you recommend. Unfortunately, he didn’t give that book a very good review. A lot of the techniques in the book you recommended are flat out wrong according to him.

Edited March 11, 2018 by How to be wise

[Leo Gura]

@How to be wise According to someone, everyone is wrong.