Kriya Yoga Mega-Thread

[Greenbirch]

I stopped Kriya after 6 days of practice (Nadi Sodhana, Ujjayi Pranayama, Talabaya Kriya, Om Japa, concentration a little over 5 minutes) due to insomnia and exhaustion. At the same time, my recent Kundalini experience died down (during which I was elevated for several days) - not sure if it is related to the Kriya practice, but it (or exhaustion) seemed to coincide with the experience dying down.

It is not placebo. These practices are potent and one needs to be careful.

I am not sure if I will pick up the practice again; losing the state of elevated consciousness really hurt and I keep connecting the loss of it to the Kriya practice. If I start again it will be after practicing asanas and thus preparing my body for pranayama.

[Malelekakis]

@Mikael89

13 minutes ago, Mikael89 said:

@Greenbirch Really. I do all those + First part of Kria Pranayama + Simplified life force arousal procedure (from Kriya yoga vichara by Ryan Kurczak) and I think Kriya is bullshit nonsense with no effect whatsoever But I will keep doing it anyway. I could be wrong.

I even focus on the Bregma even though they warn that it's too powerful, that your astral body can get ejected. No effect. 

The problem with you is that you don't believe. Your intention is backwards so your results are going to be backwards. Faith is the power that creates world's. Before moving on with kriya I think you should learn a fundamental law of the universe. The law of attraction! 

Also don't be arrogant with teachings. Respect and humbleness. 

 

[Hello from Russia]

Is kriya yoga good for developing emotional mastery&self-governance? Or conventional meditation practices are better for this kind of stuff?

Edited September 9, 2018 by Hello from Russia

[okulele]

17 hours ago, Hello from Russia said:

Is kriya yoga good for developing emotional mastery&self-governance? Or conventional meditation practices are better for this kind of stuff?

Try Byron Katie's The Work for emotions. Or maybe Loving Kindness meditation?

[Paan]

How is the progress of Kriya pranayama? Do i do 24 of KP 1 and then 24 of kp2, lastly 24 of kp3? I saw Leo commented about his routine in this thread, he did 24 KP. 

 

[Hello from Russia]

Do I understand correctly that with Kriya Pranayama you're basically imagining or trying to connect with your "energy" and moving it from bottom to top as you breath?

[Esoteric]

6 hours ago, Mikael89 said:

They don't even agree where the chakras are.

According to J.C. Stevens the first chakra is at the base of the spine and 7th chakra is at the back of the head (medulla). But according to Ryan Kurczak the first chakra is at the base of the spine, and the last two chakras are located on top of the head and the last one between the eyebrows.

Aaaah ffs. How am I supposed to do this stuff when they say different things about where the chakras are supposed to be?

And here are a third version from internet: 

@Mikael89 They don't disagree about that. I have Stevens book in front of me. 7th Chakra is not medulla, if you think that read or look more carefully. Also don't overthink it. If you've started doing Kriya Pranayama just focus on following/visualising the breath up the spine to your third eye or the top of your head.

Resonate with Ryan?

This video is all you need:

 

[Space]

I'm having difficulty clearly visualising the spinal breathing. Basically I visualise a small needle shaped object travelling up the spine and piercing all the chakras, but most of the time it's kinda patchy and vague with some areas like the top 3 chakras being much clearer. Any tips or recommendations? How clearly can you guys visualise the prana moving up the spine? 

[Girzo]

It's ok. If you can't feel or visualize something, then you need patience. Work consistently and diligently and the effects will come. It's a long-term game, no need to worry.

[JimL]

I had the same problem.  Om Japa from the Stevens book helped.  Also, just to make sure, I placed OM aloud 3x times in each Chakra before moving on to the next, and worked up and down the spine.  That's when the Chakra thing started to 'click' for me.  Also, of course, make sure you are visualizing it as you do it.

[Samra]

What is the difference between Ocean Breath and Fire Breath? To me they seem the same, except Ocean is Slow and Fire us rapid. Or are there different muscles one needs to use in the throat area? Thank you *

[JimL]

Has anyone seen this Kriya manual?

https://www.aypsite.org/images/accidental-yogi's-manual.pdf

On his blog, the author gives a very thorough description of his Kundalini rising and his ultimate awakening.  It's very interesting.  Also, in his short book, he describes the techniques he recommends .

Perhaps the most important part though, he tries to give a more western explanation for the effects of these exercises, and why they actually work,  For anyone that is having issues with the more 'mystical' traditional explanations, this may be helpful.

 

[JimL]

Oops!  The link in my previous post was for an incomplete version of his manual.  Instead please use this link to see the full document:

https://formlessart.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/yoga-manual1.pdf

 

[Sev]

5 hours ago, JimL said:

Has anyone seen this Kriya manual?

https://www.aypsite.org/images/accidental-yogi's-manual.pdf

On his blog, the author gives a very thorough description of his Kundalini rising and his ultimate awakening.  It's very interesting.  Also, in his short book, he describes the techniques he recommends .

