Kriya Yoga: Synthesis of a Personal Experience Ennio Nimis
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CONTENTS
Contents Synopsis
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PART I MY SEARCH OF THE ORIGINAL KRIYA 1. Yoga self-taught 2. Kria Yoga from organi!ations ". The inestima#le $alue of %a&a '. (ollo)ing some tea*hers outsi+e the organi!ation ,. A har+ +e*ision
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PART II DEFINITION OF THE KRIY KR IYA A YOGA TECHNIQUES . The #asi* Te*hniues of Kria Yoga /. Te*hniues Te*hniues of the 0igher Krias . Theoreti*al $ision of Kria Yoga. Yoga. Intro+u*tion to some interesting $ariations
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PART III KRIYA KRIYA YOGA IN PRACTICE PRACT ICE . 3uil+ing a soli+ #asis for the &ra*ti*e of Kria Yoga 14. Praer 5%a&a67 the #asi* instrument of all the msti*al &aths 11. 0o) to a*hie$e the #reathless state 12. Perfe*ting the te*hniue of Kria Pranaama
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Appendix 17 17 A#out &remature Kun+alini a)a8ening Appendix 27 27 Cleaning the Kria &ath from all esoteri*-magi* manias Appendix 37 37 Im&ortan*e of stu+ing the Ra+hasoami mo$ement Appendix 47 47 0i++en treasures in P.Y.9s Kria Yoga
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Glossary Bibliography
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SYNOPSIS
PART I: MY SEARCH SEAR CH OF THE ORIGINAL KRIYA The first &art &art *ontain *ontainss the stor of the +ifferen +ifferentt &hases &hases of m s&irit s&iritual ual sear*h7 sear*h7 self tea*hing of Yoga: Yoga: Kria Kri a Yoga Yoga re*ei$e+ from an organi!ation: Kria Yoga Yoga re*ei$e+ from tra$eling gurus: final +e*ision of &utting in a #oo8 all )hat I 8ne) a#out Kria Yoga te*hniues an+ go ahea+ alone. Chapter 1 Yoga e!"#ta$ght ; s&iritual sear*h #egan soon enough. I *onsi+ere+ Yoga a +is*i&line *a&a#le of &ro+u*ing an internal *hange in m &ersonalit. &ersonalit. I #egan )ith an emental $oi+>. I +e*i+e+ +e*i+e+ also to reinfor* reinfor*ee m +is*i& +is*i&lin linee throug through h the art of Prana Pranaama. ama. After After three three months of &ra*ti*e= I e<&erien*e+ )hat Yoga #oo8s *all > Kun+alini a)a8ening.> This e<&erien*e )as &re*e+e+ # a *ou&le of +as of fear an+ anguish. Chapter % Kr&'a Yoga "ro( orga)&*at&o) orga)&*at&o ) As an enthusiast of Pranaama= I +e*i+e+ to +e$ote m life to &erfe*t it. I *ame to 8no) of the eoriginal Kria>= I ma+e the great mista8e of negle*ting m routine #ase+ u&on the union #et)een %a&a an+ Kria. I follo)e+ follo)e+ three +ifferent +ifferent tea*hers. Among Among man not $er im&ortant +etails= I learne+ something $alua#le7 1. The im&ortan*e im&ortan*e of listening to the internal soun+s soun+s +uring Kria Pranaama: Pranaama: 2. The frenulum-stret*hing te*hniue BTala#a Kria lea+ing to master of Ke*hari ;u+ra: ". The *on*e&t of In*remental Routine. Chapter 3 A har2 2e&&o) After the #rea8 )ith m thir+ tea*her= tea*her= I a$oi+e+ a$oi+e+ see8ing others. I toe+ )ith the $ague
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i+ea of &utting all I 8ne) a#out Kria in a #oo8. I )as ham&ere+ # the +ee& *on+itioning from m first Kria organi!ation7 the &romise of 8ee&ing all te*hni*al Kria Kria +etails +etails se*ret. se*ret. The mental mental *larit *larit an+ stamina stamina &ro+u* &ro+u*e+ e+ # the in*rem in*rement ental al routines hel&e+ me to erase all *on+itioning. I #egan the )or8 )or8 of )riting the #oo8 an+ &oste+ it on the e#. e#. PART II: DEFINITION DEF INITION OF THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES The se*on+ &art is +e$ote+ to share )hat I 8no) a#out the theor an+ &ra*ti*e of Kria Yoga. Chapter 4 The ,a& teh)&5$e o" Kr&'a Yoga The essen*e of (irst Kria is gi$en through eight te*hniues -- Tala#a Kria= Om %a&a Bin the Cha8ras= Kria Pranaama Ba8a Pranaama= Na$i Kria= ;aha ;u+ra= Kria Pranaama )ith short #reath= mental Pranaama Prana ama an+ Yoni Yoni ;u+ra. Chapter 6 Teh)&5$e o" the H&gher Kr&'a The 0igher Krias are here +es*ri#e+ as a si< ste& sstem. Chapter 7 Theoret&a! Theoret&a! -&&o) o" Kr&'a Yoga8 I)tro2$t&o) I)tro2$t&o) to o(e &)terete2 &)terete2 -ar&at&o) After a theoreti*al +igression u&on the four le$els of Kria= ea*h lin8e+ )ith the unfastening of a &arti*ular 998not99 Bo#sta*le hin+ering the s&iritual e<&erien*e= some $ariations of the Kria te*hniues are +es*ri#e+.
PART III: KRIYA KRIYA YOGA IN PRACTICE PRACTI CE The thir+ &art +)ells )ith the &ra*ti*al as&e*ts of tea*hing Kria Yoga. Yoga. The main theme is ho) to assist stu+ents to *oor+inate an+ harness their efforts in a meaningful )a. Chapter 9 $&!2&)g a o!&2 ,a& "or the prat&e o" Kr&'a Yoga Yoga e +is*uss +is*uss a tea*hin tea*hing g metho+ metho+ to gui+e gui+e those )ho )ant to learn Kriya Yoga. oga. After After *onsi+ering ho) to intro+u*e the (irst Kria in a gra+ual )a= &ra*ti*al e 1: A,o$t pre(at$re K$)2a!&)& a0a?e)&)g There are &ages in the e# )arning against the +angers of >&remature a)a8ening of Kundalini>. Kundalini>. The real &ro#lem is fa*ing the fear of su#stantial su#stantial *hanges in life. There are
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&ra*ti*es to #e re*ommen+e+ that +issol$e an a*ute states of inner tension.
Appe)2&> %: C!ea)&)g the Kr&'a path "ro( a!! eoter&#(ag& eoter&#(ag& (a)&a e +)ell here u&on the theme of the )rong attitu+es to)ar+s to)ar+s the Kriya &ath. Kriya &ath. ;an forget forget that Kriya that Kriya is is not a &s*hologi*al &s*hologi*al Dourne Dourne in the realm of our min+ #ut a s&iritual &ath. Appe)2&> +: I(porta)e o" t$2'&)g the Ra2haoa(& (o-e(e)t The literar material &ro+u*e+ # this mo$ement is $er ins&iring for all those )ho are see8ing to #e in tune )ith the m!ar Realt. Realt. Some s*hools of Kria ha+ their origin here. Appe)2&> /: H&22e) trea$re &) P8Y8@ Kr&'a Yoga Something &re*ise an+ useful is #rought to light to those stu+ents )ho= #eing faithful to P.Y.9s .Y.9s tea*hings= are tring to fin+ in this #oo8 a 8e to *larif their te*hni*al +ou#ts
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PART I: MY SEARCH OF THE ORIGINAL KRIYA
C0APTER 1 YOGA SELF#TAUGHT
; s&iritual sear*h #egan at age 1, after I #ought an intro+u*tor #oo8 on *lassi*al Yoga. I +on9t remem#er the title of that first #oo8= #ut #oo8s of 3.K.S. Iengar follo)e+ an+ then finall the auto#iogra&h of an In+ian saint= )here I foun+ the term Kriya Yoga. ; interest in Yoga ha+ #een fuele+ # a *ertain e<&e*tation of the effe*ti$eness of the oriental forms of me+itation that ha+ slo)l *oales*e+ +uring m *hil+hoo+ an+ earl a+oles*en*e. 3ut first things first... In &rimar s*hool= unli8e m &eers I #orro)e+ esoteri* #oo8s from m &arents9 frien+s an+ I lo$e+ those #oo8s. I remem#er that the first o ne I rea+ from en+ to en+ )as on o**ultism. Kno)ing the #oo8 )as *onsi+ere+ unsuita#le for m age= I )as &rou+ to #e a#le to rea+ an+ un+erstan+ it. I turne+ a +eaf ear to an &ersuasi$e a+$i*e to +e+i*ate mself to more formati$e rea+ings. I *ontinue+ these rea+ings until I )as a#out 11. I )aste+ a lot of time on )orthless #oo8s an+ sta*8s of s&e*iali!e+ esoteri* maga!ines )ith tantali!ing titles an+ i+le fan*ies +esigne+ essentiall to im&ress= an+ )hi*h )ere im&ossi#le to +istinguish in a+$an*e #et)een fa*t an+ fi*tion. I also *ame into *onta*t )ith the main themes of o**i+ental esoteri*ism )ith short +igressions into &henomena li8e h&nosis an+ s&iritualism. In the en+= I felt I ha+ tra$ele+ through an in+istin*t *haos an+ thought that &erha&s the most &re*ious se*rets )ere hi++en in other #oo8s )hi*h I ha+ not #een fortunate enough to fin+. uring this &erio+= )hen I )as &erha&s 14 or 11= I sa) the )or+ > Yoga> for the first time in a &ostal *atalog of esoteri* #oo8s among m father9s *orres&on+en*e. I )as entran*e+ an+ ine<&li*a#l s&ell#oun+ # the &erson &i*ture+ on the *o$er sitting in the >lotus &osition.> 0o)e$er= I *oul+n9t &ersua+e m father to #u the #oo8 for me. hen I )as 1, an+ in high s*hool= the esoteri* flame )as re8in+le+ for a )hile in a &arti*ular )a7 a frien+ tol+ me he ha+ a +etaile+ teThese e I )as +ee&l intrigue+ # his )or+s7 )hat internal transformation )as he tal8ing a#outF Surel m frien+ +i+n9t mean the attainment of a &arti*ular state of rela
thought I )as sear*hing for &hsi*al an+ mental *ontrol= m s&iritual sear*h ha+ in fa*t #egun. Gnfortunatel= this #oo8 )as more of a &hiloso&hi*al intro+u*tion an+ +i+ not stir u& anthing s&iritual. It )as neither im&ressi$e nor thought &ro$o8ing B%i$a= Pra8riti= Purusha.... The authorHs goal seeme+ to #e solel to gi$e the rea+er the im&ression of serious authorit. E$en *on*e&ts li8e Rein*arnation= Karma= $harma% an+ &aya% the un+erstan+ing of )hi*h in the future )oul+ #e*ome so im&ortant in m life= remaine+ unfathoma#le= hi++en in a tangle of Sans8rit terms. "ranayama )as onl hinte+ at # e<&laining ho) to +o a *om&lete #reath @ +ilating the a#+omen= +ia&hragm= an+ u&&er *hest +uring inhalation an+ *ontra*ting the same in re$erse or+er for a *alm estret*hing )or8-outs>: #ut )ere a means of &ro$i+ing a glo#al stimulus to all the &hsi*al organs to in*rease their $italit. The satisfa*tion I felt at the en+ of a session s&o8e to their effe*ti$eness. I #egan +oing oga &ostures B Asanas in a *orner of our s*hool gmnasium +uring &hsi*al e+u*ation *lasses. I )asn9t $er goo+ in s&orts an)a +es&ite #eing )ell-*on+itione+ # long )al8s. ;oreo$er= #eing a#le to +o something signifi*ant )ithout ha$ing to mo$e $er far an+ )ithout the inherent ris8s of s*hool s&orts attra*te+ me. After the &reliminar grou& )arm-u& eCor&se Pose> BSa(asana)% the last one to #e &ra*ti*e+ in the +ail Asana routine. The instru*tion )as $er *learl gi$en an+ the author +i+ not lose his fo*us in useless &hiloso&hi*al em#ellishments. 0e e<&laine+ that the &ur&ose of the e
mental fa*ulties in or+er to re*harge the )hole &s*ho &hsi*al sstem )ith fresh energ. I )as attra*te+ # the gran+iose &romise that # sto&&ing all mental fun*tions @ )ithout falling into a state of slee& @ an+ remaining for some time in a state of &ure a)areness= one *oul+ o#tain )ithin one hour the eui$alent of fi$e hours slee&. I regret not ha$ing the #oo8 anmore= #ut I )ill +es*ri#e the e?ie in the su&ine &osition )ith arms e
In m e<&erien*e= in s&ite of the '4 minutes &romise+ # the #oo8= the final state of relamin+> an+ >a)areness>. hen the mental &ro*ess is ease+ off into &erfe*t silen*e= &ure a)areness )ithout *ontent arises. ?i8e a luminous &oint +u&li*ating itself an unlimite+ amount of times= it remains un*hange+ for some minutes. You 8no) ou eI thin8= therefore I am> is in+efensi#le. It )oul+ #e more *orre*t to affirm7 >Onl in the silen*e of no thought lies the &roof an+ the intimate *ertaint of e
3esi+es the +imension of esoteri* oriental me+itati$e &ra*ti*es= I also ha+ a &assion for &oetr an+ literature as )ell as a ha#it of +ail see8ing the *ontem&lation of #eaut in Nature* This interest #egan )hen I )as . I #orro)e+ a #oo8 of &oetr from the s*hool li#rar an+ *o&ie+ +ifferent short &oems )ith naturalisti* themes into a note#oo8. 3 rea+ing them freuentl= I soon 8ne) them all # heart. 3 re*alling them )hile *ontem&lating the hill surroun+ings #eon+ the outs8irts of m $illage= I *oul+ intensif m emotions. As m high s*hool ears )ere +ra)ing to a *lose= I +e$elo&e+ a &assion for *lassi*al musi* an+ 3eetho$en #e*ame m i+ol. es&ite the trage+ of his +eafness at his *reati$e &ea8= he rea*te+ in a most honora#le manner an+ *arrie+ on *reating )or8s he ha+ alrea+ *om&ose+ in his heart. The 0eiligensta+t Testament= )here he re$eals his *riti*al *on+ition an+ states his +e*ision )ith *alm an+ total resolution= ma+e him almost a hero an+ a saint in m ees. 0e )rote to a frien+7 >Jo+ is nearer to me than to others. I a&&roa*h 0im )ithout fear= I ha$e al)as 8no)n him. Neither am I an 0o) *oul+ I remain in+ifferentF 0e )as +ra)ing in*om&ara#le musi* out of the +e&ths of his #eing= an+ offering it to humanit. The trium&h of this frail human *reature o$er a nonsensi*al fate ha+ a tremen+ous im&a*t on me. The +ail rite of retiring to m room to listen to that musi* *onsoli+ate+ m *onse*ration to the I+eal @ merging )ith A#solute 3eaut. Ea*h +a for the first three months after high s*hool gra+uation= )hen I e<&erien*e+ a strong romanti* *rush )hose fulfillment seeme+ im&ossi#le= I listene+ to 3eetho$en9s &issa Solemnis. The more m emotionalism &rom&te+ me to a*t rashl= )hi*h &ro$e+ to #e +estru*ti$e to m lo$e affair= the more m +es&erate heart foun+ refuge in the massH &ure #eaut. uring a )al8 in the *ountr= sitting on a hill *ontem&lating a far lan+s*a&e #athe+ in the )armth of the summer e$ening= his musi* rang out again in m memor. hat m heart *ra$e+ )as #efore me= &erfe*t an+ untarnishe+ neither # fears nor # a sense of guilt. That )as m first religious e<&erien*e. I *hose to stu+ math at uni$ersit. hile atten+ing the first *lasses= I un+erstoo+ that a ha&& *ha&ter of m life )as *on*lu+e+ an+ there )oul+ #e no time for +istra*tions li8e enDoing *lassi* literature. All m attention )as fo*use+ on fin+ing an effe*ti$e metho+ of stu+ an+ a )a to a$oi+ )asting m energies. This meant fo*using in a +is*i&line+ )a #oth +uring stu+ time an+ +uring m i+le moments. (or this &ur&ose= I +e*i+e+ to utili!e the +nami* of the ogi* 99mental $oi+99 te*hniue. One #a+ ha#it I ha+ to *onuer )as a ten+en* to +a+ream an+ Dum& from one memor to another to e
unreasona#le fears that hin+er the +e*isi$e a*tion that life reuires. On other o**asions it fosters an o&timisti* imagination that unfortunatel &ushes the &erson to)ar+ ina&&ro&riate a*tions. I )as *on$in*e+ that +is*i&line+ thought )as the most $alua#le trait I *oul+ +e$elo&= an+ )oul+ o&en the +oors to fruitful a*hie$ements. ; +e*ision fille+ me )ith eu&hori* enthusiasm. 0o)e$er= after #reathing the lim&i+= s&ar8ling= *elestial state of thought restraint for a fe) hours I en*ountere+ a signifi*ant mental resistan*e. In the mirror of m intros&e*tion= I sa) ho) other ha#its )ere )asting m mental energ. One of these= )ra&&e+ an+ une<&e*te+l +ignifie+ # the *on*e&t of so*iali!ation= )as that of falling +ail into ner$e)ra*8ing +is*ussions )ith frien+s. It )as time to renoun*e it. I a#ru&tl a$oi+e+ their *om&an. Certainl mine )as not an im&ossi#le sa*rifi*e-- theirs )as not m )orl+. One +a +uring a short afternoon )al8= I sa) them from afar sitting la!il an+ *hatting in the usual #ar. ; heart ga$e a lur*h. The )ere m frien+s an+ I lo$e+ ea*h of them= et seeing them together that +a the a&&eare+ to me li8e *hi*8ens *oo&e+ u& in a narro) s&a*e. ;er*ilessl I assume+ the )ere *om&letel go$erne+ # the instin*ts of eating= &arting= se<= an+ generall o$erin+ulging. hate$er trage+ ha&&ene+ to their frien+ +i+n9t *on*ern them= the )oul+ ha$e 8e&t on si&&ing the +ail &leasure of +a)+ling until misfortune hit them &ersonall. I foun+ it $er sa+ an+ +istressing. The in*i+ent &ut me in a gloom moo+= #ut a senten*e from 3eetho$en9s 0eiligensta+t testament *ame s&ontaneousl to min+ an+ e$o8e+ the #liss I ha+ enDoe+ +uring m high s*hool ears7 O Pro$i+en*e - grant me at least #ut one day o+ pure ,oy - it has #een so long sin*e real Do e*hoe+ in m heart - O )hen - O )hen= O i$ine One - shall I fin+ it again in the tem&le of nature an+ of menF - Ne$erF No - O that )oul+ #e too har+.
At that moment I again resol$e+ to *on*entrate on m stu+ies= an+ &assing m e+a of &ure Do>= I )oul+ ha$e to en+ure momentaril a +ar8 em&tiness7 I )oul+ sa$or it )ithout lament an+ )ithout #eing tem&te+ to turn on a light for momentar sola*e.
- .ill $ie So - Can /i(e0 An e$ent illuminate+ m life7 a frien+ intro+u*e+ me to Justa$ ;ahler9s Sm&hon No.2 > esurrection> an+ in$ite+ me to a li$e *on*ert of this )or8. I rea+ the information leaflet. Ea*h &art of the sm&hon ha+ a &re*ise meaning )hi*h ;ahler himself ha+ e<&laine+ in a letter to the *on+u*tor= 3runo alter. It )as ;ahler9s intention to treat +eath as the ine$ita#le en+ to all human enter&rise. The musi* itself *on$ee+ a sense of +esolation )hi*h )as s)eet= as if 14
+eath meant +rifting off into a &ea*eful slee&. The )or+s of the *ontralto *ommuni*ate+ a *hil+li8e inno*ent $ision in a sorro)ful $oi*e of en+less +ignit7 schen roth0 $er &ensch liegt in grter 'oth0 $er &ensch liegt in grter "ein0 e lieber mcht ich im #immel sein*
O re+ rose ;an lies in +irest nee+ ;an lies in +ee&est &ain Oh= ho) I )oul+ rather #e in hea$en.
hile listening= I fan*ie+ I )as in the *ountrsi+e +uring a light rain. 3ut it )as s&ring an+ a ra of sun &ier*e+ the *lou+s. Ami+ the $egetation there )as a #eautiful re+ rose. That sim&le $ision #rought sola*e to m heart9s inner a*he an+ )arme+ me to a high &it*h of enthusiasm )ith the thought that 3eaut )oul+ #e )ith me fore$er= in all the &la*es of m solitar )an+erings. Then the *hoir sang some $erses from Klo&sto*89s hmn7 Au+ersteh5n% ,a au+ersteh5n .irst du% &ein Staub% 'ach !ur6er uh50 7nsterblich /eben0 7nsterblich /eben 8ird der dich rie+ dir geben0
Rise again= es= rise again= ill ou= m +ust= After a #rief rest Immortal life Immortal life ill 0e )ho *alle+ ou= gi$e ou.
Ne
ith )ings I ha$e gaine+= in lo$e9s fier*e stri$ing= I shall soar aloft To the light no ee has &ier*e+ I )ill +ie so I *an li$e Rise again= es= rise again= ill ou= m heart= in an instant hat ou ha$e earne+ ourself= Shall lea+ ou to Jo+
In the follo)ing +as= I trie+ to &enetrate the meaning # rea+ing e$erthing I *oul+ on the sm&hon an+ listening to it entran*e+ in the uietu+e of m o)n room. After man integral an+ enthusiasti* listening sessions= the )or+s7 >Ster#en )er+e i*h= um !u le#en> B>I )ill +ie so I *an li$e> resoun+e+ all +a long in m min+ li8e a threa+ aroun+ )hi*h m thoughts *rstalli!e+. oul+ I e$er= #efore ol+ age= #e a#le to die to mysel+ @ namel to die to my egoismF as it &ossi#le to *ross the fogg *urtain of thoughts= su&erfi*ial emotions= sensations an+ instin*t= an+ emerge into that &ure imension for )hi*h I ha+ earne+ man ears an+ )hi*h I felt )as m highest goo+F There )as no +ou#t I )as )illing to &erfe*t m self-im&ose+ +is*i&line to the eI )ill sei!e (ate # the throat >= sai+ 3eetho$en7 so I too )as &re&are+ to a*t in a strong an+ 11
+e*isi$e )a. hat I misse+ )as the art of "ranayama @ that "ranayama )hi*h I ha+ +reame+ so mu*h a#out #ut ha+ ne$er a*tuall &ra*ti*e+. A fe) )ee8s #efore = I ha+ &ur*hase+ 3.K.S. Iengar9s Pneumati* tools *an *ut through the har+est ro*8. In "ranayama% the yogi uses his lungs as &neumati* tools. If the are not use+ &ro&erl= the +estro #oth the tool an+ the &erson using it. (ault &ra*ti*e &uts un+ue stress on the lungs an+ +ia&hragm. The res&irator sstem suffers an+ the ner$ous sstem is a+$ersel affe*te+. The $er foun+ation of a health #o+ an+ a soun+ min+ is sha8en # a fault &ra*ti*e of "ranayama*>
This senten*e ignite+ m immo+erate )ill to e<&erien*e all its &o)er= to the &oint of >+ing> in it= figurati$el s&ea8ing. hat )oul+ ha$e frightene+ others em#ol+ene+ me. If it &ro$o8e+ an authenti* &s*hologi*al earthua8e= I )as on the right tra*8. Yes some &ru+en*e )as ne*essar: an intensi$e &ra*ti*e ha+ to #e rea*he+ gra+uall an+ ea*h session ha+ to #e *arrie+ out )ith ethese e. It ha+ to #e true "ranayama a&&eare+ to me the most &erfe*t of all arts= )ith no intrinsi* limits. To +e$ote mself to it )oul+ *ost nothing. I )oul+ not #e o#lige+ to s&en+ mone on the &ur*hase of a musi*al instrument= *an$as an+ *olors= or )hate$er. The instrument )as al)as )ith me an+ )ithin me. I *oul+n9t un+erstan+ ho) I ha+ )aste+ so mu*h time not ta8ing on this *ommitment seriousl. To a#i+e # it )as The e*ision of ; ?ife. I &ra*ti*e+ morning an+ e$ening in an >a#solute> )a= )ith fero*ious *on*entration= as if there )ere no tomorro). I )oul+ start )ith stret*hing e
A +etaile+ +es*ri&tion of this routine BNa+i So+hana: GDDai: 3an+ha an+ final *on*entration in Kutastha is gi$en at the en+ of this *ha&ter.
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an un8no)n realit ling #eon+ the material. Sometimes in the first sunn +as after )inter= )hen the s8ies )ere *rstalline an+ as #lue as the ha+ e$er #een= I )oul+ sit in the o&en air an+ *ontem&late m surroun+ings. In a #ush +it*h *o$ere+ )ith i$ the sun she+ its light u&on flo)ers that a fe) )ee8s #efore )ere #looming +uring the *ol+ an+ no)= hee+less of the mil+est +as= still lingere+ in their s&ell-#in+ing glor. I )as +ee&l ins&ire+. I )oul+ *lose m ees an+ rel on an inner ra+ian*e a**om&anie+ # a sensation of &ressure on m heart. At that time= m internal life )as still s&lit #et)een t)o interests )hi*h I &er*ei$e+ as t)o +imensions ha$ing nothing in *ommon. On one si+e )ere esoteri* matters )hi*h ha+ gui+e+ m sear*h to)ar+ Yoga +is*i&line= )hi*h I *on*ei$e+ to #e an e++icacious tool for &urifing an+ controlling the mind . On the other si+e )as the as&iration to)ar+ the i+eal )orl+ of 3eaut )hi*h I trie+ to e$o8e through the stu+ of literar )or8s= an+ listening to *lassi*al musi*. I ne$er imagine+ that the first +imension *oul+ lea+ me to the se*on+ It )as reasona#le to ho&e that "ranayama *oul+ gi$e me a &ermanent #ase of mental *larit= hel&ing me to not s&oil the fragile mira*le of an en*ounter )ith 3eaut )ith a Dum#le of thoughts= #ut I *oul+ ne$er ha$e imagine+ that "ranayama ha+ the &o)er of multi&ling the e<&erien*e of the Su#lime or e$en ma8e it s&ring u& from nothing I often re&eate+ insi+e mself an+ sometimes uote+ to m frien+s this $erse from the Bhaga(ad Gita7 >BThe yogi 8no)s the Do eternal #eon+ the &ale of the senses )hi*h his reason *annot gras&. 0e a#i+es in this realit an+ mo$es not then*e. 0e has foun+ the treasure a#o$e all others. There is nothing higher than this. 0e that has a*hie$e+ it shall not #e mo$e+ # the greatest sorro). This is the real meaning of Yoga - a +eli$eran*e from *onta*t )ith &ain an+ sorro)>.
hile re&eating it= I )as a*tuall sa$oring that %o. On a uiet afternoon )al8 among trees Dust #efore sunset= I ui*8l glan*e+ no) an+ then at teThou art That> I *lose+ the #oo8 an+ re&eate+ the )or+s as if in a tran*e. ; rational min+ )as a#le to gras& #ut not full a**e&t the in*ommensura#le im&li*ation of the statement. It meant that it )as I that )as the un#elie$a#l +eli*ate green light filtering through the lea$es= #earing )itness to the s&ring that #rought ne) life. 3a*8 home= I +i+ not e$en tr to &ut +o)n on &a&er the numerous >moments of gra*e> I e<&erien*e+ from this reali!ation= nor *oul+ I ha$e. ; onl )ish )as to +el$e further an+ further into this ne) inner sour*e of un+erstan+ing an+ enlightenment.
1"
Kundalini =xperience After ha$ing #ought the )or8s of Rama8rishna= Li$e8anan+a= Jo&i Krishna an+ PatanDali9s Yoga Sutras Ba #ig $olume )ith *omments # I.K. Taimni= I finall +e*i+e+ to #u the auto#iogra&h of an In+ian saint= )hom I )ill in+i*ate # P.Y. 2 . It )as a #oo8 I ha+ seen some ears #efore #ut ha+ not #ought #e*ause it +i+n9t *ontain &ra*ti*al instru*tions. ; ho&e no) )as that I )oul+ #e a#le to fin+ useful information su*h as the a++resses of some goo+ Yoga s*hools. This auto#iogra&h enthralle+ me an+ *reate+ a strong as&iration to)ar+ the msti*al &ath. In *ertain moments I foun+ mself almost #urning from an internal fe$er. This &ro$i+e+ fertile groun+ for the *oming of an e$ent )hi*h )as ra+i*all +ifferent from an I ha+ e<&erien*e+ #efore. It )as a 8in+ of >intimate> e<&erien*e. Nonetheless= sin*e I ha$e listene+ to similar +es*ri&tions from Yoga &ra*titioners= I ha$e +e*i+e+ to share it. One night )hile rea+ing P.Y.9s auto#iogra&h= I felt a shi$er similar to an ele*tri* *urrent s&rea+ itself throughout m )hole #o+. A 99shi$er99 )as insignifi*ant in itself= #ut it frightene+ me. ; rea*tion )as rather strange sin*e I ha+ al)as #elie$e+ I )as immune from fear of all things relate+ to trans*en+en*e. The thought flashe+ through m min+ that a +ee&er e$ent )as going to ha&&en soon: that it )as going to #e strong= $er strong an+ I )oul+ not #e a#le to sto& it in an )a. It )as as if m memor ha+ some ine<&li*a#le familiarit )ith it an+ m instin*t 8ne) its ines*a&a#le &o)er. I ma+e u& m min+ to let things ha&&en unim&e+e+ an+ go ahea+ )ith the rea+ing. ;inutes &asse+ an+ I )as not a#le to *ontinue rea+ing: m restlessness turne+ into anmself>= seeme+ at the &oint of melting a)a. The )orst thoughts hung o$er me )ithout a *lear reason. (ortunatel= I ha+ Dust finishe+ rea+ing Jo&i Krishna9s Kundalini> "ath to #igher Consciousness in )hi*h the author +es*ri#e+ the s&len+i+ a)a8ening 2
The rea+er )ill un+erstan+ )h I am not mentioning the full name of P.Y. @ it is not +iffi*ult ho)e$er to figure out his i+entit. There are man s*hools of Yoga s&rea+ing his tea*hings a**or+ing to a s&e*ifi* legitima*9. One of these= through its re&resentati$es= ma+e me reali!e that not onl )on9t the tolerate the smallest of the Co&right $iolations= #ut the )on9t e$en a&&re*iate their #elo$e+ Tea*her9s name #eing mi
1'
e<&erien*e he ha+ follo)ing an intense &ra*ti*e of *on*entration on the se$enth Cha!ra. 0o)e$er@ #e*ause his #o+ )as &ro#a#l un&re&are+ @ he later met serious &hsi*al an+= as a refle<= &s*hi* &ro#lems as )ell. A**or+ing to his +es*ri&tion= insi+e his #o+ the energ )as for*e+ into *onstant motion from the #ase of the #a*8#one to)ar+ the #rain. So strong )as the energ that he )as #e+ri++en an+ *oul+ not a**om&lish normal #o+il fun*tions. 0e literall felt as if he )as #eing #urne+ # an inner fire )hi*h he *oul+ not &ut out. ee8s later= he intuiti$el +is*o$ere+ the )a to *ontrol the &henomenon-- the u&)ar+ flo) of energ through the s&ine #e*ame a &ersistent e<&erien*e of internal reali!ation. I )as afrai+ I too ha+ *ome to the threshol+ of that same e<&erien*e #ut= sin*e I +i+ not li$e in In+ia= I )as afrai+ that &eo&le aroun+ me might not un+erstan+. The e<&erien*e )oul+ ha$e #een terri#le No one *oul+ hel& insure that m e<&erien*e )oul+ #e *hannele+ to)ar+ a &ositi$e *on*lusion li8e it )as for Jo&i Krishna. The s&iritual )orl+ a&&eare+ to me to #e a sorro)ful an+ horri#le nightmare= a#le to annihilate an+ +estro )hoe$er )oul+ im&ru+entl a&&roa*h it. Or+inar life= on the *ontrar= seeme+ the +earest an+ healthiest realit. I )as afrai+ I might not #e a#le to get #a*8 to that *on+ition again. I )as *on$in*e+ I ha+ o&ene+ a +oor I )as not su&&ose+ to o&en= so I +e*i+e+ to sto& the e<&erien*e an+ &ut off the fatal moment. I stoo+ u& an+ left the room= out to the o&en air. It )as night an+ there )as no#o+ to )hom I *oul+ *ommuni*ate m &ani* At the *enter of the ar+ I )as #ur+ene+= *ho8e+= almost *rushe+ # a feeling of +es&eration= en$ing all those &eo&le )ho ha+ ne$er &ra*ti*e+ Yoga* I su++enl felt guilt an+ ashame+ of the harsh )or+s I ha+ use+ against a frien+ )ho ha+ #een in$ol$e+ in &art of m sear*h. ?i8e so man others= he ha+ shunne+ an &ra*ti*e= ignore+ loft rea+ings= an+ +e*i+e+ instea+ to enDo life. Eui&&e+ )ith a Du$enile #ol+ness= I ha+ a++resse+ him )ith a tone far from affe*tionate= )hi*h no) starte+ to thun+er insi+e m hea+. I )as sorr I ha+ thro)n unDustifie+ *ruelt at him )ithout reall 8no)ing )hat )as in his min+ an+ soul. I )oul+ ha$e li8e+ to tell him ho) sorr I )as to ha$e #rutall $iolate+ his right to li$e the )a he thought )as #est. Perha&s he ha+ &referre+ to &rote*t his mental health rather than #e*ome unsta#le or insane through &ra*ti*es he )as unsure of. 3e*ause of m great &assion for *lassi*al musi*= I ho&e+ that listening to it might iel+ the &ositi$e effe*t of &rote*ting me from anguish an+ hel& me get #a*8 m usual moo+. It )as 3eetho$en9s Concert +or ?iolin and rchestra% )hi*h I listene+ to in m room )ith hea+&hones= that soothe+ m soul an+ after half an hour ease+ m slee&. 3ut the follo)ing morning I a)o8e )ith the same fear. Strange as it ma seem= the t)o &i$otal fa*ts that to+a stir m most intense emotions @ that i$ine Intelligen*e is the $er #asis of e$erthing that e
li8e the &eo&le I ha+ al)as *onsi+ere+ la! an+ +ull. In this )a= I su**ee+e+ in hi+ing m anguish. The first +a )ent #: m min+ )as totall )orn out. After t)o +as= the fear ha+ +iminishe+ an+ I finall felt safe. Something felt *hange+ an)a: I ha+nHt thought a#out Yoga% I onl thought aroun+ it. One )ee8 later I #egan= *alml an+ +eta*he+l= to &on+er the meaning of )hat ha+ ha&&ene+. I un+erstoo+ the nature of m rea*tion to that e&iso+e7 I ha+ *o)ar+l run a)a from the e<&erien*e I ha+ &ursue+ for su*h a long time In the +e&th of m soul m +ignit urge+ me to *ontinue )ith m sear*h e*or&se &ose>= )hen I ha+ a &leasant sensation= as if an ele*tri* )in+ )as #lo)ing in the ea *lear an+ eu&hori* *ertaint of e. The strangest thing )as that in the $er instant I ha+ it= I foun+ it familiar. In God =xists> - #a(e &et #im= A. (rossar+ tries to gi$e an i+ea of his s&iritual e<&erien*e. To that en+= he *reates the *on*e&t of an >in$erse a$alan*he>. An a$alan*he *olla&ses= runs +o)nhill= first slo)l then faster an+ $iolentl at the same time. (rossar+ suggests )e shoul+ imagine an >u&si+e-+o)n a$alan*he> )hi*h #egins strengthening at the foot of the mountain an+ *lim#s u& &ushe+ # an in*reasing &o)er: then su++enl it lea&s u& to)ar+ the s8. I +o not 8no) ho) long this e<&erien*e laste+. It +efinitel &ea8e+ out at onl a fe) se*on+s. hen it en+e+= I turne+ on m si+e an+ fell into a *alm= uninterru&te+ slee&. The follo)ing +a )hen I a)o8e I ha+ forgotten it. It onl *ame u& some hours later= +uring a )al8. ?eaning against the trun8 of a tree= I remaine+ immo#ile for a *ou&le minutes= enthralle+ # the re$er#eration of the memor. I )as floo+e+ )ith great Do. It )as as if I ha+ )o8en u& after a tormente+ +ream: hea$ limitations ha+ #een )eighing m heart +o)n for a long time an+ no) the ha+ +issol$e+. An elate+ *on+ition stret*hing out far &ast the limits of m a)areness @ a sort of memor hi+ing in the re*esses of m su#*ons*ious @ #egan to #e re$eale+= as if a ne) area of m #rain ha+ #een stirre+ to a full a)a8ening. I foun+ mself *ontem&lating a +reamli8e realit= still o#De*ti$el in+is&uta#le: it ha+ arisen in me )ith the naturalness of a &rimor+ial instin*t although it ha+ nothing to +o )ith the )orl+ surroun+ing me in )hi*h I li$e+. 1
Appe)2&> to hapter 1: 2er&pt&o) o" (' "&rt Pra)a'a(a ro$t&)e
0ere are the &ra*ti*al instru*tions a#out the t)o t&es of "ranayama that I &ra*ti*e+ at the $er #eginning of m sear*h. I8 Na2& So2ha)a Pra)a'a(a . It is im&ortant to *lean the nostrils #efore #eginning the e
1. The mouth must #e *lose+. 2. Close the right nostril )ith the right thum# an+ inhale through the left nostril slo)l= uniforml= an+ +ee&l for -14 se*on+s. ". Pause for a mental *ount of " after ea*h inhalation. '. Close the left nostril )ith the right little finger an+ ring finger of the same han+. ,. Eer&e . Remain &erfe*tl immo#ile an+ rela
After an initial &erio+ of &ra*ti*e= the Bandhas are a++e+ +uring 'adi Sodhana "ranayama. ?et us +efine the Bandhas7 In alandhara Bandha% the ne*8 an+ the throat are slightl *ontra*te+= an+ the *hin tilts +o)n to)ar+ the #reast. In 7ddiyana Bandha Ba sim&lifie+ form useful for this e
*on*entration= ou9ll feel a sensation of energeti* *urrent sli+ing u& along the s&inal *olumn @ an almost e*stati* internal shi$er. ?ater= if it is *omforta#le= one *an $ar the time ratio of inhalation= retention B Kumbha!a= an+ e
1
C0APTER 2 K RIYA YOGA FROM ORGANIBATIONS
Gn+erta8ing the &ra*ti*e of "ranayama )as li8e &lanting the see+ of a might tree in the fe$erish season of m outh an+ *ontem&lating its safe gro)th at other times of m life. "ranayama #e*ame m safe refuge )hen the trials of life *ons&ire+ to )ear a)a the #asi* Do )hi*h )as m inherent nature. 3 shar&ening aestheti* enDoment= it fille+ m +as )ith the fruition of i+eal 3eaut= reinfor*ing m +etermination to see8 onl insi+e it the tra*es of the ineffa#le > "rime(al Cause@ of all things. I ha+ no +ou#ts that the Realit to)ar+s )hi*h I )as +ire*ting m life )as the 99Self99 as *on*ei$e+ # C.J. %ung. I #elie$e+ that "ranayama )oul+ initiate a *leansing of the su#*ons*ious &art of m &s*he= gui+ing me along the > -ndi(iduation "rocess> +es*ri#e+ # %ung. In m +reamerHs heart= I fan*ie+ I )oul+ fa*e the ar*het&es of the Colle*ti$e Gn*ons*ious.... I 8ne) that no man shoul+ un+erta8e su*h a &erilous $enture )ithout the gui+e of a traine+ &s*hologist #ut I ha+ no fear as I relie+ u&on m o)n enthusiasm= $igilan*e= an+ in+omita#le )ill to &erfe*t m "ranayama* Another thing ha+ #e*ome a+amantl *lear7 I )oul+ ha$e to *hoose a &rofession that )oul+ not o**u& m entire +a nor all m energ. I ha+ to li$e a life that +i+ not #etra m inner Self The Kundalini e<&erien*e ha&&ene+ se$eral times #ut ne$er #e*ome *onstant. It too8 &la*e es&e*iall )hen I +e$ote+ mself to stu+ late at night an+ then la eim&lo+ing>. The )oul+ in+i$i+uall +isa&&ear for some time an+= strange in+ee+= the *oul+ no longer &ut u& )ith anone. In short= I )as telling them that their so*ial life )as a far*e= )hile the ha+ la#ele+ me anti-so*ial. I +e*lare+ that "ranayama )oul+ harness their energies to)ar+s a more #alan*e+ &s*he. This generate+ a $iolent rea*tion. The re&lie+ that m )or+s )ere +e&ri$e+ of a genuine sense of res&e*t an+ lo$e an+ that I )as una#le to sho) sm&ath to)ar+ others. The essen*e of )hat I ha+ foun+ in "ranayama= )hi*h I )ent on e0i&&ie>= un+erstoo+ &erfe*tl )hat I )as saing an+ 1
sho)e+ me some em&ath: to him= the onl real &ro#lem )as m e<*essi$e enthusiasm a#out the automati* #enefits of "ranayama. 0e ha+ no +ou#ts that m su**ess in this &ra*ti*e +e&en+e+ )holl on me. In his o&inion= "ranayama )as not an art #ringing its o)n re)ar+= #ut an >am&lifier> of )hat ou ha$e insi+e= enhan*ing )hat ou ha$e alrea+ a*hie$e+. "ranayama= he sai+= *oul+ not *reate anthing ne). At this &oint I agree+ that "ranayama *oul+ also #e regar+e+ as an internal *leaning &ro*ess #ut I argue+ it )as also an a*tion of 99*lim#ing99 to)ar+ a loft state of *ons*iousness )here# ou a*hie$e+ something ra+i*all ne). At that moment I felt +isoriente+: I )asn9t a#le to see that the t)o $isions *oul+ *oe)a> I lo$e+ "ranayama= an+ the i+ea of im&ro$ing it through +ifferent ste&s soun+e+ )on+erful. If the #reathing esu#tle> &arts of our s&inal *or+9s &hsi*al an+ astral essen*e= the Kriya "ranayama #urns off the so-*alle+ >#a+ see+s> of Karma. " No) m uestion )as )hether or not I ha+ to go to In+ia to loo8 for a tea*her to gui+e me. Sin*e I &lanne+ to get through m uni$ersit stu+ies as ui*8l as &ossi#le= I reDe*te+ the i+ea of a Dourne to In+ia for the near future. One +a )hile again rea+ing a te
e allu+e to Karma )hene$er )e sti*8 to the *ommon #elief that a &erson inherits a #aggage of latent ten+en*ies from his &re$ious li$es an+ that= sooner or later= these ten+en*ies )ill *ome out in a*tual life. Of *ourse Kriya is a &ra*ti*e )hi*h one *an e<&erimentall use )ithout ne*essaril ha$ing to a**e&t an *ree+s. 0o)e$er= sin*e the *on*e&t of Karma lies at the #asis of In+ian thought= it is )orth)hile to un+erstan+ an+ s&ea8 freel of it. A**or+ing to this #elief= "ranayama #urns out the effe*ts of the >#a+ see+s> Dust #efore the manifest in our li$es. It is further e<&laine+ that those &eo&le )ho are instin*ti$el attra*te+ # metho+s of s&iritual +e$elo&ment su*h as Kriya= ha$e alrea+ &ra*ti*e+ something similar in a >&re*e+ent in*arnation>. This is #e*ause su*h an a*tion is ne$er in $ain an+ in a*tual life the get #a*8 to it e
24
set of lessons on Kriya= an+ that these *oul+ #e re*ei$e+ # *orres&on+en*e. ith great Do= I ui*8l a&&lie+ for the *ourse. The )ritten material tra$ele+ # shi& an+ the +ela times )ere enormous. ' hen after four months I re*ei$e+ the first lesson= I *ame to 8no) that the correspondence *ourse ha+ to #e *ontinue+ for at least one year #efore a&&ling for the Kriya lessons. ;ean)hile I +e*i+e+ to im&ro$e the e
I *an still *onsi+er mself as fortunate. I li$e+ in North East Ital not far from the #or+er )ith the former Yugosla$ia. Those &eo&le )ho li$e+ #eon+ the Iron Curtain *oul+ not re*ei$e su*h material.
