Self-Realization Fellowship – Kriya Yoga

“The liberating power of Kriya Yoga sunders the prison bars of Karma. I have never found in East or West such a great technique as this.”    ―Paramahansa Yogananda

“Kriya Yoga is no ordinary breathing exercise: It is the highest known technique of pranayama, by which you can consciously control the life force in the body and thereby attain cosmic consciousness.”   ―Paramahansa Yogananda

“Practice Kriya Yoga, and you will surely succeed on the spiritual path. That is my own experience… Everyone who is a follower of Kriya and of this path of Self-Realization Fellowship will go far ahead. Meditate and see the results in yourself.” ―Paramahansa Yogananda

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Paramahansa Yogananda founded Self-Realization Fellowship in 1920 to make available the universal teachings of Kriya Yoga, a sacred spiritual science originating millenniums ago in India. 

The excerpts below are from Yogananda’s book “Autobiography of a Yogi” the chapter titled “The Science of Kriya Yoga.”

Kriya is an ancient science. Elijah, Jesus, Kabir, and other prophets were past masters in the use of Kriya or a similar technique, by which they caused their bodies to materialize and dematerialize at will. Lahiri Mahasaya received the Kriya technique from his great guru, Babaji, who rediscovered and clarified the technique after it had been lost in the Dark Ages. Babaji renamed it, simply, Kriya Yoga. “The Kriya Yoga that I am giving to the world through you in this nineteenth century,” Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya, “is a revival of the same science that Krishna gave millenniums ago to Arjuna; and that was later known to Patanjali and Christ, and to St. John, St. Paul, and other disciples.”

Because of certain ancient yogic injunctions, a full explanation of Kriya Yoga may not be disclosed to the general public. The actual technique should be learned through the SRF Lessons in Kriya Yoga or from an authorized Kriyaban (Kriya Yogi) of Self-Realization Fellowship (Yogoda Satsanga Society of India). Here a broad reference must suffice.

Kriya Yoga is a simple, psychophysiological method by which human blood is decarbonated and recharged with oxygen. The atoms of this extra oxygen are transmuted into life current to rejuvenate the brain and spinal centers. By stopping the accumulation of venous blood, the yogi is able to lessen or prevent the decay of tissues. The advanced yogi transmutes his cells into energy. The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve, upward and downward, around the six spinal centers. One-half minute of revolution of energy around the sensitive spinal cord of man effects subtle progress in his evolution; that half-minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment.

“Kriya Yoga is an instrument through which human evolution can be quickened,” Sri Yukteswar explained to his students. “The ancient yogis discovered that the secret of cosmic consciousness is intimately linked with breath mastery. This is India’s unique and deathless contribution to the world’s treasury of knowledge.” Kriya, controlling the mind directly through the life force, is the easiest, most effective, and most scientific avenue of approach to the Infinite. In contrast to the slow, uncertain ‘bullock cart’ theological path to God, Kriya Yoga may justly be called the ‘airplane’ route.

For more detailed information about Kriya Yoga, please visit the Kriya Yoga Path of Meditation page at SRF.