Kriya Yoga: synthesis of a personal experience
Author: Ennio Nimis
Visit at least once in a year the Web site www.kriyayogainfo.net to download the latest edition of the book
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CONTENTS
Contents Synopsis
ii iii
PART ART I HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA 1. Yoga Self-Taught 2. I Learn Kriya Yoga 3. The Breathless State 4. In Search of the Original Kriya 5. A Clean Mystical Path
6 17 32 48 76
PART ART II SHARING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES 6. The Basic Techniques echniqu es of Kriya Yoga 7. Further Information about the First Kriya 8. Higher Kriyas
88 104 127
PART ART III GRADUAL LEARNING LEARN ING OF KRIY K RIYA A YOGA 9. Preliminary Remarks on the Potential Dangers of Meditation and Kriya 10. Building the Best Foundation for the Kriya Yoga Path 11. A Turning point: the Breathless State 12. Kriya of Descent Appendix 1 : Remarks upon Kriya Yoga as Taught by the Organizations Appendix 2 : Different Types of Researchers
Glossary Bibliography
153 165 180 188 198 213 219 235
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CONTENTS
Contents Synopsis
ii iii
PART ART I HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA 1. Yoga Self-Taught 2. I Learn Kriya Yoga 3. The Breathless State 4. In Search of the Original Kriya 5. A Clean Mystical Path
6 17 32 48 76
PART ART II SHARING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES 6. The Basic Techniques echniqu es of Kriya Yoga 7. Further Information about the First Kriya 8. Higher Kriyas
88 104 127
PART ART III GRADUAL LEARNING LEARN ING OF KRIY K RIYA A YOGA 9. Preliminary Remarks on the Potential Dangers of Meditation and Kriya 10. Building the Best Foundation for the Kriya Yoga Path 11. A Turning point: the Breathless State 12. Kriya of Descent Appendix 1 : Remarks upon Kriya Yoga as Taught by the Organizations Appendix 2 : Different Types of Researchers
Glossary Bibliography
153 165 180 188 198 213 219 235
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SYNOPSIS
PART I: HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA The first part contain containss the story of the differen differentt phases phases of my spirit spiritual ual search: search: self self teaching of Yoga; Kriya Yoga Yoga received from an organization; Kriya Yoga Yoga received from traveling gurus; final decision of putting in a book all what I knew about Kriya Yoga techniques. Chapter 1 Yoga Self-Taught My spiritual search began early in my life, after I bought an introductory book on classical Yoga. Yoga. I considered Yoga Yoga a discipline capable to produce an internal change in my personality. I began with an exercise, to be done in Savasana, where the thinking process was disciplined to create a state of "mental void". I decided also to extend the mechanism of this technique to my student life in order to become acquainted with thinking in a disciplined way, sparing my energies. Stunned about how the habits of our social social life life imply imply a consta constant nt waste waste of psychic psychic energy energy, I began began avoidi avoiding ng any useless useless distraction. distraction. My ego reacted significant significantly ly.. I decided decided to reinforce my discipline through through the art of Pranayama. The first result was the experience of a vast joy springing from the fundamentals of my being, not provoked by any external cause. After a couple of day char charact acteri erize zed d by fear fear and and angu anguis ish, h, I expe experie rienc nced ed what what Yoga oga book bookss call call the the "awakening of Kundalini energy." energy." Chapter 2 I Learn Kriya Yoga Enthusiast of Pranayama, I decided to devote my life to perfect it. I became to know of the existence of Kriya Yoga: Yoga: a four-phas four-phased ed Pranayama path taught in our age by the great Lahiri Lahiri Mahasaya. Mahasaya. I would have have done whatever whatever to learn it immediately immediately but this clashed with the rules of the organizatio organization n spreading it in the West: it was necessary to foll follow ow a corr corres espo pond nden ence ce cour course se.. Meek Meekly ly,, I acce accept pted ed to put put asid asidee my alre alread ady y consolidated practice and abide only by their written teachings. A year and a half later, I received the First Kriya set of techniques. A daily renowned problem was how to conceive a personal Kriya routine and draw the best from it. Chapter 3 The Breathless State The problem with the routine became critic when I learned the so called Higher Kriyas. In my understanding, they were not completely explained. Later, when one of the organization's representatives refused to clarify my doubts, reluctantly, I decided to address my search toward other sources. I had no results in this endeavor but, thanks to some readings, the practice of Japa entered my life and, with it, the experience of the breathless state. Chapter 4 In Search Search of the the Original Kriya In order to learn the so-called "original Kriya", I followed three different traveling teachers. Among many not very important details there was also something valuable: the the impo importa rtanc ncee of list listen enin ing g duri during ng Kriya Kriya Pran Pranay ayam amaa to the the inter interna nall soun sounds ds,, the the frenulu frenulum-s m-stre tretch tching ing techni technique que (Talab (Talabya ya Kriya) Kriya) leadin leading g one to mastery mastery of Kechari Kechari Mudra, the Tribhangamurari movement and the concept of Incremental Routine.