21
*ourse on h&nosis et*.= I *ame u&on a #oo8let )ritten in Jerman # a *ertain K. S&ies#erger )hi*h *ontaine+ $arious esoteri* te*hniues= among them Kundalinibreathing . I +i+ not ha$e mu*h familiarit )ith the Jerman language= #ut I imme+iatel reali!e+ the eToo #right )ere our hea$ens= too far a)a= too frail their ethereal stuff>= )rote Sri Aurobindo. I )oul+ ne$er ha$e thought that those )or+s *oul+ #e a&&lie+ to m meeting those &eo&le ith a sort of sour iron= I )oul+ +are sa that that &hase of m life *hara*teri!e+ # e
I *annot hel& smiling )hen some half-hearte+ &eo&le insist that the are fon+ of Kriya= et the )ill not stu+ some *ru*ial te
22
alternating )ith times )hen all seems lost an+ the +istortions of the ego reign su&reme. A&&roa*hing the man in *harge of that grou& )ith total sin*erit= I *oul+ not ha$e imagine+ )hat 8in+ of a har+ sho*8 I )as a#out to re*ei$e. 0e )el*ome+ me )ith $isi#le enthusiasm= sin*erel eager to meet a &erson )ith )hom he *oul+ share the fire of his &assion. Sin*e the $er first moment of our meeting= stan+ing on his +oorste&= I tol+ him ho) fas*inate+ I )as # the &ra*ti*e of Kriya. 0e as8e+ me right a)a )hen I ha+ #een initiate+ in this &ra*ti*e= ta8ing for grante+ that I ha+ re*ei$e+ the tea*hing from the same organi!ation he )as a mem#er of. hen he figure+ out that I ha+ &i*8e+ out a #reathing te*hniue in a #oo8 an+ foole+ mself it )as Kriya "ranayama= he )as horrifie+= sho)ing a #itter smile of +isa&&ointment. 0e thought I *onsi+ere+ Kriya Yoga *hil+9s &la an+ ha+ no i+ea ho) serious it )as. Lisi#l *onfuse+ I #a##le+ something a#out *urrents= soun+ of the #reath= #ut he +i+n9t )ant to hear an more an+ ushere+ me to his stu+. 0e em&hasi!e+ that Kriya *annot #e learne+ through #oo8s. 0e #egan the tale @ )hi*h= later on= I ha+ the o&&ortunit to hear &lent of times @ of the Ti#etan yogi ;ilare&a )ho= getting no &ositi$e results from the &ainsta8ing &ra*ti*e of his frau+ulentl-learne+ te*hniues= re*ei$e+ the $er same instru*tions 8neeling at the feet of an+ )ith the #ene+i*tion of his Guru @ so that this time the results *ame out easil. e all 8no) ho) the human min+ is more *on+itione+ # an ane*+ote than # a logi*al referen*e An ane*+ote= e$en if it is totall fan*iful )ith fi*tional &ur&ose= is en+o)e+ )ith a sort of internal >#rightness> that *on+itions a &erson9s *ommon sense. Stimulating emotions an+ feelings= it is a#le to *lou+ &eo&le9s Du+gment in or+er for them to easil a**e&t *on*lusions that are a#sur+. This stor left me s&ee*hless: I Dust +i+ not 8no) )hat to re&l. There )as onl one )a= a**or+ing to him= to learn Kriya7 #e initiate+ # a >;inister> authori!e+ # P.Y.9s organi!ation 0e tol+ me that no other person )as allo)e+ to tea*h the te*hniue. 0e= an+ all the other +e$otees of his grou&= ha+ re*ei$e+ the te*hniue= s)earing a stri*t an+ solemn &romise of se*re*. >Secrecy0> 0o) o++ this )or+ soun+e+= )hat a strange a&&eal= )hat a msterious fas*ination it e)orth nothing= it )ill not #e effe*ti$e in matters of s&iritual &ur&ose>= an+ a &ossi#le effe*t= onl a&&arentl en*ouraging= might #e >a +angerous illusion in )hi*h the ego remains tra&&e+ for a long time>. Inflame+ # an a#solute faith= he laun*he+ himself into a )i+e +is*ourse on the $alue of the >Guru> Bs&iritual Tea*her= a &u!!ling *on*e&t to me #e*ause it )as attri#ute+ to a &erson that he ha+ not 8no)n +ire*tl. 0a$ing #een initiate+ into Kriya through the legitimate+ *hannels of P.Y.9s organi!ation= P.Y. )as= to him= real an+ &resent in his life= an+ 99his99 Guru. The same thing )as true for the 2"
other &eo&le #elonging to that grou&. Their Guru )as a s&e*ial ai+ sent # Jo+ 0imself= therefore su*h an e$ent )as >the greatest lu*8 a human #eing *an e$er ha$e.> The logi*al *onseuen*e @ un+erline+ )ith o$erflo)ing em&hasis @ )as that= a#an+oning su*h form of ai+ or loo8ing for a +ifferent s&iritual &ath amounte+ to >a hateful reDe*tion of the i$ine han+= stret*he+ out in #ene+i*tion.> 0e as8e+ me to +emonstrate for him m #oo8-learne+ Kriya te*hniue. 0e e<&e*te+= I su&&ose= to $erif a )ell-roote+ &reDu+i*e that the te*hniue= re*ei$e+ through illegitimate *hannels= *oul+ not @ #e*ause of a &arti*ular s&iritual la) @ #e anthing #ut *orru&te+. 0e smile+ )hen he sa) me #reathing through the nose. Then he as8e+ me to e<&lain if there )as something u&on )hi*h I )as fo*using m attention +uring m #reathing. A**or+ing to the #oo8s I ha+ rea+= the energ *oul+ #e $isuali!e+ #oth flo)ing insi+e the s&ine an+ aroun+ the s&ine. Sin*e P.Y. )rote that a !riyaban >mentall +ire*ts his life energ to re$ol$e= u&)ar+ an+ +o)n)ar+= aroun+ the si< s&inal *enters>= I *hose the se*on+ of the t)o &ossi#ilities an+ this )as the $ersion I e<&laine+. 0a$ing also rea+ in another #oo8 that +uring Kriya "ranayama the &ra*titioner )as su&&ose+ to *hant 99m99 mentall into ea*h Cha!ra= I a++e+ this +etail as )ell. I +i+ not reali!e that P.Y. ha+ +e*i+e+ to sim&lif the instru*tions taught in the )est= using the other $ariation )ith no mental *hanting of m. hile telling him these +etails= I sa) an inner satisfa*tion s&rea+ing o$er his fa*e. Clearl he +i+n9t i+entif m &ra*ti*e )ith the te*hniue of Kriya "ranayama he ha+ learne+. The >se*ret> he )as #oun+ to ha+ not #een #ro8en # the author of m esoteri* #oo8 Preten+ing to feel sorr for m *onseuent +isa&&ointment= he informe+ me in an offi*ial tone that m te*hniue ha+ >nothing to +o )ith Kriya "ranayama> A reall #i!arre situation )as ta8ing &la*e7 I )as +es*ri#ing for him a te*hniue $er similar to Kriya "ranayama taught # ?ahiri ;ahasaa )hile this gentlemen )as one hun+re+ &er *ent sure that I )as tal8ing nonsense 0o)e$er= sin*e m &osition )as totall in*om&ati#le )ith his #asi* tenets= he re*ommen+e+ that I sen+ a )ritten a**ount to the hea+uarters of P.Y.9s organi!ation= +es*ri#ing the +etails of m $i*issitu+es= ho&ing that the )oul+ a**e&t me as a +is*i&le an+= in +ue time= grant me the sa*re+ Initiation to Kriya Yoga. I )as some)hat stunne+ # the tone in )hi*h our +ialog )as &rogressing. In or+er to re-esta#lish the initial agreea#ilit of our meeting= I trie+ to reassure him a#out the &ositi$e effe*ts I ha+ gaine+ from m &ra*ti*e. ; statement a*tuall ha+ the effe*t of )orsening the )hole matter= gi$ing him the *han*e to s*ol+ me a se*on+ time= )hi*h )as not totall unfair #ut un+ou#te+l out of &la*e. 0e ma+e it *lear I shoul+ ne$er loo8 for an tangi#le effe*ts in the &ra*ti*e of Kriya mu*h less shoul+ I +is&la them= #e*ause in this )a I )oul+ >lose them.> That *le$er gu ha+ tal8e+ himself straight into an o#$ious *ontra+i*tion )ithout e$en reali!ing it: he )as saing that the results )ere too im&ortant to ris8 losing them # telling others= )hile a fe) se*on+s #efore he ha+ stresse+ that the )ere of no $alue )hatsoe$er. Reali!ing he ha+ gi$en too mu*h of his time to me= a strange 2'
metamor&hosis too8 &la*e in his +emeanor. It )as as if all of a su++en he ha+ #een in$este+ )ith a sa*re+ role7 he &romise+ he )oul+ &ra for me On that +a= I ha+ lost the >fight.> I tol+ him I )oul+ follo) his a+$i*e. As a matter of fa*t= from that moment I a#an+one+ "ranayama entirel an+ restri*te+ m &ra*ti*e to sim&l *entering m attention #et)een the ee#ro)s B Kutastha @ Dust as he ha+ suggeste+ to me.
Acting so*ial> lun*h. It )as a #eautiful *han*e to s&en+ some hours tal8ing an+ enDoing ea*h other9s *om&an. Sin*e man of us +i+ not ha$e their familHs a&&ro$al= mu*h less su&&ort= in the &ra*ti*e of Yoga= the onl o**asion )e ha+ to s&en+ time among &eo&le )ith the same i+eas an+ interests )as an e<&erien*e of great serenit an+ relae= an almost frightening #ore+om starte+ to reign. As a last resort= some ris8e+ telling some Do8es. The )ere not mean or insulting Do8es= #ut a light an+ inno*ent use of humor. Gnfortunatel this also ha+ to li$e u& to the +e$otional attitu+e 8e&t # man of the mem#ers an+ e$entuall su**um#e+ to their *ol+ attitu+e= una#le to sho) a single in*h of true Do$ialit. I *annot sa that &eo&le )ere +e&resse+= rather the seeme+ +i$inel ha&&= #ut )hen ou trie+ to #e agreea#le ou got a loo8 an+ a hint of a smile that left ou fro!en for the rest of the +a. As a matter of *ourse= the grou& un+er)ent a great re**ling &ro*ess: man mem#ers )ho ha+ Doine+ )ith enthusiasm uit after a fe) months an+ then= o++l an+ )ithout +ee& reasons= s*ra&e+ the )hole e<&erien*e off their *ons*iousness. 2,
; o&en tem&erament allo)e+ me to #e*ome *lose to one &erson an+ esta#lish a #on+ )hi*h later #e*ame true frien+shi&. 0o)e$er= it )as not so eas to fin+ )hat *oul+ #e *alle+ a free s&iritual see8er. ;an ma+e a +is&la of emotionall-*harge+ +e$otion= others= &erha&s en$isaging the &ros&e*t of e<&an+ing our grou&= seeme+ to ha$e the sole aim of raising enough fun+s to &ro$i+e our rente+ room )ith im&ressi$e signs of its sa*re+ *onse*ration: others seeme+ onl so*ial misfits. Some of them *oul+ not #elie$e that I ha+ no +ou#ts or un*ertainties a#out the Kriya &ath an+ rea*te+ to m enthusiasm )ith annoan*e. The *onsi+ere+ m eu&horia the t&i*al attitu+e of an immature #eginner. E$en though +oing m #est to *on$in*e mself that I )as among in+i$i+uals )ith the same &assions= I ha+ to a*8no)le+ge that the realit of it )as altogether +ifferent ith a #arel *on*eale+ im&atien*e= I trie+ on +ifferent o**asions to re*ei$e some elu*i+ation on the te*hniue of Kriya # +is*ussing )hat ha+ #een m #oo8-learne+ &ra*ti*e of it. I ho&e+ that someone= ma8ing some o#liue remar8 a#out it= )oul+ hel& me +is*o$er the e*ourting> *oul+ enot authori!e+ to gi$e out an e<&lanations>= an+ this rule )as stri*tl res&e*te+. An ol+ !riyaban tol+ me7 >hen ou re*ei$e Kriya% ou )ill #e +isa&&ointe+.99 E$en to+a I still +on9t 8no) )hat he meant. hile I )as *ontinuousl re*ei$ing unas8e+-for lessons of +e$otion= humilit= an+ loalt= m interest for Kriya #e*ame a real *ra$ing= a #urning fe$er. I *oul+ not un+erstan+ )h I ha+ to )ait su*h a long time= an+ m great anti*i&ation turne+ into a fruitless anguish at times. A !riyaban% ma8ing fun of me )ith un*on*eale+ *ruelt= tol+ me7 >The )on9t gi$e ou the Kriya at all: a +e$otee shoul+ not +esire a te*hniue )ith su*h intensit. Jo+ is to #e mostl foun+ through +e$otion an+ surren+er.> I trie+ to #eha$e li8e a goo+ +is*i&le #ut +ee& +o)n I a)aite+ it )ith unimagine+ eagerness.
"reliminary
soun+. I +i+n9t re*ei$e these instru*tions at the same time #ut )ith an inter$al of t)o months #et)een. This ga$e me the s&len+i+ o&&ortunit to *on*entrate on the first te*hniue for man )ee8s: onl then )oul+ the *om#ination of the t)o te*hniues *ome= the first in the morning an+ a total immersion in the se*on+ at night. Thus= I *oul+ e<&eriment )ith the meaning an+ #eaut of ea*h. Our grou& re*ei$e+ the $isit of an el+erl la+ )ho ha+ &ersonall *orres&on+e+ )ith P.Y. Than8s to her earnestness= sin*erit= an+ long-time loal +is*i&leshi& she ha+ #een authori!e+ to hel& us )ith me+itation. 0er tem&erament )as $er s)eet an+ more in*line+ to un+erstan+ing rather than to *ensorshi&. She +emonstrate+ the so-*alle+ > echarging =xercises> BI ha+ alrea+ learne+ them from the )ritten lessons. These eThe te*hniue *ontains all ou nee+ to *ome into *onta*t )ith the i$ine Essen*e>. Then she +)elt on the m te*hniue. / She e<&laine+ that P.Y. ha+ trie+ to e<&lain the tea*hing of the Trinit in a ne) )a. m is the > Amen> of the 3i#le @ the >Ho!' Ghot>= the >)itness>= a soun+: a &roof of the $i#ration of energ sustaining the uni$erse. The m te*hniue= +is*o$ere+ # the msti*s long ago= ma8es it &ossi#le to +ete*t this $i#ration. Than8s to this te*hniue it is also &ossi#le to #e gui+e+ to)ar+ the e<&erien*e of the > So)> @ the i$ine a)areness that is &resent insi+e the a#o$e-mentione+ energeti* $i#ration. At the en+ of one9s s&iritual Dourne= one *an rea*h the highest realit= the > Father> @ the i$ine a)areness #eon+ e$er eOm.> There is no +ou#t that Saint %ohn of the Cross hear+ the t&i*al rushing )ater soun+ of the m $i#ration. 0e ga$e a s&len+i+ +es*ri&tion of his meeting )ith the >resoun+ing ri$ers>= the >silent musi*>= the >soun+ing solitu+e>. Teresa of A$ila in her #oo8 >The Interior Castle> )rote7 >It roars li8e man #ig ri$ers )ith )aterfalls= there are flutes= an+ a host of little #ir+s seem to #e )histling= not in the ears= #ut in the u&&er &art of the hea+= )here the soul is sai+ to ha$e its s&e*ial seat.> >See8 the Soun+ that ne$er *eases= see8 the sun that ne$er sets>= )rote the great msti* Rumi. >The uni$erse )as manifeste+ out of the i$ine Soun+: from It *ame into #eing the ?ight.> BShams-i Ta#ri!.
?ater on= this te*hniue )as +estine+ to gi$e me e<*ellent results # i+eall esta#lishing a *onne*tion #et)een ea*h #reath an+ a +ifferent Cha!ra @ #ut I )rite a#out this in A&&en+i< ' to the thir+ &art of the #oo8.
/
This te*hniue +oes not #elong to those in*lu+e+ in the original Kriya Yoga= )herein the internal soun+ &er*e&tion ha&&ens )ithout *losing the ears. It is not an in$ention # P.Y. It ha+ #een &lainl +es*ri#e+ in the #oo8s of *lassi*al Yoga= *alle+ 'ada Yoga @ >the Yoga of the soun+.> It is a goo+ &re&aration for Kriya sin*e instea+ of &utting the a**ent on >+oing>= it tea*hes the attitu+e of >&er*ei$ing.>
2/
The la+9s e<&lanation )as *hara*teri!e+ # su*h a sa*re+ fla$or that it stae+ )ith me for se$eral months= hel&ing me to o$er*ome the #eginning &hase of the &ra*ti*e= )hen it seems unli8el that the soun+s )ill manifest. The results o#taine+ through the intensi$e &ra*ti*e of the m te*hniue )ere $er *on*rete. I remem#er no) the time s&ent in that slightl illuminate+ room )here I le+ a *loistere+ e+e$otion> ha+ a meaning. e$otion an+ +ail *onta*t )ith m )ere m 0ea$en on earth for man )ee8s. Gnfortunatel= I learne+ the hard 8ay that ou shoul+ ne$er +eta*h ourself $oluntaril from that state of gra*e. There )as a time in m life )hen I )ante+ to rela< an+ enDo life= an+ I +e*i+e+ to interru&t this *onta*t= as if it )ere a +ra)#a*8 to #eing full so*ia#le. I +i+n9t reali!e that this seemingl inno*uous an+ instin*ti$e >#etraal> )oul+ ma8e me una#le to tune )ith the m!ar realit for a $er long time. In*re+i#l= in a fe) +as I felt ho&elessl *ut off from that s)eet realit. I )as li8e one )ho has lan+e+ in another *ontinent an+ has to li$e in surroun+ings that mean nothing to him. I struggle+ to retrie$e the lost +ee& emotions. This )ent on for months until m soul )as again remin+e+ of the moti$ations that ha+ le+ me to the s&iritual &ath an+ I sa) *learl that m stu&i+ +e*ision ha+ #een a monumental mista!e.
ecollections o+ the Kriya -nitiation Ceremony E$entuall= the moment *ame to file the a&&li*ation form to re*ei$e the Kriya instru*tions # mail. A#out four months &asse+ as e$er +a I ho&e+ to re*ei$e the *o$ete+ material. (inall= an en$elo&e arri$e+. I o&ene+ it )ith heightene+ e<&e*tation= #ut )as +ee&l +isa&&ointe+ #e*ause it *ontaine+ nothing #ut more intro+u*tor material. (rom rea+ing the in+e< &age I un+erstoo+ it )as the first of a )ee8l series of le*tures= )hereas the a*tual te*hniue )oul+ #e sent )ithin fi$e )ee8s. So for another month I )oul+ ha$e to stu+ Dust the usual nurser rhmes I alrea+ 8ne) # heart. In the meantime= a ;inister of P.Y.9s organi!ation $isite+ our *ountr an+ I too8 2
&art in the initiation *eremon. After )aiting for months= it )as high time >to ma8e an eternal &a*t )ith the Guru an+ to #e taught the Kriya te*hniues in the onl legitimate )a= an+ re*ei$e his #ene+i*tion.> There )ere a#out 144 of us )ho )ere to #e initiate+. A #eautiful room ha+ #een rente+ for the *eremon at a $er high &ri*e an+ em#ellishe+ for the o**asion )ith lots of flo)ers= su*h as I ha$e ne$er seen e$en at the most e+is*i&le> an+= *onseuentl= to #e la+en )ith her Karma. In or+er to a$oi+ that )ith su*h thoughts she )ea8ene+ the enDoment of the enti*ing *eremon= I reassure+ her that she )as a**e&te+ )ithout fail. The assure+ us that Christ )as also &art of this *hain #e*ause 0e ha+ a&&eare+ to 3a#aDi B?ahiri ;ahasaa9s Guru as8ing 0im to sen+ emissaries to the est to s&rea+ Kriya. This stor *ause+ me no &er&lesa*rament> that I )as su#mitting to in or+er to safeguar+ a famil tra+ition: it )as the *ro)ning of a +efiniti$e *hoi*e ; heart )as immensel ha&& at the thought of the inner Do that I )oul+ gain through the &ra*ti*e of Kriya. (inall= after #eing taught the Kriya "ranayama= I reali!e+ I alrea+ 8ne) it It )as the same Kundalinibreathing te*hniue )hi*h I ha+ foun+ a long time ago in m esoteri* rea+ings an+ )hi*h &res*ri#es that the energeti* *urrent flo)s all the )a insi+e the s&inal *olumn. I ha$e alrea+ e<&laine+ that I ha+ not ta8en that &ro*e+ure into serious *onsi+eration= o)ing to the fa*t that in P.Y.9s )ritings= )hi*h )ere )here I ha+ m first glim&ses of the me*hanism of Kriya "ranayama= it )as )ritten that the energ ha+ to #e rotate+ >aroun+ the Cha!ras= 2
along an elli&ti*al *ir*uit.> I )as not +isa&&ointe+ as someone ha+ &ro&hesie+: rather= the te*hniue a&&eare+ &erfe*t to me. The e<&lanation of the te*hniues &aha &udra an+ yoti &udra Bthe ne$er use+ the more *ommon term Yoni *on*lu+e+ the te*hni*al instru*tions. Ea*h te*hniue9s +etail )as e<&laine+ in su*h a )a that it )oul+ not allo) for the smallest $ariation an+= in a++ition= a s&e*ifi* routine )as )arml re*ommen+e+. If the least amount of +ou#t on the *orre*tness of a *ertain +etail ha+ arisen +uring the &ra*ti*e= no#o+ )as en*ourage+ @ e$en $aguel @ to *on+u*t an e<&eriment an+ *ome to a *on*lusion # himself. The onl >*orre*t> a*tion )as to *onta*t the hea+uarters of our Kriya organi!ation= tell them the &ro#lem= an+ re*ei$e further gui+elines. This= in effe*t= )as )hat I al)as +i+. I learne+ to intera*t onl )ith them. I )oul+ instin*ti$el loo8 for their a+$i*e as if it )ere gi$en # &erfe*t #eings that *oul+ ne$er #e )rong. I #elie$e+ the )ere >*hannels> through )hi*h the #lessings of the Guru flo)e+. 3esi+es= I )as uite *onfi+ent that @ e$en if the )oul+ not a+mit it out of humilit @ the ha+ alrea+ rea*he+ the highest le$el of s&iritual reali!ation.
"roblems 8ith my outine I am una#le to e<&ress the emotion an+ feeling of sa*re+ness )hi*h *hara*teri!e+ m &ra*ti*e of Kriya "ranayama. uring the +a or #efore sitting +o)n to &ra*ti*e it= I often re&eate+ to mself the senten*e Buote+ in AOY # ?alla Yogis)ari7 >hat a*i+ of sorro) ha$e I not +run8F Countless m roun+s of #irth an+ +eath. ?o naught #ut ne*tar in m *u& uaffe+ # the art of #reath.>
This intensifie+ m enthusiasm= strengthening m +etermination to un*easingl &erfe*t m Kriya &ath. Yet loo8ing #a*8= ha$ing al)as 8e&t ali$e that ar+ent #elief= I must o#De*ti$el a+mit that the results )ere not +ifferent from those o#taine+ through the &ra*ti*e of the sim&ler te*hniue of 7,,ayi "ranayama. I ha+ some &ro#lems )hi*h I )ill no) +is*uss. BI ha$e no +ou#t that these &ro#lems *oul+ ha$e #een easil resol$e+ if I ha+ use+ *ommon sense. The first e
After mu*h e<&erimenting )hi*h ha&&ene+ in the follo)ing ears an+ *onsi+ering also the re&orts of some sin*ere frien+s )ho trie+ out +ifferent forms of Kriya "ranayama% I am sure that if I ha+ &ra*ti*e+ Kriya in the )a P.Y. taught +uring the thirties I )oul+ ha$e o#taine+ #etter results. That te*hniue )asMis in+ee+ a master&ie*e= far more #eautiful than )hat *ertain s*hools no) offer as >original Kriya*> If I ha+ re*ei$e+ it instea+ of the sim&lifie+ $ersion= I *oul+ ha$e tou*he+ the s8 )ith one finger. Sometimes I #itterl as8 mself7 >h +i+ P.Y. iel+ to the tem&tation of sim&lifing it>F
"4
&aha &udra. E$entuall= setting #a*8 in a still an+ stiff &osition to restore the feeling of sa*re+ness= the Kriya "ranayama #egan )ith rigorous res&e*t to all the instru*tions. After yoti &udra% the Kriya routine )oul+ #e *on*lu+e+ )ith a full ten-minute *on*entration on the Kutastha= to a#sor# the results of the )hole en+ea$or. In m e<&erien*e the t)o &reliminar te*hniues +i+ not re*ei$e the attention the +eser$e+= an+ the time +e$ote+ to the final *on*entration )as too short. uring the #ongSau te*hniue= the thought that I shoul+ interru&t it to start the m te*hniue #rought a#out a +istur#ing feeling= ham&ering m )hole surren+er to its #eaut. The same ha&&ene+ )ith the &ro*e+ure of the se*on+ te*hniue= interru&ting it in or+er to &ra*ti*e &aha &udra* The te*hniue of listening to m )as a *om&lete >uni$erse> in itself an+ le+ to the msti* e<&erien*e= )hi*h is )h its interru&tion )as something )orse than a sim&le +istur#an*e. It )as illogi*al= as if= re*ogni!ing a frien+ )ith Doous sur&rise among a *ro)+ one #egins tal8ing )ith him= then su++enl goes a)a ho&ing to meet= uite # *han*e= that same frien+ again an+ get #a*8 to )here the *on$ersation ha+ &re$iousl en+e+. The soun+ of m )as the msti* e<&erien*e itself= the Joal I sought. h shoul+ I interru&t that su#lime attunement to regain it through another te*hniueF Perha&s #e*ause Kriya "ranayama )as a higher &ro*e+ureF #igher F hat on earth +oes that meanF I for*e+ mself into su*h a#sur+it for an eloalt> I must a*8no)le+ge that unfortunatel I ha+ #e*ome li8e one of those animals that= fe+ # man= ten+ to forget ho) to #e self-suffi*ient. hen I trie+ to +is*uss this &ro#lem )ith other !riyabans= I noti*e+ an enormous an+ unreasona#le resistan*e. There )ere those )ho )ere not satisfie+ )ith their &ra*ti*e #ut &lanne+ to tr it again in the future= )hile others )ere not a#le to e$en un+erstan+ )hat I )as saing. Tal8ing )ith a la+ )ho )as a longtime frien+ of our famil= she &reten+e+ to listen attenti$el= #ut in the en+ #luntl +e*lare+ she alrea+ ha+ a Guru an+ +i+ not nee+ another. 0er remar8 *ut me +ee&l sin*e m intention )as onl to ha$e a rational tal8 )hi*h *oul+ #e ins&iring for us #oth. A&art from this= )hat sort of frien+shi& *an e
referre+ to *on*e&ts I *oul+ har+l lin8 to the &ra*ti*e of Yoga% i.e. the &aramount im&ortan*e )as loalt to)ar+ P.Y. an+ his organi!ation. hile their effort in &ra*ti*ing the me+itation te*hniues in a +ee& )a )as not remar8a#le= the trie+ )ith # e
&y remembrance o+ a +riend I #e*ame a*uainte+ )ith an el+erl !riyaban% )orth of matransmission of &o)er>. 0e e<&laine+ that in all great msti*al tra+itions the su#tle $i#rational strength of the great Tea*hers of the &ast is still &resent in their +es*en+ants @ not #e*ause of *onsanguinit= #ut through the transmission of their >&o)er> as a non-sto& *hain. 0e )as *on$in*e+ that s&iritual &rogress *annot ta8e &la*e e<*e&t through re*ei$ing this >&o)er>. It )as normal that he felt the highest res&e*t for that human *hannel )ho )as offi*iall in$este+ )ith the mission of transmitting their &arti*ular >#ene+i*tion>. It )as therefore reasona#le that he ha+ trie+ to a*hie$e a &la*e of im&ortan*e in her heart. The &ro#lem )as that this attainment ha+ &erha&s #e*ome more im&ortant than me+itation. 0e e<&resse+ something that ears #efore he )oul+ not ha$e e$en +are+ to thin87 the &resume+ s&iritual e$olution of the in+i$i+ual through Kriya )as un+enia#le= #ut so slo) as to #e &ra*ti*all negligi#le. Ne$ertheless= the Kriya te*hniues )ere for him li8e a religious ritual )hi*h ha+ to #e &erforme+ s*ru&ulousl Dust to gi$e &roof of loalt. Gnfortunatel= this aSelf reali!e+>= an+ irre&ara#l *ommon "2
ones. One +a he $ente+ all of his gloom. ?oo8ing at ho) su&erfi*iall @ so he sai+ @ he ha+ &ra*ti*e+ the te*hniues of me+itation= he ha+ no +ou#ts that in this life he ha+ *ertainl misse+ the >target>. 0e )as alrea+ +reaming of future in*arnations in )hi*h he *oul+ &ra*ti*e )ith #etter engagement. To this he )as s)eetl resigne+. I felt a giant )a$e of ine<&li*a#le nostalgia )hi*h )as rea+ to o$er)helm me= #ut it remaine+ *ur#e+= as if sus&en+e+ aroun+ us. No) that he is no longer ali$e= I )on+er if the i+ea of the transforming &o)er of Kriya he ha+ o$er fort ears ago Bthis i+ea ease+ an+ sustaine+ the first ears of his &ath )as gra+uall erase+ from his min+ # the ten+en* of the organi!ation to em&hasi!e through a *onstant #arrage of ane*+otes the greatness of *ertain &ersons )ho )ere >im&u+entl> saintl= &erfe*t= maDesti*. 0o) )ret*he+ it ha+ #een for m frien+ to #elie$e that his supreme good +e&en+e+ on a lo$ing glan*e from the &erson he thought +i$ine 0e ha+ ma+e the unfortunate mista8e of #elie$ing that the eternal s&iritual Sour*e in the *enter of his #eing )oul+ )ither )hen he )as far from the one &erson to)ar+ )hom he ha+ +ire*te+ the )arm as&irations of his heart.
""
C0APTER " THE INESTIMALE ALUE OF .APA
P.Y. )rote that Second Kriya Yoga ena#les the yogi to lea$e his #o+ *ons*iousl at )ill. To #e instru*te+ in su*h a )on+rous te*hniue )as no) m &rimar goal. I )as sure that e$en a +esultor &ra*ti*e of su*h a &ro*e+ure )oul+ ha$e a strong effe*t on m s&iritual e$olution. After re*ei$ing the last lesson of the *orres&on+en*e *ourse= I finall a&&lie+ to re*ei$e this further instru*tion. I )as $er ha&& to stu+ the longe+-for lessons of Second Kriya. es&ite m serious an+ *ons*ientious &ra*ti*e= no &romise+ results su*h as &er*ei$ing the *olor of ea*h Cha!ra on the s*reen of Kutastha= too8 &la*e. I forge+ ahea+= utili!ing all the en+uran*e an+ stamina I ha+ #uilt u& )ith the m techniue= an+ some 99strong99 e<&erien*es #egan to o**ur in the s&ine. The a&&eare+ hours later or )hen ling +o)n imme+iatel after the &ra*ti*e. This #rought su*h intensit of +e$otion that I )as sur&rise+ to +is*o$er it insi+e mself. Gnfortunatel= the )ritten lessons *ontaine+ some am#iguous &arts. %ust to gi$e an e;e+itation Counselor> in or+er to +is*uss )ith her the te*hni*al +etails *ontaine+ in the Second Kriya lessons. She *oul+ not hel& me. %ust li8e e$erone else= she ha+ learne+ all the #igher Kriyas onl in )ritten form #e*ause= unfortunatel= after P.Y.9s &ahasamadhi no +ire*t initiations )ere e$er gi$en. A*8no)le+ging her un*ertainties a#out their *orre*t eSecond Kriya> I loo8e+ at her )ith a mee8 #ut &ier*ing loo8: I felt m legs gi$e )a. I ha+ the im&ression that the i+ea of a further te*hniue to #e a++e+ to the too man alrea+ re*ei$e+ an+ &ra*ti*e+ +ail u&set her. It )as as if she felt she ha+ ma+e so great an effort to form the ha#it of +ail &ra*ti*e of the 9irst Kriya that she *oul+ not muster u& e$en more +e+i*ation. I #elie$e that= u& to this +a= she has remaine+ fi
in*on*ei$a#le to me. 0er self-satisfie+ ignoran*e= &asse+ off as humilit an+ )ho 8no)s )hat 8in+ of o$era#un+ant +e$otion= *rosse+ the #oun+s of +e*en*. hen I e<&resse+ m o#De*tion that her #eha$ior seeme+ an e
$i++iculties 8ith the "rinted &aterial elated to the #igher Kriyas After one ear I re*ei$e+ the lessons on the
*onsi+eration: ne$ertheless= I )ante+ to see ho) to mo$e m hea+ *orre*tl in or+er to &ra*ti*e those te*hniues in the future. Annoe+ @ ta8ing m remar8 as insolen*e @ he re*ommen+e+ that I sen+ m uestions to the s*hool9s hea+ an+ stoo+ u& as he sai+ this= as if lea$ing. In $ain I re&lie+ that the mo$ements of the hea+ Breuire+ for )all> an+ the refusal )as a#solute. I ha+ al)as truste+ an+ res&e*te+ P.Y.9s organi!ation an+ ha+ stu+ie+ the referen*e literature as if &reå for a uni$ersit e
of lea$ing for In+ia % an+ she mum#le+ something a#out In+ia not ne*essaril #eing an guarantee of authenti*it. She tol+ me that re*entl some !riyabans ha+ foun+ Bin a )ell-8no)n Ashram stri*tl tie+ to P.Y.Hs life stor a S8ami )ho ga$e them >&seu+o Kriya> te*hniues that )ere= in her o&inion= +angerous. She sai+ that there )as nothing unusual a#out it: there )ere man unauthori!e+ tea*hers intro+u*ing themsel$es as loal +is*i&les of P.Y. ith a $i$i+ imagination= she *om&are+ them to s&i+ers using the hone of the Guru9s lo$e to attra*t +e$otees )ho then #e*ame their &re. She s&o8e a#out a +is*i&le of P.Y. )ho ha+ formerl #een one of the +ire*tors of the organi!ation #ut then ha+ #ran*he+ out on his o)n= o&ening another Kriya s*hool. This man )as a >traitor> in her o&inion. This )oman ha+ enough material to go on )ith her stories in+efinitel= #ut it )as then that a $er for*eful senten*e sli&&e+ out of m mouth )hi*h sur&rise+ me an+ fro!e her7 >Shoul+ I re*ei$e Kriya tea*hing from the )orst *riminal in the )orl+= I )oul+ still #e a#le to turn it into gol+. If it )ere &ollute+= I )oul+ ha$e the intuition to re*onstru*t it to its original integrit.> She re&lie+ )ith a sigh that I )as mo$ing +angerousl *lose to losing the gra*e of m Guru+is*i&le relationshi&. In or+er to ma8e me un+erstan+ the $alue of re*ei$ing the instru*tions from a true Guru= she tol+ me )hat ha&&ene+ )hen one !riyaban +e*i+e+ to lea$e the Ashram of his Guru% P.Y.= an+ see8 another tea*her. The Guru= a)are of this= got in the +is*i&le9s )a to sto& him )hen he hear+ an inner $oi*e @ >the $oi*e of Jo+>= she s&e*ifie+ @ or+ering him not to interfere )ith the +is*i&le9s free+om. P.Y. o#ee+ an+ in a flash of intuition foresa) all the +is*i&le9s future in*arnations= those in )hi*h he )oul+ #e lost= in )hi*h he )oul+ 8ee& on see8ing @ ami+ innumera#le sufferings= Dum&ing from one error to another @ the &ath he )as then relinuishing. Then= in the en+= the +is*i&le )oul+ return to the same &ath. The la+ sai+ that P.Y. ha+ #een uite s&e*ifi* as to the num#er of in*arnations that )hole +is*ouraging tri& )oul+ ta8e @ a#out thirt The moral of this stor )as *lear= something from )hi*h one *oul+ not es*a&e7 I ha+ to a$oi+ loo8ing else)here or I )oul+ lose mself in a la#rinth of enormous sufferings an+ )ho 8no)s )hen I )oul+ #e a#le to get #a*8 on the *orre*t &ath. I shifte+ m attention to her &hotogra&h of P.Y.= ta8en on the +a of his +eath. It )as ni*el frame+= an+ some flo)ers an+ &a*8ets of in*ense )ere #efore it. In those moments of silen*e I ha+ the sensation that tears )ere going to form in his #lissful ees Bit )as not a #i!arre feeling: other &eo&le tol+ me the ha+ ha+ the same e<&erien*e. I relate+ m im&ression to her= in res&onse to )hi*h she #e*ame $er serious an+= )ith her ees &ointe+ far off to)ar+ an in+efinite s&ot= so#erl uttere+7 >You ha$e to *onsi+er it a )arning7 the Guru is not *ontent )ith ou> There )as not the least +ou#t that she )as not Do8ing at all. In that moment= I reali!e+ ho) mu*h P.Y. )as a >&resen*e> in her life= although she ha+ ne$er met him I let m ga!e rest on the #ouuet of ;a lilies )hi*h )e ha+ &ur*hase+ at the train station imme+iatel after m arri$al in to)n gra*iousl arrange+ in a small $ase #efore the &hoto of P.Y. She ha+ then e<&laine+ that she ne$er s8im&e+ on fresh flo)ers for her >Juru.> I reali!e+ ho) "/
full of s)eet *omfort must #e her life I 8ne) that if I )ante+ to feel +e$otion )hi*h su*h intensit I ha+ a lot of )or8 to +o= namel +e$elo& sta#le internal tranuilit= #o) to m fa$orite form of the i$ine= an+ re&eat this a*tion of surren+er )ith total sin*erit e$er +a of m life. Although she a+mire+ the earnestness )ith )hi*h I )as ma8ing &rogress @ unli8e so man other te&i+ an+ half-hearte+ &eo&le )ho )oul+ go to her onl to #e reignite+ )ith the moti$ation the *oul+ not fin+ in themsel$es @ she )as +ismae+ that her +e$otion to)ar+ the Guru )as totall alien to me. She *oul+ not relie$e m immense thirst for 8no)le+ge of the art of Kriya. ?oo8ing into her #eautiful ees= I ha+ the *lear im&ression that she )as &ermanentl e<&e*ting me to a*t in a some)hat >+isloal> )a either to)ar+ the Guru or to)ar+ the organi!ation. The ;inister of m organi!ation )as at least right a#out one &oint7 I )as not *alm at all. ; sear*h for te*hni*al e<&lanations ha+ ma+e me as tense as a *oile+ s&ring. Although remaining faithful to m Kriya organi!ation= I +i+n9t a**e&t $etoes an+ therefore I +i+n9t ta8e her a+$i*e. I )as +etermine+ to 8no) Kriya insi+e out an+ no one *oul+ sto& me )ith an argument. ; sear*h too8 a &arti*ular route. I 8ne) three names of +ire*t +is*i&les of P.Y. )ho ha+ ha+ a *lash )ith the s*hool9s #oar+ of +ire*tors an+ set out on their o)n. I ho&e+ to fin+ *lues in some #oo8 )hi*h *oul+ hel& me to *lear m +ou#ts. I &ur*hase+ all their &u#lishe+ material= ta&e+ le*tures an+ all. I )as e<&e*ting that in or+er to sho) ho) &rofi*ient the ha+ #e*ome )ith Kriya= the )oul+ &u#lish information +ee&er than the material &ro$i+e+ # the main organi!ation. I ho&e+ the )oul+ gi$e the rea+er B)ho )as negle*ting the original sour*e to listen to their $oi*e of +issent a more a**urate +i+a*ti* material. The first +is*i&le seeme+ to #e an e<&ert in i+le *hatter an+ )as relu*tant to gi$e &ra*ti*al instru*tions. The se*on+ one )as un+ou#te+l more &rofessional= &e+agogi*all gifte+= #ut out of all of his literature an+ ta&es onl one of his senten*es she+ a faint light u&on one of the #igher Kriyas. The literature of the thir+ +is*i&le @ sur&rising an+ $alua#le sin*e= ha$ing suffere+ the trage+ of mental illness )hi*h he re*ounte+ efor#i++en> #oo8s. Not onl that= I ha+ ma+e a &resent of one of them to a *ou&le of frien+s A frien+ of mine sho)e+ me a letter in )hi*h the Counselor ha+ *alle+ me >a man )ho sta#s his Guru9s #a*8= han+ing out +aggers to other &eo&le as )ell= so the *an +o the same> She *on*lu+e+ # )riting that 99intelligen*e is a +ou#le-e+ge+ )ea&on7 it *an #e use+ to eliminate the s)elling of ignoran*e an+ also to *ut off a#ru&tl the life#loo+ that sustains the s&iritual &ath.99 0er rea*tion )as so e
)ritten that letter @ seeing her o)n e<&e*tations regar+ing m #eha$ior *oming true. I am sure that her *ountenan*e )as at last tranuil an+ serene as if tasting a +eli*ious= intimate satisfa*tion. O$er*oming *ertain relu*tan*e= I #egan rea+ing some #oo8s )ritten # ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s +is*i&les rather than those of P.Y. ; hesitation in +ro&&ing the literature lin8e+ )ith P.Y. )as +ue to the fa*t that= in m o&inion= it )as *learer than most. These fe) #oo8s Bat that time #oo8s li8e "uran "urush # Yoga*hara r. Asho8e Kumar ChatterDee ha+ not et #een &u#lishe+ +isa&&ointe+ me. The )ere nothing #ut #lan+ meaningless )or+s en+lessl re&eate+= together )ith *ontinuous *hanges in to&i*= )hi*h I *onsi+ere+ un#eara#le. The &ra*ti*al notes= &resente+ as essential= )ere onl s*attere+ #its *o&ie+ from *lassi*al #oo8s on Yoga* The la*8 of *are in their &resentation ma+e me su&&ose that the author ha+ not #othere+ *he*8ing the original tea#o$e>= imagining that the #ene+i*tions an+ the strength of the Guru )ere )ith me. I &ai+ attention to onl some as&e*ts of the tea*hings= *hoosing those &arti*ular &atterns of #eha$ior that a&&eale+ to m emotions. Then m illusor +ream #egan to +isintegrate= slo)l #ut ine
imagination to *reate $arious min+ films= *on$in*ing mself I ha+ li$e+ them in a far +istant &ast. In fa*t these +a-+reams )ere a*tuall )ish fulfillments an+ eas-to-rea+ in+i*ators of m li8ings an+ &referen*es. Sli&&ing into a state )herein I +ou#te+ e$en the meta&hsi*al #asis u&on )hi*h the e+ifi*e of Kriya Yoga is #uilt= I )as una#le to thin8 a single *oherent thought for some months.