Perhaps the most important part though, he tries to give a more western explanation for the effects of these exercises, and why they actually work,  For anyone that is having issues with the more 'mystical' traditional explanations, this may be helpful.

 

Thanks for sharing, can you put link into his blog also plz.

[JimL]

Here is the blog link:

https://formlessart.wordpress.com/

 

[JimL]

When I read the blog, I thought that reading the first hand account of Kundalini awakening was really interesting.  And, in the manual, I thought the more western scientific explanation for the effectiveness of each movement was nice to hear too. 

I feel like the more we learn, the better we will get!

[JimL]

So I got the 'Kriya Yoga Exposed' book yesterday and read the whole book last night.  It was a short read.  I have read the Stevens book, and the Ennio Nimis book as well. 

I am very hopeful that the simplified routines in the Kriya Yoga Exposed book will transform my practice.  I do have a couple of concerns though.   I did the routine this morning.

1. Kriya Pranayama - I find myself breathing in short bursts that are in time with my OMs.  I was trying to smooth the breath out, but it is very distracting.  It is almost as if I am subconsciously  trying to say the oms aloud, and using my breaths to do it.  Does anyone think this is a problem?

2. The second problem I am having is with the 'Kriya Supreme Fire' technique.  There are two issues I have.  The first one is that in step 2 it says focus on the navel zone or on the perineum. Then in step6 it says hold in the heart area instead of the belly.  Which is it?  The description is just unclear.  The second problem I have is that it just seems like it is describing Maha Mudra but with a little longer breath-hold, and none of the leg work.  I did it as part of my routine today, but I'm not sure if I am just missing something?

If there is anyone out there that has been using this book, please let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

~Jim

[okulele]

4 hours ago, JimL said:

So I got the 'Kriya Yoga Exposed' book yesterday and read the whole book last night.  It was a short read.  I have read the Stevens book, and the Ennio Nimis book as well. 

I am very hopeful that the simplified routines in the Kriya Yoga Exposed book will transform my practice.  I do have a couple of concerns though.   I did the routine this morning.

1. Kriya Pranayama - I find myself breathing in short bursts that are in time with my OMs.  I was trying to smooth the breath out, but it is very distracting.  It is almost as if I am subconsciously  trying to say the oms aloud, and using my breaths to do it.  Does anyone think this is a problem?

2. The second problem I am having is with the 'Kriya Supreme Fire' technique.  There are two issues I have.  The first one is that in step 2 it says focus on the navel zone or on the perineum. Then in step6 it says hold in the heart area instead of the belly.  Which is it?  The description is just unclear.  The second problem I have is that it just seems like it is describing Maha Mudra but with a little longer breath-hold, and none of the leg work.  I did it as part of my routine today, but I'm not sure if I am just missing something?

If there is anyone out there that has been using this book, please let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

~Jim

The way I deal with the focus point in Kriya Supreme Fire is this: I focus on my navel and gather energy there, then I breathe in from the perineum to the heart and stay at the heart for the entire duration of the  retention.

As Gamana advices, I hold the locks and keep the attantion on the heart trying to be like that for 90 seconds, relaxed.

I am discovering that as I am getting better at this, i t gets veeery powerful.

[Esoteric]

5 hours ago, JimL said:

So I got the 'Kriya Yoga Exposed' book yesterday and read the whole book last night.  It was a short read.  I have read the Stevens book, and the Ennio Nimis book as well. 

I am very hopeful that the simplified routines in the Kriya Yoga Exposed book will transform my practice.  I do have a couple of concerns though.   I did the routine this morning.

1. Kriya Pranayama - I find myself breathing in short bursts that are in time with my OMs.  I was trying to smooth the breath out, but it is very distracting.  It is almost as if I am subconsciously  trying to say the oms aloud, and using my breaths to do it.  Does anyone think this is a problem?

2. The second problem I am having is with the 'Kriya Supreme Fire' technique.  There are two issues I have.  The first one is that in step 2 it says focus on the navel zone or on the perineum. Then in step6 it says hold in the heart area instead of the belly.  Which is it?  The description is just unclear.  The second problem I have is that it just seems like it is describing Maha Mudra but with a little longer breath-hold, and none of the leg work.  I did it as part of my routine today, but I'm not sure if I am just missing something?

If there is anyone out there that has been using this book, please let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

~Jim

@JimL I would advice you to just trying to keep the breaths smooth and place the OM's without it affecting the breath. I had a similar problem in the beginning, as I was having my tongue up in half kechari mudra I pressed the tongue with every OM without realizing it at first. If you just keep it smooth for awhile it will correct itself pretty fast.

[JimL]

Thanks Esoteric and okulele for your replies.  I guess I'll continue along and try to smooth the breath out.  I'm not sure why I never seemed to have any issues with Kriya Pranayama before, just now with Om at Kuthasa.  Regarding the Supreme Fire, I'll just keep going there too.  So far I'm definitely not feeling it.  Hopefully it will come with time.  Like I said, so far it just seems to be a breath hold with the three Bandas.  Not that different than Maha Mudra.  I plan on pursueing it diligently though.   I still have high hopes.

I let you know.

~Jim