Can someone learn and practice kriya yoga without a guru?

[Pouya]

I see a lot of people answering this question with "you must have a guru. It has to be with a guru".

Is it true?

[Forestluv]

There is a kriya mega thread on the forum. I haven't seen many practitioners say a guru is necessary. I've been following a book independently and have gotten good results. To me, it seems like an individual practice of personal mastery.

 

[Salvijus]

When you practice kriya you need someone who knows human mechanics totally, totally, totally. From it's origins to it's ultimate. Only such a being can guide you to the ultimate with kriya yoga. Because besicly none of us have any idea how kriya yoga works. You just have to believe that the person you're learning from knows human mechanics absolutely inside out.

There're other dimensions of spirituality which are impossible (probably, or at least nearly impossible) to open uo by yourself.

Third thing is. There's not a single kriya guru who didn't have a guru.

So if no being was able to master kriya yoga without a guru. You think you can do it?

Edited February 19, 2019 by Salvijus

[Pouya]

@Serotoninluv @Salvijus many say this is so powerful and im interested in learning it but I dont have access to a guru or organization specially a true one. If few well written books can help, I'll go for it.

[Forestluv]

@Pouya I shifted from traditional seated meditation to kriya. Once I started the chakras and energy, I shifted more toward yin yoga - it just resonates with me more. I found info in the kriya thread to be helpful. I've done it all solo (with the help of forum members) and found it beneficial.

[Pouya]

@Serotoninluv I have a view on yoga as a "woowoo" way of spirituality and I cant really understand how holding my breath and strecthing can help me with my false ideas and beliefs?

You know, its like a ego resistance to ideas like chakras and mantras with complex hand positions.

I dont know if it really works but apperently it works for many.

Edited February 19, 2019 by Pouya

[Forestluv]

@Pouya I have a career in the sciences and had similar views. From a practical mindset, it doesn't seem to make sense. I would try yoga and be like "OK, what's supposed to happen now?" I've found deeply relaxed mind-body states can allow insights to arise. Also, imagination can be very powerful. I'm not referring to sleepy relaxed states. Rather, very aware relaxed states. Leo did a nice view of body awareness on his video. For me now, yin yoga is perfect for surrender and deep mind-body relaxation and connection. Ime, to much emphasis on theory and technique became distracting. Just a bit was enough. For me, it's the letting go and immersion into the direct experience that is so powerful. 

[Richard Alpert]

Ryan Kurczak has a really good youtube channel on kriya yoga. Check it out if you like.

 

[Forestluv]

1 hour ago, Richard Alpert said:

Ryan Kurczak has a really good youtube channel on kriya yoga. Check it out if you like.

He seems very well versed in kriya yoga and a good teacher, yet I think he may come across a bit "out there" to someone that is rationally-minded. Like when he goes off into Astrology. I had to let go of some of the stuff he talked about.

[Pouya]

@Richard Alpert seen a few of his videos, looks informative 

[Richard Alpert]

57 minutes ago, Serotoninluv said:

He seems very well versed in kriya yoga and a good teacher, yet I think he may come across a bit "out there" to someone that is rationally-minded. Like when he goes off into Astrology. I had to let go of some of the stuff he talked about.

I was suprised about his astrology stuff as well, but i filtered it out.

[Salvijus]

16 hours ago, Pouya said:

If few well written books can help, I'll go for it.

It can't that's the thing.

Transmission of Yoga is not a bundle of instructions. What you see on the surface is not even 1% of what is happening within.

When they teach Yoga they drill it on a totally different level. They teach it on a energy level. 

For example, can you write a book about how to fall asleep? Can you give instructions for it? No. It is drilled into you. You don't even know how you fall asleep. You just know. 

That's how Yoga has to be transmited. It has to be drilled into you. Without any instructions you'll will know how to do it.

Another problem sadhguru says with book yoga is that you may get small benefits there and here. But you will miss a completly different spiritual dimension within you. After that the possibility of knowing that dimension in full scope will be sort of closed for you.

[Shadowraix]

@Salvijus Are you speaking from direct experience of this? 

If kriya yoga is so restrictive in that way makes you wonder how it even originated them. Someone had to not have a teacher. 

[Salvijus]

2 hours ago, Shadowraix said:

@Salvijus Are you speaking from direct experience of this? 

If kriya yoga is so restrictive in that way makes you wonder how it even originated them. Someone had to not have a teacher. 

Yes I am.

I went to many programs of sadhguru. One thing that I never can't understand is when I sit down in a particular meditation. Lets say in shambhavi, suddenly joy, peace, love everything i starts to happen and i have no idea how I'm doing it. But before the initiation i used to sit in exacly the same posture with the same mudra for hours and nothing would happen.. only a headache would happen.

For example in shoonya program they literally give you 0 instructions there. Absoliutly no instructions. And eveytime i do Shoonya it happens by itself. And it changes everything about me. My fundementals are completly changed. The benefits are nowhere near logical and proportional to the time I invest in doing the practices.

And it's the same with evey program of sadhguru. and i've done like 7 of them.

For example, in samyama they only give you one instruction. Watching your breath. That's it. But what happens in there....... They start screming, crawling, barking... Lifetimes of memory is being dissolved there. if I try or if anybody else tries to watch their breath you think you'll be having the same effect?.i tried, nothing significant happens.

Just watching the breath can be the most advanced, most intense practice ever that requires years of preparation. But only if it's been transmited. That's why they say. What happens on the surface is nothing. What happens inside is beyond words. That's why it can't be written in a book.

If samyama person will be watching his breath he'll be blown away by so many things that is happening within. A random person would get a calm mind maybe, that's it. 

Imagine someone telling you you need a 5years of preparation to watch your breath that's because what happens inside is so strong and you can't teach that simply through words.

2 hours ago, Shadowraix said:

 

If kriya yoga is so restrictive in that way makes you wonder how it even originated them. Someone had to not have a teacher. 

There's no such human being who didn't have a teacher. The first teacher who originated Yoga was Adiyogi or Shiva..and it is said that he wasn't from this planet even so we can't trace it back where it all started. Maybe some being are just born with these capabilities.

He talks about here how Shiva was not human and that he was the first that started exploring and delivering Yoga on this planet.

https://youtu.be/hikmVx6Ce_w

Edited February 20, 2019 by Salvijus

[Pouya]

@Salvijus What if someone cant reach a guru? Going for other techniques?

[Forestluv]

@Pouya Since starting this thread, you could have started your own Kriya Yoga practice and even begun to notice benefits. The first three techniques are straight-forward. 

You have the resources you need to get started and find out if it resonates with you. You can empower yourself and take action today. What’s holding you back?

[Girzo]

No, you don't need a guru.

The people who say that you need one are a minority.

Grab a J. C. Stevens' book and waste no more time.

 

[Shadowraix]

45 minutes ago, Girzo said:

No, you don't need a guru.

The people who say that you need one are a minority.

Grab a J. C. Stevens' book and waste no more time.

 

Maybe not one required to practice it, but to do it properly and get the full intended effects? Maybe.

[Salvijus]

1 hour ago, Girzo said:

The people who say that you need one are a minority.

That's your only argument?.lol...

Edited February 20, 2019 by Salvijus

[Girzo]

True Guru is God itself, not some person. 

You can start practice right now without waiting for any guru. 

The proof is in the results.

Whether a guru can amplify your practice or not is another question and not what @Pouya  was asking for.

There's no excuse not to start a practice from a book.