-nspiration +rom the .or!s o+ Sri Aurobindo and The )orl+ is not an unfortunate a**i+ent7 it is a mira*le mo$ing to)ar+ its full e<&ression99= she +e*lare+. >In matter= the i$ine #e*omes &erfe*t> she )rote. (rom 1, until her +eath in 1/"= The ;other re*ounte+ her eE Annotating it= she )rote7 >The nee+ to #e $irtuous is the great o#sta*le to true self-gi$ing. This is the origin of (alsehoo+ an+ e$en more the $er sour*e of h&o*ris -- the refusal to a**e&t to ta8e u&on oneself one9s o)n share of the #ur+en of +iffi*ulties. o not tr to a&&ear $irtuous. See ho) mu*h ou are unite+= one )ith e$erthing= that is anti-+i$ine. Ta8e our share of the #ur+en= a**e&t oursel$es to #e im&ure an+ false an+ in that )a ou )ill #e a#le to ta8e u& the Sha+o) an+ offer it. An+ in so far as ou are *a&a#le of ta8ing it an+ offering it= then things )ill *hange. o not tr to #e among the &ure. A**e&t to #e )ith those )ho are in +ar8ness an+ gi$e it all )ith total lo$e.>
3 saing on another o**asion= >;oralit is the great o#sta*le on the s&iritual &ath>= she stresse+ the $alue of not tring to a&&ear &ure in other &eo&le9s ees= #ut instea+ #eha$ing a**or+ing to the truth of one9s #eing. She #elie$e+ one shoul+ a*8no)le+ge one9s +ar8 si+e: it e
integrate+ )ith their +i$ine *enter. The ;other +i+ not #eha$e li8e a tra+itional Guru= although she +i+ tr to eIt Bthe &antra *oagulates something7 all the *ellular life #e*omes one soli+= *om&a*t mass= in a tremen+ous *on*entration @ )ith a single $i#ration. Instea+ of all the usual $i#rations of the #o+= there is no) onl one single $i#ration. It #e*omes as har+ as a +iamon+= a single massi$e *on*entration= as if all the *ells of the #o+ ha+ ... I #e*ame stiff from it. I )as so stiff that I )as one single mass.> 5This uotation is +ra)n from &other5s Agenda*6 An+ et in that &erio+ apa +i+ not trul #e*ome &art of m &ra*ti*e. I e<&erimente+ )ith ;other9s > m 'amo Bhaga(ate > #ut it +i+ not )or8 for me. I trie+ to li$e in a more *ons*ious )a= *ontinuousl attenti$e to an in)ar+ an+ out)ar+ &er*e&tions. I trie+ to *arr out the )ell-8no)n instru*tion to resolutel maintain an im&artial attitu+e to)ar+ #oth &leasant an+ un&leasant e$ents= #eing li8e a +eta*he+ >)itness>. BThis +is*i&line is re*ommen+e+ in almost all #oo8s +ealing )ith oriental me+itati$e &ra*ti*es. After three +as of that= I felt mself un+er un#eara#le stress as if it all )as a &retense= an illusion. I *ease+ to &ra*ti*e apa or the +is*i&line of #eing a +eta*he+ >)itness> an+ +ro&&e+ the )hole matter. ;ean)hile= m min+ )as o#sesse+ )ith the *ra$ing to a+o&t more a+$an*e+ tools of >e$olution>. ;onths )ent #= )ith useless attem&ts to ameliorate m Kriya routine. One ear later= resuming the rea+ing of
*on$in*e+ that fin+ing Kriya )as a stro8e of lu*8= a gift from the i$ine= +ue to a *ertain merit on m &art of )hi*h I )as una)are. ; &ersonal *ommitment itself ha+ #een unim&ressi$e. I also reali!e+ that the +esire to a#i+e # the $alues instille+ in me # m *ulture ha+ #een gra+uall t)iste+. It )as as if a large &ortion of m #rain )ith+re)= )hile another &ortion= )hi*h +i+ its utmost to #elie$e )hat )as *on$enient to #elie$e= trie+ to usur& its fun*tion. Peo&le #egan to loo8 at me as a man )ho *hose a sim&le life stle mar8e+ # loft &rin*i&les= not seeing ho) m Du+gment )as im&aire+ an+ &ra*ti*all non-ethe fastest te*hniue in the fiel+ of s&iritual e$olution> ma+e the intensit of m effort lose its e+ge. ; Kriya "ranayama= &ra*ti*e+ )ith enthusiasm for some months= #e*ame a tranuil goo+ ha#it. A&art from other foolish thoughts= I ha+ s)allo)e+ the *hil+ish i+ea that ea*h Kriya #reath *oul+ &ro+u*e >the eui$alent of a solar ear of s&iritual e$olution> an+ that through a million of these #reaths I )oul+ infalli#l rea*h Cosmi* Cons*iousness. I trie+ to &erform the greatest &ossi#le num#er of "ranayama in or+er to ui*8l *om&lete that million. I +i+n9t reali!e that I ha+ sli&&e+ into a min+less ha#it= an+ therefore felt no shame nor remorse. ; iron-)ille+ +is*i&line )as softene+ # the h¬i* &romise of the >Guru9s 3lessings>. >Aren9t ou gla+ to ha$e foun+ a true GuruF> (or ears I hear+ this refrain from m Kriya organi!ation= >Aren9t ou enthusiasti* that 0e has #een *hosen for ou # Jo+ 0imselfF> >Oh es )e are ha&&> )e re&lie+ )ith tears of Do. This i+ea= more than an other fa*tor= ha+ lethal effe*ts on me: it )as the *ra+le in )hi*h m ego )as fe+ an+ strengthene+. To remin+ mself that I ha+ entere+ the Kriya organi!ation onl to &erfe*t m alrea+ goo+ &ra*ti*e of "ranayama &aine+ me. It )as im&erati$e to re*reate the s&irit of m original sear*h.
'2
1. The Kriya routine I &ra*ti*e+ ha+ to #e re*onsi+ere+ an+ restru*ture+= a&&ling PatanDali9s &rin*i&les. 2. At the en+ of ea*h Kriya session= I ha+ to *all to min+ m o)n most mo$ing an+ lo$ing *on*e&tion of Jo+= get #a*8 to some essential feeling of Jo+. ". I ha+ the moral +ut to &ra*ti*e Kriya $ia the state of &ental Silence a*hie$e+ # using apa +uring m +ail life. hat resulte+ from this +e*ision an+ still remains in m heart as a &ea8 e<&erien*e )as7 the 3reathless state. These resolutions are elu*i+ate+ #elo).
18 Kr&'a Ro$t&)e a,&2&)g ,' Pata)a!&@ pr&)&p!e PatanDali )as a &ioneer in the art of rationall han+ling the msti*al &ath= aiming at in+i$i+uali!ing a uni$ersal= &hsiologi*al +ire*tion of inner e$ents that e<&laine+ )h a *ertain &henomenon= inherent to the s&iritual &ath= shoul+ #e &re*e+e+ an+ ne*essaril follo)e+ # other ones. 0is e
'"
e<&lores all as&e*ts of the *hosen o#De*t. Samadhi is the further ste& of &erfe*t s&iritual a#sor&tion B+ee& *ontem&lation in )hi*h the o#De*t of me+itation #e*omes inse&ara#le from the me+itator himself. As for m Kriya &ra*ti*e= m #asi* un+erstan+ing in those +as )as that the so- *alle+ #igher Kriyas Bea*h reuiring mo$ement ha+ to #e &ra*ti*e+ +uring the "ranayama &hase. A long &hase of internali!ation of *ons*iousness an+ energ in &erfe*t immo#ilit shoul+ follo). In m o&inion= $harana% the a*t of fo*using attention= im&lie+ *on*entration on the Cha!ras. You #egin to *on*entrate on ea*h Cha!ra an+ forget ourself: in this )a $harana s&ontaneousl #e*omes $hyana% the #or+ers #et)een the t)o #eing in+istinguisha#le in &ra*ti*e. Samadhi is the su++en #urning )ith Do that ou *an sometimes e<&erien*e. (rom that moment on)ar+s= I #egan to en+ m routine )ith a &ro*e+ure that I *all >mental "ranayama*> I &ause m a)areness on ea*h Cha!ra a#out 14 se*on+s @ as a #ee +ra)n to the ne*tar in flo)ers ho$ers o$er ea*h in great +elight @ slightl >tou*hing> their nu*leus along an *ounter*lo*8)ise Bas $ie)e+ from a#o$e &ath. The *on*entration on the thir+ ee @ that >in)ar+ ee> )hi*h or+s)orth a&&ro&riatel +efines as >the #liss of solitu+e> @ ha&&ens s&ontaneousl. %8 E)2&)g eah ro$t&)e ,' $rre)2er&)g to o)e@ Ihta De-ata -shta $e(ata is a term +enoting a )orshi&er9s fa$orite +eit. In or+er to )orshi& Jo+= &ra*titioners nee+ to *hoose the form of Jo+ )hi*h ins&ires them the most. O#$iousl that form largel +e&en+s u&on the religious tra+ition in )hi*h the are #orn. The &ra*ti*al motions of )orshi& Boffering &raers= flo)ers or in*ense= et*. are of no im&ortan*e: )hat is essential is internall #uil+ing a relationshi& )ith one9s -shta $e(ata. Gnfortunatel it is not al)as imme+iatel o#$ious ho) one9s inner -shta $e(ata is &er*ei$e+. To re*ogni!e mine I ha+ to first +is&el= through reasoning= )hat I ha+ a#sor#e+ in m earl religious training= namel that if ou )ant to )al8 along the s&iritual &ath ou must relate to the tra+itional +i$ine figures an+ interme+iaries through )hi*h the elusi$e Prime$al Cause of all e
Alles ?ergEngliche* -st nur ein Gleichnis Ftr* =(ery +leeting% transient thing is but an appearance% a symbol) B(rom the *on*lu+ing stan!as of Joethe9s (aust Perha&s in the #eginning I +i+n9t reali!e the s&iritual #asis of m &ro*li$it to)ar+s nature: to me it )as a )a to e$a&orate the e$ents of the +a in an enthusiasti* out&ouring of &oeti* emotions. hat m heart reall *ra$e+ )as ''
re$eale+ )hen it emerge+ from the un8no)n realit ling #eon+ the material. ?ater I em&iri*all +is*o$ere+ that the &ra*ti*e of "ranayama intensifie+ that e<&erien*e: it )as onl for this reason that I #egan see8ing Kriya Yoga. That +is*o$er )as not at all tri$ial. ; first e<&erien*e )ith "ranayama 8ith Bandhas ga$e me a #lissful sensation of &ressure on m heart Cha!ra-- after +e*a+es I re*ogni!e this as the main effe*t of Pea*e.> At the right moment his father initiate+ him into the am &antra% assuring him that # re&eating it un*easingl he )oul+= in +ue time= a*hie$e the +i$ine ha&&iness he +esire+. It )as then that Ram+as renoun*e+ the se*ular life an+ )ent forth in uest of Jo+ as a men+i*ant Sadhu. The first ears of his ne)l foun+ life are +es*ri#e+ in his auto#iogra&h. The ;antra >m Sri am ai am ai ai am> )as e$er on his li&s. 3esi+es the &ra*ti*e of apa= he a+o&te+ the +is*i&line of loo8ing u&on all other &eo&le as forms of am F Jo+ )% an+ of a**e&ting e$er ha&&ening as *oming from the )ill of Jo+. In a short time the &antra +isa&&eare+ from his li&s an+ entere+ his heart. 0e #ehel+ a small *ir*ular light in the s&ot #et)een his ee#ro)s= )hi*h iel+e+ him thrills of +elight. Then the +a!!ling light &ermeate+ an+ a#sor#e+ him. ?ost in this ine<&ressi#le #liss he )oul+ sit for hours. The )orl+ a&&eare+ to him as a +im sha+o). A stage )as soon rea*he+ )hen this +)elling in the s&irit #e*ame a &ermanent an+ un$aring e<&erien*e. Ram+as attaine+ &ahasamadhi in 1". The tea*hing of S)ami Ram+as regar+ing ho) to &ra*ti*e %a&a is e
',
our *ons*iousness to Self-a)areness. hen this ha&&ens ou feel the ensuing Do an+ ou *on*entrate on it as long as &ossi#le= )hile re&eating our Praer. In this )a ou &erfe*t our surren+er to Jo+. This is to #e &ra*ti*e+ )hen fa*ing e$er e$ent= e$er +a= an+ in e$er *ir*umstan*e. At Night= )hen free from )orl+l +uties= ou +e$ote ourself to intense &ra*ti*e of apa. S)ami Ram+as stu*8 to that &ra*ti*e an+ )as a*tuall rolling in a sea of in+es*ri#a#le ha&&iness. 55epeat the one name amH at all times o+ the day and at nights 8hen you are a8a!e* You may be sure that you 8ill not +eel lonely or miserable as l ong as you are uttering that glorious name* .here this name is sounded% or meditated upon% there resides no sorro8% no anxiety nay% not e(en death*55 Famdas) 0el&e+ # a mala Brosar #ea+s= I starte+ to &ra*ti*e re*iting apa alou+ 14 times +uring a )al8 Bthe num#er of #ea+s in a mala= an+ mentall +uring the remain+er of the )al8. E$en though the oriental tra+itions re*ommen+ +oing apa mentall= I 8no) for *ertain that it shoul+ #e +one alou+ @ at least for a#out a hun+re+ times. The soun+ of that &antra= )hi*h I ha+ alrea+ hear+ in a s&iritual au+io re*or+ing= )as $er &leasant. I lo$e+ to &rolong its $i#ration= ma8e it $i#rate in m *hest an+ in$est it )ith m heart9s as&iration. ; attitu+e )as not that of a su&&li*ating an+ so##ing +e$otee= #ut that of a man )ho reDoi*es= #eing one ste& a)a from his goal. Sin*e I o#ser$e+ )hile +oing it an irresisti#le im&ulse to &ut e$erthing in or+er= I thought that the &antra *oul+ )or8 in a similar )a # *leaning out m mental stuff an+ &utting m >&s*hologi*al furniture> in or+er. E$en though sometimes I felt a #it +a!e+= I maintaine+ the +etermination ne$er to +is*ar+ this &ra*ti*e. I &ra*ti*e+ apa e$er morning an+ Kriya e$er noon in the o&en *ountrsi+e. One +a +uring m Kriya session )hile rela(inall I ha$e it> The e$ent )as enDoa#le #eon+ )or+s7 in a #lue &ainte+ &rofun+it= I )as mer*ilessl *rushe+ # the #eaut of nature an+= at the same time= situate+ a#o$e the )hole )orl+. All )as in*re+i#l #eautiful= #eon+ imagination I )as not #reathing an+ I +i+ not feel the nee+ to. In the follo)ing +as the same e$ent ha&&ene+ again @ al)as +uring mental "ranayama* 3efore starting m routine= I loo8e+ at the surroun+ing &anorama an+ )on+ere+ if I )oul+ again e<&erien*e that state. I +i+ I )as astonishe+: it seeme+ im&ossi#le that apa% one of the sim&lest te*hniues in the '
)orl+= *oul+ &ro+u*e in+allibly su*h a $alua#le result Com&are+ to the #reathless state B)hi*h )as 99soli+it99 itself= m &ast e<&erien*es +uring Kriya &ra*ti*e seeme+ $anishing= elusi$e= li8e luminous refle*tions on )ater. here m #est intentions ha+ faile+= apa ha+ &ro+u*e+ the mira*le There )as a &erfe*t asso*iation #et)een the &ra*ti*e of apa an+ the attainment of the #reathless state. E$er +a I e<&erien*e+ it for mself. This relia#le result *reate+ a moral strength in me that turne+ into a *alm eu&horia &ermeating m entire +a. hile tal8ing to others I remaine+ effortlessl *entere+ on the feeling of un*hangea#le *almness= )ithout #eing in$ol$e+ in the images arising from the )or+s. This ne) )a of li$ing )as li8e )al8ing out of a +ar8 stuff room into sunlight an+ fresh air. The magi* of this #right +a!!ling Praer )hi*h s&rea+ into ea*h fa*et of m life *onfirme+ in me the #elief that apa )as the onl tool *a&a#le of esomething &erfe*t an+ su#lime> from m life. I &lunge+ )ith enthusiasm into apa literature an+ stu+ie+ the su#De*t of &antra an+ Praer in +ifferent msti*al &aths. The sim&lest e<&lanation )as that apa annihilates the mental #a*8groun+ noise. e *an &ut it in this )a7 )hen )e tr to *on*entrate= man +istur#ing thoughts *an #e $isuali!e+= isolate+ an+ #lo*8e+= #ut a +iffuse &ersistent #a*8groun+ noise nullifies all our efforts. If )e &ra*ti*e apa for at least one hour an+ not imme+iatel #efore starting our me+itation routine= that noise )ill +isa&&ear an+ the results )ill #e fantasti*. ;an #oo8s intro+u*ing the &ra*ti*e of apa BPraer +o not e<&lain this &re*ious *on*e&t #ut insist onl u&on a hea& of #analities. hen I rea+ in oriental #oo8s that the mala Brosar for apa shoul+ #e ma+e of this or of that material= or that it shoul+ not #e seen # others= or that the Sumeru #ea+ 5an e
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)a to his #o+. 0is *hosen &antra )as an e<&ression in his mother tongue an+ nothing more than a sigh of self-&it. It )as not sur&rising )hen= after some time= he entirel a#an+one+ the &ra*ti*e. 0e +i+ not reali!e he )as a#out to #e*ome the greatest su&&orter of apa= )hi*h turning &oint *ame )hen he too8 &art in a grou& &ilgrimage. Someone #egan to re*ite the so-*alle+ rosar Ba set num#er of re&etitions of the same &raer= an+ all the &ilgrims Doine+ in. E$en if tire+ an+ almost gas&ing for #reath= m frien+ +i+ not )ith+ra) himself from this &ious a*ti$it. hile )al8ing an+ &raing softl= murmuring un+er his #reath= he #egan to taste a state of un8no)n *almness. 0e loo8e+ )ith +ifferent ees at the sho) of *ontinuousl *hanging lan+s*a&e an+ ha+ the im&ression of li$ing in a &ara+isia* situation. 0e )ent on re&eating the Praer unremittingl for the entire )al8 B)hi*h sur&asse+ the 22 miles= *om&letel forgetting he )as tire+ an+ slee&. hen the grou& &ause+ to rest= he lu*8il )as left alone un+istur#e+. 0e sli&&e+ into an intros&e*ti$e state an+ )as &er$a+e+ # something $i#rating in his o)n heart )hi*h he +efinitel i+entifie+ )ith S&iritual Realit. 0is e*stati* state too8 o$er his realit= #e*oming almost un#eara#le= o$er)helming him. This e<&erien*e taught him the *orre*t )a of &ra*ti*ing apa. 0e sai+ that the se*ret )as to not onl rea*h #ut also go #eon+ the state of >e After some e<&eriments he *hose a #eautiful In+ian &antra to re&eat an+= than8s to it= he rea*he+ the #reathless state. I )ill al)as remem#er his *on*lusion7 the &o)er of apa lies in going #eon+ the frontier of >E0AGSTION>. Normall it is not ne*essar to go #eon+ the frontier of e
This attitu+e is not that of a stu+ent of o**ult s*ien*e testing one among man esoteri* tea*hings re*ei$e+ from their *onfraternit= #ut that of a msti* )ho surren+ers to the i$ine ?a) that *oeI must ne$er lose the enDoment of the #reathless state= e$en for a single minute. It is the most real thing I ha$e e$er e<&erien*e+> 3ut #orn of m +ou#ts= a fren!ie+ sear*h for the original Kriya #egan again an+ that sear*h ma+e me go *ra!. I ha+ o&ene+ a +oor that *oul+n9t #e *lose+ easil= an+ I lost the sim&li*it of apa *ou&le+ )ith the #efore-+es*ri#e+ Kriya routine. ; Do #e*ame rea+ing an+ rerea+ing that #oo8= un+erlining hea$il some senten*es. I )as e<*ite+ to rea+ that "ranayama shoul+ #e *onsi+ere+ ina**urate an+ )rong if= settling +o)n after fair num#er of #reaths= the &ra*titioner ha+ not hear+ the internal soun+ of m )ithout *losing his ears. That senten*e )oul+n9t let me slee&. It left dangerous +ou#ts that an unimagina#l +ee& an+ ri*h te*hniue of s&iritual reali!ation ha+ #een ta8en a)a from me an+ all )esterners onl #e*ause P.Y. ha+ foun+ it +iffi*ult to tea*h to his first Ameri*an +is*i&les. as this true= )as it falseF The issue is *ontro$ersial= #ut as far as m life )as *on*erne+ the )orl+ of the >tra$eling Gurus> )ith all their hsteri*al *laims an+ innumera#le *ontra+i*tions too8 the &la*e of )hat I ha+ &atientl #uilt. I li$e+ se$eral ears in this fe$erish situation #efore the hea$enl *on+ition #rought to m life # the #reathless state )oul+ return to me again.
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C0APTER ' FOLLOING SOME TEACHERS OUTSIDE THE ORGANIBATION
The #oo8 )ritten # the In+ian Kriya tea*her S.0.= li8e innumera#le others I later rea+= )as onl #ait to *reate interest in the Kriya s*hool foun+e+ # the author an+ ne$er in*lu+e+ &ra*ti*al e<&lanations. The statements it *ontaine+ )ere )orth of *onsi+eration: the )ere surel from a $er +ee& &ra*ti*e of "ranayama. I ha+ no i+ea )hen an+ )here I )oul+ ha$e the o&&ortunit to meet this tea*her= #ut I foretaste+ the &ossi#ilit of +ee&ening m Kriya "ranayama an+= &erha&s= *larifing m other +ou#ts *on*erning Kechari &udra an+ the #igher Kriyas* Re*alling a &hrase )hi*h ha+ es*a&e+ the li&s of the la+ me+itation *ounselor a#out a $ariation of Kriya "ranayama taught to some +is*i&les # P.Y.= I *on$in*e+ mself that the 8e te*hni*al a++ition )as to mentall *hant m in the Cha!ras )hile +ire*ting all attention &ossi#le to the internal soun+s. An effort to)ar+ listening to the internal soun+s is $er )ell re)ar+e+. The #eaut of that &erio+ )hen I ha+ &ra*ti*e+ the >m te*hniue> Bre*ei$e+ from m s*hool ha+ not #een sur&asse+ # an other e$ent. ItHs har+ to *on$e ho) in*re+i#l *omforting an+ li#erating that e<&erien*e )as. No)= # a&&ling the a#o$e +es*ri#e+ *onDe*ture= I *oul+ listen again to the astral soun+s an+ retrie$e that 3eaut. So I 8e&t on listening an+ listening in)ar+l not onl to the soun+ of the #reath #ut to an other internal soun+ fee#l manifesting +uring Kriya "ranayama. I *an9t remem#er ho) man Kriya #reaths I &ra*ti*e+ ea*h +a= surel ne$er more than '-4. After a fe) +as the an*ient )ell 8no)n s)eetness again entere+ m life an+ I gratefull )el*ome+ it )ith o&en heart. The strange &art )as I ha+nHt e$en met the tea*her et= I ha+ onl rea+ his #oo8. It )as the intensit of m &ra*ti*e that )as e
9irst han+somel> )ra&&e+ in his o*her *lothes: his ol+ age= an+ long hair an+ #ear+ mar8e+ the features of the t&i*al sage. I *aught glim&ses of him )hile he s&o8e= hi++en # the front ro)s: I felt he )as tal8ing a#out ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s lega* from +ire*t e<&erien*e. The theoreti*al *on*e&ts he intro+u*e+ )ere a#solutel ne) to me an+ *reate+ a #eautiful *onsistent frame)or8 for a Kriya &ra
through all the &earls of a ne*8la*e= m!ar )as *oursing through all the +ifferent &hases of Kriya. (urthermore= the m!ar realit ha+ to #e &er*ei$e+ not onl in the as&e*ts of soun+ an+ light #ut also as a >s)inging sensation> Banother time he s&o8e a#out a feeling of &ressure. 0is stu&en+ous= a&&ealing )or+s )ere for me a re$elation= #ut at *ertain moments m fo*us on te*hni*al +etail ma+e me una#le to gi$e +ue attention to )hat he )as saing. ; o#session )as7 >hat 8in+ of throat soun+ is to #e &ro+u*e+ in this original Kriya: to )hi*h *enter +oes the energ rise in the s&ineF> To ma8e *lear the &ro&er mo$ement of m!ar = he tou*he+ some of the stu+ents Btheir hea+ an+ *hest ma8ing his han+ $i#rate= tring to transmit this ui$ering to their #o+. 0e )as lea+ing the au+itorium into a )on+rous +imension= gi$ing himself *om&letel to us so that )e *oul+ feel the *ore essen*e of the m!ar e<&erien*e. The initiation into the 9irst Kriya thrille+ an+ +isa&&ointe+ me at the same time. The for)ar+ #en+ings that &re*e+e+ the &aha &udra )ere reall &re*ious an+ so )as the final me+itation Bim&ro&erl *alle+ "ara(astha #ut the Kriya "ranayama seeme+ to ha$e +isa&&eare+ an+ #een re+u*e+ to a &ro*ess of raising the Cha!ras in A,na or Sahasrara through a )a of #reathing )hi*h )as less long an+ less intense than then the one use+ u& to no) +uring Kriya "ranayama. 0a$ing )hat he )rote ears ago in his #oo8 fresh in m min+= it )as a &lain fa*t to me that this tea*her too= o$er the *ourse of the ears= ha+ sim&lifie+ the original te*hniue. Among the &eo&le )ho *onsistentl atten+e+ his seminars= there )as no mster a#out the man te*hni*al +etails of Kriya Yoga that he 8e&t on *hanging= ear after ear. One of his intimate +is*i&les *onfirme+ to me that in the &ast the S8ami ha+ taught Kriya "ranayama &ro&er enri*he+ # *hanting m in ea*h Cha!ra. (or this reason I +e*i+e+ to ne$er e<*lu+e m goo+ ol+ Kriya "ranayama )ith long #reath from m &ra*ti*e. To it I )oul+ no) a++ )hat he )as tea*hing. It )as )inter an+ I ha+ a three )ee8 $a*ation. I s&ent e$er morning )ra&&e+ in the )armth of m home= &ra*ti*ing as mu*h as &ossi#le= a&&ling the fun+amental *on*e&ts he em&hasi!e+ so mu*h. I ma+e a &arti*ular effort to remain a)are of the #reath Ba *alm short #reath= almost im&er*e&ti#le an+ on the $erge of +isa&&earing for a#out three hours= lin8ing ea*h #reath )ith a +ifferent Cha!ra. 0e ha+ e<&laine+ that to ma8e a remar8a#le s&iritual &rogress= ou shoul+ engage oursel$es in #e*oming a)are of at least 1/2 #reaths a +a. I e<&erien*e+ a total *ontentment an+ ease= as if m Kriya &ath ha+ *ome to its fulfillment. 3 +a= e$erthing seeme+ surroun+e+ # a 99&a++e+ *oating99= re+u*ing all +issonan*es. E$erthing )as as if transfigure+: it )as li8e li$ing in a &erfe*t realit an+ all )orries too8 flight= gone from m sight. I also s&ent some +as in a #eautiful lo*ation eui&&e+ for )inter s&ort= )here I *oul+ )an+er aimlessl aroun+ the sno)-)hite *ountrsi+e. hile I )as la!il roaming a#out= the sun set earl= &ainting the lan+s*a&e )ith #reathta8ing *olors: the small $illage= sun8 in the sno)= starte+ to ra+iate in a fe) se*on+s of glor all the *olors of the s&e*trum of light. ; memor )ill al)as hol+ it as ,1
the s&len+i+ sm#ol of m *onta*t )ith the m!ar e<&erien*e. The )inter $a*ation en+e+ an+ I returne+ to m Do#. uring m s&are time I )oul+ thin8 a#out )hat a &re*ious De)el the Kriya te*hniue )as= $isuali!ing the &ossi#ilit of a future +ee&ening after a similar *ommitment to the #igher Kriyas also. One +a )hile still at )or8= I )as in a room from )hi*h I *oul+ see the +istant mountains through a )in+o) &ane= an+ *ontem&late the &ure *elestial s8 a#o$e them. I )as in e*stas That +istant s8 )as the mirror of m future ears= )holl +e+i*ate+ to Kriya Yoga. (or the first time the &ros&e*t of retiring an+ li$ing on a minimal in*ome= maintaining this state for the rest of m +as= starte+ to ta8e real sha&e. This tea*her also taught a sim&lifie+ form of Second Kriya= )hi*h I learne+ months later. As for re*ei$ing other a+$an*e+ te*hniues= he e<&resse+ himself a+amantl7 the reuest of #eing initiate+ in them im&lie+ a la*8 of engagement in the #asi* te*hniues. 3eing a)are that the original Kriya s&irit ha+ #een lost in other s*hools= he fo*use+ onl on &assing on its nu*leus. 0e ha+ trie+ all ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s te*hniues= *on*lu+ing that some of them )ere not essential )hile others )ere rather too +eli*ate an+ +iffi*ult to #e learne+. Attem&ts ma+e # ine<&erien*e+ stu+ents to effe*ti$el use these te*hniues often resulte+ in a useless +istra*tion for the stu+ents an+ a )aste of time for him as a tea*her. hat he sai+ ma+e +efinite sense= #ut *ontri#ute+ to his isolation. 0e +i+ not ta8e into *onsi+eration the insatia#le *uriosit of the maDorit of !riyabans )ho a**e&te+ no interferen*e in their uest. 0is unfortunate +e*ision to lea$e out some of ?ahiri ;ahasaaHs te*hniues Bnot onl &arts of the #igher Kriyas= #ut also #asi* te*hniues su*h as Kechari &udra an+ 'a(i Kriya triggere+ an automati* refle< )hi*h &ushe+ a)a the &eo&le most in+is&ensa#le to him. Consume+ # a thirst for the *om&lete tea*hings= the #egan to sear*h for other tea*hers. isa&&ointe+ # their +efe*tion= he stu##ornl fo*use+ e$en more &ointe+l on the essen*e of the tea*hing an+ the further sim&lifi*ation of the 9irst Kriya te*hniues. Those )ho trie+ to get this a#sur+it a*ross to him an+ there# &re$ent it foun+ themsel$es fa*ing a stone )all. 0e ha+ all the tools ne*essar to attra*t the )estern )orl+. The #oo8 he ha+ )ritten ha+ #een a smart strategi* mo$e )hi*h ma+e him &o&ular in the est= sa$ing for himself a &la*e of *ru*ial im&ortan*e in the +omain of Kriya. ;oreo$er= his In+ian-sage figure im&resse+ &eo&le. 0un+re+s of s*holars )ere rea+ to #a*8 his mission an+ treat him as a >+i$init>= an+ )ere )illing to sho) the same res&e*t to &ossi#le *olla#orators an+ su**essors. Yet the soil he &lo)e+ an+ )as *ulti$ating starte+ to #e*ome sterile. I sa) the s*o&e of his isolation )hen one +a +uring a Kriya re$ie) lesson= he tol+ his &u#li* that real Kriya "ranayama *oul+ onl ta8e &la*e in a state of *alm #reath an+ that the one mar8e+ # a long +ee& #reath B)hi*h man 8ne) )as *hara*teristi* of ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s lega* )as goo+= in his o&inion= onl for 998in+ergarten *hil+ren> 0e *lose+ his nostrils )ith his fingers an+ 8e&t that &osition for some time. In this )a that he im&lie+ that he ha+ mastere+ the
,2
#reathless state an+ that the &u#li* )as neither a#le to un+erstan+= nor &ra*ti*e= Kriya. I thought a#out ho) man +isa&&ointments he must ha$e ha+ to *on$in*e him to ma8e su*h a &e*uliar +emonstration. Perha&s he ha+ onl met &eo&le )ho )ere not a#le to a+o&t the +is*i&line of a regular me+itation &ra*ti*e an+ therefore +i+ not gain an #enefit. Gnfortunatel= man &er*ei$e+ his #eha$ior as a nast *omment that the au+ien*e )as una#le to un+erstan+ the +ee& meaning of )hat he )as +es*ri#ing. The stu+ents staring at him )ere at a *om&lete loss: he must ha$e seeme+ #i!arre an+ &e*uliar to them. The result )as that the #eginners sense+ onl that there )as too large a +istan*e to #e #ri+ge+ #et)een them an+ the ;aster. Those )ho alrea+ ha+ a goo+ mastering of Kriya ha+ the final *onfirmation that )hat he ha+ taught u& to that moment )as a sim&le intro+u*tion to Kriya an+ +i+ not &ro$i+e the 8e to o#taining the e<&eriential &inna*le. It is true that a lot of &eo&le )ere *ontent )ith his Kriya% #ut the )oul+ ne$er organi!e a seminar for their tea*her. (ran8l s&ea8ing= the faithfulness of the man )as not enough to a$oi+ the )orst. 0is *ommen+a#le effort= all the mar$elous su#tleties # )hi*h he ha+ enri*he+ our Kriya an+ ma+e this &ra*ti*e far more #eautiful= )as not enough to &re$ent a shi&)re*8 of his mission @ at least here in Euro&e. Gsing the same fliers an+ *hanging onl the ;aster9s name an+ &hoto= man of the &eo&le )ho formerl organi!e+ his seminars in$ite+ another tea*her from In+ia #e*ause the 8ne) he )as )ell-+is&ose+ to e<&lain Kriya in its *om&lete form. This in$itation )as &erha&s ma+e more out of +es&eration than of *on$i*tion #e*ause those )ho ha+ alrea+ met him in In+ia 8ne) his o)n s&iritual reali!ation )as almost non-e
Something remains in+ee+= #ut $er s*ant *om&are+ to )hat he *oul+ ha$e reali!e+ if onl he ha+ #een more *on*iliator.
,"
i+ea of ha$ing foun+ a sour*e from )hi*h I *oul+ learn e$erthing a#out Kriya e<*ite+ me tremen+ousl. I *ame in *onta*t )ith this s*hool through a strange #oo8 )hose illustrations ga$e the im&ression of a fairtale. I felt *onfi+ent I *oul+ learn something here= although in this #oo8 there )as no mention of te*hniues li8e +is&ersing the *lou+s> @ fim Baba,i> forgetting that #ong Sau is a uni$ersal &antra )hose slla#les )ere s&e*ifi*all *hosen for their &o)er of *alming the #reath= )ith )hi*h the ha$e a ,'
$i#rator *onne*tion. The three te*hniues of $isuali!ation )ere of a genre one *oul+ fin+ in an #oo8 on *on*entration an+ me+itation te*hniues. (or man of us )ho ha+ earlong e<&erien*e )ith the &reliminar-to- Kriya te*hniues offere+ # P.Y.9s organi!ation= #eing re-taught those te*hniues= +isguise+ an+ &asse+ off as Samadhi te*hniues= )as a*tuall li8e a *ol+ sho)er. Some of us +are+ to as8 the tea*her9s o&inion a#out ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s Kriya. At first he )as reti*ent an+ +i+ not seem gla+ a#out our interest= then he too8 *ourage an+ share+ his $ie)s. 0e #elie$e+ that ?ahiri ;ahasaa ha+ not &ra*ti*e+ )ith total *ommitment all the tea*hings he re*ei$e+ from 3a#aDi= therefore he ... +ie+. Astoun+e+= )e reali!e+ that sin*e ?ahiri ;ahasaa ha+ not o#taine+ immortalit Bas= in this tea*her9s o&inion= shoul+ ha&&en to those )ho gi$e their all to a&&ling Kriya integrall= our tea*her )as +ismissi$e of him. 3ut let me en+ tal8ing a#out all this an+ get #a*8 to other *onsi+erations.
-nterme66o> 'e8Age"olluted Kriya Yoga The min+set I +e$elo&e+ in follo)ing this s*hool le+ me to meet &eo&le an+ grou&s in )hi*h Kriya Yoga )as &ollute+ )ith 'e8Age themes. I am remin+e+ of those +as )hene$er I listen to the ta&e re*or+ings of +e$otional *hants )hi*h I #ought at that time. Gsuall I fell in lo$e )ith an In+ian bha,an an+ sang it )ithin me all through the +a. (or me it ha+ mu*h the same nature of foo+: I reall ha+ the im&ression of eating that musi*. Coming a*ross +ifferent grou&s of &eo&le )ho &ra*ti*e+ Kriya% I ha+ the feeling of meeting a famil more $ast an+ $arie+ than m first Kriya grou& )ho stri*tl follo)e+ P.Y.9s tea*hings. 3as8ing in m state of elation= I +i+n9t un+erstan+ mu*h a#out their a*tual +ato-+a life. The onl o++ trait I noti*e+ )as a *lums attem&t to a#i+e # the rules of an oriental lifestle= )hi*h ha+ here +eteriorate+ to the *ulti$ation of a fe) inno*ent an+ sometimes funn fa++iness. I learne+ to relate to ea*h &erson @ for e
At that e&o*h of m life= #esi+es the three main tea*hers +es*ri#e+ in this *ha&ter= I re*ei$e+ a *ou&le of initiations # other 99minor99 tea*hers that ha+ on*e #een the right-han+ man one or another illustrious Guru #ut then #e*ame in+e&en+ent #e*ause the Juru +iso)ne+ them. e agree+ our tea*hers )ere mostl me+io*re= sometimes im&olite an+ unethi*al. Some trifling e&iso+es *onfirme+ our first im&ressions of im&ro$isation an+= in one *ase= of mental insta#ilit. This )as strongl in *ontrast )ith the *hara*ter )e e<&e*te+ in those )ho *alle+ themsel$es >s&iritual gui+es>. The 8ne) little a#out Kriya Yoga an+ the taught it in a su&erfi*ial )a= #ut the *laime+ the )ere authori!e+ to initiate= an+ this #lin+e+ us. %ust for this reason )e treate+ them )ith a +eferential an+ tolerant attitu+e= forgi$ing them )hen the a#use+ our trust an+ *onfi+en*e. 99 Authori6ed 99 0o) magi* an+ h¬i* )as this )or+ for us )ho ha+ listene+ to it re$erentl so man times in P.Y.9s s*hool. It is strange an+ +olorous to thin8 that it )as the +ee&-roote+ +ogmati* *on*e&t that a te*hniue *oul+ #e re*ei$e+ onl from authori!e+ &ersons that &er&etrate+ the )orst of our illusions. I a**e&te+ the far*e of the initiations as an ine$ita#le +ra)#a*8 to su**ess in a*uiring the information I )as sear*hing for )ith so mu*h &assion. Jenerall s&ea8ing after atten+ing man +ifferent rituals= the e<&lanations )ere al)as ui*8 an+ shallo): a +estru*ti$e *riti*ism )as often raise+ against information *oming from other sour*es. I )oul+ finish e$er initiation thin8ing ho) satisfie+ I )as an+ ma8e u& m min+ to a#an+on all the &re$ious &ra*ti*es for the one I ha+ Dust re*ei$e+. I ignore+ an a)areness that the ne) initiation ha+ onl a++e+ something insignifi*ant to )hat I alrea+ 8ne) or that it )as *onfining me to a >*age> from )hi*h I )oul+ sooner or later feel an un#eara#le suffo*ation an+ from )hi*h I )oul+ e$entuall ha$e to #rea8 loose. To man among us those initiations )ere a true $i*e. e sto*8e+ u& on te*hniues li8e foo+ for a famine. %ust to gi$e an e
+is*ussion )ith tri$ialities li8e as8ing some information on In+ian ha#its an+ a#out an Ashram9s a++ress )here he &lanne+ to go. Then almost at the en+ of the inter$ie) @ he must ha$e su++enl remem#ere+ he )as in ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s house @ he as8e+ if an of the +is*i&les of ?ahiri )ere still &ra*ti*ing Kriya= an+ re*ei$e+ a sar*asti*all sour= negati$e res&onse of= more or less= >efinitel not: it is not &ra*ti*e+ an longer. I +are sa it is not &ra*ti*e+ throughout the )hole In+ian &eninsula. Rather= ou surel must #e the onl one still &ra*ti*ing it> At the en+ of his narration= m frien+ )as loo8ing at me uestioningl. I am still not sure )hether he )as ho&ing to *on$in*e me or )hether he )as Dust a#sor#e+ in #itter frustration. I +i+ not &r. In m o&inion= he +i+ not reali!e ho) foolish his +is*ussion ha+ #een )ith that no#le &erson. A *ertain #lo) *ame for him one month later. 0e hear+ that a man from his same to)n ha+ re*entl #een initiate+ into Kriya Yoga from the $er &ersonage he ha+ met in 3enares 0e )as so irritate+ he &lanne+ to go #a*8 to In+ia to raise a &rotest to that no#le man * Gnfortunatel= he +i+ not ha$e that *han*e -- a serious +isease 8ille+ him. In s&ite of our huge *hara*ter +ifferen*es= I )ill al)as #e grateful for all the things he share+ )ith me *on*erning his s&iritual &ath. Another frien+ remaine+ for some +as at an Ashram in the ho&e he might re*ei$e initiation into Kriya Yoga. The lea+er of the Ashram )as a)a= an+ m frien+ re*ei$e+ the initiation from one of his +is*i&les. At the *on*lusion he a*uire+ a large $olume summari!ing the te*hniues= an+ at the en+ of his tri&= $isi#l *ontent= he sho)e+ me the #oo8. The te*hniues +i+ not +iffer mu*h from those I alrea+ 8ne)= #ut there )ere man more +etails. There )as nothing in that #oo8= ho)e$er= that *oul+ remo$e all m uestions: not a single hint a#out ho) to o#tain Kechari &udra= nothing on su&&lementar notes>. 0e then trie+ to +efen+ his +is*i&les9 )or8 stating that after all > Baba,i9s Kriya ha+ Tantri* origins.> 3 no) I )as feeling uite +istant from m initial Kriya organi!ation= #ut I still ,/
res&e*te+ it. I too8 &art in a re$ie) *lass of Kriya )hen t)o female ;inisters of that organi!ation again $isite+ our *ountr. uring an inter$al #et)een t)o *onferen*es= something )on+erful an+ s)eet ha&&ene+. hat I ha+ ho&e+ for so ar+entl in the &ast an+ et ha+ negate+ in su*h a #rutal )a= materiali!e+ easil. I ha+ a &ri$ate tal8 )ith one ;inister )herein all m +ou#ts )ere *larifie+. She )as intelligent= 8in+ an+ tal8e+ from +ire*t e<&erien*e. Regar+ing Kechari &udra% she sai+ that it *omes )ith time= es&e*iall # &ersisting in tou*hing the u$ula )ith the ti& of the tongue. I also inuire+ a#out one of P.Y.9s remar8s= namel >The Cha!ras *an #e a)a8ene+ # &s*ho-&hsi*al #lo)s gi$en at their +ifferent lo*ations.> The ;inister *larifie+ its meaning # e<&laining it referre+ to the use of a &antra *ou&le+ )ith #reath. No other h&otheti*al te*hniue other than that )hi*h )as full +es*ri#e+ in the )ritten material )as #eing hinte+ at. She e<&laine+ that if a slla#le is mentall *hante+ in a Cha!ra9s lo*ation )ith real intensit= )hile inhaling or e&s*ho-&hsi*al #lo)>. This *larifi*ation ins&ire+ m &ra*ti*e. Returning home= I ha+ the im&ression of again li$ing the #est time of m life. I +is*o$ere+ a )a of &erfe*ting the final &art of m Kriya routine7 mental "ranayama* hile &roDe*ting in ea*h Cha!ra the mental *hant of the &antra= I reali!e+ I ha+ the &o)er to tou*h the *ore of ea*h one )ith an almost &hsi*al intensit. A great s)eetness s&rang from this &ro*e+ure: m #o+ seeme+ to #e*ome stiff as a statue an+ the #reathless state ma+e m min+ trans&arent as *rstal. I )as )illing to &ut an en+ to m sear*h an+ &rolong this state for the rest of m life #ut the tea*her )e ha+ in$ite+ from In+ia arri$e+.