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Chapter 5 A Clean Mystical Path After the break off with my third teacher, I decided to have no more teachers. An uncertain idea came also to put all my discoveries in a book. Before actuating this proje project, ct, I lived lived a tormen tormented ted period period in which which I tackled tackled the deep deep condit condition ioning ing I had received from my first Kriya organization: the necessity of receiving the techniques from an "authorized" Guru and keeping any technical detail of Kriya secret. Years went by with very long session of meditation outdoors, looking for inspiration from the Beauty of Nature. Only the mental clarity and stamina produced by the incremental routines helped me to erase all conditionings. conditionings. I began the work of writing writing the book and posted it on the Web. PART II: SHARING SHAR ING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES TECHNIQUE S The second part is devoted to the description of the Kriya techniques. A theoretical vision of Kriya Yoga Yoga is also given. Chapter 6 The Basic Techniques of Kriya Yoga In this chapter I want to recreate the ideal explanation for a beginner. Eight techniques are consid considered ered compon component entss of the First First Kriya Kriya -- Talabya alabya Kriya, Kriya, Om Japa, Japa, Kriya Kriya Pranayama, Navi Kriya, mental Pranayama, Maha Mudra, Pranayama with short breath and Yoni Mudra. Chapter 7 Further Information about the First Kriya Understandi Understanding ng Kriya Yoga Yoga is the theme of this chapter. chapter. After a theoretical theoretical digression digression,, each technique is seen as a tool to consciously cooperate with the work of eliminating the four obstructions: tongue, heart, navel and coccyx. How to build a working routine is the second main theme of this chapter. Some variations of the basic First Kriya techniques are now given. Chapter 8 Higher Kriyas There are different ways of defining the Higher Kriyas. Here the technique of Second Kriya includes: 1. Omkar Kriya; 2. Thokar Kriya (basic form of it) and 3. Thokar Kriya (advanced level of it). The Third Kriya includes: 1. Mental Omkar Kriya and 2.Micro Thokar. Fourth Kriya includes: 1. The procedure to achieve the state of Antar (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka and 2. Omkar Gayatri Kriya. Appendix: the important teaching of Tribhangamurari is here considered among other minor variations varia tions of Thokar.
PART III: GRADUAL GRA DUAL LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA The third part dwells with the practical aspects of teaching Kriya Yoga. Yoga. The main theme is how to assist students to coordinate and harness their efforts in a meaningful way, making them able to withstand the transformative process that leads to the mastery of the different steps of Kriya Yoga. Yoga. Chapter Chapter 9 Prelimina Preliminary ry Remarks Remarks on on the Potent Potential ial Dangers Dangers of of Meditati Meditation on and Kriya Kriy Kriyab aban anss shou should ld be info inform rmed ed abou aboutt the the alleg alleged ed or real real "dan "dange gers rs of prem prematu ature re Kundalini awakening". Surely there are some norms to follow in order to avoid any problem with the practice of Kriya.
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