reasona#l *lear= e$en if in some &arts )ere unusuall sntheti*. (or instan*e= his instru*tions on "ranayama formall *orre*t @ *oul+ #e un+erstoo+ onl # those )ho ha+ alrea+ #een &ra*ti*ing Kriya Yoga for a long time. After three months of serious &ra*ti*e I a*hie$e+ Kechari &udra an+ reali!e+ that m e+i!!iness> that laste+ some +as: m mental fa*ulties seeme+ to #e fogge+ u&= #ut )hen all that *ease+= m Kriya fle) high. Ins&ire+ # this ne) *on+ition= *omå it to that of the msti*s= I reali!e+ ho) +iffi*ult it is to li$e= *arring out +ail )orl+l +uties= )ithout #eing &aral!e+ # su*h #liss Some +as I )as so ha&& that )hen I )ent out for a )al8= if I met someone an+ sto&&e+ to listen to him= no matter )hat he sai+= a su++en Do )oul+ e<&an+ in m *hest to the &oint that I *oul+ #arel hol+ #a*8 m tears. ?oo8ing at the +istant mountains or at other +etails of the lan+s*a&e= I )oul+ tr to +ire*t m feeling to)ar+ them in or+er to turn m &aral!ing Do into aestheti* ra&ture: onl this *oul+ 8ee& #a*8 the Do *lut*hing m #eing= onl this *oul+ hi+e it. I #elie$e it is legitimate to as8 )h +o Kriya organi!ations not tea*h su*h a sim&le te*hniue as hat is the nee+ of a GuruF 5...6 You ha$e to )al8 # ourself= ou ha$e to ta8e the Dourne alone= an+ on that Dourne ou ha$e to #e our o)n tea*her an+ &u&il.> hile I )as rea+ing these lines I felt un+ou#te+l that the e<&resse+ a +ee& truth= #ut m logi* suggeste+ &erem&toril= >This is a so&hism: e$en KrishnaDi a*te+ as a Guru an+ a*ts u&on me no) Dust through his )ritings.> I *oul+ not a*tuali!e his )ise )arning: fear an+ *on+itioning hel+ me #a*8. 0o) man mista8es )oul+ I still ha$e to ma8e= ho) man sla&s )oul+ I still ha$e to ta8e #efore I *oul+ affirm m free+om from gurusF I stu+ie+ man #oo8s # this author #ut I )as literall o$er*ome # the #eaut of life #egins )here thought en+s.> I nee+e+ to re*reate silen*e aroun+ me= to return to sim&li*it= to fin+ the time to *ontem&late 3eaut again. al8ing aroun+ )ith this attitu+e #e*ame &ure an+ *onstant 3liss 3eaut )as al)as aroun+ me #ut I ha+n9t noti*e+ #e*ause I )as lost in m mental *onstru*ts #ase+ ,
on Ne) Age fantasies= or on &seu+o s&iritual literature )hi*h )as a*tuall trash. I )as not a#le to see that 3eaut for I )as lost @ as KrishnaDi )oul+ sa @ in the >3eaut of m o)n ma8ing.> The more I rea+ KrishnaDi= the more I felt I ha+ re*entl *rosse+ through hell. I reali!e+ that m o#session for fin+ing the te*hniues of the >Original Kriya> ha+n9t emanate+ from a heightene+ form of +ri$e to)ar+ the i$ine One #ut )as a*tuall moti$ate+ # a +esire no +ifferent from the +esire for material things. A*tuall= it )as )ith this &oor attitu+e that I )as un8no)ingl *on+u*ting m he*ti* sear*h. It )as a +istra*tion= &re$enting me from enDoing )hat I alrea+ ha+= an+ ha+ im&o$erishe+ me= +raining me of the flo) of genuine as&iration to)ar+ the i$ine. The effort to *reate mental silen*e #rought me #a*8 to the $er #eginning of m s&iritual &ath )hen I ha+ +e*i+e+ to *onuer the ten+en* to +a+ream an+ Dum& from one memor to another +uring i+le moments. At that time I 8ne) &erfe*tl )ell that un#ri+le+ thought )as an a++i*tion= a $i*e gi$ing moments of &leasure #ut #eing the &rimar *ause of mu*h miser. It )as in or+er to +is*i&line mself that I stu+ie+ the art of "ranayama an+ +is*o$ere+ Kriya Yoga in the first &la*e. uring this &erio+ I also rea+ "uran "urush # Asho8e Kumar ChatterDee= #ase+ on ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s +iaries. uring the summer I *arrie+ this #oo8 )ith me in the *ountrsi+e: man times= after rea+ing a &art of it= I )oul+ gratefull raise m ees to the +istant mountain to&s an+ thin8= >At long last> I loo8e+ at the &hotogra&h of ?ahiri ;ahasaa on the front *o$er. ho 8no)s )hat state of #liss he )as in )hile #eing &hotogra&he+ I sa) some hori!ontal lines on his forehea+= his ee#ro)s raise+ li8e in the Shambha(i &udra= )here a)areness is set u&on the hea+: a slight tension of his *hin seeme+ to re$eal he )as &ra*ti*ing Kechari &udra. uring those +as his figure= )ith that #lissful smile= )as a ra+iant sun in m heart: he )as a sm#ol of the &erfe*tion for )hi*h I earne+. hile tring to e<&lore the meaning of 'a(i Kriya I +is*o$ere+ the im&ortan*e of stu+ing Taoist Internal Al*hem. ; first referen*e #oo8 )as Alchemy and -mmortality # Charles ?u8 ?u Kuan. ; attention )as *onsi+era#l stirre+ u&: I &hoto*o&ie+ man &ages= *ut out the most im&ortant &ie*es= &ut them in or+er an+ glue+ them onto four sheets of &a&er= highlighting the four &hases of Taoist Internal Al*hem. The similarit to Kriya Yoga )as im&ressi$e. hen I ha+ enough *onfi+en*e to relate m +is*o$er to m thir+ tea*her he )as annoe+= *laiming that 'a(i Kriya )as &ure Yoga an+ )as also uote+ # PatanDali. PatanDali BSutra IIIM2 sim&l states7 >n#hi*a8re 8a$UhaDVnamW> )hi*h is translate+7 ># *on*entration on the na$el= the see8er o#tains 8no)le+ge a#out the +ifferent organs of the #o+ an+ their lo*ation>. In m o)n small )a= I sa) that this Sutra ha+ nothing to +o )ith 'a(i Kriya9s aim )hi*h is to a)a8en the Samana *urrent= *reating #alan*e #et)een "rana an+ Apana *urrents.
4
-ncremental outines It )as in that &erio+ that I #e*ame familiar )ith the *on*e&t of -ncremental outine )hi*h I imme+iatel *onsi+ere+ hea$en-sent. This )as un+ou#te+l the most im&ortant instru*tion I re*ei$e+ from this thir+ an+ last tea*her. An un$aring s*he+ule )hi*h *onsists of a +ail &ra*ti*e of the same set of te*hniues= *hanging neither their or+er of &ra*ti*e nor the num#er of their re&etitions= is t&i*al of a !riyaban )ho &ra*ti*es for man ears. In *ontrast to this s*heme= an -ncremental outine *onsists of using onl one te*hniue= )hose num#er of re&etitions is gra+uall in*rease+. This in*rease ha&&ens on*e a )ee8 for a *ertain num#er of )ee8s Busuall " after a minimal use of the #asi* te*hniues li8e &aha &udra an+ Kriya "ranayama. BThe a**urate +etails of ho) +ifferent in*remental routines are stru*ture+ are to #e foun+ in the thir+ &art of the #oo8 @ Cha&ter . This s*heme of &ra*ti*e is $er re)ar+ing #e*ause it lea+s to master of the te*hniue )hose num#er of re&etitions is in*rease+. This &ro*e+ure *an #e a&&lie+ to ea*h Kriya te*hniue #ut es&e*iall to the #igher Kriyas. It also has a &ositi$e effe*t on one9s &ersonalit= releasing it from man inner o#sta*les as )ell as res*uing a !riyaban from #ore+om an+ loss of enthusiasm. Gnfortunatel man >me+itation *ounselors> ha$e ne$er #een e<&ose+ to this. 0o) man times= in fa*t= )hen )e *om&laine+ a#out a &erio+ of a#solute ari+it= +i+ the *ome u& )ith the ne*essit of loalt 0o) man times )ere )e tol+ outlan+ish stories a#out that loal !riyaban )ho ha+ his first intense s&iritual e<&erien*e onl on his +eath #e+ >A loal +is*i&le +oesn9t lament )or8ing for ears or for an entire life )ithout getting an result> is the re&roa*h. There is no +ou#t that one shoul+ *ontinue to &ra*ti*e through seemingl un&ro+u*ti$e &hases. Instin*ti$el man su**ee+ in re8in+ling their enthusiasm= #ut onl &artl an+ for a short time= # rea+ing s&iritual #oo8s= listening to ta&e+ s&iritual tal8s= et*. Pra*ti*al e<&erien*e tea*hes that one rea*hes a stan+still )here further &rogress a&&ears im&ossi#le. The i+ea of &ra*ti*ing a routine +ail for one9s entire life #e*ause of a &romise ma+e at the moment of initiation #e*omes a nightmare. This is the +anger &oint )here interest an+ &assion for Kriya is $er *lose to )aning *om&letel. (e) 8no) ho) to get out of this une<&e*te+ situation. -ncremental routines are the +efiniti$e ans)er. Through this s*heme of &ra*ti*e= the essential *ore of ea*h te*hniue= +e&ri$e+ of an em#ellishment= a&&ears as something fi
1
An 7na(oidable Brea! In or+er to e<&lain the +efiniti$e *ra*8 in our relationshi&= it is ne*essar to refer again again to the haste an+ shallo) shallo)nes nesss )ith )ith )hi*h )hi*h m thir+ ;aster ;aster e<&laine+ e<&laine+ the Kriya te*hniues. Kriya te*hniues. The intro+u*to intro+u*tor r le*tur le*turee to Kriya B)hi*h Kriya B)hi*h )as usuall hel+ the e$ening #efore initiation an+ a #ig &art of the seminar of initiation )as +e$ote+ to &ure &hiloso&hi*al tal8 )hi*h +i+n9t tou*h to u*h the #asis of Kriya of Kriya Yoga Yoga #ut #ut )as a summing u& of Krishnamurti9s strong &oints= mainl the theme of no-min+= )hi*h he im&ro&erl *alle+ S8adhyaya. S8adhyaya. There )as no &art of it that *oul+ #e *riti*i!e+= all he sai+ )as *orre*t= #ut man stu+ents= #eing un*omforta#le sitting on the floor= )ith a*hing #a*8 an+ 8nees= )aite+ onl for the e<&lanation of the te*hniues= en+uring this long tal8 as a giant #ummer. The tra+itional offerings Bhe also reuire+ a *o*onut= )hi*h )as $er +iffi*ult to fin+= for*ing the stu+ents to +es&eratel loo8 in store after store la in +isarra #efore a s*ruff altar * Sin*e he usuall arri$e+ $er late= those )ho *ame from other *ities &i*ture+ all their &lans for the return Dourne falling through an+ )ere $er anse*ret> he ha+ #rought from In+ia an+ trie+ to re&ro+u*e the same noise. 0e *arr *arrie ie+ + on that that )a )a for for ear ears= s= in s&it s&itee of his his *los *losee *oll *olla# a#or orat ator ors9 s9 &oli &olite te *om&laints. 3 this time I a**e&t a**e&te+ e+ e$ert e$erthing hing an+ I )oul+ )oul+ ne$er ne$er ha$e ha$e +reame +reame+ + of 14
I res&e*t of *ourse Yama'iyama Bthe )hat-is-*orre*t an+ the )hat-is-not-*orre*t #ut= in m o&inion= reuiring &eo&le )ho are an
2
*om&laining. Ne$ertheless one +a I ha+ a $isit from the *ou&le )ho organi!e+ the master9s tours in Jerman Jerman.. I ha+ #e*ome a*uainte+ a*uainte+ )ith those 8in+ frien+s +uring the seminars of m first tea*her BS.0. hile tal8ing together= the em&has em&hasi!e i!e+ + the ne*ess ne*essit it of ma8ing ma8ing a &arti*u &arti*ular lar &ro&osal &ro&osal to our tea*he tea*her7 r7 to organ organi! i!e= e= at the the en+ en+ of his Kriya Kriya initiation seminars= a gui+e+ grou& &ra*ti*e )hi*h ser$e+ as a re$ie) #oth for the ne) initiates an+ for those )ho )ere alrea+ &ra*ti*ing. I o**u&ie+ mself )ith ha$ing this &ro&osal rea*h the tea*her through a frien+ )ho )ent to In+ia. I ga$e him a letter to +eli$er to the tea*her )ith m regar+s an+ a )arm em#ra*e. I forgot the )hole matter. matter. ;aster9s ;aster9s rea*tion )as ine<&li*a#le. ine<&li*a#le. 0e inter&rete+ inter&rete+ m letter as an o#liue *riti*ism. *riti*ism. As a res&onse= res&onse= he *rosse+ me off off his list of those )ho organi!e+ organi!e+ his Euro&ean Euro&ean tours. 0is +e*ision )as transmitte+ transmitte+ to the Italian *oor+inator= *oor+inator= )ho +i+ not e$en e$en inform inform me. Some Some months months )ent )ent #. #. ; e<&erie e<&erien*e n*e )ith that that tea*he tea*herr &ro#a#l )oul+ ha$e en+e+ that )a= )a= ha+ I not gone to )el*ome him #a*8 to Euro Euro&e &e.. e e<*h e<*han ange ge+ + hugs hugs as if nothi nothing ng ha+ ha+ ha&& ha&&en ene+ e+.. 0e a&&a a&&are rent ntl l inter&rete+ m &resen*e as a mo$e of re&entan*e. Some hours later )hen he )as resting resting== his *olla# *olla#ora orator tor== )ith a slight slight in+e*i&h in+e*i&hera era#le #le hint of em#arr em#arrass assmen ment= t= e<&laine+ to me )hat ha+ ha&&ene+ #ehin+ the s*enes. I )as a&&alle+ an+ +iso +isori rien ente te+. +. ; firs firstt im&u im&uls lsee )as )as to a#an a#an+o +on n e$er e$ert thi hing ng an+ an+ se$e se$err an an *onne*tion *onne*tion )ith him= #ut in or+er not to +istur# the &ea*e of all the &ersons )ho )ere m frien+s an+ )ho ha+ follo)e+ me in this a+$enture= I +e*i+e+ to &reten+ nothing ha+ ha&&ene+= 8ee& on *olla#orating )ith him an+ +ro& the theme of m letter. If I ha+ gone I )oul+ ha$e +istur#e+ ne+is*ourse> I ha+ )ith him in the entire *ourse of m si< ears )ith him. (rom that moment on)ar+ all )as *hange+. I +eli#eratel #egan to *ontrol "
mself an+ ma+e the resolution to al)as agree )ith him. I a*te+ so )ell that one +a he as8e+ me to tea*h tea*h Kriya to those )ho )ere intereste+ an+ )ho *oul+n9t meet him on his tours. I reDoi*e+ at the o&&ortunit #e*ause I +reame+ I *oul+ finall e<&lain Kriya e<&lain Kriya in in a *om&lete an+ *om&rehensi$e )a. I )ante+ none of m stu+ents to e$er feel the &ain of seeing a legitimate uestion go un*onsi+ere+. A ear &asse+ #= an+ I sense+ I )as +oing $irtuall useless )or8. I ga$e Kriya initiation follo)ing a man+ator fisur$ >sur$i$e i$e>> su*h su*h a meet meeting ing.. A**u A**usto stome me+ + # me to #e a#le a#le to &ut &ut fort forth h an an uestions an+ to al)as re*ei$e some &re*ise ans)er= the trie+ to +o the same )ith the tea*her. ;an entere+ a +ee& *risis after o#ser$ing his almost total la*8 of human un+erstan+ing )hile simultaneousl #eing 8i*8e+ aroun+ # him. Too man things )ere not going in the right +ire*tion. +ire*tion. I felt that this man= )hose e$er small )him I trie+ to satisf as if *arring out a sa*re+ +ee+= +i+ not lo$e Kriya lo$e Kriya.. Instea+= he use+ it onl to *reate a more #eautiful life for himself in the est *om&are+ to the )ret*he+ one in In+ia he ha+ often +es*ri#e+ to me. Another ear )ent #. On a reuest from frien+s a#roa+= I )ent on #ehalf of m tea*her tea*her to tea*h Kriya Yoga to oga to their grou&. There I met a $er serious stu+ent )ho )as alrea+ familiar )ith m tea*her9s #eha$ior an+ )as ta8ing &art in the initiation seminar onl as a refresher. 0e as8e+ me a lot of &ertinent uestions an+ I ga$e him a**urate ans)ers. At that &oint he as8e+7 >(rom )hom ha$e ou learne+ all these +etailsF> 0e )ell 8ne) that m tea*her )as a total +isaster from a +i+a*ti* &oint of $ie). 0e &er*ei$e+ that I ha+ learne+ man +etails from other sour*es. 0o) *oul+ I gi$e Kriya gi$e Kriya initiation initiation using 8no)le+ge that +i+ not originate originate from m tea*herF tea*herF 0e un+erstoo+ m &re+i*ament &re+i*ament an+ )as sur&rise+ that sin*e I )as authori!e+ to tea*h Kriya tea*h Kriya== I ha+ ne$er ha+ the *han*e to tal8 freel )ith m tea*her a#out Kriya a#out Kriya +etails +etails It )as logi*al an+ fitting for me to settle the matter as soon as &ossi#le. Kno)ing the iras*i#le +is&osition of m tea*her= I hesitate+ a long time #ut there )as no )a out. Through a frien+= I sent him a fa< mentioning the matter at han+ an+ &rae+ him to a+Dust his s*he+ule so )e *oul+ +is*uss it after his arri$al +uring his ne
ha+ +istur#e+ a *omforta#le though im&erfe*t situation. ; frien+s li8e+ him: his annual $isit )as a &o)erful stimulus to their effort an+ moti$ate+ them to &ra*ti*e Kriya &ra*ti*e Kriya intensel. A harsh re&l *ame a fe) +as later. In a +is+ainful )a= he +i+ not a++ress it +ire*tl to me #ut &reten+e+ to ans)er the 9&ersona9 that ha+ materiall sent m letter $ia fa<. 0e )rote that m e<*essi$e atta*hment to the te*hniues )oul+ ne$er let me out of the fen*es of m min+ @ I )as li8e St. Thomas= too +esirous to tou*h )ith m han+ an+ $erif the goo+ness of his tea*hings. 0e a++e+ that if he satisfie+ m reuest= it )oul+ onl #e to gratif m ego. Rea+ing the term >gratifi*ation=> I 8ne) he ha+ un+erstoo+ nothing. e shoul+ ha$e tal8e+ to ea*h other long #efore it *ame to this I )on+ere+ )h he ha+ ne$er allo)e+ allo)e+ me to e<&res e<&resss m *on*erns *on*erns.. I +i+n9t +i+n9t )ant to *ontest *ontest him= him= I +i+n9t )ant to +estro him: the ne*essit that #rought me to )rite him )as to esta#lish on*e an+ for all )hat I )as su&&ose+ to *ommuni*ate an+ )hat not to *ommuni*ate to the !riyabans +uring !riyabans +uring initiation. h ha+ he al)as e$a+e+ meF I +e*i+e+ to #eha$e *an+i+l= as if I ha+ not &er*ei$e+ his tone. I )ante+ to see )hat he )as *a&a#le of. I neither a&ologi!e+ nor ans)ere+ in a resentful tone. I )rote that sin*e I taught Kriya taught Kriya on on his #ehalf= a mutual +is*ussion a#out *ertain Kriya *ertain Kriya +etails +etails )as ne*essar ne*essar. I a++e+ that at su*h an e$ent the other three &eo&le in Euro&e authori!e+ # him to im&art Kriya initiation *oul+ also #e &resent. I thus ma+e him un+erstan+ that he )oul+ not ha$e )aste+ his time an+ #reath for onl me. I ne$er re*ei$e+ an ans)er= neither then nor e$er. e$er. A fe) )ee8s later I sa) on his Internet site that the name of m to)n ha+ #een ta8en off the list for his $isit to Ital. ; se*on+ letter ha+ #rought a#out a +efiniti$e s&lit. The nightmare )as o$er I too8 a one-+a $a*ation an+ )ent for a long )al8: I roame+ a lot= tensel= imagining a h&otheti*al +is*ussion )ith him. All of a su++en= I foun+ mself *ring )ith Do. It )as too #eautiful @ I )as free. I ha+ #een )ith him too man ears= an+ no) all that ha+ reall en+e+
,
C0APTER , , A HARD DECISION
The The #rea #rea8 8 in our our rela relati tion onsh shi& i& #e)i #e)il+ l+er ere+ e+ m !riyaban frien frien+s +s )ho )ho )ere )ere natural naturall l affe* affe*tion tionate ate to)ar+ to)ar+ him. him. In time time the the un+ers un+erstoo+ too+ the +ee&-s +ee&-seat eate+ e+ reasons for m +e*ision an+ sho)e+ their soli+arit. ?i8e a +omino effe*t= other *oor+inators in Euro&e )ho #arel tolerate+ his #a+ manners too8 a+$antage of that e&iso+e to #rea8 *onta*t )ith him. The )ere fe+ u& )ith the +ullness of his &hiloso&hi*al +is*ourses follo)e+ # s*ant te*hni*al e<&lanations )hi*h +i+n9t uen*h their +esire for a goo+ un+erstan+ing of Kriya of Kriya.. hen it *ame to tea*hing sim&le an+ #anal things that e$en 8in+ergarten *hil+ren *oul+ un+erstan+= he flaunte+ a great &rofusion of )or+s= an+ *on*e&ts )ere re&eate+ a+ nauseam. hen anone in &u#li* &olitel #ut +etermine+l as8e+ for a &re*ise e<&lanation of some +iffi*ult &ra*ti*al +etail= he *ame out of his h¬i* state an+= $isi#l $e
After the #rea8 )ith this tea*her there )ere reasons to *ele#rate #ut the sense of all the time )aste+= of all the sill things )hi*h ha+ #een *arrie+ out thoughtlessl= )as )eighing me +o)n. I ha+ not e$en a faint i+ea of the +estin of the re*entl forme+ Kriya grou&s= u& until then regularl $isite+ # that Kriya tea*her. Some months later the )heel of goo+ fortune seeme+ to #e turning again: there )as the &ossi#ilit of in$iting a ne) Kriya Acharya to Euro&e. Sin*e he )as )ell ualifie+ in his role= I )as on the $erge of *oo&erating in this &roDe*t an+ #earing &art of its *ost. A +ear frien+ )ent to In+ia to meet him for a &ri$ate inter$ie).
)oul+ #e no more rhetori*al *laims of legitima* an+ ri++le-li8e senten*es to *onfuse rea+ers or ha$e them guess at te*hni*al +etails or *reate further +ou#ts in them 0o) #eautiful it )as to +ream of a #oo8 )hi*h )oul+ &ro$e its $ali+it # re&ro+u*ing ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s thought in the sim&lest an+ most logi*al )a= in a *om&lete= harmonious set of te*hniues A #oo8 +e$ote+ to Kriya= un&retentious #ut *lear= similar for *ertain as&e*ts to T. 3ernar+9s #atha Yoga> *ere#ral *hemistr>F Of *ourse= some tea*hers of Kriya @ those )ho li$e from +onations for rituals of initiation an+ )ho ese*rets> might *hange= an+ the )oul+ #e fearful of that. The )oul+ tr to +estro its *re+i#ilit # means of &itiless *ensorshi&. I anti*i&ate+ their s*ornful *omments= uttere+ )hile s8imming its &ages= >It *ontains onl stories that ha$e nothing to +o )ith 3a#aDi9s an+ ?ahiri ;ahasaa9s tea*hings. It s&rea+s a false tea*hing> Other &eo&le might not li8e the #oo8= either #e*ause the are ta8en a#a*8 # the #arrenness of +es*ri&tions of te*hniues +e&ri$e+ of frills= )hi*h +oesn9t mat*h their e<&e*tations= or #e*ause their refine+ sensi#ilit +oes not manage to *at*h the 99$i#ration99 )hi*h *hara*teri!es the authenti*it of the author9s e<&erien*e. Onl those )ho lo$e Kriya more than their )hims )oul+ feel an enormous relief in fin+ing it in an esoteri* li#rar. I )as alrea+ sensing their ha&&iness. Than8s to them= the #oo8 )oul+ *ontinue to *ir*ulate= an+ )ho 8no)s ho) man times it )oul+ e*ho #a*8 to the tea*her )ho ha+ +e*ree+ its unforgi$a#le fla)s. At times he )oul+ ha$e to &reten+ not to noti*e that a stu+ent )as #ro)sing through its &ages +uring his seminars= thus missing a &art of the *onferen*e 3 staring into the #lue of the s8 a#o$e the gil+e+ mountain #rims= I sa) that #i!arre situation as &oignantl real. Ea*h &art of m +ream ha+ +e$elo&e+ in the s&a*e of a fe) se*on+s= an+ in$a+e+ m *ons*iousness as a s)ollen torrent= as if e$er &art of it ha+ alrea+ #een rehearse+ an+ *herishe+ innumera#le times. 3ut ho) *oul+ I fin+ the *ourage to $iolate the $o) of se*re*= *oarsel *hallenging the sa*re+ness of the Guru+is*i&le relationshi& as the onl )a to #e instru*te+ in KriyaF (or sure= an innumera#le amount of times I ha+ thought7 >Su*h a rule is the *ause of +isastrous effe*ts= of e<*ru*iating *onfli*ts an+ 11
This e
sufferings: the sa it is sa*re+= #ut it *annot #e @ it is a human &ro+u*t= the out*ome of +eli#erate &ett *al*ulations.> I ha+ no +ou#ts that se*re* regar+ing Kriya &ro*e+ures )as #lin+ +ogma= insensiti$e to the suffering of man resear*hers. I re*alle+ )hat ha&&ene+ man= man times )hen some frien+s of mine )ho +i+n9t un+erstan+ English as8e+ to re*ei$e initiation into the #igher Kriyas Bsu*h instru*tion )as gi$en onl in )ritten form to those )ho ha+ *om&lete+ the stu+ of the *om&lete set of lessons )hi*h eI am not the Guru= I +on9t maintain a #arrier #et)een the true Guru Bthe i$ine an+ the +is*i&le>. 0e a++e+ he )ante+ to #e *onsi+ere+ as >a mirror.> In other )or+s= ea*h !riyaban shoul+ see him not as an unrea*ha#le i+eal #ut as the &ersonifi*ation of all the )is+om an+ s&iritual reali!ation )hi*h= in +ue time= the Kriya &ra*ti*e )ill &ro+u*e. hen !riyabans reali!e that their Guru is the &ersonifi*ation of )hat resi+es &otentiall insi+e themsel$es= of )hat one +a the )ill #e*ome= then that mirror must #e >thro)n a)a.> 12 Some ears &re$ious I )as &er&le0a$e ou not reali!e+ that P.Y. is the i$ine ;other 0erselfF> Onl no) I )as a#le to see ho) e
hether one li8es it or not= that is e
reuest for se*re*= the GuruJo+ )oul+ #elong to e$erone= )oul+ ine$ita#l #e*ome more >human>= an+ therefore A Kriya organi!ation )oul+ #e*ome Dust an institution +e$ote+ to &u#lishing the )or8s of its foun+er. Onl through the +ogma of se*re* *oul+ the ho&e to *laim that a !riyaban *annot a&&roa*h Jo+ e<*e&t through their Guru an+ their organi!ation. The mth of se*re* allo)s the mth of the irre&la*ea#le role of the organi!ation to #e 8e&t ali$e. Other Dustifi*ations for this mth a&&ear fragile. The *laim that se*re* hel&s >to maintain the &urit of the tea*hings.> No) that I 8ne) that some minor #ut im&ortant alterations in the &ra*ti*e of Kriya )ere su&&orte+ # these organi!ations= it )oul+ #e #etter to affirm= >to maintain the &urit of the mo+ifi*ations> I might #e )rong= #ut I feel that the uniue #enefit of se*re* to an in+i$i+ual is to ha$e one9s &leasure of &ossessing something e<*lusi$e rea*h a fe$er &it*h. 1" I am a)are that one ma trul feel that the s&iritual $i#rations re*ei$e+ through formal Initiation #ring his &ra*ti*e to a >higher o*ta$e.> I )on9t +are to *ontra+i*t him. 3ut if one +a he +ismisses the &ra*ti*e= reDe*ting all the Kriya as an o#session he has o$er*ome= no one )ill +e&ri$e me of the &leasure of as8ing )here all those s&iritual $i#rations ha$e gone an+ ... )hat >o*ta$e> is he no) attune+ toF Again m thoughts ha+ turne+ to a minor &oint. The )eir+ thing )as that the )or+ Guru )as attri#ute+ to a &erson )hom the +is*i&les ha+ not 8no)n +ire*tl. Stu+ents )ere reuire+ to s)ear their e$erlasting +e$otion not onl to one &erson #ut also to a *hain of ;asters Bno one +ire*tl a**essi#le to !riyabans e$en if onl one of them ha+ to #e regar+e+ as the Guru-&re*e&tor. 99It is the Guru &re*e&tor that intro+u*es ou to Jo+. There is no other )a to a*hie$e Selfreali!ation.99 On*e the stu+ents )ere initiate+ into a s&iritual +is*i&line # the >legitimate *hannels> Bauthori!e+ +is*i&les= the +e&arte+ Guru )as sai+ to #e real an+ &resent in their life. The )ere taught that their Guru )oul+ someho) #urn a &art of their Karma an+ &rote*t them e$ermore: he )as a s&e*ial ai+ *hosen # Jo+ 0imself e$en #efore the #egan to see8 the s&iritual &ath. ?oo8ing for a +ifferent s&iritual tea*hing amounte+ to >a hateful reDe*tion of the i$ineHs han+= stret*he+ out to offer #ene+i*tion.> ; thoughts #egan to re$ol$e again aroun+ the +iffusion of Kriya. It )as $er +iffi*ult to &ut all the *ru*ial &oints into a logi*al or+er. I trie+ to thin8 seuentiall #ut either mental an+ &hsi*al fatigue )as im&airing m reasoning a#ilit or *on+itioning *ar$e+ into m #rain a*te+ as an entit )hi*h ha+ a life of its o)n. Ea*h time I trie+ to organi!e m $ision into a )ell-integrate+ an+ *oherent )hole= for one reason or another it a&&eare+ to me as a monstrosit. One e$ening= )hile I &ra*ti*e+ Kriya "ranayama )ith m a)areness totall *entere+ in Sahasrara an+ the tongue in Kechari &udra= I ha+ the inner $ision of 1"
It is strange to remar8 that onl in the )orl+ of initiatic magic is a metho+ +e&ri$e+ of its $alue if it is learne+ in non-*on$entional )as. The threat of &ossi#le *alamities that )oul+ ha&&en to )hoe$er infringes the +ogma of se*re* *lashes )ith e$erthing )e rea+ in the #iogra&hies of the saints: it instea+ &erfe*tl suits those of the esoteri*-magi* +imension of *ertain so*ieties @ rather= se*re* is essential to their &reser$ation.
/4
three #eautiful mountains. The *entral mountain= the highest= )as #la*8: its form remin+e+ me of the &oint of an arro) ma+e of o#si+ian. ; heart eA Guru might #e $er im&ortant to our s&iritual +e$elo&ment= #ut our &ersonal effort )hen ou remain alone is far more im&ortant. In an Guru-+is*i&le relationshi& there *omes a moment )hen ou remain alone an+ a)a8en to the reali!ation that our &ath is a solitar flight #et)een ou an+ our in+)elling Self. The Guru-+is*i&le relationshi& is an illusion @ useful an+ *omforta#le @ a&&earing real until ou are not o$er*ome # )hat sur&asses our min+.> That glaring intuition fa+e+ a)a after a *ou&le of +as. One e$ening after a long )al8= su#+ue+ # a su++en tire+ness I +ragge+ mself #a*8 home. orn out # thoughts= the &ro#lem of the Guru-+is*i&le relationshi& emerge+= o#s*urel= more as a )oun+ than as a theor unfol+ing its mths. In m room I set the re*or+ &laer on >re&eat>= &laing 3eetho$en9s se*on+ mo$ement of the =mperor Concerto... i+ anone= after ha$ing haunte+ all the &ossi#le *eremonies of Initiation gi$en # the >legitimate> *hannels= an+ #eing stuffe+ )ith all the &ossi#le Guru5 s #lessings= e$er &ra*ti*e Kriya )ith the same +ignit an+ *ourage )ith )hi*h 3eetho$en *hallenge+ his fateF I turne+ +o)n the lights an+ )at*he+ the sun set #ehin+ the trees on the to& of a hill. The sha&e of a *&ress *o$ere+ a &art of that great= #loo+-re+ *ir*le. That )as the eternal #eaut That )as the mo+el # )hi*h I )oul+ #e ins&ire+. I *lose+ m ees to ha$e a +is&assionate= unemotional assessment of the situation. A strange image *a&ture+ m attention7 that of Li$e8anan+a9s >in$estiture> # his Guru Rama8rishna. I rea+ that one +a to)ar+ the en+ of his life Rama8rishna entere+ Samadhi )hile his +is*i&le Li$e8anan+a )as near him. Li$e8anan+a starte+ to feel a strong *urrent #efore fainting. 0a$ing returne+ to *ons*iousness= his Guru *rie+ an+ )his&ere+7 >O m Naren BLi$e8anan+a= e$erthing I ha+ I ga$e to ou= to+a. I ha$e #e*ome a &oor fa8ir= I +o not ha$e anthing: )ith these &o)ers ou )ill +o the )orl+ an immense goo+.> ?ater= Rama8rishna e<&laine+ that the &o)ers he &asse+ onto him *oul+ not #e use+ for his o)n s&iritual fulfillment @ one ha+ to get to that # himself: on the *ontrar= the )oul+ hel& him in his mission as a s&iritual tea*her . I thin8 m su#*ons*ious *ame u& )ith su*h a flash as a )arning not to iel+ to the tem&tation to thro) a)a something $ali+ an+ &re*ious. No)= if )e sa that Rama8rishna )as Li$e8anan+a9s Guru= )e are saing something true and unuestionable* It *ame to me s&ontaneousl to rerea+ the memora#le im&ressi$e +is*ourse # /1
ostoe$s8 a#out the role of el+ers in Russian monasteries in his hat )as su*h an el+erF An el+er )as one )ho too8 our soul= our )ill= into his soul an+ his )ill. hen ou *hoose an el+er= ou renoun*e our o)n )ill an+ iel+ it to him in *om&lete su#mission= *om&lete self-a#negation. This no$itiate= this terri#le s*hool of a#negation= is un+erta8en $oluntaril= in the ho&e of self-*onuest= of self-master= in or+er= after a life of o#e+ien*e= to attain &erfe*t free+om= that is= from self: to es*a&e the lot of those )ho ha$e li$e+ their )hole life )ithout fin+ing their true sel$es in themsel$es.> BTranslate+ # Constan*e Jarnett
E$entuall the a)areness +a)ne+ on me that Li$e8anan+a9 stor an+ ostoe$s89s e
1'
To (reu+ the Gn*ons*ious )as similar to a +e&ot full of ol+ >remo$e+> things that )e *annot re*all to *ons*iousness - refuse+ # a nearl automati* a*t of the )ill. %ung +is*o$ere+ a +ee&er le$el of it7 the Colle*ti$e Gn*ons*ious )hi*h lin8s all human #eings # the +ee&est laers of their &s*he. The Colle*ti$e Gn*ons*ious is >inherite+ )ith our *ere#ral stru*ture> an+ *onsists of >the human sstems of rea*ting> to the most intense e$ents that *an ha&&en in one9s lifetime7 the #irth of a *hil+= marriage= +eath of a lo$e+ one= serious illness= famil *risis= true lo$e= natural +isasters= )ar...
/2
A +ruit+ul shoc! The !riyaban frien+ )ho ha+ gone to In+ia to meet the tea*her )e )ere &lanning to in$ite to Euro&e= returne+ home an+ *alle+ me. 0e ha+ ha+ a &ri$ate inter$ie) )ith him an+ ha+ goo+ ne)s. Some hours later= )e )ere sitting in m room. I )as all ears. 0e )as enthusiasti*. The ha+ tal8e+ a#out the +e&lora#le situation of the +iffusion of Kriya in the est: the tea*her )as sorr for that an+ manifeste+ his )illingness to hel& us. At the en+ of that meeting= m frien+ ha+ his Kriya "ranayama *he*8e+ # that e<&ert. ;u*h to m sur&rise this frien+ as8e+ me to &ra*ti*e Kriya "ranayama in front of him= an+ then remar8e+ that there )as a fault in m &ra*ti*e. I as8e+ him )hat it )as an+ his re&l literall fro!e me7 he *oul+ not tell me= sin*e he ha+ &romise+ the tea*her he )oul+ not re$eal anthing. 1, 0e *larifie+ that in relation to our grou&= he ha+ in+ee+ as8e+ for his tea*her9s &ermission to *orre*t e$entual mista8es in our &ra*ti*e #ut the ans)er ha+ #een negati$e an+ the tea*her s)ore him to se*re*. as this tea*her @ )ho ha+ manifeste+ the intention to hel& us @ *on*erne+ that )e )oul+ not fin+ an nee+ to in$ite him to Euro&e= or $isit him= after our mista8e ha+ #een *orre*te+F as he reall so &ett an+ un8in+F I +i+ not &ut &ressure on m frien+ to +is*lose other +etails a#out his tal8 )ith the tea*her. I *oul+ not an+ )oul+ not enter the &ri$a* of his e<&erien*e= #ut ho) *oul+ he Dust let me an+ our grou& go on )ith an in*orre*t &ra*ti*eF The shattering &art )as to see a frien+ )ith )hom I ha+ share+ e$erthing along m s&iritual &ath= a**om&aning me in m $entures )ith all m &re$ious tea*hers an+ suffering the same )oes= satisfie+ onl )ith ha$ing noti*e+ m mista8e. It )as as if this Dustifie+ his tri& to In+ia= the *ost= an+ the time he s&ent on this $enture. I +i+n9t start uarreling= #ut I rea*te+ $er #a+l. I got u& an+ left= lea$ing the frien+ alone. Some +as later= *onta*te+ # the tea*her9s se*retar= I )as further +isguste+ # ho) she han+le+ the finan*ial si+e of the tour. I +e*line+ the offer. A*tuall I )as not in the moo+ to un+erta8e the enormous )or8 of organi!ing. As for the i+ea of $isiting him= nothing *oul+ #e farther from m min+. I )as *ertain that he )oul+ ha$e reuire+ of me the *ustomar oath of se*re*. On*e returne+ to m frien+s= )hat )oul+ I ha$e ha+ to tell themF 99ear frien+s= I *an tell nothing= ou too must go to In+ia.99 e ha+ rea*he+ an a#sur+ situation7 if the frien+s in m grou& )ante+ one more *rum# of information regar+ing the Kriya &ra*ti*e= the )oul+ ha$e to #e &ut on a &lane an+ &a*8e+ off to In+ia. Other)ise= the )oul+ +ie )ithout this information. If the e$ents )oul+ ta8e &la*e in this )a= ea*h ear an innumera#le series of *harter flights )oul+ trans&ort all those intereste+ in Kriya @ no matter if ol+ or ill @ to a remote In+ian $illage= li8e a &ilgrimage to ?our+es or (atima The far*e )as not e$en )orth of #eing *onsi+ere+. ith m thin8ing fa*ulties almost &aral!e+ # this su++en turn of e$ents= I *leane+ u& the *om&ilation of m notes a#out +ifferent Kriya te*hniues Dotte+ +o)n +uring +ifferent seminars= an+ &asse+ them on to frien+s )ho ha+ alrea+ 1,
Consi+ering the e&iso+e later= I reali!e+ )hat this in*orre*t +etail )as7 I ha+ not ma+e an a#+ominal #reath in a &arti*ularl $isi#le )a. I am sure of this fa*t #e*ause it )as the onl thing m frien+ )as a#le to see @ )e +i+ not tal8 a#out inner +etails of the &ra*ti*e.
/"
re*ei$e+ initiation #ut not to all le$els of Kriya. I &ur*hase+ a *om&uter an+= li8e a $oluntar &risoner= I re+u*e+ m so*ial life to an a#solute minimum in or+er to gi$e m all to )riting the #oo8. It )as not eas to e+angerous mania.> The ha+ the au+a*it to hush the hum#le stu+ent # *ounseling him to im&ro$e the +e&th of )hat he ha+ alrea+ re*ei$e+. The s&o8e in the same tone use+ # m ol+ >;inisters>. Although I )as mself feeling aeons +istant from that )orl+= o#De*ti$el s&ea8ing that &erio+ of m life )as not so far a)a. Perha&s it )as #e*ause those ol+ foges +i+ not generate an feeling of +eferen*e in me that I felt so great a tem&oral +istan*e. A*tuall the )ere m ester+a9s )orl+. I )on+ere+ ho) the +are+ to enter Bunin$ite+ a &erson9s life an+ &ersonal s&a*e= a#out )hom the 8ne) nothing= treating them as in*om&etent an+ su&erfi*ial #eginners as it so +iffi*ult to sim&l ans)er truthfull7 >I +on9t ha$e that information>F I remem#er a +is*ussion )ith one )ho *laime+ he ha+ a**ess to the original Kriya. Gnfortunatel= that &erson )as $er se*reti$e an+ e<*lusi$e. 0e sai+ there )ere a num#er of true Kriya tea*hers aroun+ #ut )as un)illing to share an names or a++resses. I foun+ this stu&i+. In a rush of anger= I imagine+ that the &ett i+ea of &ossessing se*ret 8no)le+ge an+ not *on$eing it to others /'
)as the onl thing 8ee&ing the &ie*es of his s*attere+ min+ together= *amouflaging B)ith a sem#lan*e of s&iritual a+$an*ement the nothingness that he )as from a human &oint of $ie). h shoul+ Kriya #elong to himF Kriya is a *olle*tion of intros&e*ti$e tools ta8en from +ifferent tra+itions. It is a#sur+ to *laim the #elong to one &erson Bes&e*iall su*h a nast one. The time I em&loe+ in )riting the #oo8 ha+ #een mu*h longer than e<&e*te+. (rien+s sai+ I )oul+ ne$er finish it. I ha+ not felt an urgen*= I enDoe+ that uiet moment of m life= e<&erien*ing the *almness an+ *ontente+ness that *omes to those )ho +e$ote all their efforts to a single &ur&ose. At long last= the #oo8 )as rea+ an+ )as &oste+ on the e#. After a *ou&le of months there )as a rea*tion from m former thir+ tea*her. uring a seminar he e<&laine+ m a*tions as those of one )ho )ants to ma8e a #usiness of Kriya. 0e +efine+ me an >intelle*tual &rostitute.> ; rea*tion )as amusement an+ satisfa*tion. 3ut that night I *oul+ not slee&. Onl then +i+ I #egin to reali!e that m longtime intention ha+ #een a**om&lishe+ an+ that finall there )as a Kriya #oo8 rea+il a**essi#le to e$erone. .as entstanden ist% das mu (ergehen0 .as (ergangen% au+erstehen0 #r au+ 6u beben0 Bereite dich 6u leben0 Justa$ ;ahler B14-111
hat )as *reate+= must &erish hat &erishe+= must rise again Cease from trem#ling Pre&are ourself to li$e
/,
PART II: DEFINITION OF THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES
CHAPTER 6 THE BASIC TECHNIQUES OF K RIYA YOGA
Disclaimer of Responsibility The techniques described herein are exposed for study purposes only and should serve as a comparison with the wors of other researchers! The author hopes this wor will inspire intelli"ent feedbac! Any remars# criticism# corrections# and$or additions are welcome! %efore you be"in posin" all inds of questions to yourself# read throu"h Part && and Part &&& of this boo so you have a thorou"h understandin" of the matter! 'ou(ll find that as you "o throu"h it many questions will be answered! & wish to mae clear that this boo is not a )riya 'o"a manual* & may write one and face the problem of dividin" it into different lessons and "ivin" all the necessary instructions for each level! However# certain delicate techniques e!"! +aha +udra# )riya Pranayama# Thoar# and 'oni +udra cannot be learned from a manual and require the help of an expert to chec their execution! Each person is different so it is not possible to predict what effects an intensive practice mi"ht have on a particular individual! The author disclaims any responsibility in case of ne"ative results# especially if the techniques are practiced without first havin" their execution checed by an expert! Those who intend to carry on this practice should do so with a due sense of sacredness and awareness of the wealth it can brin" to their life! Althou"h you should have the ri"ht and the duty to control your own destiny# securin" expert counsel or "uidance is indispensable! ,hen you "o to an expert# please advise them of physical problems# such as hi"h blood pressure# lun" problems# or si"ns of hyperventilation -! &f you have a particular physical problem or handicap# an expert can lead you throu"h a very mild form of )riya Pranayama and the correspondin" +udras . and if necessary# may recommend that you practice them only mentally!
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Localization of the Chakras The Chakras are subtle astral 0ethereal1 or"ans inside the spinal cord2 ideal steps on a mystic ladder "uidin" one safely to the deepest ecstatic experience! +any falsely believe they can apply what they find in Yoga boos to Kriya. 3nfortunately# such boos are usually filled with useless# mis"uided representations! ,hile wastin" time in visuali4in" it all# a kriyaban runs the ris of losin" the real meanin" of the Kriya techniques or part of their richness! Kriya is a natural process leadin" to beneficial results and it should not be distorted by the power of 5creative5 visuali4ation# especially if it "oes a"ainst our body physiolo"y! ,hen certain particular conditions are established . mental silence# relaxation# an intense desire of the soul . the piritual Reality manifests in a captivatin" way and absorbs all one(s attention! Then# subtle movements of ener"y in the body . or a particular centerin" of the ener"y in some parts of the body . reveal the essence of the Chakras! Those who practice Kriya Yoga 0kriyabans1 be"in with the basic technique of Kriya Pranayama and visuali4e the spine as a hollow tube extendin" from the base of the spine to the brain! ,ith further practice# they try to locate$feel the seven Chakras!
7i"ure 8! The perception of the Charas
First Five Chakras The first Chakra# Muladhara# is at the base of the spinal column 9ust above the coccy"eal 0tailbone1 re"ion! The second Chakra# Swadhisthana# is in the sacral re"ion# above and behind the "enitals or :;
9ust below them! The fifth Chakra# Vishuddha# is at the cervical $collarbone $thyroid level where the nec 9oins the shoulders! &ts location can be detected by swayin" the head from side to side# eepin" the upper chest immobile# and concentratin" on the point where you perceive a 5cracin"5 sound! The physical locali4ation of the Chakras is improved throu"h visuali4ation! The simplest visuali4ation that fosters the dynamics of Kriya Pranayama is havin" the awareness travel up the spine and perceivin" the Chakras as tiny 5twinlin" li"hts5 illuminatin" a 5hollow tube#5 which is visuali4ed in place of the spinal cord! ,hen the awareness is brou"ht down# the Chakras are internally perceived as or"ans distributin" ener"y 0comin" from infinity above1 into the body! =uminous rays depart from their locations# enlivenin"$ener"i4in" that part of the body which is in front of them! To tae the trouble to abide by such elementary visuali4ation# avoidin" those su""ested by "e# $ge or tantric boos is the best "uarantee of havin" a beneficial practice! Chakras are not a physical reality2 their true location is in the astral dimension# which is only visible to clairvoyants or when Kriya Pranayama taes# so to say# the 5inward route5 to the inner sounds emanatin" from each Chakra. &f the mind is sufficiently calm e!"! durin" a lon"# deep session of Kriya Pranayama# you will be able to listen to those astral sounds and locate each Chakra astrally! There are different levels of development of this ability> Kechari M!ra brin"s about a "reat internali4ation process which fosters the experience especially when the 5wind5 of the breath subsides! Astrally locatin" Chakras is connected to the ability of travelin" within the spinal tunnel# which in turn is the basis for reali4in" that the five Chakras are five different states of consciousness! &n Kriya tradition# the Chakras are related to the five %att#as> earth# water# fire# air# and ether! ?fferin" each %att#a individually to the li"ht of the 5spiritual eye5 "atherin" and intensifyin" in the re"ion between the eyebrows is the hi"hest action ever conceived to dispel the last shell of illusion! However# & would discoura"e kriyabans from bein" maniacally precise about the location of the Chakras> the practice of the different levels of Kriya Yoga will refine their perception! $&na 'Me!lla (blongata) *hrma!hya) Ktastha+ The sixth Chakra) Ajna, accordin" to tradition# is in the central part of the head! ome identify it with the hypophysis (pituitay! "land# others with the pi"#a$ "land# and others with the thi% &#"ti'$# o th# )ai"! &t is preferable to abide by the followin" two;step procedure! 8! 7irst detect the seat of the Medulla oblongata 0on top of the spinal cord1! Raise your chin tensin" the muscles of the nec at the base of the occipital bone2 concentrate on the small hollow under the bac of the head and then ideally move inside a couple of centimeters2 while contractin" the nec muscles# swin" your head sideways 0a few centimeters left and ri"ht12 relax the muscles of the nec and concentrate on the Me!lla oblongata for one minute> you will /@
notice that any restlessness disappears! Tradition recommends visuali4in" the Me!lla oblongata as shaped lie the bac of a small turtle! :! Remainin" centered in the Me!lla oblongata# conver"e your inner "a4e on Bhrumadhya# the point between the eyebrows# and observe the internal li"ht in that re"ion! 'our perception may be va"ue but if you continue looin" internally and remain satisfied with whatever luminous perception comes# the li"ht will intensify! trai"ht bac and about @ centimeters from where the li"ht appears is the sixth Chakra# A*"a! +editatin" with your awareness focused on it will prepare you for the experience of Kutastha 0aa thi% #y# or spiitua$ #y#1> a luminous point in the middle of an infinite spherical radiance! &n this re"ion# one day# you will experience the radiance of a million suns havin" the coolness of a million moons! $&na Chakra is the royal entrance to the ivine Consciousness# which is immanent in our physical universe! 'ou will experience the entire universe as your own body! This experience is also called Ktastha Chaitanya# Christ consciosness# or Krishna consciosness! ,ahasrara '*in!) Fontanelle+ Accordin" to tradition# the seventh Chakra) Sahasrara ) is at the top of the head! &t is visuali4ed as a hori4ontal dis about 8: centimeters in diameter# lyin" immediately beneath the upper part of the cranium! &n phase B of Kriya Pranayama) when we raise our awareness from the sixth to the seventh Chakra# this visuali4ation is enou"h to "et ecstatic absorption! Bindu is located in the occipital re"ion# where the hairline twists in a ind of vortex 0where Hindus with shaved heads wear a loc of hair1! urin" the first part of Kriya Pranayama) the consciousness touches *in! briefly at the end of each inhalation! &n the hi"her phases of Kriya Pranayama# when our awareness finds tranquility in *in!# we become aware of the bregma 0anterior fontanelle durin" infancy + located on the top of the sull at the 9unction of the coronal and sa"ittal sutures# where the frontal bone and parietal bones meet! &t is recommended not to override the previous sta"e of locali4ation of the sixth Chakra 0 $&na1! o not practice concentration on the bregma on your own initiative except when explicitly required to by your teacher! There is always room for improvement in Kriya Yoga! The most reliable Kriya schools are careful about usin" methods whose effects are difficult to sustain and therefore teach a "radual approach to concentration on ,ahasrara. They counsel placin" the awareness in *in! and from there becomin" aware of bregma!
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Position for Me!itation ?ne should sit facin" facin" east! Accord Accordin" in" to Patan9a Patan9ali# li# the yogi(s yogi(s posture 0Asana1 0Asana1 must be steady and pleasant! kriyabans are relaxed in this sittin" position# which has been Half-lotus: Half-lotus: +ost kriyabans are used since time immemorial immemorial for meditation# meditation# because itDs itDs comfortable comfortable and easily easily mana"ed! mana"ed! The ey is to maintain maintain an erect spine by sittin" on the ed"e of a thic cushi cushion on so the the butto buttoc css are are sli"h sli"htly tly rais raised! ed! it it cros cross;l s;le" e""e "ed d with with the nees nees restin" on the floor! %rin" the left foot toward the body so its sole is restin" a"ainst the inside of the ri"ht thi"h! raw the heel of the left foot in toward the "roin as much as possible! The ri"ht le" is bent at the nee and the ri"ht foot is comfortably comfortably placed over the left thi"h or calf or both! =et the ri"ht nee drop as far as possible toward the floor! The shoulders are in a natural position! The head# nec# chest# chest# and spine are in a strai"ht line as if they were lined! lined! ,hen the le"s "et tired# reverse them to prolon" the position! The best hand position is with fin"ers interloced as in the well;nown photo of =ahiri +ahasaya! This balances the ener"y from the ri"ht hand to the left and vice versa! The hand position for meditation and spinal breathin" is the sam same becau ecause se you you move move from from spin spinal al brea breath thin in" " to medi medita tati tion on with withou outt interruption! 3sually you don(t even reali4e it! 7or certain health or physical conditions# it may be beneficial to practice the half lotus on an armless chair provided it is lar"e enou"h! &n this way# one le" at a time can be lowered and the nee 9oint relaxed* Siddhasana: Siddhasana: 0Perfect Pose1 is of medium difficulty> the sole of the left foot is placed a"ainst the ri"ht thi"h while the heel presses on the perineum! The ri"ht heel is a"ainst the pubic bone! This le" position combined with Kechari with Kechari M!ra closes the pranic circuit and maes Kriya maes Kriya Pranayama easy Pranayama easy and beneficial! &t is said the position helps one to become aware of the movement of Prana of Prana!!
position1 a difficult# difficult# uncomfortable uncomfortable position2 position2 the ri"ht foot is Padmasana: Padmasana: 0lotus position1 placed on the left thi"h and the left foot on the ri"ht thi"h with the soles of the feet turned up! &t is explained that when this $sana this $sana is is combined with Kechari with Kechari and and ,hambhav ,hambhavii M!ra M!ra# it resu result ltss in an ener ener"e "eti ticc cond condit itio ion n that that prod produc uces es the the experience of the internal li"ht comin" from each Chakra! Chakra! &t helps eep the body from bendin" or fallin" over as it tends to do when deep Pratyahara deep Pratyahara is practiced! Pa!masana is Pa!masana is uncomfortable for a be"inner because the nees and the anles become extremely painful! & would not advise anyone to perform this difficult posture2 some yogis yogis have had to have nee cartila"e removed after years of forcin" themselves into the Pa!masana the Pa!masana!!
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-ight *asic %echnies %echnies of Kriya Yoga Yoga The followin" techniques are related to the first initiation of Kriya of Kriya Yoga Yoga>> %alabya Kriya) (m /apa 'in the Chakras+) Kriya Pranayama or Pranayama) or Pranayama) "avi Kriya) Maha M!ra) Kriya Pranayama #ith short s hort breath) mental Pranayama Pr anayama and Yoni and Yoni M!ra! M!ra! &n the technique of Kriya of Kriya Pranayam Pra nayama# a# we shall distin"uish distin"uish three phases! phases! 8
,e will draw up a theoretical outline of all phases of Kriya of Kriya Yoga conceived in this boo for students students who appreciate appreciate havin" a complete picture! 7or a more in; depth discussion# see chapter @! 7our;Phase Kiya Path Phase 8> /ihah 8> /ihah '/i#ha+ 0ranthi *he!a . Raisin" Raisin" the ton"ue! Phase :> 1ri!aya :> 1ri!aya 0ranthi *he!a . Piercin" the heart not! Phase B> "avi B> "avi 0ranthi *he!a . Piercin" the navel not! Phase F> Mla!hara F> Mla!hara 0ranthi *he!a . Piercin" the +uladhara not! Phas# O"#> %alabya alabya Kriya technique ) the the prac practi tice ce of Kriya Pranayama# Pranayama# the achievement of Kechari Kechari M!ra! M!ra! Phas# T+o> The appearin" of the internal sounds ;; especially the sound of a bell ;; be"in to melt any obstacle tied with the transit of the ener"y from the hi"her Chakras to Chakras to the lower part of the spine and vice versa!
Kriya where the breath be"ins to calm down dow n completely! Phas# Th##> "avi Kriya where Phas# Fou> Maha M!ra) Pranayama #ith short breath) mental Pranayama) and Yoni M!ra. This phase is the most delicate! Kn!alini delicate! Kn!alini ener"y ener"y is awaened 0 Maha patiently "uided "uided throu"h throu"h all Chakras 0 Kriya Maha M!ra12 M!ra12 it is patiently Kriya Pranayama #ith #ith short short breat breath h and mental Pranayama1# Pranayama1# and finally stabili4es at the point between the eyebrows 0Yoni 0Yoni M!ra1! M!ra1! ,- Ta$a)ya Ta$a)ya Kiya Kiy a tart with the ton"ue in a relaxed position with the tip li"htly touchin" the bac of the upper teeth! Press the body of the ton"ue a"ainst the upper palate to create a suction suction cup effec effect! t! +any +any practi practice ce %alabya Kriya incorrectly Kriya incorrectly by instinctively turnin" their ton"ue bacwards 0or eepin" it vertical1 but this cancels the whole effect! effect! &t is important important to have the ton"ue tip touchin" the bac of the upper teeth before pressin" its body a"ainst the upper palate! ,hile pressin" the ton"ue a"ainst the upper palate 0roof of the mouth1# 8
To chec chec if refi refine neme ment ntss have have been been adde added d to the the desc descri ript ptio ion n of the the tech techni niqu ques es## visi visitt www!riyayo"ainfo!net at www!riyayo"ainfo!net at least once a year!
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drop$ drop$lo lowe werr the the botto bottom m 9aw 9aw until until you you clea clearl rly y feel feel the the stret stretch ch in the the lingal frenlm 0the frenlm 0the small fold of tissue under the ton"ue that attaches it to the base of the mouth1 07i"ure 07i"ure :1! Release the ton"ue with a clicin" sound then stic it out of the mouth and point it toward the chin! At the be"innin"# do not exceed 8 repetitions repetitions a day to avoid strainin" the frenlm the frenlm!! Eventually Eventually## you want to do < repetitions in about : minutes 088;8: seconds1! After After some months of practic practicin" in" %alabya Kriya Kriya re"ularly# it should be possible to insert the ton"ue into the nasal pharynx cavity 0 Kechari Kechari M!ra+. Kechari M!ra 07i"ure M!ra 07i"ure B1 is described in detail in the next chapter! Even after masterin" Kechari masterin" Kechari M!ra) %alabya Kriya should Kriya should continue to be practiced because it creates a perceivable relaxin" effect on the thinin" thinin " process! &t is not nown nown why why stret stretch chin" in" the the fren frenulu ulum m redu reduce cess thou"h thou"htt produ product ction ion## however# anyone practicin" the technique can readily verify this!
7i"ure :! Talabya Talabya )riya> pressin" the body of the ton"ue a"ainst the upper palate to create a suction cup effect Gote &n 1atha Yoga boos oga boos there are different different su""estions su""estions for len"thenin" len"thenin" the Fraenlm. ?ne which is well nown one is wrappin" a piece of cloth around the ton"ue and# with the help of the hands# "ently pullin" 0relaxin" and repeatin" different times1 the cloth both hori4ontally and also up# toward the tip of the nose! =ahiri +ahasaya was absolutely a"ainst cuttin" the Fraenlm the Fraenlm to to obtain faster and easier results!
.- O/ 0apa i" th# Cha1as tar tarti tin" n" with with the the firs firstt Chakra Mla!hara Mla!hara# chant the Mantra 5?m5 5?m5 while while concentratin" on it2 then do the same with the second Chakra and Chakra and so on up to the fifth Chakra 02ish!!ha1 2ish!!ha1 and then with *in! with *in!!! urin" the ascent# do your best to intuitively touch the inner core of each Chakra! Chakra! The descent be"ins by chantin" 5?m5 in the Me!lla the Me!lla## then in the cervical Chakra and Chakra and so on# all the way down to the the firs firstt Chakra! urin" this this descen descentt of awaren awareness ess## try to percei perceive ve the subtle subtle Chakra! urin" radiation of each Chakra! Chakra! ?ne ascent 0Chakras 0Chakras 8# 8# :# B# F# <# *in! <# *in!11 and one descent 0 Me!lla# Me!lla# <# F# @:
B# :# 81 represent one cycle that lasts about B seconds! o 6 to 8: cycles! The (m Mantra (m Mantra may may be chanted aloud durin" the first three cycles! The correct pronunciation for (((m (( (m(((( is lie the ((on"(( ((on"(( in ((son"(( ((son"(( but drawn drawn out! &t must not be pronounced lie the ((om(( in Tom e!"! ((ahm!(( &n this technique# 5(m 5 (m55 is a pure prolon"ed vowel sound pronounced pronounced lie the alphabet letter ((o!(( The ((m(( is silent and the ((o(( sound is len"thened! At the end# the mouth is not completely closed . thus creatin" the nasal sound 5n"5! ,hen pronouncin" &ndian Mantras# Mantras# lie (m namo bhagavate or (m namah ,hivaya -# ,hivaya -# the consonant 5m5 in 5?m5 is heard! ?+ should be chanted as low as possible! ome say the correct note is % 0i1 before +iddle C 0o1!
&n the remainin" cycles breathe throu"h the nose and chant (m mentally! o not pay any attention to the breath other than to breathe naturally! naturally! This exercise# performed with concentration# "enerates the best form of breathin" durin" the next fundamental technique of Kriya of Kriya Pranayama! Pranayama! A cycle of B seconds allows about :!< seconds for each ?+ but this is to mae mae the action action dynami dynamicc and avoid boredom boredom for kriyabans kriyabans who tend to sip chantin chantin" " ?+ in each Chakra! Chakra! Gaturally# a lon"er cycle e!"! 6 seconds and a lon"er ?+ e!"! < seconds is better providin" oneDs concentration is deep $focused enou"h!
2- Kiya Pa"aya/a (Spi"a$ B#athi"3! Kriya Pranayama Pra nayama is is the most important technique! technique! &t acts directly on the ener"y 0 Prana1 Prana1 present in the body! Kriya body! Kriya $charyas use different didactic strate"ies strate"ies to introduce it! Althou"h & explain its ey details# it is not easy to show how they are inte"rated into a harmonious whole! Fist Pat o Kiya Pa"aya/a: 4i5i"3 Pa"a a"% Apa"a Kechari M!ra M!r a is applied! 7or those who canDt do it# turn the ton"ue tip bac to touch the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard palate becomes soft! soft! )eep )eep mouth and eyes closed! closed! The eyes are relaxe relaxed d and focuse focused d on the re"ion between the eyebrows %3T the awareness is in the Me!lla the Me!lla oblongata.
?ne Kriya ?ne Kriya breath breath entails> 8! A deep inhalation throu"h the nose that produces an unvoiced sound 0lie 3&&ayi Pranayama Pranayama11 in the throat# which acts lie a hydraulic pump to raise the ener"y 0 Prana1 Prana1 from the base of the spinal column up to the Me!lla the Me!lla oblongata and then up to *in! to *in! 0occipital 0occipital re"ion1! :! A short pause of :;B seconds where the movement of the air is suspended! This helps suspend the activity of the mind as well> a state of stability appears! B! An unhurried exhalation of the same len"th as the inhalation that accompanies the movement movement of the ener" ener"y y bac to the base base of the spinal spinal column! urin" the last part of the exhalation# there is a clear perception of the navel movin" in @B
toward toward the spine! spine! %y refinin refinin" " this experien experience ce and the awarenes awarenesss of the navel navel movin" inward# one feels the action of the diaphra"m muscles and becomes conscious conscious of increasin" increasin" heat in the navel! This heat seems seems to rise from the lower part of the abdomen! F! Another :;B;second pause! This pause is intimately lived as a moment of comfortable peace! The dynamic mind becomes static and is appeased! Reference literature says perfect Kriya perfect Kriya Pranayama is Pranayama is @ breaths per hour . about F< seco second ndss per per brea breath th!! Kriyabans can can only only reac reach h this this rhyth rhythm m durin" durin" lon" sessions! ,hereas an advanced kriyaban would kriyaban would complete 8: breaths in around minut minutes es## be"in be"inne ners rs shoul should d set set a rhyth rhythm m of 8@;: 8@;: second secondss per per Kriya Kriya breath 0includin" the pauses1 and complete 8: breaths in a natural and unhurried way in about F ;< minutes! Remars The path taen by the ener"y "radually reveals itself durin" practice! Go difficult visuali4ation visuali4ation is required! 'ou 'ou are centered in the Me!lla the Me!lla oblongata oblongata and your inner "a4e is toward *hrma!hya) toward *hrma!hya) between between the eyebrows! The awareness rises from from the Mla!hara alon" alon" the spinal spinal column column toward toward the second second Chakra# Chakra# the third# the fourth# the fifth Chakra) the Chakra) the Me!lla Me!lla oblongata and# oblongata and# if possible# up to *in!! *in!! urin" the pause# the radiance of Ktastha of Ktastha appears as a blurred li"ht or "low permeat permeatin" in" the fronta frontall part part of the brain brain and that of ,ahasrara as ,ahasrara as a sli"ht sensation of crepuscular li"ht permeatin" the upper part of the head! &n this initial phase of Kriya Pranayama) the Pranayama) the ener"y cannot reach either the re"ion between the eyebrows nor ,ahasrara4 ,ahasrara4 this will happen in hi"her sta"es! %reathin" durin" Kriya durin" Kriya Pranayama Pran ayama is not free breathin" breathin" but restricted breathin" breathin" that creates a clearly heard sound in the throat! This sound while inhalin" is lie a quiet quiet schhhh $$! The sound is similar to the amplified bac"round noise of a loudspeaer2 there is only a sli"ht hiss durin" exhalation! There are many poor &nternet video clips of 3&&ayi Pranayama with Pranayama with yogis yogis who mae a horrible sound because they are usin" $vibratin" their vocal chords> this is not correct in Kriya in Kriya Pranayama! Pranayama ! 7ortunately# there are also "ood explanations of 3&&ayi Pranayama that Pranayama that & si"nal in my web site 0 Kriya Kriya Yoga video downloads downloads pa"e1! To mae certain the sound is correct# concentrate concentrate only on increasin" the friction friction of the air flowin" throu"h your throat! A muffled sound will ori"inate! &ncrease its frequency! &f the surroundin"s are perfectly still# a person could hear it within a F;< meter radius . by no means outside it! However# do not expect sound perfection yet. yet. ,hen Kechari ,hen Kechari M!ra is M!ra is eventually done correctly# the exhalin" sound will be flute;lie> ,heee ,heee $iI$! ,heee $iI$! The meanin" and the implications of this sound are discussed in the next chapter!
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The inhalin" air is felt cool whereas the exhalin" air is felt moderately warm2 as a consequence the ener"y is felt cool when risin" and sli"htly warm when descendin"! urin" inhalation# the abdomen expands and durin" exhalation the abdomen is drawn in! The breathin" is mainly abdominal2 durin" inhalation# the upper part of the lun"s is filled two thirds full! o G?T raise the rib ca"e or the shoulders! As for the value of the pauses# the more you became aware of these states of stability# the deeper your practice becomes! urin" the first breaths of Kriya Pranayama) do not chant (m or another Mantra in any Chakra. o not disturb the employment of a "reat mental intensity durin" the inhalation to obtain the raisin" of the ener"y! S#'o"% Pat o Kiya Pa"aya/a: O/ 0apa i" #a'h Cha1a urin" the first part# the awareness was in Me!lla oblongata! &n the second part# the awareness expands into the entire occipital re"ion up to *in!! The fixed purpose is to succeed in listenin" to the internal sounds 0variations of (mkar sound1 without plu""in" our ears! urin" inhalation# (m is mentally chanted 0or more accurately 5mentally placed51 in each of the first five Chakras and at the point between the eyebrows! urin" exhalation# (m is mentally chanted in the Me!lla) in each Chakra as you return to Mla!hara! ,hile comin" down# each Chakra is "ently 5touched5 mentally from the bac! The ener"y is thus visuali4ed flowin" down alon" the bac of the spinal column! ,hat is essential is a continuous will to listen internally! 7ocus all your attention on subtle sounds that come from within rather than the audible ones from outside! Awareness of inner sounds must happen# sooner or later! 'our listenin" sills will improve and you will become more sensitive! Each chantin" of the syllable (m should be accompanied by an unswervin" will to trac down the echo of that vibration you are internally producin"! Repeat the procedure at least :F times!
The internal sounds reveal the activity of the Chakras. They capture a kriyaban(s awareness and lead it to "reater depths without any dan"er of it "ettin" lost! They are not physical sounds2 they have nothin" to do with the typical Kriya Pranayama sound produced by the air that passes down the bac of the throat into the trachea and vice versa! These sounds appear in different forms> bumblebee# flute# harp# drum# hum lie an electrical transformer# bell!!!! The event of perceivin" them is not produced by the intensity of a unique moment of deep concentration but by the accumulation of effort manifested durin" daily sessions of Kriya 0effort is the meticulous attention to any internal sound# no matter how faint1! Those who are not able to hear any internal sounds should not conclude somethin" is wron"! +aybe they have made an enormous effort whose fruits will be en9oyed durin" the next practice! A si"n one is headin" @<
in the ri"ht direction is a sense of mild pressure# lie a sensation of liquid peace above or around the head often accompanied by a certain hummin"! &t serves no purpose wonderin" if this is the real (m because it is probably 9ust a si"nal that the real experience is approachin"! Patience and constancy are of prime importance! ?ne day# one will awaen to the reali4ation that one is actually hearin" a sound of 5runnin" water5! (m is similar to the sound of runnin" water or to waves breain" over cliffs! The only tas of a kriyaban is to be absorbed in the comfortin" sound of (mkar ! =ahiri +ahasaya described it as a sound 5produced by a lot of people continually striin" the dis of a bell and as continuous as oil flowin" out of a container5! Thi% Pat o Kiya Pa"aya/a: /o&# th# a+a#"#ss i"to th# upp# pat o th# h#a% Phase 5 can be approached only when you have reached a daily number of F@ Kriya breaths or possibly when Kechari M!ra is achieved! Always be"in your practice with the first part of Kriya Pranayama for at least 8: breaths# and then sip to the second part of Kriya Pranayama until you have completed F@ Kriya breaths! 0The second part of Kriya Pranayama is the exercise described after the first part of Kriya Pranayama in which (m is chanted mentally in each Chakra while movin" the current up and down in the spine!1
,hambhavi M!ra is usually defined as the act of concentratin" on *hrma!hya) the space between the eyebrows# brin"in" the two eyebrows toward the center with a sli"ht wrinlin" of the forehead! A hi"her form of ,hambhavi M!ra involves closed or half;closed eyelids# the eyes looin" upward as much as possible as if looin" at the ceilin" but without any head movement! The li"ht tension perceived in the muscles of the eyeballs "radually disappears and the position can be maintained rather easily! A bystander would observe the white of the sclera under the iris because very often the inferior eyelids relax! 0=ahiri +ahasaya in his well;nown portrait is showin" this M!ra!1 Throu"hout this form of ,hambhavi M!ra# all one(s bein" is at the top of the head! Continue practicin" the instructions for the second part of Kriya Pranayama 0chantin" of (m in the prescribed places1 save the center of awareness which is now in the upper part of the head! Continue until you have completed the prearran"ed number of repetitions 06# /:# and so on1! This practice is a real 9ewel and represents the quintessence of beauty2 while experiencin" it# time "oes by without much notice and what could seem to be an exhaustin" tas e!"! 8@ or 8FF repetitions . turns out to be as easy as a moment of rest! 'ou will notice the breath is rather slow! 'ou will en9oy the beautiful feelin" of fresh air that seems to come up throu"h the spine and pierce each Chakra) and of the warm exhaled air permeatin" each 4one of the body from top to bottom! 'ou will actually perceive this and it is not a fi"ment of your ima"ination* 'our attitude is apparently passive# in actual fact sensitive# and @6
therefore active in an intelli"ent way! The sound of the breath is smooth and unbroen lie the continuous pourin" of oil from a bottle! The practice reaches its maximum power and seems to have a life of its own! 'ou will eventually have the impression of crossin" a mental state# which is lie fallin" asleep# then suddenly returnin" to full awareness and reali4in" you are basin" in a spiritual li"ht! &t(s lie a plane emer"in" from clouds into a clear transparent sy! 6- Na&i Kiya 3sin" the same method described in (m /apa and without attemptin" to control the breath# one(s awareness slowly moves up alon" the spinal column! The Mantra (m is placed in the first five Chakras# in the *in!) and in the point between the eyebrows! The chin is then tilted down toward the throat cavity! The hands are 9oined with the fin"ers interloced# palms face downward# and the pads of both thumbs are touchin"! (m is chanted /< times 0a rou"h estimate is fine1 in the navel 0umbilicus1 either aloud or mentally! The thumbs li"htly press the navel for each (m! ,hile doin" this technique# a calm ener"y is perceived "atherin" in the lower;middle part of the abdomen 0the Prana current there is called ,amana1! The chin is then raised without strainin" but the muscles at the bac of the nec are contracted! The concentration shifts first to the *in! and then to the third Chakra 0movin" downward in a strai"ht line# outside the body1! The hands are ept behind the bac and 9oined by interlocin" the fin"ers and the palms face upward with the pads of both thumbs touchin"! (m is chanted ;; aloud or mentally ;; approximately :< times in the third Chakra! 7or every (m# the thumbs apply a li"ht pressure to the lumbar vertebrae! %y no means should the breath be synchroni4ed with the chantin" of (m. The chin(s normal position is then resumed and (m is mentally chanted in reverse order from the point between the eyebrows to Mla!hara! This is one "avi Kriya 0it lasts between 8F;86 seconds1! A kriyaban does F repetitions of "avi Kriya. 7- 4aha 4u%a ?ne starts by bendin" the left le" under the body so the left heel is as near as possible to the perineum 0between the scrotum and anus for males and between the anus and cervical openin" for females1 with the ri"ht le" fully extended in front! &deally# but not necessarily# you want the left heel exertin" pressure on the perineum! This pressure is the best means of stimulatin" one(s awareness of the Mla!hara Chakra in the coccy"eal re"ion at the root of the spine! Throu"h a deep inhalation# the ener"y is brou"ht up the cerebrospinal tube to the center of the head 0 $&na Chakra1! This is a very simple and easily acquired sensation so there is no need to complicate it! Holdin" the breath# stretch forward 0in a relaxed way1 and interloc hands so you can "rasp your bi" toe! &n this outstretched position# the chin is pressed naturally a"ainst the chest! Continue holdin" the breath and mentally chant (m in the re"ion between the eyebrows 6;8: times! ,hile holdin" the breath# return
@/
to the startin" position and with a lon" exhalation# visuali4e sendin" the warm ener"y down to the base of the spinal column! Repeat the entire procedure with the le" positions reversed2 ri"ht heel near the perineum and the left le" outstretched! Repeat the procedure a Brd time with both le"s outstretched to complete one cycle of Maha M!ra! Repeat this three;movement cycle 0requirin" about 6;@ seconds1 two more times for a total of movements! ome schools su""est drawin" the nee 0or both nees# before the third movement1 a"ainst the body so the thi"h is as close to the chest as possible durin" inhalation! The interloced fin"ers are placed around the nee to exert pressure on it! This helps to eep the bac strai"ht and mae the inner sound of the $nahata Chakra audible! Maha M!ra must be comfortable and it must not hurt* &nitially# most kriyabans will not be able to do the forward stretch without risin" bac or nee in9ury! To avoid pain or in9ury# eep the outstretched le" bent at the nee until the position feels comfortable! ,hile holdin" the breath in the outstretched position# contract the anal and the abdominal muscles and draw the abdominal muscles in sli"htly so the navel moves inward toward the lumbar center! As we have seen# the bi" toe is "rasped while one is in the outstretched position! ome schools insist on this detail and explain that by repeatin" this action on each le"# the balance between the two channels 6!a and Pingala is improved! A variation is to squee4e the toenail of the bi" toe with the thumb of the ri"ht hand2 the index and middle fin"ers are behind it and the left hand cups the sole of the foot! ,hen the procedure is repeated with both le"s outstretched# both toes are "rasped with the interloced hands! 0A variation is that the thumbs of each hand press the respective toenails and the index and middle fin"ers hold the toe from behind1! Maha M!ra incorporates all the three *an!has! : ,hen applied simultaneously with the body bent forward and without excessive contraction# it helps one to be aware of both ends of ,shmna and produces the feelin" of an ener"etic current movin" up the spine! &n due course# one will be able to perceive the whole ,shmna "a!i as a radiant channel! 8- Kiya Pa"aya/a +ith Shot B#ath Pranayama #ith short breath is based upon lettin" the breath move freely# observin" it# bein" conscious of each movement . pauses included . and coordinatin" it with the movement of ener"y from the Mla!hara 0first Chakra1 to every Chakra and vice versa! This fact invites the ener"y to move freely upwards throu"h ,shmna and downwards into each part of the body! This action completes that of Maha M!ra and prepares you for Yoni M!ra!
After havin" drawn three deep breaths# each of them endin" with a fast and complete an exhalation lie a si"h# your breath will be very calm! &f you place :
The definition of *an!has is "iven in Chapter 8
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your fin"er under both nostrils# the in"oin" or out"oin" breath will barely touch your fin"er! This is the indication that the breath is internali4ed as it should be in Kriya Yoga. Practice the followin" exercise and repeat the test at the end! 'ou will feel a striin" difference! 7ocus your attention on the Mla!hara Chakra! ,hen it feels natural to inhale# inhale only what is necessary# as quicly as per instinct 0about one second1# then pause an instant in the second Chakra. ,hen it feels natural to exhale# exhale# and pause in Mla!hara. ,hen it feels natural to inhale# inhale# and pause in the third Chakra. ,hen it feels natural to exhale# exhale# and pause in Mla!hara. Continue lie that# repeatin" the procedure between Mla!hara and the fourth Chakra# Mla!hara and the fifth Chakra 0then Mla!hara *in!# Mla!hara Me!lla# Mla!hara fifth# Mla!hara fourth# Mla!hara third and Mla!hara second Chakra.1 ?ne cycle comprises 8 short breaths! Repeat the cycle until you perceive your breath is very calm . almost imperceptible! 9- 4#"ta$ Pa"aya/a 7or"et about your breath! +ove your awareness up and down the spine pausin" in each spinal center! tart with the first# move to the second# third# and so on! After ascendin" to the *in!# be"in the descent# pausin" in Me!lla# fifth Chakra# fourth Chakra) and so on! (m may be mentally chanted in each Chakra! ometimes# it is more convenient to simply center your attention for 8;: seconds on each Chakra! The Chakras are lie nots that can be untied if 5touched5 by one(s concentration2 the secret lies in maintainin" the awareness in each of them until a sensation of sweetness is felt . as if the Chakra were 5meltin"5! %esides a meltin" sensation# one may also perceive the subtle radiation of each Chakra in the body! This is a matter of pure awareness2 a natural feelin" leadin" to the reali4ation that the Chakras are sustainin" each part of the body(s vitality! ometimes# a li"ht is perceived in the upper part of the head and a kriyaban is able to eep the awareness there a lon" time without feelin" any fati"ue! The process of risin" and descendin" throu"h the Chakras is carried on as lon" as it is comfortable! 0?ne complete round lasts about :;F minutes!1 This is the most pleasin" part of the routine! Kriyabans do not feel they are practicin" a technique but en9oyin" a few moments of soothin" relaxation! This is the moment when a deep mental silence settles in the consciousness and in the body! Tranquility ) 5,thir %att#a5 0calm# static Prana1 is experienced in the seventh Chakra! =ahiri +ahasaya called this state Paravastha or Kriyar Paravastha 7 5the state that comes after the action of Kriya5. &f# throu"h sheer willpower# such a state were brou"ht to awareness as often as possible amid one(s daily activities# the results would be extraordinary!
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(m /apa vs mental Pranayama There is a subtle difference between (m /apa and mental Pranayama! (m /apa before Kriya Pranayama is desi"ned to stimulate each Chakra! ?ne pauses only a short time in each one to vibrate the (m Mantra! urin" mental Pranayama# one is more passive# more willin" to perceive than to stimulate and the pauses are much lon"er! ,hen the awareness stays for at least half minute upon each Chakra# and the riyaban is relaxed there comes the perception of a pleasurable sweet sensation and the breath slows down noticeably! ome inner sounds as well as hues of li"ht pourin" forth from their locations deepen the contact with the (mkar dimension! ?ne should intentionally wait until some pleasin" effect is produced and then move to the next Chakra! ome Yoga schools advise visuali4in" the Chakra(s specific color 0red# oran"e# yellow- lie the sequence of the rainbow colors1! They may be also visuali4ed as lotuses# each one of which has a particular number of petals with a letter of the ansrit alphabet on each petal! A kriyaban does not need any of this in order to perceive the reality of the Chakras! &n time# a kriyaban "ains the ability to sin"le out the different rates of vibration of each Chakra# which is crucial in reachin" the final "oal of Kriya! - Yo"i 4u%a At ni"ht# before "oin" to bed# be"in your practice by calmin" the whole psychophysical system with a short Kriya routine 0how to or"ani4e a short Kriya routine is explained in the next para"raph1! To practice Yoni M!ra# raise the ener"y with a deep inhalation into the central part of the head! &f you are able to do Kechari M!ra# press the ton"ue firmly on the hi"hest point inside the nasal pharynx . otherwise leave the ton"ue in its normal relaxed position! Close every 5openin"5 in the head . the ears with the thumbs# the eyelids with the index fin"ers# the nostrils with the middle fin"ers# the lips with the rin" and the little fin"ers . so all the ener"y 5li"hts up5 the re"ion between the eyebrows! Throu"hout the practice# both elbows are parallel to the floor and pointin" out to the side! o not let them drop# prop them up somehow# if necessary! urin" this special li"ht;witnessin" act# the index fin"ers must not put any pressure on the eyes . this would be harmful and serve no purpose* &f a kriyaban is distracted by the pressure of the index fin"ers on the eyelids# he draws the eyelids down with the index fin"ers and applies pressure on the corners of the eyes . on the upper cheebones! %y holdin" the breath and mentally repeatin" (m several times# observe the li"ht of the 5spiritual eye5 that is "atherin" and intensifyin"! The li"ht condenses into a "olden rin"! Hold the breath as lon" as is comfortable and until the necessity to breathe out distracts your attention! Exhale and brin" the awareness down alon" the spine! Yoni M!ra is usually performed only once!
&nhalin" deeply and holdin" the breath usually causes discomfort after a few seconds! To reduce the discomfort and mae it possible to deepen the practice# practice the followin"> At the end of a moderate inhalation 0not a typical Kriya Pranayama one but a shorter one1# a kriyaban fully plu"s all the head openin"s except the nostrils# exhales a very small quantity of air# then immediately closes the nostrils! The thoracic muscles are to be relaxed as if one intended to be"in a new inhalation> this will "ive the sensation that the breath has become quiet in the area between the throat and the point between the eyebrows! &n this situation# concentration on the point between the eyebrows and the repetition of (m several times can be en9oyed to its fullest! Traditional instruction advises increasin" (m repetitions by one per day up to a maximum of :! ?f course# forcin" is always to be avoided!
First sggestions abot the rotine Th# i%#a$ ti/# o pa'ti'i"3 th# /ai" Kiya outi"# En9oy the main routine either before breafast or before lunch at noon or late afternoon before dinner# or at ni"ht at least :;B hours after eatin"! The complete routine# which we have already implicitly "iven by numberin" the techniques from 8 to @# does not wor for everyone! +any utili4e Maha M!ra and "avi Kriya as preliminary techniques and avoid techniques requirin" movement after Kriya Pranayama! &n this way# they find that Kriya Pranayama #ith short breath is not necessary! Their routine is very simple and extremely en9oyable> Talabya )riya +aha +udra Gavi )riya )riya Pranayama +ental Pranayama! A "ood choice is to len"then the practice of mental Pranayama to occupy 8$B of the whole time! A)out a shot outi"# at "i3ht #"%i"3 +ith Yo"i 4u%a &f the main routine is practiced at ni"ht# you can simply add Yoni M!ra at the end! ?therwise# durin" the main routine avoid Yoni M!ra) while at ni"ht create special conditions for en9oyin" its full power! At ni"ht# you can start your practice with Maha M!ra) then Pranayama #ith short breath# then Yoni M!ra! Then remain concentrated as lon" as possible at the point between the eyebrows tryin" to perceive the li"ht in Ktastha! Yoni M!ra "enerates such a concentration of ener"y at the point between the eyebrows that the quality of the ensuin" sleep chan"es for the better! &n other words# after crossin" the subconscious layers# your awareness may succeed in reachin" the so;called 5super conscious5 state! Gote There are some schools that state that Yoni M!ra can be practiced anytime! They concede however that Yoni M!ra is best done in the deep calmness of the ni"ht# when a deep silence is all around and one is totally and perfectly relaxed! 8
A)out Kiya Pa"aya/a i" th## pats &n the be"innin"# only the first and the second part of Kriya Pranayama are practiced> usually 8:;:F times each! ?ccasionally e!"! durin" a lon"er meditation once in a wee# you can add more repetitions2 in that case# it is fine to experience the third part of Kriya Pranayama also!
,arnin" o not practice only the third part of Kriya Pranayama> a routine totally based on a stron" concentration on the ,ahasrara is not appropriate for be"innin" or medium level students! evelopin" a stron" ma"net in ,ahasrara throu"h the third part of Kriya Pranayama is the most powerful way of stimulatin" the Kn!alini awaenin"! This implies brin"in" up a lot of information from the subconscious mind to the surface! 0ee also the discussion in Chapter !1 'ou can experience an entire ran"e of ne"ative moods# from mared alienation from reality to panic attacks. Fi"a$ "ot# a)out /#"ta$ Pa"aya/a 'ou must never for"et to "ive the hi"hest importance to the soothin" phase of mental Pranayama! A Kriya routine that does not end with mental Pranayama is lie an orchestra tunin" their instruments and then leavin" the sta"e* &t is this phase that brin"s everythin" to"ether2 the ripples in the mind(s lae are stilled# the awareness becomes transparent# and the Last Reality is revealed! &t is a diffuse calmness2 the mind is at rest and silent and "ains the ener"y necessary to be more acutely alert! &t is lie a spiral which "radually and systematically taes care of all the levels of one(s bein"> it is a healin" process!
The value of Mental Pranayama becomes apparent when important decisions have to be taen! ?ne has the impression that nothin" can "et in the way and that even the "reatest difficulties will dissipate! &nside the perfect transparency of an inner order# all problems are solved! ?ne is born to Kriya throu"h the en"a"in" practice of mental Pranayama> it pro9ects us into sheer heaven and its beauty overflows our lives! 5!!!! it(s hard to stay an"ry when there(s so much beauty in the world! ometimes & feel &(m seein" it all at once and &(m overwhelmed! +y heart feels it(s about to burst!!!until & remember to relax and stop tryin" to hold on to it! And then the beauty flows throu"h me lie rain! And & can(t feel anythin" but "ratitude for every sin"le moment of my stupid little life! 0sli"htly modified from the movie $merican *eaty2 81 5
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CHAPTER / TECHNIQUES OF THE HIGHER K RIYAS
This chapter is devoted to those students who have shown a passionate commitment to the practice of Kriya! The ri"ht moment to study this chapter is B;6 months after practicin" Kriya Yoga daily and when there is a "enuine lon"in" to deepen the meditation experience! ,e are "oin" to describe some very delicate procedures and attempt to put ourselves in the place of those who are about to learn them! The evident unfruitfulness of a simple list of techniques has convinced us to discuss related themes as well# such as the si"nificance of Kechari M!ra and the experience of the breathless state! 1igher Kriyas are usually tau"ht one at a time# and between one initiation and the next# several years could pass! These years can be very fruitful> hasty learnin" can destroy forever a real understandin" of the meanin" and si"nificance of a certain procedure! ,e reali4e how valuable the presence of a "ood teacher is and for which# unfortunately# there is no substitute! An expert kriyaban can communicate by a simple "esture# by a "lance# and even by his sheer presence what written words cannot!
K!HA"# M$%"A
Preamble However "reat the effect of Kechari M!ra) & firmly believe it is important but not indispensable! P!'!(s decision to allow initiation into the 1igher Kriyas to those unable to practice Kechari M!ra has my total approval! ,e are free to have different opinions> & believe =ahiri +ahasaya also "ranted Hi"her &nitiation to those who could not assume the correct ton"ue position for Kechari M!ra based on his attitude and his partain" of human sufferin"! & cannot conceive that the achievement of Kechari was intended to create a sharp division amon" people! ?n one hand# we have the very proud kriyabans# deceived into believin" they are more evolved than others and on the other hand# there are those who are hopelessly depressed for failin" in somethin" that depends not on effort but only on physical constitution! ,hat "ood comes out of splittin" kriyabans in this wayJ ,hen the ton"ue tip is simply turned bac and ept a"ainst the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard palate becomes soft 0call it ((baby )echari((1# crossin" the not of the ton"ue is also partially accomplished> in this way the current still passes throu"h the ton"ue# and descends into the body and the spine!
B
Clarifications abot Kechari M!ra Those who want to succeed in this practice must have their %alabya Kriya checed. +any do not do it correctly not havin" understood how to mae their ton"ue adhere to the upper palate before openin" the mouth and stretchin" the frenulum! ometimes# even when they are shown in person# they are still not able to do it correctly! Here & can only emphasi4e that the main mistae is concentratin" too much on where to place the tip of the ton"ue! &n a correct %alabya Kriya) the tip of the ton"ue has no role* The suction effect is obtained with the whole body of the ton"ue* After several months of re"ular practice of %alabya Kriya# a kriyaban may decide to attempt Kechari M!ra! The test is whether the tip of the ton"ue can touch the uvula! &f so# then for a few minutes a day# use the fin"ers to push the base of the ton"ue inward until the tip "oes beyond the uvula and touches the hard palate above it! ?ne day# the tip of the ton"ue will enter a centimeter or so into the nasal pharynx but slip out when the fin"ers are removed! After some more days# on removin" the fin"ers# the tip of the ton"ue will remain 5trapped5 in that position! This happens because the soft palate 0the part from which the uvula han"s1 is soft and movable and when the tip of the ton"ue is able to enter a centimeter or so into the nasal pharynx# it acts lie an elastic band and creates a hoo! This prevents the ton"ue from slippin" out and returnin" to its usual flat position! This is the turnin" point!
7i"ure B! )echari +udra Gotice how %alabya Kriya and Kechari M!ra are completely different* 0Compare 7i"ure B with 7i"ure : in Chapter 61! ?pen your mouth in front of a mirror durin" the first part of %alabya Kriya to see the hollow parts on each side of the Frenlm) which appear isolated from the body of the ton"ue2 durin" Kechari M!ra) it is the uvula that comes forward and only the root of the ton"ue is visible!
Henceforth# by strivin" each day to practice at least 6;8: Kriya Pranayama with the ton"ue in this position . despite some discomfort such as an increase in F
salivation# swallowin"# and occasional interruptions to reestablish the position . its practice becomes easy and comfortable! The sense of irritation and the increase in salivation are soon left behind! After about three wees of practicin" in this way# you should be able to reach the same position without usin" the fin"ers! The ton"ue will be able to insert itself into the nasal;pharynx cavity in the upper palate! There will still be enou"h space left in the cavity to inhale and exhale throu"h the nose! The only problem mi"ht be that durin" the first three wees of Kechari M!ra# you experience 5di44iness5 and fo""ed up mental faculties! %e prepared for this eventuality and consider abstainin" from drivin" and any wor involvin" a si"nificant proportion of ris durin" this time! There are two main sta"es of Kechari M!ra! After several months of tireless practice of sta"e 8# one achieves sta"e :# where the ton"ue reaches the 9unction of the nasal passa"e inside the hole in the palate! The soft tissue above the holes in the internal part of the nostrils is alluded to in Kriya literature as the 5uvula above the uvula5! The tip of the ton"ue reaches this small area and remains 5stuc5 there comfortably! Accordin" to Kriya literature# the ton"ue can be pushed even further up so its tip touches a hi"her center in the upper part of the pharynx! Any "ood anatomy boo will reveal that the ton"ue cannot extend any further when it fills up the nasal pharynx! That sentence should therefore be understood as a hint to what a normal person thins is happenin"! Actually# by extendin" the ton"ue to its limit# it is possible to experience a "reat attraction toward the re"ion between the eyebrows alon" with the sensation of havin" reached# with the tip of the ton"ue# a hi"her position! The same literature also affirms that throu"h Kechari) one is able to perceive 5Amrita5# 5Gectar5# the elixir of life2 a sweet tastin" fluid triclin" down from the brain onto the ton"ue and then into the body! To have this experience# the tip of the ton"ue should touch three specific points> the uvula# a small asperity on the roof of the nasopharynx under the pituitary "land# and the soft tissue above the nasal septum! The tip of the ton"ue should rotate on these spots for at least :;B seconds2 then# in the manner of sippin" a liquid or testin" a food# an essence will be savored on the ton"ue(s surface! The exercise can be repeated several times durin" the day! &Dm unable to comment on sippin" the nectar since & haven(t had the experience nor# & admit# have & even tried to have it! Althou"h the information pu44les me ) &Dm sharin" it for the sae of accuracy and completeness! uch explanations may fascinate kriyabans but after an initial period of intense excitement# they are often for"otten or no lon"er considered important! +uch more important is to emphasi4e the followin" two points!
K8L Kechari M!ra causes the life force to be withdrawn from the thou"ht process! %ypassin" the mind(s ener"y system# chan"in" both the path and the direction of Prana flow# Kechari connects our awareness with the piritual dimension whose seat is in the upper part of the brain! The internal chatter ceases2 silence and transparency be"in to characteri4e one(s consciousness! The mind wors in a more restrained way and en9oys an essential rest2 each thou"ht <
becomes more concrete and precise! Even when Kechari M!ra is practiced without any additional yogic practice# moments of pure calmness and mental silence will fill oneDs entire bein"* ometimes# mental silence turns into an explosion of inner 9oy! K:L Kechari M!ra enables a kriyaban to tae a "iant step toward perfectin" Kriya Pranayama! urin" Kriya Pranayama with Kechari M!ra# the exhalation arisin" in the nasal pharynx has a fine flute;lie sound lie a faint whistle! ome schools call it the ,hakti Mantra! &t has been liened to the 5flute of )rishna5! %lowin" "ently on the ed"e of a sheet of paper approximates the sound! =ahiri +ahasaya described it as 5similar to blowin" air throu"h a eyhole5! He described it as 5a ra4or which cuts off everythin" related to the mind5! &t has the power to cut out any external distractin" factors includin" thou"hts# and comes at the maximal point of relaxation! ,hen distraction and anxiety arises# the sound vanishes! Practicin" Kriya Pranayama in this way and en9oyin" its aftereffects is an enchantin" and astonishin" experience and one of the best moments in a kriyabanDs life! Cultivatin" the perfection of this sound# concentratin" firmly on it# means creatin" the best basis to arouse the (m sound in a way stron"er than what can be achieved throu"h the practice of the second part of Kriya Pranayama! =iterature on Kriya Yoga explains that when this event happens# the (mkar experience acquires the dynamism of Kn!alini4 the soul travels throu"h the spinal cord and burns in the 9oy of ,ama!hi! +odesty is always welcome but when this result is achieved# the positive euphoria is so overwhelmin" that it cannot be contained 0lie findin" AladdinDs ma"ic lamp!1 &n Kriya literature# it is said that those who reali4e a perfect Pranayama) can achieve everythin" throu"h it! ,ell# if we dream of a faultless Kriya Pranayama# then what we have described matches the ideal of perfection!
H#&H" K"#'AS (irst )m*ar Kriya
The procedure of First (mkar Kriya is similar to the second part of Kriya Pranayama! The main difference is the followin"> in First (mkar Kriya) the breath is fra"mented and a pause 0althou"h very short1 happens in each Chakra2 durin" the pauses at the top and at the bottom of the spine# there are precise instructions to abide by! The sound of Kriya is always produced in the throat but the sound is fra"mented! Each fra"ment of breath creates a push or pressure on each Chakra! The similarity between this procedure and the second part of Kriya Pranayama has led some teachers not to mention it and introduce the ,econ! Kriya as soon as one is familiari4ed with First Kriya! There are reservations about this method because when a kriyaban learns to increase the state of stability in the upper part of the brain 0as happens exactly in First (mkar Kriya1# 6
then the ,econ! Kriya has a stron"er impact! 7urthermore# the sweet effects of the First (mkar Kriya "enerate a continuous improvement of the Kriya Pranayama technique! Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o th# Fist O/1a Practice the followin" technique after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and after "avi Kriya 0not necessarily immediately after "avi Kriya since "avi Kriya can be practiced also at the start of the session!1
The hands with fin"ers intertwined rest on the abdomen! Practice Kechari M!ra if possible! &nhalation and exhalation are fra"mented into 6 M 6 parts! tartin" with your chin on the chest# inhale movin" your awareness upwards alon" the spinal column while simultaneously raisin" the chin slowly as if to accompany and push the ener"y up! The syllables of the 2as!eva +antra 05(m "amo *hagavate 2as!evaya51 are mentally placed in each Chakra location# while main" a short pause in each! B urin" the first 5sip5 of inhalation# the concentration is on the Mla!hara# where the syllable (m is ideally ((put((2 durin" the second 5sip5# the concentration is on the second Chakra# where the syllable "a is ideally put - and so on# until *a is put in the *in!# the inhalation is completed and the chin is hori4ontal. The exhalin" breath too is divided into six punctuated parts or pulses! ,hile lowerin" the chin at a slow pace# the awareness comes down alon" the spinal column! The syllable %e is placed in the Me!lla# 2a in the fifth Chakra- and so on - ,- De- 2a# until Ya is mentally chanted in the Mla!hara! As soon as it is comfortable# add a pause of :;B seconds both at the end of inhalation and of exhalation! urin" the pause after inhalation# the awareness maes a complete# counter;clocwise turn alon" the crown of the head! K5Counterclocwise5 in this boo is always intended as if viewin" from topL! urin" the pause after exhalation# the awareness maes a complete# counter; clocwise turn around the Mla!hara Chakra! The rotation above happens inside the brain# under the cranial bone# startin" from the occipital re"ion# over *in!# and comin" bac to it2 the head accompanies this inner movement with an almost imperceptible rotatin" movement 0tiltin" bac sli"htly# then to the ri"ht# the front# the left# and finally to the bac1! The rotation of the awareness around Mla!hara does not require physical movement! urin" inhalation# the muscles at the base of the spinal column can be sli"htly contracted! This contraction is maintained not only to the end of the inhalation but also throu"hout the ensuin" pause2 then it is released and the exhalation be"ins! 0This detail should be introduced "radually so it does not disturb the "eneral harmony!1 B
& am sure the reader nows the correct pronunciation of the Mantra2 phonetic symbols are not included! Gotice that in the *in!) we don(t mentally verbali4e 2a but *a> this convention has established itself over the years!
/
The timin" of one First (mkar Kriya breath depends on the individual> usually it is approximately :;B seconds! 7rom a certain moment onwards# all the physical details are experienced in a subtle way! The breath produces only a sli"ht# wea sound or emer"es soundless! The movement of the head is only hinted at and later may even disappear! There comes a moment when the breath taes the 5inward route5! &t happens that the practice with breath and the mental one tend to mer"e into one another! The process continues very# very slowly and one instinctively slows down the speed of each Kriya! +ovin" from one Chakra to the next# you will notice the chan"e of the vibration of li"ht in the re"ion between the eyebrows! The practice produces a wonderful state of calmness! At a certain point# the breath is 5suced in5 and dissolves into the (mkar experience! At the end of this practice# remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha! ?bservation 'ou have probably read that in a deep Pranayama# the ener"y crosses the Chakras 9ust lie the thread of a neclace passes throu"h the pearls! o not force the visuali4ation of a similar hypothetical event because this does not happen! Actually# the ((thread(( of ener"y envelops each ((pearl((! The counter clocwise rotation of awareness around the crown shrins while comin" down# 9ust lie a vortex# windin" around the Me!lla! ,hen exhalation be"ins and you mentally chant %eeee# you can use the startin" instants of exhalation to intensify the psychic pressure around the Me!lla! This internal action is extended in a natural way to the other Chakras. The path of descent is a ((helix(( that surrounds and create pressure around each Chakra! No slowly and do not be in a hurry and let the process proceed at its own pace! ,hen after months of practicin" the First (mkar Kriya) the breath becomes more subtle# as if it were on the ver"e of disappearin"# when each Chakra is felt clearly as a concentration of calm ener"y# while your awareness is effortlessly stable in the re"ion of the sixth Chakra 0from the point between the eyebrows to the occipital re"ion1# then that is the best time to be"in the next practice!
Se+ond )m*ar Kriya Kcommonly called econd )riyaL
Throu"h the ,econ! (mkar Kriya) the ener"y and the intense awareness that has settled in $&na Chakra# is directed into the $nahata Chakra! This event causes the ((death(( of the mind! Throu"h committed and constant practice# a particular state of ecstatic 5absorption5 be"ins to manifest2 happiness# devotion# and peace emanatin" from the heart Chakra pervades the entire area surroundin" the dorsal vertebrae!
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Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o th# S#'o"% O/1a After the practice of Kriya Pranayama and of "avi Kriya# practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra!
7i"ure F! Rotation of the head in the basic form of Thoar
,ith the chin restin" on your chest# inhale while simultaneously raisin" the awareness alon" the spinal column# touchin" each Chakra with the syllable of the Mantra 0(m is placed in the first Chakra# "a in the second# Mo in the third !!!1 Raise the chin as if followin" the inner movement! The hands 0with interloced fin"ers1 are placed on the navel area to create a mental pressure on the first three Chakras! The breath produces only a sli"ht# wea sound in the throat or it comes out soundless! ,hen the chin is up and hori4ontal# the inhalation ends# and the awareness is in the *in!. Hold your breath! The head be"ins its rotation by movin" to the left shoulder 0left ear moves sli"htly toward the left shoulder# the face does not turn left or ri"ht and the movement is free of all bouncin"12 %e is thou"ht in the Me!lla! The head tilts bac a little and in a sweepin" arc reaches the ri"ht shoulder# 0the ri"ht ear comin" near the ri"ht shoulder1# the syllable 2a is thou"ht in the cervical Chakra! The rotation proceeds# the head bends forward 9ust a little and moves left until the left ear is near the left shoulder 0the face is not turned to the left1! 7rom this position# the chin is tilted down dia"onally as if to strie the center of the chest# while simultaneously , is intensely vibrated in the $nahata Chakra! Throu"h this last movement# a ind of hittin" is felt in the heart Chakra. A short pause follows> 9ust what is needed to be enraptured in the radiation of ener"y emanatin" from that Chakra! The contraction at the base of the spinal column is eased off2 via a very subtle exhalation the remainin" syllables of the Mantra are
5placed5 in the first three Chakras 77 De into the third one# 2a into the second one# and Ya into the first one! ,hile doin" this# the head is usually ept down! The duration of this process is about :F seconds! At the end of this practice# retrieve psycholo"ical and physical immobility by practicin" at least 8: repetitions of the First (mkar Kriya! Then practice Pranayama #ith short breath followed by mental Pranayama! 7or several wees# a kriyaban is "uided to perform this technique 8: times a day# then to "radually increase the number of repetitions of one a day up to : repetitions! After reachin" : repetitions# or after six months of B6 repetitions per day# a kriyaban can start the practice of the third step of Kriya! R#/a1 o not allow the wei"ht of the head to be the sole force pushin" the chin toward the chest> =ettin" your head simply drop would definitely be harmful! A mindful physical effort is needed to lower the chin!
,hen you practice over < repetitions# the movements of the head should be only hinted at> the chin does not come close to the chest and the striin" of the fourth Chakra is mainly achieved by the sheer power of mental concentration! &f you have any difficultly whatsoever# stop before reachin" : repetitions! The presence of physical problems 0the cervical vertebrae are indeed vulnerable1 may require practicin" on alternate days! &t is better to add more cycles over time rather than face the prospect of experiencin" continuous head and nec pain throu"hout the entire day*
((!S )( H ) (#"S H#&H" K"#'AS
6t is necessary to have e8perience! an! n!erstoo! t#o con!itions before facing the practice of the ne8t Kriya steps9 a !eep contact #ith the (mkar reality 'as son! an! light+ an! closely approaching the breathless state I- Soulful +onta+t with the )m*ar reality
The First and ,econ! (mkar Kriya techniques help to deepen our contact with the (mkar Reality! urin" the last part of your routine when your breath becomes more subtle and is on the ver"e of disappearin"# you should devote yourself to listenin" to internal sounds! ,ithout such commitment# Kriya practice is deprived of its own essence and the concept of Kriya meditation riss crumblin"! ooner or later# a kriyaban listens to a distant sound of a lon";sustainin" bell! At its very first manifestation# it "ives total contentment and ease# as if the spiritual path had come to its fulfillment! &t is of paramount importance to 8
deepen that experience* A kriyaban must become totally absorbed in it! There is nothin" in the universe as concrete and real as this vibration . expression of (m cosmic vibration! &ts beauty is inexplicable! =i"ht# soft as fallin" petals# nocs "ently on the doors of your intuition and proves itself to be the Reality underlyin" all the %eauty experienced in life! All the experiences of love are lie crystals bloomin" around its "ilded thread! Henceforth# provided this tunin" is maintained# meditation becomes a love story with %eauty itself! This divine sound will surround us in misfortune# "uidin" our steps when events seem to conspire to mae us for"et the spiritual path! Throu"h the awaenin" of wisdom# real understandin" is attained and a process of healin" old wounds be"ins! The deepest layers of the psyche will be harmoniously affected! ?ld memories# conflicts and impossibilities are revived# appeased# and reali4ed in the a4ure limitless immobility spreadin" from the center of our heart! A first ever *hakti 0devotion1 will arise spontaneously from your heart# cross the wall of the psycholo"ical dimension and mae life and spiritual experience indistin"uishable! The daily experiences of life will appear as transfi"ured# similar to a li"ht dustin" of snow that reduces all asperities! A stron" concentration in the point between the eyebrows helps the experience of the piritual =i"ht! A luminous point 0 *in!1 appears and illuminates the path toward Eternal 7reedom! The burnin" aspiration born in your heart di"s a stream of "enuine devotion! Amid the ruins of many illusions# this procedure# in the simplicity of its essence# will open the doors of spiritual reali4ation. And havin" experienced all of this# you can be assured you have practiced the First and ,econ! (mkar Kriya 0%hokar 1 procedures correctly! However# if you reali4e you are far from these results# avoid tryin" your hand at other hi"her procedures! Practice lon" sessions of Kriya Pranayama 0three phases1 and of First and ,econ! (mkar Kriya and see the (mkar experience throu"h them! II- .perien+e of the breathless state or the +alm breath
Achievin" the breathless state is an excitin" and wonderful event for a kriyaban. &t does not simply mean the breath becomes "radually quieter or that after a lon" hyperventilation# the breath is held lie free $ breath;hold divers do! &n this state# the breath is entirely non;existent! The su""estions "iven here on how to experience the breathless state are purely technical whereas in Chapter 88# we discuss what can be done to foster that state! To reach a breathless state# one needs on the avera"e two to three years of re"ular Kriya practice! ?ne needs not only the overall effect of the First Kriya techniques but also the action of the First an! ,econ! (mkar Kriya to obtain a transformation in the pranic system of the body! The ,econ! Kriya '%hokar+ in particular should be practiced as described2 "radually reachin" the : repetitions# which is important for its direct effect on the heart "an"lia in the spine which directly control the breathin" automatic reflex! The state of breathlessness can happen durin" the practice of any Kriya
88
technique or when contemplatin" somethin" so beautiful that oneDs own aesthetic sense vibrates! However# at the end of a Kriya routine# you are required to "ive soulful attention to the practice of mental Pranayama! This is the most auspicious moment to enter the breathless state! Gote 8 Mental Pranayama can be practiced with or without mental chantin" of (m in each Chakra! ?ne Kriya school calls the mental chantin" of (m in each Chakra ((,econ! Kriya((! ?f course# it is not ,econ! Kriya at all* However# "ivin" the name (( ,econ! Kriya(( to mental Pranayama is a means of emphasi4in" how very deep and transformin" the practice can be! &t can indeed become extremely deep# especially if you ((feel(( the vibration of each Chakra while (m is mentally vibrated in it! The more you do this# the better your chances of enterin" the breathless state! Gote : ome Kriya schools demand the perfect breathless state and 9ud"e any other way of teachin" as improper or as a betrayal of the ori"inal Kriya! ?ther Kriya schools teach the above;mentioned techniques without any reference to a breathless state! These schools advise lettin" the breath flow naturally or holdin" it until one feels comfortable# then exhalin" and repeatin" the procedure a certain number of times! +y point of view is nearer to the second approach! ?ne doesnDt need to have achieved the perfect breathless state before be"innin" the practice of the %hir! and Forth (mkar Kriya! Gonetheless# it is important to calm your breath usin" mental Pranayama until it becomes imperceptible! +y confidence lies in the fact that there are dedicated kriyabans who have not attained the breathless state despite decades of practice! ,hy should they face the frustration of havin" their request for initiation into the 1igher Kriyas deniedJ ?f course there mi"ht be "rounds for this denial> perhaps their commitment was not faultless# perhaps their life style was not the ideal one! %ut why don(t consider that by modifyin" the standard requirements# addin" personal recommendations# these kriyabans could reali4e throu"h their enthusiastic . althou"h not perfect accordin" to the standard requirements . practice of the 1igher Kriyas deep spiritual experiences and even achieve the breathless state! ,hat mi"ht happen by insistin" with a strict denialJ ?nce they become desperate# kriyabans could "ive into the temptation of be""in" initiation by other schools or linea"es where initiation is "iven to anyone not for merit but for money.
The mastery of the procedure & am "oin" to describe will help to maintain the state of absence of breath durin" the dynamic procedure of %hokar # which is a very difficult attainment! ,e now the breathless state requires empty lun"s and a relaxed rib ca"e! Gow we are "oin" to learn how to experience it with full lun"s and an expanded rib ca"e! =et us first define three terms> K#&a$a Ku/)ha1a means ((without inhalation and exhalation(( and is the state of breathlessness! 8:
Bahi K#&a$a Ku/)ha1a is the breathless state experienced after exhalation with a relaxed diaphra"m! A"ta K#&a$a Ku/)ha1a is the breathless state experienced with a tensed diaphra"m and air in the lun"s! &n Yoga Pranayama practice# *ahir Kmbhaka is the state of holdin" the breath out of the body after the exhalation# while $ntar Kmbhaka is the state of holdin" the breath after the inhalation
The state of $ntar Kevala Kmbhaka is essential for a worthwhile experience of the %hir! and Forth (mkar Kriya and to brin" the practice of Yoni M!ra to perfection! To achieve it# inhale deeply to fill the lun"s completely! Expand your rib ca"e and eep it expanded after completin" the inhalation! Remain in the same psycho physical condition you instinctively adopt when you are "oin" to tae another ((sip(( of air! 7ocus your attention on the air and Prana fillin" the upper part of your rib ca"e> lun"s# breath# and Prana are immobile as if fro4en in the upper part of the lun"s and in the re"ion between the throat and the point between the eyebrows! This state is often unstable2 after a few seconds# you will liely feel you need to breathe! To achieve a stable state# practice in the followin" manner! After the deep inhalation# immediately brin" your awareness into the subtle channel of the spine and# holdin" your breath# mentally chant (m) (m) (m!!! rapidly 0about two chants of (m per second1 from Mla!hara upwards! 'our awareness is lie an ant# climbin" the innermost channel of the spine millimeter by millimeter! This action should be very intense for it contains the distilled experience of years of Kriya! Persist with this> (m7(m7(m7(m7(m7(m !!! After no more than 8<;: seconds# you(ll have reached the heart Chakra! Althou"h you are holdin" your breath# you perceive a "reater freedom from the breath! &t is in this very moment that the core action of either the %hir! or Forth Kriya and of Yoni M!ra can be carried out in total comfort! Repeatin" this procedure for many days and with ever increasin" mental intensity# will brin" eventually the sou"ht after effect!
hird )m*ar Kriya Kcommonly called Third )riyaL
This technique is a remarable acceleration of the ,econ! (mkar Kriya. The action of %hokar is repeated over and over while extendin" the len"th of the state of Kmbhaka! &n Kriya literature# the explanation is that the not in the $nahata Chakra 0Hridaya;Nranthi1 is stu'1 by the ,econ! (mkar Kriya and then 'ut by the %hir! (mkar Kriya! urin" the practice of the %hir! (mkar Kriya# one contacts the 5air5 element . the fourth of five %att#as! The first effect is to calm the Prana and the forces that prevent the vision of the li"ht of Ktastha are 8B
overcome! This =i"ht is in the form of a 5 *in!5 0dot1 and ori"inates in the heart Chakra and is then established in Ktastha! The theory of the %att#as 0earth# water# fire# air# ether1 is not a theme of useless speculation! Everythin" in the universe can be broen down into five primal ener"ies! %att#as are also five states of consciousness whose intimate essence is experienced durin" our effort to rise up into the Absolute Consciousness!
Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# at# a'hi#&i"3 th# B#ath$#ss Stat# Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and "avi Kriya!
The procedure is the same as ,econ! Kriya but the mental chantin" of %e in Me!lla# 2a in the cervical and , in the $nahata Chakra is done not once but several times 0%e) 2a) ,) %e) 2a) ,) %e) 2a) , ... 1 while holdin" the breath! After inhalin" 0with (m) "a) Mo!!!1 and raisin" the Prana to the upper part of the lun"s# partially relax the muscles of the thoracic ca"e as if you were "oin" to be"in a new inhalation! The act of sealin" the lun"s 0trachea1 as when divin"# should be avoided! &n this relaxed mood# repeat numerous cycles of the head movements unhurriedly! urin" each cycle place %e in the Me!lla) 2a in the cervical Chakra) and , in the $nahata Chakra! top when intuition su""ests it! Then slowly exhale and place the syllables De) 2a) Ya in Chakras three# two# one respectively! ,hile doin" this# eep your head down! This practice is done ri"orously once a day! At the end of the practice# do a few more rounds of the practice of First (mkar Kriya and then pause with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha! Traditionally# one be"ins with 8: rotations and increases by one every day! To "ive an idea of the speed of the movements# the entire process from inhalation to exhalation with 8: repetitions of the rotation of the head 0each rotation concludin" with the movement of the chin toward the chest1 lasts around /;@ seconds! Accordin" to tradition# this Kriya is considered mastered when one reaches : rotations without interruptin" the Kmbhaka state! The previous instructions favorin" the breathless state on full lun"s are very useful! Those who now how to easily reach the breathless state on empty lun"s won(t find it difficult to optimally perform the %hir! (mkar Kriya. They will reali4e they are rotatin" their head while the breath is actually vanished* The spiritual =i"ht in the form of a 5 *in!5 0a dot1 appears both in the heart Chakra and in Ktastha! The mind is flooded with devotion! The feelin" of intoxication experienced in the heart center is fantastic> often it seems to overcome kriyabans# leadin" them beyond their capacity of endurance! :My #orship is of a very strange kin!. 1oly #ater is not reire!. "o special tensils are necessary. -ven flo#ers are re!n!ant. 6n this #orship) all go!s have !isappeare!) an! emptiness has merge! #ith ephoria.: 0 =ahiri +ahasaya1 8F
Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o thos# +ho ha&# "ot a'hi#&#% th# B#ath$#ss Stat# Practice as prescribed above but exhale when feelin" discomfort! Tryin" to accomplish a hi"h number of rotations# doin" them quicly# and bein" obsessed with holdin" the breath amounts to violence a"ainst one(s body! Avoid at all costs any attempts to thwart physiolo"ical processes! =et us discuss now how you too can practice the %hir! Kriya 0up to : rotations of the head1 by settlin" yourself into a very particular state!
tart with 8: rotations and increase by one a day! 7ill the upper part of the thorax to its utmost possible extent with Prana ; lie a container filled to the brim with water! implify the dynamic and the physical intensity of the movements! +ove the chin toward the chest before completin" the head rotation! Gamely# after rotatin" your head from left to ri"ht# let your chin 5fall5 toward the chest from the ri"ht side# then lift it to left side and continue with the rotations! %y increasin" the rotations# the movements of the head should be only hinted at and the chin should not come close to the chest! ,hen you feel you have neared your limit holdin" your breath while eepin" the chest expanded and the abdominal muscles and diaphra"m perfectly immobile# release a minimal 0almost imperceptible1 sip of air whenever the chin is lowered toward the chest and let an imperceptible sip of air enter whenever the chin is brou"ht up! o not do any specific act of inhalin" or exhalin"> relax and allow the phenomenon we have described happen of its own accord! The sensation will always be that of not breathin" at all! At the end of this practice# relax by en9oyin" 8: repetitions of the First (mkar Kriya4 then Pranayama #ith short breath followed by mental Pranayama! After reachin" the : repetitions of %hir! (mkar Kriya# you can start the practice of the next Kriya step!
(ourth )m*ar Kriya Kcommonly called 7ourth )riyaL
The followin" two outlines are preceded by a specific short introduction! Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o thos# +ho ha&# a'hi#&#% th# B#ath$#ss Stat#
6ntro!ction After applyin" the procedure of %hokar innumerable times over the course of many years of committed Kriya practice# a kriyaban be"ins to perceive a li"ht in the form of a 5 *in!5 0dot1 in the heart Chakra. &ts power of capturin" the attention inducin" a deep trance state is irresistible! Hence comes the reali4ation that this li"ht has its proper ori"in and seat in Ktastha and contains the peculiar vibration and li"ht frequency of each Chakra! %y a systematic exploration of these frequencies# a kriyaban reali4es that all the universe exists in Ktastha. The 8<
Forth (mkar Kriya procedure is based upon explorin" this spontaneous revelation of the piritual =i"ht! Pra+ti+al #nstru+tion 7ocus your attention upon the =i"ht you have discovered in the heart Chakra and in Ktastha! ,ith a part of your awareness come down to the Mla!hara Chakra! Repeat mentally (((m *hr (( B6 times! %y attunin" to the %att#a of the earth# experience the peculiar ((vibration(( of the Mla!hara Chakra!
Repeat this procedure for the second Chakra usin" the Mantra (((m *hvah((# attunin" to the %att#a of the water# then for the third Chakra use the Mantra (((m Mahah((# attunin" to the %att#a of the fire !!!! and so on The Mantras to be used> Mla!hara ; (m *hr 0%att#a of the earth1 ,#a!histhana ; (m *hvah 0%att#a of the water1 Manipra ; (m Mahah 0%att#a of the fire1 $nahata ; (m ,#aha 0%att#a of the air1 2ish!!ha ; (m /anah 0%att#a of the ether1 Pause in Me!lla repeatin" B6 times> (((m %apah(( Pause in Ktastha repeatin" B6 times> (((m ,atyam< ( Then be"in the descent focusin" on the Me!lla# repeatin" (((m %apah(( B6 times# then on the cervical Chakra repeatin" (((m /anah(( B6 times!!!!! !!! until you focus on the Mla!hara Chakra repeatin" (((m *hr (( B6 times! This is one round! Aim to settle "radually into 8: rounds! 7amiliarity with the breathless state "ives you the ability to stop at each Chakra 0lie a bee on a flower1# bathin" for a precise time in the %att#a lined with that Chakra! The ideal time is what is required to do B6 repetitions of the related Mantra! tay with the number B6 to resist the tendency of losin" yourself in a state of bliss arisin" from each Chakra! The %att#a related to a Chakra tends to entrap oneDs attention resultin" in an indefinite pause on a Chakra with nothin" bein" accomplished! The B6 repetitions of the Mantra will help you to have full experience of each %att#a but# at the same time# "o beyond it! The meanin" of the Forth (mkar Kriya is exactly this> tunin" in with each %att#a) one after the other# up and down alon" the spine until# as Kriya literature affirms# 5The last shell of illusion is broen*5 Gote urin" the practice of the above described procedure# Prana always remains in the re"ion of the middle part of your head where the sixth Chakra $&na has its seat! Gow# if you notice that the barycenter 0center of mass1 of your awareness 0therefore of your Prana1 is comin" down and is "ravitatin" toward the areas controlled by the fifth or the fourth Chakra# use the above described exercise to 86
achieve the $ntar Kevala Kmbhaka state 0see the technical instructions contained in the preamble to the second part1! +ae use of it as much as necessary to restore the ideal conditions for a perfect execution of the Forth (mkar Kriya! The structure of this technique is well nown in &ndia and is considered the subtlest way of usin" the 0ayatri Mantra! ome published boolets contain minor variations and additional rituals! The 0ayatri Mantra is considered to be a supreme vehicle for "ainin" spiritual enli"htenment! &ts purest form is %at ,avitr 2arenyam *hargho Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yonaha Pracho!ayat. 0?h# "reat piritual =i"ht who has created the 3niverse# we meditate upon 'our "lory! 'ou are the embodiment of )nowled"e! 'ou are the remover of all &"norance! +ay 'ou enli"hten our &ntellect and awaen our &ntuition!1 This 0ayatri Mantra! is prefaced with either a short or a lon" invocation! The short invocation is> (m *hr) (m *hvah) (m ,#aha. The terms *hr) *hvah) ,#aha are invocations to honor the three planes of existence 0physical# astral# and causal respectively1 and to address their presidin" deities! The lon" invocation is> (m *hr) (m *hvah) (m ,#aha) (m Mahah) (m /anah) (m %apah) (m ,atyam. This invocation is more complete since it reco"ni4es that there are more planes of existence> the seven Lokas! Mahah is the mental world# the plane of spiritual balance2 /anah is the world of pure nowled"e2 %apah is the world of intuition2 ,atyam is the world of Absolute# 3ltimate Truth! ,e can be satisfied with the explanation that these sounds are used to activate the Chakras and connect them to the seven spiritual realms of existence! &n our procedure# we use only the openin" lon" invocation in its complete form and not all the parts of the 0ayatri Mantra! The Kriya tradition we are followin" here ties Manipra with (m Mahah and $nahata with (m ,#aha! The reason is that the world of thinin"# evoed by (m Mahah) is more appropriate to the nature of the third Chakra# while the causal world of pure ideas# recalled by (m ,#aha) is related to $nahata Chakra.
6ntro!ction &f no li"ht is perceived in the heart Chakra and the process of the Forth Kriya does not happen spontaneously# there are different procedures you can adopt to raise your awareness in Ktastha! ,ithout a shadow of a doubt# you will feel the power of internali4ation of the followin" one> Practical instrction Practice this technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and of "avi Kriya! Practice the followin" actions for each Chakra 0in the order> 8# :# B# F# <# Me!lla1> 8! Contract the muscles near the physical location of the Chakra. Relax and repeat B times! 3se this physical action to exert a "reat mental pressure on the Chakra< s location!
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:! Throu"h a deep inhalation 0not necessarily as lon" as in Kriya Pranayama1 visuali4e the Chakra comin" up into the point between the eyebrows# where you perceive it as a full moon! B! Hold the breath and focus on the 5inner space5 between the eyebrows! This comes out easily with Kechari M!ra! F ?n the screen between the eyebrows# you should obtain in time a particular color experience which is different for each %att#a. F! +entally chant the Mantra specific to each Chakra at least three times! Remember the Mantras to be used> Mla!hara ; (m *hr4 ,#a!histhana ; (m *hvah4 Manipra ; (m Mahah4 $nahata ; (m ,#aha4 2ish!!ha ; (m /anah4 Me!lla ; (m %apah4 Ktastha ; (m ,atyam. 7irst Chakra Mla!hara Physical action> practice Mla *an!ha until the abdomen and spine vibrate! Relax! Repeat B times! Not# +any find the followin" technical detail very useful> before liftin" a Chakra# let the inhalation ideally start from its 5frontal5 component# come towards its location in the spine and then come up to the point between the eyebrows! The 5frontal5 component of a Chakra is the perineum for Mla!hara2 the pubic area for ,#a!histhana2 the navel for Manipra2 the central re"ion of the sternum for $nahata2 and the upper front part of the throat for 2ish!!ha!
econd Chakra ,#a!histhana Physical action> practice 2airoli M!ra 0contract and relax both the urethral sphincter and the muscles of the bac near the sacral center!1 Repeat B times! Third Chakra Manipra Physical action> quicly contract and relax the navel# the abdominal muscles and the lumbar area of the spine! Repeat B times! 7ourth Chakra $nahata Physical action> brin" the shoulder blades to"ether and concentrate on the spine near the heart! Relax! Repeat B times! 7ifth Chakra 2ish!!ha Physical action> move your head quicly from side to side 0without turnin" your face1 a couple of times# perceivin" a "rindin" sound in the cervical vertebrae! F
5)e;chari5 is literally translated as 5the state of those who fly in the sy# in the ether5! A particular 5space5 is created in the re"ion between the tip of the ton"ue and the point between the eyebrows and is perceived as a 5vacuum5# althou"h it is not a physical void! %y mer"in" into this empty space# it is easier for a kriyaban to perceive the rhythms of each Chakra and distin"uish them one from another!
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This is only to locali4e the cervical center! Gow contract the muscles of the bac of the nec near the cervical vertebrae and relax! Repeat the contraction of the muscles B times! Me!lla (blongata Physical action> raise the chin# tense the muscles near the Me!lla 0under the occipital re"ion1# clench the teeth# and see the li"ht at the point between the eyebrows! Relax and repeat B times! Add a particularly intense concentration at the point between the eyebrows! Hold your breath2 raise your eyebrows# become aware of the li"ht! Repeat (m ,atyam. Relax and repeat a couple of times! Gow complete the 5round5 liftin" Chakras <# F# B# :# 8 always usin" the contraction# the chantin" of the Mantra) and bein" aware of any particular li"ht experience in )utastha! Practice 8: rounds! The above procedure is definitely worth practicin"! &t could happen that one does not "et the desired effect or believes it to be ineffective! However# those who persevere and "ive this technique a fair trial will experience a definite transformation of their state of consciousness! &n whatever way you loo at it# the contribution of this Kriya in removin" the last internal obstacles blocin" our efforts to enter ,shmna is exceptional! &f the practice seems difficult# you must improve your preparation! Every day deepen your mental Pranayama! +ove your concentration up and down the spine# intensifyin" the mental pressure around each Chakra! After listenin" to the internal sounds# you will come to perceive more and more =i"ht in the Ktastha and in the hi"her part of the brain! The ((re"al(( way to prepare yourself for the Forth Kriya is to experience this =i"ht and remain mer"ed in it for a lon" time! After six months of the Forth Kriya practice# you may be"in the practice of the Fifth Kriya! Tae into account that the Fifth Kriya requires a substantial amount of time!
(ifth )m*ar Kriya Kcommonly called 7ifth )riyaL
Throu"h this procedure# Kn!alini is invited to rise throu"h ,shmna! &n the be"innin"# only a minimum of Prana is able to enter the ,shmna and move upward . this is due to mental restlessness! %ut sooner or later# the Kn!alini ener"y will reach the head! The technique fosters this moment because durin" each round you cross three main nots 00rantis1> ton"ue$+edulla oblon"ata# heart# and coccyx! This happens by comin" down from head to Mla!hara
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followin" the three;curved path %ribhangamrari 0Tri;bhan"a;murari O three; bend;form!1 %ribhangamrari is the best symbol of Kriya Yoga because apart from showin" the cuttin" of the three nots# it is also one symbol of ,ri Krishna! The shape of Krishna# as depicted in the icono"raphy# is a form in which you can easily individuate three curves 0head# spine# bent le"!1 A sentence attributed to =ahiri +ahasaya> 5To mae this body %ribhangamrari 0)rishna;lie1# three nots have to be crossed!5 Kriya tradition requires that this technique be tau"ht in three separate sessions> between the first and the second and between the second and the third usually one year should elapse! &t is therefore unthinable to practice the last sta"e 0%hokar %ribhangamrari proper1 as an experiment and immediately expect to appreciate its potentiality! ?n the contrary# persistin" stubbornly with such an attitude is an almost certain "uarantee of permanently failin" to understand and taste the richness and beauty of the %ribhangamrari based procedures! 6n the three technies of the Fifth (mkar Kriya there is no formal instrction abot the se of the breath. -ach technie is sppose! to be practice! #ith a very calm breath #hich may !isappear in certain moments of internalization to #hich the technie natrally lea!s.
Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o th# Fith O/1a Fist sta3#: A/a"ta1 Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and of "avi Kriya! At the end of this practice# remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha!
7i"ure
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7or"et completely your breath# let it follow its natural rhythm! ery slowly raise Prana and awareness throu"h the spinal channel# from Mla!hara to *in! . half a minute is required! o not pause in any of the Chakras! Gow let Prana and awareness come slowly downwards alon" the %ribhangamrari path and reach Mla!hara! Another half minute is required! The %ribhangamrari path be"ins in *in!# bends to the left# descends into the seat of Me!lla# crosses it# and continues toward the ri"ht side of the body! ?nce a particular point in the bac 0<;6 centimeters above the ri"ht nipple1 is reached# it reverses direction cuttin" the heart not! After reachin" a point in the bac that is <;6 centimeters under the left nipple# it chan"es its direction a"ain and points toward the seat of the last not in the coccyx re"ion! 0ee fi"ure <1 ?ne round of $mantrak 0means ((without the use of a Mantra((1 lasts one minute! &f you reali4e it is shorter# let us say F<$< seconds# it does not mean the procedure has been too quic! However# resolve to reach the exact timin"! 7or two wees# repeat this technique :< times# once a day! Then for another two wees repeat it < times once a day2 then for another two wees /< times !!!! and so on up to : times each day for two wees! ?nly then can you be"in the re"ular practice of the second technique> ,amantrak ! S#'o"% sta3#: Sa/a"ta1 Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and of "avi Kriya! At the end of this practice remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha!
7i"ure 6! Placin" the 8: syllables alon" the Tribhan"amurari path
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Completely f or"et about your breath and allow it to follow its natural rhythm! ery slowly# raise Prana and awareness throu"h the spinal channel# from Mla!hara to *in! . this requires half a minute! The perception of the current is intensified by mentally chantin" the syllables of the 2as!eva Mantra. (m# "a# Mo# *ha) 0a) are vibrated into the first five Chakras and *a in *in!. Gow let Prana and awareness come slowly downwards alon" the %ribhangamrari path and reach Mla!hara! Half a minute is required! The perception of the %ribhangamrari current is intensified by mentally chantin" the remainin" syllables of the 2as!eva Mantra. %eeee is chanted in Me!lla but you are able to perceive how the reverberation of this vibration touches the point between the eyebrows . thus you also will feel %eeee in Ktastha! The syllables 2a) ,) De) 2a are put in the four new centers outside the spine2 Ya is vibrated in Mla!hara! These four new centers are four 5vortexes5 inside the main flow of the current . they are not a new set of Chakras! Each syllable when vibrated is lie a mental %hokar 0hit1> since the technique is performed slowly# there is plenty of time to mae these tappin"s very effective! This is the "ist of the technique! As you see# when you practice ,amantrak you are practicin" $mantrak as well but with somethin" more in it 0the +antra> ,amantrak means> ((with a Mantra((!1 &n the same way# when you practice the third part you will practice ,amantrak) addin" the movements of your head! ,e have now described one round of ,amantrak # which lasts one minute! &f you reali4e it is shorter# let us say F<$< seconds# a"ain# it does not mean the procedure has been done too quicly! However# mae a resolution to reach the exact timin"! 7or two wees repeat this technique :< times# once a day! Then for another two wees repeat it < times# once a day2 then for another two wees /< times !!!! and so on up to : times each day for two wees! ?nly then can you be"in the re"ular practice of the third technique> %hokar7%ribhangamrari!
Fi"a$ sta3#: Tho1a;Ti)ha"3a/uai Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and of "avi Kriya! At the end of this practice# resume for some rounds 06;8:1 the practice of First (mkar Kriya and then remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha!
7or"et the breath! The hands 0with interloced fin"ers1 are placed on the navel area so as to push the abdominal re"ion upward# thus creatin" a physical pressure on the first three Chakras! tartin" with the chin on the chest# move the ener"y and awareness very slowly alon" the spinal column from Mla!hara to *in!! 'our chin comes slowly up followin" the inner movement! ((Touch(( internally each Chakra with the syllables of the Mantra 0(m is placed in the first Chakra# "a in the second !!!1! ,hen ener"y and awareness are at *in!) the chin is parallel to the "round. 88:
7i"ure /! Thoar;Tribhan"amurari
Gow the descent of the ener"y be"ins! The movement of the head follows millimeter by millimeter its downward ener"etic flow alon" the %ribhangamrari path# from *in! to Mla!hara) crossin" the three nots and touchin" the four new centers outside the spine! All this happens in a fluid way and within B seconds or less! The followin" description of the movements of the head may seem complicated at first but with a minimum of patience# the ri"ht movement of the head will be learned> you need only to understand that it is conceived as a lo"ical and effective way of intensifyin" a particular snaelie downward flow of the ener"y! ,ithout turnin" the face# bend your head sideways a couple of centimeters to the left! Raise raise the chin as much as possible 0contract the nec(s bac muscles1 and return to the middle! Reali4e how this simple movement accompanies perfectly the descent of ener"y from *in! to the Me!lla alon" the first curve of the %ribhangamrari path! Remain only an instant in this position# with the chin raised and vibrate the syllable %eeee in the Me!lla. 7urthermore# as you learned in ,amantrak # perceive also the reverberation of this vibration at the point between the eyebrows! Then# f rom this position# slowly turn the face to the ri"ht and as far as possible! ?nly the face moves# not the torso! urin" this =?, movement 0do not be influenced by the dynamics of the technique of %hokar in the ,econ! Kriya1# the inner flow of ener"y moves from the Me!lla to the ei"hth center! Here the first of five psycho;physical blows happens> the chin touches the ri"ht shoulder for an instant and the syllable 2a is vibrated in the ei"hth center! The shoulder also maes a small upward motion to mae contact with the chin easier! %ut be careful> if you feel you(re forcin" it# T?P* Those who are not able to have this contact with the ri"ht shoulder# should content themselves with 88B
comin" as close to the shoulder as possible and stimulate the ei"hth center with sheer mental stren"th! Then the face turns very slowly to the left# accompanyin"# millimeter by millimeter# the internal flow of ener"y from the ei"hth to the ninth center# and crossin" the fourth Chakra. &f possible# place the chin over the left shoulder! The second blow taes place when the syllable , is vibrated in the ninth center and chin for an instant touches the left shoulder# which maes a small motion upward to mae contact with the chin easier! Two more blows happen when the syllables De and 2a are put in the tenth and eleventh centers. The procedure is the followin"> The chin slowly moves toward the middle of the chest while "ra4in" the left collarbone! urin" this movement# two li"ht blows are "iven to the left collarbone in intermediate positions! 0& thin 7i"ure / can help you understand what & mean for ((intermediate positions((!1 The blows are "iven of course in the moment in which the syllables of the Mantra are vibrated! 7inally# a last blow is "iven on the chest 0central position1 when the syllable Ya is vibrated in Mla!hara! %he essence of this particlar form of <<%hokar<< consists not only in the five strokes bt mainly in a constant intensification of the mental pressre along the #hole circit. Consi!ering the action of seezing an almost empty tbe of toothpaste to get the last bit ot gives yo a goo! i!ea of #hat happens !ring this proce!re. =hen the movements of the hea! are slo# an! enriche! by a great strength of concentration an! #ill) there is no limit to the increase of the internal energetic flo# along the %ribhangamrari path. As in the previous technique# if you tae F<$< seconds to do one round# it(s ?)! However# your "oal is to reach the ideal speed of 6 seconds! Repeat the procedure B6 times! After completin" the pro"rammed number of rounds# calm the system with a minimal practice of ,amantrak # then relax by practicin" a simple mental Pranayama! The supervision of an expert helps to avoid any problems . & am referrin" to stress and pain in the cervical vertebrae and in the muscles of the nec! Abrupt movements should be avoided2 instead use a deep intensity of mental concentration! 7or the first couple of wees do not practice every day but every two or three days! As soon as possible# be"in the incremental routine of this procedure by practicin"> B6x:# B6xB#-!! B6xB<# B6xB6! %e careful to allow always one wee to elapse between a sta"e and the next! To those who have the time and "ood will to complete it# & recommend this routine as a very important feat! A minimum of @;8 months is required to complete it! Then you can start the practice of the ,i8th Kriya.
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Si.th )m*ar Kriya Kcommonly called ixth )riyaL
The definitive stability of Kn!alini in $&na Chakra is achieved throu"h the ,i8th (mkar Kriya! This technique implies the experience of the movement %ribhangamrari in small dimensions inside each Chakra) *in!) Me!lla) in the four centers outside the spine located alon" the %ribhangamrari flow and a"ain in Mla!hara! This internal movement embodies the deeper aspect of the (mkar reality! Perceivin" it means to annihilate any form of duality present in the Chakras and therefore# in your awareness! ?nly few Kriya schools have disclosed the nature of this micro movement and revealed its importance! 3nfortunately# many people see frantically impossible surro"ates for it* Po'#%ua$ Out$i"# o th# Si5th O/1a Fist sta3#: 4i'o A/a"ta1 Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama and "avi Kriya and after a minimum of 8: rounds of %hokar7%ribhangamrari!
Throu"h a short inhalation# raise the Prana in the Mla!hara Chakra into the point between the eyebrows! ,hen the presence of the ener"y is clearly felt in the point between your eyebrows# stop the breath and loo 5down5 at the Mla!hara Chakra. isuali4e it as a hori4ontal dis# havin" a diameter of approximately :;B centimeters! Gow# perceive on that dis the %ribhangamrari movement in reduced dimensions! Refer to 7i"ure @2 start from point % 0bac part of the Chakra1 and "o strai"ht to 7 0frontal part of the Chakra12 then return from 7 to % alon" the snaelie path! &t does not matter whether the time it taes is short or lon"! Exert a moderate but continuous pressure on the dis as if you had a pen and were drawin" a clear continuous mar! ooner or later you will perceive somethin"! A tendency may come to mae a very faint movement of the spinal column 0forward# left# ri"ht# left# bac to startin" position1! This movement should be almost invisible to an observer! Repeat two more times! 'our breath is held effortlessly2 the Prana remains totally in $&na Chakra! After three perceptions of the complete movement 0a complete movement is a strai"ht movement from % to 7# followed by the snaelie movement from 7 to %1 you can relax and let Prana come down! A subtle exhalation happens but you may not be aware of it! +ove to the second Chakra and repeat the same procedure!
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7i"ure @! Tribhan"amurari micro;movement inside a Chara
Repeat the same procedure for Chakras B# F# <# then for *in!# then for Me!lla# then for the four centers outside the spine# and finally for Mla!hara! This is round 8> practice 8: rounds! At the end of 8: rounds# remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha! %e faithful to this practice for at least six months before startin" to familiari4e yourself with the second sta"e! S#'o"% sta3#: 4i'o Sa/a"ta1 Practice the followin" technique with your ton"ue in Kechari M!ra# after the practice of Kriya Pranayama# "avi Kriya) and after a minimum of 8: rounds of %hokar7%ribhangamrari!
The technique is the same but the mental pressure is increased throu"h the repetitions of the syllables of the 2as!eva Mantra! There won(t be any further sta"e with movements of the head as in the third part of the Fifth (mkar Kriya! All the power of pressure has to be obtained with the sheer repetition of the syllables of the Mantra! Practice Kechari M!ra! Throu"h a short inhalation# raise the Prana contained in the Mla!hara Chakra into the point between the eyebrows! ,hen the presence of the ener"y is clearly felt in the point between the eyebrows# for"et the breath and loo 5down5 at the Mla!hara Chakra and mentally utter the syllables 5(m7 "a7Mo7*ha70a7*a7%e72a7,7De72a7Ya5! o this /apa without hurry! The +icro movement %ribhangamrari will be perceived as in the previous first part but now the mental repetition of the syllables will add a "reater 5pressure5 to it! The syllables are lie mini 5thrusts5 or 5pulsations5! The duration of a round is determined by the speed of the chantin" of the Mantra. 7or many people# the chantin" of the Mantra and consequently# the micro;movement lasts about 8;8: seconds! Gevertheless# remember that =ahiri +ahasaya(s recommendation was 5on(t be in a hurry*5 ?bserve the difference between "oin" slowly and with speed! &f you "o slowly# you will perceive a tremendous power! Repeat the 2as!eva Mantra three times! Prana remains totally in the head! &n this second part# the best choice is to remain in perfect immobility with no movement at all of the spinal column! After three perceptions of the complete movement# repeat the same procedure in Chakras :# B# F# <# then in *in!# then 886
in Me!lla# then in the four centers outside the spine# and finally in Mla!hara! This is one round> practice 8: rounds! At the end of this practice# remain with the awareness centered in the li"ht of Ktastha! This technique leads you out of time and space! Continue with this practice until you reach an a"e when you can retire and have all the time at your disposal for meditation! And while awaitin" official retirement# practice the incremental routine of the ,i8th Kriya> 8! ?n the first day# perceive the micro;movement 8: times in each of the 8: centers . for one round only! Repeat this if you lie on the followin" days! :! After one wee# on the second day of your incremental routine# perceive the micro;movement :F times in each of the 8: centers . a"ain 9ust one round! Repeat this if you lie on the followin" days! B! After another wee# perceive the micro;movement B6 times in each center !!! 'ou should now understand how to proceed> the increment always increases by 8: until you reach 8:x8:! This means that in the last sta"e# you are to perceive 8FF micro movements in the first Chakra# 8FF in the second!!!and so on!
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CHAPTER @ THEORETICA< =ISION OF K RIYA YOGA INTRODUCTION TO SO4E INTERESTING =ARIATIONS
,hen Kriya initiates carry out for months the instructions shared in the previous chapters# there are some results that be"in to appear! ,e all now that in Kriya Yoga one should not strive to have results but only to surrender to Nod2 still understandin" from a theoretical point of view what has happened is useful to encoura"e the Kriya process# avoidin"# unaware# to hinder it! &n former times# lacin" a "ood theoretical vision of Kriya# & tried to or"ani4e my daily routine abidin" by Patan9ali(s principles! &t was a memorable step forward! The centrality he "ave to the Pranayama phase made me understand that & should not worry about preliminary exercises of concentration! Throu"h Pranayama & would have created myself the best foundation of calmness and equilibrium that would naturally "uide me to the followin" phase of Pratyahara# where my awareness would have escaped from the distractions of the external reality! 7urthermore# it became clear that the techniques requirin" movement had to be completed before reachin" this phase! These simple considerations were enou"h for improvin" my practice maredly! Gow# on the understandin" that Patan9ali(s basic principles should always be respected# we shall introduce a more precise and appropriate theory of Kriya Yoga. Kriya Yoga is a four;step spiritual path to prepare one for Kn!alini awaenin"> 8! Raisin" the ton"ue :! Piercin" the not at the dorsal center 0 $nahata Chakra1 B! Piercin" the not at the navel center F! Piercin" the not at the coccy"eal center 0 Mla!hara Chakra1 <
(tline of the knots (I! "aising the tongue / 0ihuah -- or 0ih1a 2 &ranthi Ved3 The ton"ue not consists in the physiolo"ical fact that our ton"ue is normally unable to touch the uvula and# consequently# enter the nasal pharynx! %ecause of this# we are not ept connected with the reservoir of ener"y in the ,ahasrara re"ion! ,hen throu"h Kechari M!ra we succeed in tappin" this inexhaustible inner source# we can reap the best from our practice of Kriya! +any subtle transformations are "oin" to happen in our psycho physical system> a quietin" of all useless# unwanted thou"hts# intrudin" main mental process and a reindlin" <
The main feature of Kriya Yoga is that its steps follow the 5Pre;Reverse ?rder5! The reason is that from the moment of our conception# Kn!alini be"an a slow 9ourney of descent startin" from the cells formin" the brain and +edulla into the cells of our new spine! This is the direct path! Kn!alini awaenin" follows a 5Reverse order5 ;; from +uladhara to the brain! The four;step Kriya path is a 5ownward 9ourney5 because the nots are opened from top to bottom 0ton"ue# heart# navel# coccyx1! Thus it follows a 5Pre;Reverse ?rder5! ,hat is important to understand is that we wor in four different places# abidin" by an order which is contrary to the one followed by Kn!alini durin" its awaenin"!
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of the vital force in our body! $mrit 0a subtle substance1 be"ins to tricle down throu"h the ton"ue into the throat and spine and is clearly felt! &t should be clarified that crossin" the not of the ton"ue is also partially accomplished by turnin" bac the ton"ue tip so it touches the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard palate becomes soft2 it is also fostered by %alabya Kriya itself# which should not be considered a simple preparation for Kechari M!ra! &t is very interestin" to emphasi4e that %alabya Kriya too closes an important circuit! ,hen the ton"ue stics to the palate and the mouth is opened# in that instant the split between our body under the $&na Chakra and the upper part of our head 0seat of static Prana) a "reat reserve of ener"y1 is momentarily healed! After achievin" Kechari M!ra# it becomes easier to focus the awareness in Me!lla oblongata and# listenin" to the inner sounds# mer"e with the (mkar aspect of the ivine! Therefore some prefer to call this not> ((not of the Me!lla oblongata.(( This not should not be confused with the obstacle that is located in the center between the eyebrows# which is lined with the fourth not! (II! Pier+ing the *not at the dorsal +enter /Hridaya &ranthi Ved3 After achievin" Kechari M!ra# the downward 9ourney of static Prana from ,ahasrara toward Mla!hara# openin" each not and dissolvin" all obstacles# has be"un! The next obstacle to be crossed is Hridaya Nranthi 0the heart(s not1> this is accomplished in the second part of Kriya Pranayama and in the first three (mkar Kriyas. urin" Kriya Pranayama and First (mkar Kriya# a kriyaban endeavors to constantly remain immersed in the holy (mkar sound! &n the ,econ! (mkar Kriya) the heart not is struc by applyin" a particular ind of pressure or blow 0%hokar 1 at the $nahata Chakra(s location! The mind becomes dead and Conscious Absorption manifests! &n the %hir! (mkar Kriya) the heart not is pierced by constantly repeatin" the %hokar procedure! The state of Conscious Absorption yields a hi"her experience> a kriyaban perceives and becomes one with the element 5air5 0the fourth of five %att#as1 which has its seat in the fourth Chakra! ,e have already remared that the %att#as 0ansrit1 are the five subtle elements> earth# water# fire# air and ether 0space1! &t has been explained that everythin" that exists in the universe is a combination of these five forms of ener"y! To a kriyaban) the theory of the %att#as is not a theme of useless speculation! They are conceived as a concrete series of states of consciousness# whose intimate essence is experienced in the last part of the devotee(s 9ourney toward the $bsolte Consciousness! Tunin" with the air %att#a# allows a person enter a sublime state> the awareness of ivine ound and =i"ht is intensified "reatly! The breathless state is achieved because breathin" is controlled by the cardiac plexus! (III! Pier+ing the *not at the na1el +enter /4abhi &ranthi Ved3 Crossin" the navel not happens throu"h the action of "avi Kriya. Prana and $pana crrents are united in the navel re"ion# after they are activated and
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balanced throu"h Kriya Pranayama 0and throu"h the first three (mkar Kriyas!1 ,amana current# whose role is "uidin" all the Prana present in the body into the ,shmna channel# is intensified! &n order to understand what happens throu"h the action of "avi Kriya# it is necessary to refer to the Dantian center! uch center# introduced by the Taoist &nternal Alchemy it is not 9ust a theoretical hypothesis but a tan"ible reality! &t is located about two and one;half inches below the belly button and about one and one;half inches inside> it can be visuali4ed as a ball about one and one;half inches in diameter! Gow# crossin" the navel not means reachin" with the awareness the Dantian center! &t is explained that to settle into this 4one# means to be born to the spiritual life! Dantian is the place where the sexual# love# and spiritual ener"ies are "athered and blended! &t contains our unique# individual vibration# the 5note5 which embodies our will to live in the physical body! &n Kriya Yoga boos you don(t find expression lie> 5Cultivation of the spiritual embryo5 or of the 5elixir of immortality52 5Comin" bac to the center52 5The birth of the "olden flower52 5The creation of the da44lin" "em5! They call this event the 5Transcendental state of Kriya.5 They explain that 5the process of ,ama!hi be"ins in the navel center!5 ery interestin" is the explanation that the vibration which is created in the Dantian ascends spontaneously into the heart re"ion and then into the point between the eyebrows! They claim we have three Dantian ; in the abdomen 0lower Dantian1# in the heart re"ion 0middle Dantian1 and in the re"ion between the eyebrows 0upper Dantian1! This matches perfectly with the description of the three main sta"es of ,avikalpa ,ama!hi> mer"in" with (mkar and Tranquility 0in the navel12 mer"in" with *hakti 0in the heart12 mer"in" with spiritual =i"ht 0in Ktastha!1 (I=! Pier+ing the *not at the +o++ygeal +enter / Muladhara &ranthi Ved3 ,hen Prana in our mental and physical body is perfectly calmed# we face the tas of unfastenin" the last not! Throu"h the %hir! (mkar Kriya# the space of the heart was enli"htened2 now we try to obtain a similar experience in the location of the different Chakras! Throu"h the Forth (mkar Kriya# the different colors of the %att#as are perceived! Kriya literature claims that after twelve rounds of the Forth Kriya# the screen of illusion is broen and the awareness can enter ,shmna and move towards Ktastha! Actually# this event does not happen so easily> therefore the Fifth (mkar Kriya is introduced where all the three nots are affected simultaneously! &n the be"innin" only a faint thread of ener"y is able to enter ,shmna but by repeatin" this procedure for a "reat number of times# the three nots Ton"ue# Heart and Mla!hara are completely unfastened . Kn!alini is then free to rise in all its power! Throu"h the ,i8th (mkar Kriya# the main forces that prevent the vision of the spiritual li"ht of Ktastha are dissolved! Perpetual stay of Kn!alini in the $&na Chakra is achieved!
PHASE . Piercin" the heart not PHASE 2 Piercin" the navel not PHASE 6 8!Piercin" not
the
:!Cooperatin" )undalini
Hi"her )riyas
Q )riya Pranayama Part 8S: 7irst three ?mar )riyas
Q Gavi )riya
Q +aha +udra and 'oni 7ourth ?mar )riya +uladhara +udra with
risin" Q Pranayama breath
B! tabili4in" )undalini at Q 'oni +udra )utastha
with
short 7ifth ?mar )riya ixth ?mar )riya
*asic principles to organize a Kriya Yoga rotine The first idea that comes to mind while tryin" to conceive a rational# worin" Kriya a routine# is to follow the above scheme and practice all the techniques and in that order! %ut this choice does not wor properly for everyone! The techniques are too much and it is unliely they cooperate to establish a foundation of harmony and calmness! A very "ood choice is to practice only part of the techniques! =et us consider only the techniques of the First Kriya! tron" actions lie Maha M!ra and "avi Kriya ' which are conceived to foster phase F and B of Kriya1 can be practiced at the be"innin"! They fill body and mind with elation and vitality and help balance the activities of the left and ri"ht brain hemispheres! Then we can practice %alabya Kriya aware that the pressure;pull provoed by the sucer effect of the ton"ue on the palate creates a sudden calmness in our thinin" process! All this will help in developin" an unimpeded Kriya Pranayama! urin" the second part of Kriya Pranayama) we can touch each Chakra with mental pressure! Peace# internal 9oy# calmness of breath and listenin" of internal sounds !!! these are the expected results! &f we have the time to use the third part of Kriya Pranayama# we shall invite calm Prana from ,ahasrara to come down# surround each Chakra and pervade our body! ?nce completed the technique of Kriya Pranayama# immobility will not be interrupted and durin" mental Pranayama we shall sip a particular form of 9oy from each different Chakra! 8:8
&f we choose to use the 1igher Kriyas# we must be very careful that the routine flows in natural way! &n each 1igher Kriya they are so many the details to whom pay attention! A wise commitment is to focus only upon one of them until its internal action is felt and en"raved in our consciousness! %#o points to bear in min! a! Kriya Pranayama# %hokar Kriya# %ribhangamrari macro and %ribhangamrari micro# are the four ey instructions that# as columns# sustain the vast structure of Kriya Yoga! To renounce for months or years even to only one of them is an unfor"ettable mistae! Kriya Pranayama must always be present and the remainin" three should appear at least once every three days! b! A Kriya routine should not be conceived as a sheer destruction of four obstacles! Each technique has been conceived for "ettin" the hi"hest stadium of tunin" with the (mkar reality! The contact with it must be created and cultivated with "reat care! &f at the end of the first half of the routine you have not achieved this contact# for"et every plan to practice this or that and resolutely opt for simple techniques such as First (mkar Kriya or Pranayama #ith short breath to further calm your breath and mind until the sli"htest si"n of (mkar vibration manifests!
Gote 3nfortunately most boos on Kriya contain tedious rhetoric and innumerable repetitions# all drenched in useless references to abstruse philosophical theories such that apart from one or two interestin" lines# the rest of the boo can be discarded! & don(t dissuade anyone from readin" a boo> students must "ain first; hand experience! 7or example# lie thousand of persons# & also read avidly the commentaries# attributed to =ahiri +ahasaya# of some sacred writin"s! =ahiri +ahasaya(s "reat disciple P! %hattacharya printed these interpretations! These boos were little nown for a lon" time# as they were written in %en"ali! Recently they were translated into En"lish! & studied these boos with enthusiasm# hopin" to find some ey useful to my understandin" of Kriya! & was disappointed! Their value# from an exe"etic point of view# is almost null! &t seems almost impossible to me that they really come from =ahiri +ahasaya> & am not able to find the same practical wisdom and tremendous reali4ation expressed in his diaries and letters! & find rather a mind with an almost maniacal tendency to interpret each thin" in the li"ht of Kriya# as if centuries a"o# the authors of those spiritual wors new exactly one by one all the Kriya techniques! 'et# &(ll tae "ood care not to say they are adulterated! & thin 0this is what many affirm and & find no reason to doubt1 that =ahiri +ahasaya explain orally the meanin" of some &ndian sacred boos! Perhaps# readin" the verses of those texts# =ahiri +ahasaya was transported from the force of his insi"ht# for"ot completely the startin" point and# entranced# taled extensively and freely about the subtleties of Kriya Yoga! ery probably what he said on that occasion could 8::
have been taen as a specific comment to that text! 7urthermore# it is possible that# in order to publish those hard;to;understand notes# the editor had them completed with parts of his own comprehension! ome rare texts contain a concise and comprehensive theoretical outloo on Kriya Yoga! The ideas in them can be precious in inspirin" personal practice! ?ne important text is Kriya Yoga 2i&nan ) by wami Gityananda Niri. The thread of similar ideas can also be found in Kriya Yoga9 6ts Mystery an! Performing $rt 08@1 by wami adhananda Niri! &n it there are a few pa"es which are real treasures! Three other important wors are> Kriya >otes by wami atyananda 0:F1# Light of Kriya Yoga 0:@1 by ri ailendra %e9oy as"upta# and Kriyagita a spirital commentary by =ahiri +ahasaya# published by Arya +ission! & want also to dwell upon Pran Prsh by Ashoe )umar Chatter9ee! Althou"h it does not seem to respect a lo"ical order in the topics and contains an endless number of repetitions and rhetorical sentences# & thin that studyin" it can help more than any other boo to understand =ahiri +ahasaya(s personality . thus# the core of Kriya may be reached as fast as an arrow! Pran Prsh is based on =ahiri +ahasaya(s diaries! &t came out in %en"ali 0then in 7rench and En"lish1# thans to =ahiri +ahasaya(s "randson atya Charan =ahiri 09an 8< ; 9an 8@/1# who had access to the diaries! Helped by his main disciple Ashoe )umar Chatter9ee# he decided to mae a selection of the main thou"hts which mi"ht be useful to those who practiced Kriya! Remarable is the "reat importance "iven to Pranayama) %hokar) and Yoni M!ra. &t stries his sill in communicatin" complicated abstract concepts when he affirms that the whole course of Kriya is a "reat adventure be"innin" with a dynamic Prana and endin" with a static Prana! ?ne feels a thrill of deli"ht by readin" sentences which have li"ht in themselves> 5 Ktastha is Nod# he is the supreme *rahma5!
8:B
INTRODUCTION TO SO4E INTERESTING =ARIATIONS OF KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES
There are many variations of the Kriya Yoga techniques! Here we shall discuss the most interestin" ones! They are classified accordin" to their ori"in! ome have the perfume of the Ra!hasoami ,ant Mat # others the power of Kn!alini Yoga2 some betray the influx of the 6nternal $lchemy! All these instructions are interestin" because they may inspire one to complete the action of the basic techniques! ,- Variations who ha1e a good +onne+tion to 5ahiri Mahasaya6s original lega+y >,-,? Kriya Pranayama #here the path of energy is both insi!e an! on the back of the spine The followin" variation is to be practiced with mouth closed and# possibly# with the ton"ue in Kechari M!ra! The throat sounds are those we have already explained 0chapter 61! &nhale# visuali4in" the breath comin" up throu"h ,shmna# feelin" its coolness touchin" each Chakra from Mla!hara to 2ish!!ha# then Me!lla until it reaches the point between the eyebrows! (m mentally is chanted in each one of these points! After a short pause with the awareness totally focused in the point between the eyebrows# exhalation be"ins! urin" the first part of the exhalation# the current comes up over the forehead# then bends and moves bacwards over the brain# under the cranial bones# under fontanelle# piercin" *in!) then Me!lla. The exhalation is completed by visuali4in" the breath comin" down throu"h the bac of the spinal column! 7eel the warmth of the breath touchin" each Chakra at the bac# from 2ish!!ha to Mla!hara! (m is mentally chanted in *in!# Me!lla# 2ish!!ha# !!!! Mla!hara!
Gote The variations of Kriya Pranayama are countless! & have described here only the one that has proved to be experimentally the most effective! %efore considerin" the variations of other techniques# & want to not disre"ard a detail that many kriyabans will find very comfortin" 0this detail can be applied to any Kriya Pranayama variation1> some teachers consider the :>B ratio 0inhalation>exhalation1 much more natural of the already discussed 8>8! &n this more liberal approach to the len"th of breath in Kriya Pranayama# it is explained that breath retention should be at least F seconds# but the optimum is equal the len"th of inhalation! ust to mae an example> 8: seconds inhalation2 F seconds pause2 8@ seconds exhalation is correct# but the ideal timin" to reach is> 8:;8:; 8@!
8:F
>,-.? "avi Kriya9 breathing throgh the ,ilver Chor! Consider the basic explanation of "avi Kriya "iven in chapter 6! All the details up to the bendin" of the head forward remain unchan"ed! &n this variation the (m Mantra is mentally chanted in alternation between the point between the eyebrows and the navel 0(m in the point between the eyebrows# (m in the navel# (m in the point between the eyebrows# (m in the navel- and so on1! ?ptional 0but very useful if done with a relaxed attitude1 is to synchroni4e the breath with the (m chantin"!
=et us dwell on this delicate point! isuali4e a tiny silver channel that connects 0outside your body1 the point between the eyebrows with the navel! ,hen it comes natural to have a very short inhalation# inhale only what is necessary# visuali4e the movement of air risin"# throu"h the visuali4ed channel# from navel to the point between the eyebrows# pause an instant there 9ust chant (m mentally! ,hen it comes natural to exhale# exhale# visuali4e the movement of air "oin" down# throu"h the visuali4ed channel# into the navel# pause and chant (m mentally in the navel! %y repeatin" this# you will maredly feel that your breath be"ins to subside and disappear! ,hen this happens# "o on mentally chantin" the (m Mantra in alternation between the point between the eyebrows and the navel and movin" the focus of your awareness between these two points# without ceasin" bein" aware of the 5silver channel5! No on! ,hen (m is chanted about /< times# bend your head bacwards and repeat a similar procedure by chantin" (m in alternation between the *in! and the third Chakra. isuali4e another tiny silver channel that connects 0outside your body1 the *in! and the third Chakra! =et your breath . if there is still a trace of breath . flow freely in that channel. ,hen (m is chanted about :< times# resume the chin(s normal position and chant mentally (m in the point between the eyebrows ) Me!lla) Chakras <# F# B# : and 8! This is one "avi Kriya! The optimum is to have F cycles of "avi Kriya! &t is natural and desirable that from the second repetition onwards# the breath has no role at all! >,-2? "avi Kriya #ith three *an!has The hands are placed over the navel with the fin"ers interloced! The procedure is divided into two parts! 7irst part! &nhale throu"h the nose! Hold the breath and intensify the concentration on the navel throu"h the three %andhas 0 Mla *an!ha# 3!!iyana *an!ha and /alan!hara *an!ha1! &n this position# with the chin tilted down# mentally chant (m @ times in navel exertin" a form of mental pressure upon it! Then exhale unleashin" the *an!has and raise the chin with a sli"ht tension! econd part! ,ith the chin raised# inhale throu"h the nose! ,hile holdin" the breath# focus the concentration on the third Chakra Manipra. +entally chant (m 8: times in Manipra exertin" a form of mental pressure upon that center! Then exhale eepin" the chin in the normal hori4ontal position! Part one S part two are one Gavi )riya! As usual# a kriyaban repeats "avi Kriya four
8:<
times. Gote! urin" the first part of the technique# one can chant (m a few more times in the navel# but the proportion should be maintained! Therefore if one chants (m 8: times in the navel# the chant should be of 86 (m in Manipra! >,-6? -8ten!ing the action of %hokar to the first for Chakras The physical pressure on each Chakra# is obtained by a very natural and instinctive extension of the basic %hokar procedure!
7i"ure ! Thoar upon the first four Charas
&nhalation happens as in the basic form of %hokar ! The chin moves up!!! (m) "a) Mo) *ha) 0a and *a in *in!! Then the breath is held! ,ithout turnin" the face# the head moves toward the left shoulder# then the head tilts bac a little and in a sweepin" arc be"ins to move toward the ri"ht shoulder! This is the first half> the head stops in the middle where the chin is raised as much as possible! &n the meantime# the ener"y has descended from *in! to Me!lla# not in a vertical line but curvin" to the left! ,hen the chin is up# while chantin" %eeee# all one(s awareness is in9ected lie an arrow into the point between the eyebrows! 0urin" this act# Mla *an!ha can be added . if this does not disturb!1 ,hile eepin" one(s breath held# from this chin;up position the face turns to the ri"ht 0as if intendin" to loo attentively and as far as possible at the area to your ri"ht1 and then to the left 0as if intendin" to loo attentively and as far as possible at the area to your left!1 urin" this movement# the fifth Chakra is perceived and the syllable 2a is mentally chanted in it! Then# from the left position# the chin stries the middle of the chest alon" a dia"onal 09ust lie in the basic form of %hokar 1# 8:6
and the syllable , is vibrated in the heart Chakra! ,hile holdin" the breath# another similar dia"onal movement of the chin from the left to the chest is repeated and the ener"y is directed toward the third Chakra where the syllable De is vibrated2 another similar movement directs the ener"y and the syllable 2a into the second Chakra2 finally a last stroe directs the ener"y and the syllable Ya into first Chakra! A very lon" exhalation accompanies the movement of the ener"y which# lie a liquid li"ht# rises in the spine# crosses each Chakra up to the Me!lla# *in! and the fontanelle! The movement of the ener"y is intensified by the movement of the chin which is raised very slo#ly as if to push the ener"y up! The procedure can be repeated 6 to 8: times but usually 9ust one repetition is enou"h! ?nly an expert $charya can "uide a kriyaban on how to increase the repetitions of this technique! &ts effects are very difficult to assimilate* At the end of this practice# Kn!alini is invited to awaen! This is obtained by a series of very lon" and deep exhalations 0each exhalation is preceded by a quic inhalation which does not require any visuali4ation1 throu"h which we push the ener"y up from Chakra to Chakra! 7rom the Mla!hara Chakra) the ener"y rises lie waves of a tide "rowin" hi"her and hi"her# reachin" a Chakra# then a"ain fallin" down and movin" from the base of the spine to a hi"her center! The centers of the head are awaened by increasin" the mental pressure around each one of them in the last part of each exhalation# when the dissolution of the breath is accompanied by an increase of mental power! >,-7? 2ariation of %hokar ; all happens in the heart Chakra 7rom what & have understood this variation is not "iven to replace the ,econ! or the %hir! Kriya as explained in chapter /! &t seems rather an evolution of them# havin" stron" effects only when a kriyaban is well established in the basic techniques!
7i"ure 8! Perception in the heart Chara
As always# raise Prana and awareness alon" the spine# touchin" each Chakra with a syllable of the familiar Mantra4 while holdin" the breath# the head be"ins its round by movin" to the left shoulder2 %e is mentally placed in the heart Chakra and not in the Me!lla but! The head tilts bac a little and in a sweepin" arc reaches the ri"ht shoulder# the syllable 2a is mentally placed in the heart Chakra and not in the cervical Chakra! Gow# instead of "oin" ahead with the rotation# the chin is tilted down dia"onally from the ri"ht as if to strie the center
8:/
of the chest# while simultaneously , is intensely vibrated in the heart Chakra! =et us describe the internal perceptions accompanyin" the mental placin" of the three syllables! The fourth Chakra $nahata is visuali4ed as a little hori4ontal dis of a coinDs dimension# with a diameter of about an inch! ?n this ideal coinDs surface# an inner movement sensation is perceived as if the hea! movements #ere pro&ecte! on its srface. 0see 7i"ure 81 & will try to mae it more clear! ,hile the head is movin" left# an inner li"ht movement to the left is perceived in the heart Chakra2 similarly# when the head moves ri"ht# a movement ri"htward is perceived2 when the head reaches the chest# the inner movement reaches the center of the ideal coin! %y repeatin" this perception 0the maximum effect is felt durin" the %hir! Kriya procedure> %e) 2a) ,) %e) 2a) , !!! mentally vibrated there many# many times1# the attention is captured by a warm radiation of ener"y that burns inside the fourth Chakra! &t becomes really "reat and the effects are felt in every field of life! At the end# via a very subtle exhalation the remainin" three syllables of the Mantra are 5placed5 in the first three Chakras ; De into the third one# 2a into the second one and Ya into the first one! 'ou can "radually increase the number of repetitions up to :! This variation of %hokar is the first step in becomin" proficient in the process of Micro %hokar # whose effects are pure "old! >,-8? Micro %hokar After havin" inhaled 0with (m) "a) Mo!!!1 and raised the Prana in the upper part of the lun"s# eep the lun"s as if are "oin" to be"in a new inhalation! &n a very relaxed mood# start rotatin" the head . but mae sure you mae sli"ht movements* &n comparison with the movements of the advanced level of %hokar 0%hir! (mkar Kriya1# the dynamic of the head movements is "reatly diminished! Considerin" the fontanelle lie a point# the rotation of the head now draws a circle of no more than : ; B centimeters of diameter! The movement of the head is accompanied by a li"ht oscillatory movement of the torso! Transfer the repetitions of %e) 2a) , into the head! There are different ways of doin" this> thin %e in the left lobe of the brain# 2a in the ri"ht one and , in the frontal part of the head! ,hile you thin ,# you can have a small 0almost invisible from the physical point of view1 9olt . you are li"htly tappin" on the door of Ktastha! Repeat some more times! Exhale and inhale when it is necessary and then tae bac the rotation of the head! Gow activate a counterclocwise internal movement in each Chakra! The process is the same we have described in K8!
8:@
ability to produce mental pressure precisely tar"etin" the nucleus of each Chakra! +ae milder movements till you reach perfect immobility! The center of your awareness settles naturally into the comfortable li"ht of the sixth Chakra. &n this immobility there is a treasure to be en9oyed! >,-9? 2ariation of Forth Kriya proce!re 'sing micro %hokar+ The instructions are the same# but# instead of chantin" the +antra (m *hr or (m *hvah etc!# always chant %e) 2a) , for each Chakra that you raise! The perception inside each Chakra and inside Ktastha are those we have described in the previous variation of %hokar ! 'ou can oscillate slowly your head left ; ri"ht ; return to center# eepin" the focus of concentration in $&na Chakra! Thin 0mentally chant1 %e when you move to the left# 2a when you move to the ri"ht# , when you return to the center accompanied by a minimum shrill of vibration! Repeat three times# always holdin" your breath# and repeat the same actions and perceptions for Chakra 8# :# B# F and <2 then *in! and Me!lla# then a"ain Chara <# F# B# : and 8!
'ou can also add the followin"> The ellipse of the crown# seen from above# may be ideally divided into 8: parts!
7i"ure 88! Crown seen from above
Thans to a short inhalation# the Mla!hara Chakra is ideally raised into the crown of the head# over the occipital re"ion# on the ri"ht 0into part 585 of fi"ure 81! Gow hold the breath and eep the Prana in that point! Repeat mentally %e) 2a) , three times in that re"ion! Exhale calmly! &n the same way raise the second Chakra into the ad9acent part 5:5 of the crown! Repeat there %e) 2a) ,... and deepen the experience! Repeat the same procedure for the other Chakras 0B# F# < ) *in!) Me!lla) <# F# B# : and 81 activatin" thus all the parts of the crown! After two or three complete rounds a sudden bliss manifests and one is no lon"er able to mentally chant anythin"! The procedure ends in ecstatic absorption! This technique has a correspondence with the famous picture drawn by =ahiri which shows all the Chakras with petals and all the petals connected with the 8:
crown! omehow each petal has to be perceived in the crown! uch correspondence is reali4ed by repeatin" the syllables of the ansrit alphabet vibratin" them in the crown of the head and at the same time reali4in" they are written on the petals of each Chakra! @>,-9? 1igher phase 'ou can complete this subtle and delicate procedure by stimulatin" important centers inside the brain# openin" the way to ,ahasrara!
7i"ure 8:! =ocatin" some particular centers inside the head
&nhale raisin" the Mla!hara Chakra into Medulla! Hold your breath! Micro %hokar is practiced now inside Me!lla! ?scillate slowly your head left ; ri"ht ; return to center# eepin" the focus of concentration in Me!lla oblongata! Thin 0mentally chant1 %e when you move to the left# 2a when you move to the ri"ht# , when you return to the center and# in order to intensify your perception of Me!lla oblongata# "ive a faint 9olt with your chin! Repeat three times# always holdin" your breath! Exhale! Gow raise the second Chakra into the posterior part of the '##)#$$u/ ! Hold your breath! Repeat three times the afore described procedure with %e) 2a) ,# focusin" all your attention into the posterior part of the cerebellum! Exhale and come down to the third Chakra location> inhale and raise it to the Po"s =ao$ii 0to perceive it# come from the cerebellum toward the center of the head# over Me!lla ; a few centimeters forward1! Hold your breath! Repeat the procedure three times with %e) 2a) ,# focusin" all your attention on the Pons arolii! Exhale and come down in the fourth Chakra. &nhale# raise it over the pons arolii in the point mared with 6 in 7i"ure 8:. To perceive it# sli"htly swin" your head bac and forth! 7eel a hori4ontal line that comes from the point between the eyebrows bacwards! At the same time feel the vertical line that comes down from the fontanelle! This center is the point of intersection of the 8B
two lines! ,hen you have it# repeat three times at that point the procedure with %e) 2a) ,! Exhale and come down in the fifth Chakra! &nhale# raise it in the point mared with 7 in fi"ure 8: ! To perceive it# swin" sli"htly your head bac and forth! 7eel a hori4ontal line that comes from *in! forwards! At the same time feel the vertical line that comes down from the fontanelle! This center is the point of intersection of the two lines! Repeat three times in that point the procedure with %e) 2a) , ! Exhale and come down in Me!lla! &nhale# raise it into Bindu! Repeat three times in *in! the procedure with %e) 2a) ,! Exhale and come down at the point between the eyebrows! &nhale# raise the whole re"ion between the eyebrows into fontanelle) which is the seventh Chakra tri""er point! Repeat the procedure with %e) 2a) , three times at the fontanelle! Exhale from Fontanelle to the point between the eyebrows! &nhale! Exhale from *in! to Me!lla! &nhale! Exhale from point 5<5 to cervical Chakra! &nhale! Exhale from point 5F5 to $nahata Chakra! &nhale! Exhale from pons arolii to third Chakra! &nhale! Exhale from Cerebellum to second Chakra! &nhale! Exhale from Me!lla to Mla!hara! Repeat all this maxi round from the be"innin"# main" the movements subtler and subtler until you reach the perfect immobility . of body# mind and breath! Gote Practicin" the previous three phases in succession creates a very stron" effect! &t can be described as the ability to see in a merciless way the e"o(s subtle trics that drive human actions! The reason for many wron" decisions appears with a definitive clarity# free of all coverin" veils! The e"o is a very complicated mental structure> it is not possible to destroy it# but it can be made transparent! There is a price to pay> there mi"ht appear 0hours after the practice1 inexplicable waves of fear# the sensation of not nowin" where you are and where you are directed to! This is a natural reaction comin" from some subtle layers of the brain one has touched! >,-? 1igher form of %hokar ; !ifferent rotations an! only one final blo# & was uncertain whether to describe here this variation of %hokar) because it seems to me not only difficult to practice but even dan"erous if the last blow is "iven with "reat physical stren"th 0which can dama"e the cervical vertebrae(s delicate structures# includin" muscles# bones# li"aments# !!! 1! This is a variation of %hokar in which there are different rotations of the head deprived of any stroe! Nreat ener"y is accumulated in the head! ?nly after the last rotation# the final %hokar is "iven! Tae the awareness in the upper Chakras throu"h a deep inhalation! Then the breath is hold and the head is moved continuously in circular motion in anticlocwise direction! The syllable %e is put in Me!lla and 2a in the cervical Chakra! The procedure "oes ahead for many do4ens of rotations> %e) 2a) %e) 2a) %e) 2a!!!! while the perception of those two centers "rows in intensity! Then %hokar happens> one powerful blow 0((powerful(( from the psychic and pranic point of view1 on heart and , is placed in the heart Chakra! A kriyaban remains
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in this position for some minutes havin" the perception of a "reat devotion and bliss!
.- Variations influen+ed by the "adhasoami faith The Ra!hasoami faith is also nown as ,ant Mat 0Path of the aints1! This spiritual or"ani4ation was born in the 8 century in &ndia! Accordin" to such faith# the man# left to his means# it substantially is not able to draw near Nod without the intermediate of a livin" "uru and of particular techniques of meditation that aim to have the experience of divine sound and li"ht! Their method of practice is called ,rat ,hab!a Yoga! Any kriyaban can benefit from these meditation methods which are always "entle and en"rossin"! >.-,? *reathing in the Chakras 7ocus your awareness at the Mla!hara Chakra location! %reath freely and ima"ine that the air is enterin" and exitin" the body at that point! 7eel yourself inhalin" and exhalin" directly into Mla!hara! +ove up to the second and then to all the other Chakras# breathin" in and breathin" out once in each Chakra! After reachin" *in!# "o down# bac to Mla!hara! Repeat the circuit 6;8: times! 'ou mi"ht find that you are automatically main" the sounds in the throat lie in Kriya Pranayama! This will help your internali4ation! At first it will not be a sin"le point of which you become aware# but more lie an area! 7or example# you may feel sensations in a lar"e part of your spine instead of 9ust at one(s Chakra location! &n time# the sensations will become more locali4ed! >.-.? Centering in $&na ,ith the ton"ue turned bacwards# with its tip touchin" the center of the palate# focus your concentration in the center of the brain! Perceive a virtual line connectin" the temples! +ove your head sideways sli"htly and slowly 0of some millimeters1 havin" a pleasant sensation of the ?mar vibration movin" from one half of the brain to the other! iminish the movement until it is no more perceptible! Perceive another virtual line from the Ktastha bac to the occipital re"ion! Perceive the (mkar vibration in the occipital re"ion and "uide it slowly towards Ktastha! Pause there! o the reverse process! 0This happens in 8:$: seconds1! Repeat different times! &f you intuitively perceive that a sli"ht movement of your head 0to raise and lower it quietly of some millimeters1 can help you in this perception# do if2 diminish the movement until it is no more perceptible! 'ou(ll have a fine perception of the channel connectin" Ktastha with *in!! A"ain swin" your head sideways and then bac and forth# in this way it is possible to discern the two linesD intersectin" point! This intersection 0the seat of the $&na Chakra1 is the best place to concentrate in order to have the full experience of (mkar Ds internal movement! &n order to perfect your focus on $&na# let us visuali4e our spine lie a
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well! ?neDs awareness "oes up and down lie a bucet throu"h the Chakras! ,hile the center of one(s attention remains always in $&na# a part of it is placed in Mla!hara tryin" to perceive there a swin"in"# fluctuatin" sensation! This happens for each Chakra# up to the cervical Chakra# then $&na! At this point your concentration on $&na should be optimal! >.-2? For#ar! ben!ings an! Maha M!ra %efore the practice of Maha M!ra proper# sit in the half;lotus position or on the heels! Throu"h a deep inhalation 0not necessarily as lon" as in Kriya Pranayama1 visuali4e the first Chakra risin" into the point between the eyebrows2 hold the breath# bend the body forward! The head is placed in the re"ion between the nees 0see fi"ure 8:1! Touch the pavement with the forehead! The hands may be used if you want2 the breath is retained durin" the entire bendin" sequence! The head comes near the ri"ht nee# the face is turned toward the left nee so that it is possible to perceive a pressure on the ri"ht side of the head2 a sensation of space is perceived inside the left side of the brain! Then repeat the same exercise with the other side of the body# reversin" the perceptions! Then the head is placed in the re"ion between the nees a"ain# the face turned downward! A pressure is felt on the forehead! A sensation of space is perceived inside the occipital re"ion! After completin" the three movements# resume the startin" position with the head and spine erect! The ener"y is brou"ht down from $&na Chakra to Mla!hara throu"h one lon" exhalation! Then concentrate on the second Chakra and repeat the procedure 0raise it# bend the body forward# and so on1! 'ou can have five bows# one for each Chakra# but since you can also ideally raise $&na Chakra into Fontanelle# you can have six bows! &n some school# this technique is called 0r Pranayama because in the first Chakra you can visuali4e your 0r# in the second Lahiri Mahasaya# in the third Mahavatar *aba&i# in the fourth ,ri Krishna and# finally# in the fifth the Formless 0o! !
7i"ure 8B! 7orward bendin" startin" from sittin" on the heels or startin" from the half; lotus pose
,hat we have explained is only the external structure of the practice! %y repeatin" this 5Chakra a#akening proce!re5 on various days# when you focus on a Chakra# you will perceive a feelin" of movement# a swin"in" sensation# in it . this is a very important experience! 7urthermore# when the head is touchin" the 8BB
"round# it will be easy to feel the same swin"in" sensation both in the part of your head that is down and in the part that is up! &f this doesn(t wor# eep your head on the "round for a few more seconds while breathin" normally! &n this eventuality# tae a deep inhalation when you come up# in order to complete each bend with the deep exhalation required to brin" the ener"y down! Gow practice Maha M!ra# but when the ri"ht le" is extended# the ri"ht hand "rabs the toes of the ri"ht foot while the left hand "rabs the inner side of the ri"ht foot 0the arch of the foot12 the face is turned left while the breath is retained! A sensation lie an inner pressure is felt on the ri"ht side of the head! &t contrasts with the free space sensation in the left side of the brain! Practicin" the opposite position# the sensations are reversed! ,hen both le"s are extended# the pressure must be felt on the front part of the head! As usual# this exercise is repeated three times! ,hile stretchin" forward holdin" your breath in the position envisa"ed for Maha M!ra) chant (m as you come up in each Chakra) and try to perceive the oscillation in each one! >.-6? Kriya Pranayama raising only one Chakra at a time Part of the attention comes down from $&na to Mla!hara Chakra! Thans to a short inhalation# this Chakra is ideally raised into $&na! Then with a short exhalation# it is ideally brou"ht bac into its seat at the bottom of the spine! Part of the attention is placed on the second Chakra> the process is repeated! Then B# F#
1int to a !ifferent interpretation of the previos variation Practice basic Kriya Pranayama 0see Chapter 61! urin" the first breath# focus on all the spine but on Mla!hara Chakra in particular . as if it were the most important point of the spine! urin" the second breath# consider the ,#a!histhana Chakra as the most important point of the spine!!! and so on 0third# fourth# fifth# *in!# +edulla# fifth# fourth !!! Mla!hara1! &t is as if with each further breath you evoe the calmness# the sweetness of a different Chakra! After twelve breaths you will reali4e that somethin" has chan"ed# that you are more introverted! This small tric seems a trifle# but if you adopt it# you will reali4e how deeply it calms your mind! >.-7? Kriya Pranayama #ith ,o 1am Mantra Accompany Kriya Pranayama inhalation with a total awareness of the sound 5,o5! Accompany the exhalation with a total awareness of the sound 5 1am5! Try to actually hear those sounds* 7eel how they vibrate in your spine! ery soon you will fall into a deeply internali4ed state! 'ou will en9oy a never before experienced relaxation! This will inevitably lead you to the (m perception!
8BF
>.-8? $ s#eet an! comfortable #ay of practicing %hokar This procedure can be useful to those who have problems with the traditional form of %hokar and prefer a more delicate approach! &nhalation happens as in the basic form of %hokar ! The chin moves up!!! (m) "a) Mo!!! *a in *in!! Then the breath is held! The chin bends forward# toward the throat cavity> a certain internal pressure is felt on frontal part of the heart Chakra! The head resumes its normal position and then bends sli"htly toward the left shoulder# without turnin" the face! The same experience happens> a certain internal pressure is felt on the left part of the heart Chakra! The head resumes its normal position and tilts bacwards> the same experience happens and pressure is felt on the bac of the heart Chakra! The head resumes its normal position and bends sli"htly toward the ri"ht shoulder# without turnin" the face> the pressure is felt on the ri"ht part of the heart Chakra! The head resumes its normal position# then the chin bends forward# toward the throat cavity!!! pressure is felt on the frontal part of the heart Chakra! The head resumes its normal position! urin" these five bends# holdin" the breath# no Mantra is needed! Then the exhalation leads the awareness throu"h the Chakras to Mla!hara! %e is placed in the Me!lla) 2a in the fifth Chakra- and so on - ,- De- 2a# until Ya is mentally chanted in the Mla!hara! The time involved depends on the individual2 usually it is approximately :;:< seconds# but it can be lon"er! The procedure is repeated at least 8: times! &t should be noted that the different pressures on the heart Chakra are more similar to a supply of ener"y flowin" down in a tranquil way from a re"ion above the head than the typical tappin" of the %hokar ! &t is obvious how this form can evolve! After inhalation# the whole set of the head movements can be repeated different times before exhalin" . always holdin" your breath! The movements become more fluid> after bendin" forward# the head does not resume its normal position and# immediately afterward# it bends to the left# then bacwards!!! >.-9? /yoti M!ra Cover the openin"s of your head as tau"ht in Yoni M!ra! &nhale deeply with total awareness in f o ntanelle! Exhale from f o ntanelle to Mla!hara2 inhale raisin" ideally this Chakra to f ontanelle with the purpose of mer"in" it in the li"ht and purify it! Hold the breath for about 8 sec! Exhale and lower the Mla!hara Chakra into its seat! Then place your awareness on the second Chakra2 inhale raisin" it ideally up to f ontanelle to mer"e it in li"ht! Hold the breath lon"er! o the same thin" with all the other Chakras up to $&na! Place the heels of your palms over your eyes and calmly observe the darness in the re"ion between the eyebrows! &t is not difficult to perceive a white li"ht! No ahead for :;B min! Then lower your hands and sit quietly for some minutes before comin" up!
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2- Variations that are influen+ed by the Kundalini 'oga Kn!alini is the ansrit term for 5coil!5 Kn!alini is conceived as a particular ener"y wound lie a snae in the root Chakra 0 Mla!hara1! &t is the spiritual ener"y that sleeps in our body# under the layers of our consciousness# waitin" for to be waed up a"ain by the spiritual discipline! &n Kn!alini Yoga a researcher aspires to bridle this awful power throu"h specific techniques 0particular schemes of respiration# *an!has# M!ras# *i&a Mantras!!!1 to invite its ascent throu"h ,shmna# 5activatin"5 each Chakra! &t is explained that when Kn!alini reaches the ,ahasrara Chakra# mystical illumination and endless beatitude is "otten! Kriyabans can practice this variations anytime they feel liely to "o down in lethar"y! >2-,? Pranayama #ith $s#ini M!ra $s#ini M!ra means contractin" repeatedly the muscles at the base of the spine with the rhythm of about two contractions per second! ,hile learnin" the technique# a yogi contracts the buttoc muscles# perineum or even the entire pelvic re"ion also2 with time# the contraction involves only the sphincter muscles!
A wise procedure is to practice $s#ini M!ra intensively and continuously durin" Kriya Pranayama! urin" inhalation and exhalation of the first 8: Kriya breaths# $s#ini M!ra should be stron"2 subsequently# it should decrease in intensity and become lie a sli"ht internal contraction of the inferior part of the spine . this is 9ust our sensation# because it is clear that the spine cannot be contracted! &f this procedure appears annoyin" and disturbin"# it is essential to be unshaeable and "o ahead with it! At a certain point# by "oin" on impassively# one has the certainty that somethin" positive is happenin"! ?ne perceives a pleasurable shiver in the spine! The continuous practice of $s#ini M!ra durin" Kriya Pranayama creates the condition for Kn!alini awaenin"! &t "ently pushes the $pana current upward to the navel re"ion where it meets Prana! Kn!alini awaens when there is immobility of the body and Prana and $pana unite! &t is only the union of these two currents that can open the door of ,shmna! The day after the practice of Kriya Pranayama with $s#ini M!ra a diffuse 9oy durin" all the day is perceived# even if one can devote only five minutes to the practice of Kriya! >2-.? Pranayama #ith Mla *an!ha Mla *an!ha means contractin" the perinea muscles# while a mental pressure is exerted on the lower part of the spine 0we have only one lon" contraction and not a series of contraction and release lie in $s#ini M!ra!1 ,e practice Mla *an!ha durin" the pause of the breath after inhalation! The purpose is to create the perception of Ktastha! This is a very delicate procedure that should be learned "radually!
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&! urin" the last instants of inhalation# before doin" Mla *an!ha# we visuali4e the current reachin" *in!# then the current 5rotates5 left# comes down a little bit and enters the Me!lla. &&! &t is in this moment that Mla *an!ha is practiced intensely# the breath is held and the eyebrows are raised! 'ou will feel that the ener"y is pushed from Me!lla into Ktastha! imultaneously internal li"ht is perceived spreadin" from Ktastha to the upper part of the brain! Then the exhalation be"ins# all the tension is released and the ener"y "oes down to Mla!hara! %reath after breath# the power created in Ktastha will indle the "reat "olden;white li"ht of the spiritual eye! Kechari M!ra# if achieved# cooperates with this process> durin" the Mla *an!ha thrust# the ton"ue is pushed upward and forward! >2-2? "abhi Kn!alini The breath follows a 5reversed5 path . reversed in respect to what is experienced in Kriya Pranayama proper! Prana present in the inhaled air is drawn down at the level of Manipra! $pana is pushed upwards with the exhaled air! &nhalation happens in three portions> durin" the first portion# draw breath and ener"y from the point between the eyebrows into 2ish!!hi# mae a little pause to feel the ener"y "atherin" there2 throu"h the second portion# draw breath and ener"y from 2ish!!ha into $nahata# mae a little pause to feel the ener"y "atherin" there2 throu"h the third portion# draw breath and ener"y from $nahata into Manipra! ,hile holdin" the breath# intensify the concentration on the Manipra throu"h the three *an!has 0 Mla *an!ha# 3!!iyana *an!ha and /alan!hara *an!ha1! +entally chant (m 8: times in Manipra exertin" a form of mental pressure upon that center! Then release the *an!has and exhale in three portions> throu"h the first portion feel the warm ener"y from the Manipra# risin" throu"h the spine into $nahata2 throu"h the second portion feel the warm ener"y risin" into 2ish!!ha2 throu"h the third portion "uide the ener"y into the point between the eyebrows or into fontanelle! &nstruction is traditionally "iven to repeat this practice 8: times# addin" 8: breaths every 6 months# until one reaches 8@ repetitions!
There is a more traditional version of "abhi Kn!alini! Place your attention at the Manipra Chakra. isuali4e in its center a flamin"# inverted trian"le! &nhale "radually throu"h the nostrils# and feel that the breath actually enters Manipra# heatin" it intensely# lie a bla4e afire! Holdin" your breath# perform Mla *an!ha# 3!!iyana *an!ha# /alan!hara *an!ha . while eepin" your attention on the bla4in" hot Manipra! isuali4e a series of drops of white li"ht fallin" into it# while mentally chantin" (m with each drop! Release all the *an!has# and release the breath! Exhale "ently and slowly# feelin" the warm ener"y rise alon" the spine# heatin" the $nahata Chakra# then the 2ish!!ha Chakra# the $&na Chakra# and ,ahasrara Chakra. Chant (m as it passes throu"h each Chakra! Pause some instants at the ,ahasrara Chakra!
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>2-6? 6nverte! breath &nhale deeply feelin" that the breath fills from top down the lun"s while the Prana 0contrarily to what happens in Kriya Pranayama1 "oes down toward Mla!hara! Then# durin" exhalation# breath and Prana roll upward throu"h the spine to the crown of the head! After 6 breaths# exhalation is fra"mented! &nhale# 9ust pause a moment# then release the breath throu"h the nose in short bursts# hearin" 5sah# sah# sah# sah# sah#5 as many times as it taes before your lun"s empty! %reath about 6 times in this way# then release Kechari M!ra and exhale throu"h the lips# increasin" the fra"mentation> s;s;s;s;s;s;s;s;s;s !!! 0The different 5s5 are perfectly audible1! The lips touch in the central part and the air comes out throu"h the corners of your mouth# inducin" a warm feelin" in the lips! Transfer it mentally at the base of the spine# perceivin" a heat that spontaneously comes up throu"h the spine! Channel this warm sensation in the heart Chakra! After about 8: breaths# the technique is completed! >2-7? %a!an Kriya &nhale deeply feelin" that the breath fills from top down the lun"s while the Prana 0contrarily to what happens in Kriya Pranayama1 "oes down toward Mla!hara! At the end of inhalation# your awareness is focused on Mla!hara! Hold your breath! =ift the body 9ust a few millimeters with the help of the hands and then let the buttocs touch the floor with a mild 9olt! Exhale freely perceivin" an ecstatic feelin" . this happens when the 9olt is experienced not as a physical movement but as an intense mental stimulus upon Mla!hara! The action of liftin" the body and then droppin" it producin" a mild 9olt is called Maha 2 e!a M!ra# 5Position of the "reat perforation5 . obviously it is the not of the Mla!hara to be pierced! ?f course this happens only when there is a hi"h de"ree of concentration!
>2-8? Kapalabhati Pranayama Kapalabhati Pranayama is used here in a tar"eted way to wor on the navel! Perform inhalation and exhalation rapidly2 exhalation should be done by contractin" the abdominal muscles forcibly and quicly# resultin" in a bacward push! Exhalation and inhalation alternate with equal len"ths and occur about two times per second! The navel acts as a pump and it(s almost lie usin" the abdomen as bellows! Exhalation is active# inhalation passive! A sudden contraction of the abdominal muscles raises the diaphra"m and a volume of air is expelled from the lun"s! The sound sli"htly resembles blowin" one(s empty nose! As soon as the air is forced out# the abdominal muscles relax# this allows the same volume of air to rush in2 inhalation comes automatically! urin" each expulsion# Prana is sent to the navel and (m is mentally chanted in the navel! After 8<;: of these short exhalations# there is a pause and the breath resumes its normal rhythm! Then another 8<;: of these short breaths are repeated for about 8 mental chants of (m!
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>2-9? *hastrika Pranayama *hastrika Pranayama is one of the most important Pranayamas of classic Yoga! &t consists in forced rapid deep breathin"# done with the diaphra"m only! &t is used here in a tar"eted way to raise the ener"y activated with the previous practices in the heart re"ion! 'ou breath throu"h the nose# about one complete breath per second# bein" aware of what is happenin" in the spine! 'ou can be"in with six repetitions! %y focusin" behind the heart Chakra) you feel the ener"y oscillatin" approximately B centimeters below and above it! &t is lie cleanin" vi"orously the area behind this Chakra! 'ou will feel warm in the re"ion of the fourth Chakra! Then inhale deeply# hold your breath and feel the warm sensation increasin"! Exhale intensifyin" that sensation! &n time# you can increase the len"th and the repetitions of this technique!
(ptional9 "ali Traditional practice of "ali 0only few persons are able to practice this exercise1 fosters the Kn!alini awaenin". Practice by standin" with your feet spread a bit more than shoulder width apart with nees a bit bent# and leanin" forward enou"h to rest hands on your nees! Expel all the air from your lun"s# and then "o up and down with the diaphra"m! %reath normally! Then with air out# contract abdominal muscles by pressin" down on our nees throu"h both your arms! 'ou will notice your abdominal muscles bul"in" out vertically! &n time you can learn how to 5twirl5 those muscles> the ey to twirlin" is separatin" the flexin" of left abdominal muscle from the flexin" of ri"ht ones# and then coordinatin" the two flexin"s into a twirlin" motion! This happens by pressin" differently on nees . wees are required! 0?ne finds instruction in 1atha Yoga manuals!1 o at least twenty rotations! ust pause# tae a deep breath or two# exhale a"ain# and continue! &t has been explained that the effect is that Kn!alini will be"in to awaen! As you become familiar with "ali# you will also be able to do it less formally in situations that do not involve the standin" position! &n time you will be able to do it without visible motion! Nenerally speain"# M!ras and *an!has be"in as pronounced and visible# and then naturally refine over time actin" deep upon our nervous system!
>2-? Maha M!ra an! Maha *he!a M!ra #ith a particlar form of Kmbhaka
a! +aha +udra! Assume whatever form of Kechari M!ra you are capable! Practice the first part of basic Maha M!ra# inhalin"# holdin" breath and bendin" forward "rabbin" the bi" toe with the index fin"ers! As you reach for the foot# raise the eyes to "a4e at the eyebrow center! Place (m in the point between the eyebrows# (m where the ton"ue touches the palate and (m in Mla!hara! Repeat three times in sequence! Return to the upri"ht position! Exhale down the spinal channel# pushin" the navel towards the lumbar center Manipra! 8B
Repeat a"ain in the symmetrical position and with both le"s outstretched! 0'ou can retain the breath lon"er ;; up to twelve repetitions of 5(m) (m) (m!51 b! +aha %heda +udra Maha *he!a M!ra is similar to Maha M!ra. The difference is that before stretchin" forward# you practice one full Kriya Pranayama breath and hold the breath out! %end forward reachin" for the foot! ,ith breath out# apply the three *an!has 0 Mla *an!ha) 3!!iyana *an!ha and /alan!hara *an!ha1 and raise the eyes to "a4e at the eyebrow center! Place (m there# (m in the navel and (m in Mla!hara! Repeat three times! Return to the upri"ht position# releasin" the *an!has and inhale raisin" the ener"y from Mla!hara! Exhale down the spinal channel# squee4in" the navel towards the lumbar center Manipra! Repeat a"ain in the symmetrical position and with both le"s outstretched!
6- Variations influen+ed by #nternal Al+hemy ,hen you loo throu"h the pa"es of a "ood text of &nternal Alchemy# the thou"ht that Kriya Yoga is not an independent tradition but it is no anythin" else other than the Taoist &nternal alchemy# tau"ht within an &ndian context# taes possession of your mind! 7urthermore# it is not an eccentric idea that the mythical %aba9i was$is one of the 5immortals5 of the taoist tradition! The reader reali4es that the Kriya Yoga and the taoist &nternal alchemy share a common base and# studyin" this last# you can understand better the worin" of Kriya Yoga! >6-,? %he micro cosmic orbit
7irst part 7or"et your breath> by liftin" your eyebrows# become sensitive to inner li"ht in the point between the eyebrows! Then "uide intuitively the li"ht into the 5frontal component5 of each Chakra! This concept ; rarely quoted in Kriya literature ; has not been introduced so far! 57rontal5 means on the anterior part of the body! Thus# after Ktastha# the awareness comes down throu"h the ton"ue into the upper front part of the throat# which is lined to the fifth Chakra! The perception of the inner li"ht happens at that spot for few seconds! The awareness comes down in the central re"ion of the sternum !!! inner li"ht is perceived there !!! then in the navel !!! then in the pubic re"ion and finally in the perineum! Then the concentration moves up alon" the bac of the spinal column# and the same li"ht perception happens in the second Chakra2 then in the third !!! and so on up to the Me!lla# the occipital re"ion# the Fontanelle# endin" in Ktastha a"ain# where you pause lon"er! econd part &nhale slowly and evenly into the navel! Hold the breath and practice Mla *an!ha! +entally direct the ener"y and awareness from navel down to the sex re"ion# then perineum and up alon" the bac of the spine# of the nec and head until you reach fontanelle! Tilt the head sli"htly bacwards# practice Kechari 8F
M!ra! tart a lon" and deep exhalation directin" the ener"y to flow down touchin" the center between the eyebrows# the Adam(s apple# the center of the chest# the navel! The circuit is complete! Repeat 8: times! Third part &nhale slowly and evenly into the navel! Gow hold your breath and practice Mla *an!ha! +entally direct the ener"y and awareness from navel up throu"h the center of the chest# Adam(s apple# ton"ue# point between the eyebrows# fontanelle! Tilt the head sli"htly forward# practice Kechari M!ra! tart a lon" and deep exhalation and direct the ener"y to flow down throu"h the bac of the spine# until reaches the perineum# then up throu"h the sex re"ion and finally the navel! The circuit is complete! Repeat 8: times &nternal Alchemy explains the deep si"nificance of this technique. Awareness and ener"y 0Ui1 are raised durin" inhalation! The purpose of this action is 5to brin" Three to Two# Two to ?ne5! =et us see what this means! The three are /ing 0sexual ener"y1# >i 0love ener"y1 and ,hen 0spiritual ener"y1! These ener"ies are blended# mixed to"ether! They were ori"inated by a fracture# a split at one(s birth! The first aim of this Microcosmic (rbit is to create harmony amon" them and thus exert a permanent healin" action upon the personality! This procedure is very similar to Kriya Pranayama. arious metaphors used to explain its mechanism 0ba"pipe turned upside;down# flute with no holes!!!1 brin" bac to our mind# with surprisin" similarity# some weird explanation about Kriya Pranayama which we have received from different &ndian sources! ,e were not able to understand those explanations# we have understood them only by studyin" the &nternal Alchemy! ,ords are unable to express how important for us kriyabans is the understandin" that Kriya Pranayama creates harmony amon" the three ener"ies /ing 0sexual ener"y1# >i 0love ener"y1 and ,hen 0spiritual ener"y1! Throu"h Kriya Pranayama# the sexual ener"y turns into pure love and this in spiritual aspiration> this event implies a permanent healin" action upon all one(s personality! The se8al energy is not only what this name implies but also the a"ent that maes us re9oice in the sensory perceptions# and that which "ives us the stren"th and the determination to fi"ht the battle of life and to achieve all the thin"s we need 0unfortunately# another reason we fi"ht is to achieve superfluous thin"s but this is another problem!!!*1! The love energy is a deep feelin" toward another person# livin" creatures# life in "eneral and also the 9oy felt beholdin" a wor of art! &t is the fuel of fair;minded actions born out of inner# noble instincts and ethical laws! The spirital energy vibrates durin" the hi"hest peas of aesthetic contemplation# where the vast prophetic visions may manifest! &t has been explained that these ener"ies derive from one unique realty# their division ori"inated at our birth and reinforced by education and social livin"! +any reli"ious paths teach to maintain# rather to cultivate as a virtue# the division between matter and spirit ; and sexuality is repressed as unholy! ,e now that this point is the main cause of nerve;wracin" conflicts in spiritually minded 8F8
people! urin" Kriya Pranayama# breath after breath# the sexual thou"hts 0which seem to be reinforced1 will turn into love thou"hts! The ener"y of love acquires stren"th# the determination not to succumb to any obstacle2 it is then raised into the head where it mixes with the ener"y of the pirit! Any split in our personality will disappear> our many;sided life be"ins to flow naturally# unimpeded toward pirit! Gow# in order this happens# the ener"y must rise into the head and then come down into the whole body# passin" throu"h the ton"ue! ome kriyabans# especially if they don(t practice Kechari M!ra) develop sexual thou"hts durin" the initial deep breaths of their Kriya Pranayama . sometimes they experience sexual arousal! This event should not "ive place disappointments and loss of the self; esteem* &t is comfortin" to be reassured that this is a normal phenomenon! They should practice Kechari M!ra# either proper or a simplified form of it# and concentrate# durin" exhalation# on the flow of Prana in the body 0it is very beneficial to visuali4e it passin" throu"h the tip of the ton"ue into the throat and into the body# each part of the body# as a beatific# healin" rain restorin" life in each cell! They will immediately experience how sexual thou"hts disappear and become pure love! This "reat ener"y of love will "radually turn into pure aspiration for the spiritual "oal! >6-.? Descent throgh for !irections The followin" variation of "avi Kriya is the one many kriyabans lie the best! =et us remind that the Dantian is located about two and one;half inches below the belly button and about one and one;half inches inside! &t can be visuali4ed as a ball about one and one;half inches in diameter!
As usual# a kriyaban(s awareness "oes slowly up alon" the spinal column placin" the syllable (m in the six Chakras. Then the chin is brou"ht down toward the throat cavity! A short inhalation is followed by a very lon" exhalation# durin" which# the ener"y is felt descendin"# alon" a path otsi!e the body# from the frontal part of the brain to the navel# reachin" throu"h it the abdominal re"ion . the Dantian# precisely! urin" this exhalation# (m is chanted mentally# rapidly# 8;8< times# accompanyin" the descent of ener"y throu"hout its path# as if applyin" some 5soft pushes5! The head resumes its normal position! This is followed by a short inhalation 0two seconds maximum# without concentratin" on the Chakras1 which raises the ener"y into the head a"ain. The head bends toward the left shoulder# without turnin" the face! A lon" exhalation 0with the same chantin" of (m) (m) (m?1 accompanies the downward movement of ener"y which starts from the brain(s left side and moves alon" a path 0outside the body1 at its left side 0for"et that there is shoulder or arm1 down to the waist where it bends and moves toward the inside of the abdominal re"ion 0 Dantian1! The head moves bac into its normal position2 a"ain a short inhalation follows 0two seconds maximum# without concentratin" on the Chakras1 to raise the ener"y into the head. The 8F:
head now bends bacwards! A lon" expiration 0with the same chantin" of (m) (m) (m?1 (m?1 accompanies the downward movement of ener"y which starts from the occipital re"ion and moves 0outside the body1 down to the waist where it bends# passes throu"h the third Manipra third Manipra Chakra and Chakra and moves toward the inside of the abdominal re"ion 0 Dantian1! Dantian1! The procedure is repeated liewise on the side# then on the for#ar! the for#ar! # to the left) and right side# left) and so on! The basic basic session session of this this particu particular lar form of "avi Kriya Kriya consists of B6 descen descents ts 0 full full rotati rotations ons of the head1! head1! &t ends with with mental mental chantin" chantin" of (m in each Chakra from Chakra from $&na $&na Chakra to Mla!hara to Mla!hara!! 0?ne session typically typically lasts @;8 minutes and replaces the F repetitions of the commonly established form of "avi of "avi Kriya!1 Kriya!1 As the practitioner proceeds with the rotations# the movements of the head become less mared2 this is quite normal! ?ne can have encoura"in" results also by "radually reachin" immobility and completin" the prescribed number by a sheer mental process! >6-2? 2ase breathing The best time to practice 2ase *reathing is is when breath flows evenly throu"h both nostrils . therefore the utility of "a!i ,o!hana ,o!hana an and Maha M!ra! M!ra! it quietly# breath a few breaths# until you can tan"ibly feel yourself breathin" ener"y! ener"y! isuali4e isuali4e your body as bein" completely hollow inside! &n the cent center er of your your body# body# 9ust 9ust in front front of the spine spine is the thrsting channel # a transparent transparent hollow tube about the si4e of a small coin! &t runs strai"ht from the base of your spine to the crown of your head! There are two further channels departin" from the ri"ht and left nostrils respectively# travel upwards to the top of the head and then curve to run downwards on either side of the central channel! They 9oin the central channel at the Dantian the Dantian(s (s level!
Tae a full breath throu"h both nostrils! Air and Prana and Prana travel travel from the nostrils down throu"h throu"h the ri"ht ri"ht and left channels channels reachin" reachin" the Dantian Dantian and thus the 6 central central channel! channel! imultaneously# practice Mla practice Mla *an!ha raisin" *an!ha raisin" ener"y to the Dantian! Dantian! As you finish your inhalation# swallow and push down "ently with your diaphra"m in order to firmly compress the ener"y brou"ht down from above! The air ener"y is completely completely loced in# compressed from above and below! below! &t is lie lie hold holdin in" " an air air ball ball betw betwee een n two two hand handss . here here you you use use your your ment mental al conc concent entra ratio tion n and a li"ht li"ht musc muscul ular ar pres pressur suree to brin brin" " abou aboutt this this feel feelin" in" of compression! 7eel ener"y and warmth increase in the Dantian the Dantian!! Hold your breath for as lon" as it is comfortable! Relax your li"htly tensed muscles and exhale "ently "ently and complet completely ely!! The warmth warmth is brimmin brimmin" " over over into the surround surroundin" in" re"ion! isuali4 isuali4ee that air and Prana and Prana rise rise up throu"h the central channel lie the mercury mercury in a thermometer thermometer and dissolve in the crown! ?nce your first exhalation is complete# a"ain ti"hten the lower muscles# inhale a second time# swallow and 6
onDt substitute the Dantian center with Manipra* The tendency tendency to remove remove from from the Kriya praxis anythin" which may seem non yo"ic is narrow;minded and needlessly confinin"! ust to "ive an example# example# there are some teachers teachers who have altered altered "avi Kriya ; either eliminatin" it entirely or erasin" the concentration on the navel# thus reducin" the technique to a pure concentration on the Manipra! +any devotees will not shift their awareness a sin"le centimeter from the spinal column fearin" fearin" their practice practice will become become less 5spiritual* 5spiritual*55 This is obviously obviously a false false ar"ument> ar"ument> Kriya Yoga happens first outside the spine in order to enter the spine!
8FB
push down with the diaphra"m# thus a"ain compressin" compressin " the air ener"y at the area below the navel! Hold your breath and concentrate on this area# feelin" the ener"y buildin" there! Then# a"ain# when it becomes uncomfortable to hold the breath any lon"er# exhale# exhale# releasin" the air up the central channel once a"ain! Those who want to intensify this practice# practice# visuali4e visuali4e in Dantian in Dantian a a "rowin" flam flamee that that "ets "ets hott hotter er as the the prac practi tice ce pro" pro"re ress sses es!! They They also also prol prolon on" " the the Kmbhaka period Kmbhaka period "radually! "radually! =et us see how this technique evolves when it is practiced a "reat number of times 0about fifty1! After After about ten breaths# breaths# feel that $nahata that $nahata Chakra is Chakra is reached by the internal flame! Each ten cycles of 2ase *reathing you reach a hi"her sta"e> sta"e> after after anothe anotherr ten breath breaths# s# feel feel that that 2ish!!ha Chakra is Chakra is reached by the internal flame! After another ten breaths# feel that $&na that $&na Chakra is Chakra is reached by the internal flame! ,hen this happens# the nectar 0 $mrita1 $mrita1 is perceived! &t travels downwards downwards via the path of the ton"ue 0 Kechari M!ra1# M!ra 1# it heals the whole body and and ori"i ori"ina nate tess a blissf blissful ul stat state! e! 7rom 7rom that that mome moment nt onwa onward rdss visua visuali li4e 4e the exhalation Prana exhalation Prana directed directed to fill each part of your body up to a cellular level! The physical breath seems to dissolve! Gote Techniques KF!:L and KF!BL embody the second sta"e of &nternal Alchemy! The ener"y stored in the head is conveyed into the Dantian the Dantian## in the lower abdomen! &t is explained that in this way the ener"y can be increased in the thrsting channel ! This channel runs lie a tube from the perineum to the fontanelle throu"h the center of the body# in the front of the spine! These procedures have the power of removin" almost any psycholo"ical hindrance and reindle the 5inner fire5 of the spiritual path! Technique KF!BL in particular requires "reat care because it affects the person(s behavior durin" daily life! 'ou could excessively react to trivial impediments and irrational behavior! &n short# some sharp personality traits of yours mi"ht surface! ?bviously# they do not appear out of nothin" . they express what you had held within you for a lon" time! &f you abide by a wise "radualness# some important results will appear! The results are a "reat quiet in the breath followed by an extraordinary mental clarity and by a sense of bliss! =ater this bliss increases and short states of ,ama!hi appear# ,ama!hi appear# especially if the yogi the yogi has has the wisdom of layin" down after the practice! >6-6? Circlating the energy in the #hole bo!y Practice Kechari Practice Kechari M!ra and M!ra and a sli"ht form of Mla of Mla *an!ha! *an!ha! &nhale slowly and evenly raisin" the ener"y from the soles of the feet alon" the inside of the anles and le"s reachin" Perineum! 7rom there the ener"y is directed 0always inhalin"1 to the point in the middle between the shoulders! There the flow of ener"y is split into two "oin" down the outer sides of the shoulders# elbows# and wrists to the middle fin"ers and palms where it then come bac from the palms throu"h the insides of the arms to reach the armpits and middle point between the shoulders
8FF
a"ain! At this moment# if you have already inhaled all the air# "o ahead holdin" your your brea breath th and and usin usin" " the the power power of visua visuali li4a 4atio tion! n! No ahea ahead d obse observ rvin" in" the movement of ener"y alon" the spine up to a point at the hei"ht of the ears! There the flow of ener"y is split into two circlin" around the ears 0first bottoms# then tops1 and returnin" to the initial point! The ener"y comes up and moves over the head# fontanelle# then down to the point between the eyebrows! There the flow of ener"y is split into two in order to come down throu"h the chees mer"in" a"ain at the top of the palate# where the tip of the ton"ue touches! This is the inhalation and holdin" phase! Gow start exhalation as the ener"y descends throu"h the ton"ue down to Adam(s apple# center of the chest# navel# sex re"ion# perineum where it separates flowin" down the outsides of the le"s# over the nees# shins# and bi" toes to reach the soles of the feet a"ain! Here the circuit is complete! Practice this method B6 times! %he Macrocosmic (rbit Kthe great heavenly cycleL cycleL This This expe experi rien ence ce disc disclos loses es scen scenar ario ioss that that no prac practit titio ioner ner dare daress to drea dream! m! &t appears as an experience of perfect %eauty! %eauty! ,hen ,hen the the thr three ener ener"i "iees 0sexu sexual al## love love and and spir spirit itua ual1 l1 are are mixed ixed harmoniously# they create the elixir of immortality! uch substance tricles down into the body and feeds every cell! The experience happens as a movement of ener"y in the whole body! Technique Technique >6-6? prepares this event! This refined experience maes the spiritual path complete> the ivine is infused into our body! The spiritual path does not end with a fli"ht out of the body toward the rarefied dimensions of the pirit!
7inal remar ,hile applyin" some of the instructions described in this chapter be very careful to avoid main" your routine intricate and unnatural! &f one has a self;learnin" instinct# there will be no problem in main" the routine flow natural! & believe that one should not add simultaneously simultaneously different technical technical details> it is important important to experience each one separately and practice it for at least one wee before addin" the next one! Each detail intensifies the power of one specific phase of Kriya Kriya and en"raves it in one(s awareness! Therefore# it should be "radually inte"rated into one(s o ne(s personality!
8F<
PART III: KRIYA YOGA IN PRACTICE
CHAPTER 9 RIYA YOGA BUILDING A SOLID BASIS FOR THE PRACTICE OF K RIYA
In this chapter we are going to discuss a very good teaching method method to guide the first steps of those who want to learn Kriya Yoga. Its main point is to introduce the concept of Incremental Routine, a method of utiliing the different techni!ues that is not even hinted at in traditional Kriya literature. The other chapters of this third part of the "oo# contain #ey ideas a"out what is really effective in ma#ing the Kriya plant flourish at its "est. In my opinion a teacher should always test a student$s predisposition for Kriya this purpo purpose se%% a very very goo goodd routi routine ne is the the prac practic ticee of Nadi Sodhana Yoga. To this Pranayama followed "y Ujjayi Pranayama &see Appendi' to Chapter (% where a good elementary Pranayama routine is discussed in detail.) Those who underta#e constant practice of a similar routine will start to perceive the flow of energy that moves up and down the spine. It goes without saying that students who do not succeed in practicing such an elementary routine regularly regularly for at least * to + wee#s should not even as# to "e introduced introduced to Kriya Pranayama proper. ,y the way% Nadi Sodhana Pranayama is far more important than e'pert Actually - this is my firm opinion - the practice practice kriyabans are willing to admit. Actually of Nadi Sadhana should always "e coupled with the "asic techni!ues of Kriya Yoga. Than#s to it% a "eginner receives a dramatic transformation - many important patterns of energy im"alance disappear. ithout this "alancing action it is not easy to achieve a watchful but eaceful alertness, which is the "asis itself of the Kriya meditative state. It is a common e'perience that after a long practice of Nadi Sodhana without adding any other techni!ue you enter a natural meditative state. As for Ujjayi, this is the very foundation of Kriya Pranayama. Those who practice it and pay due attention to the natural throat sound of the "reath will discover that the core phenomenon of Kriya Pranayama happens spontaneously sp ontaneously.. /or many students% students% the com"ine com"inedd practi practice ce of Nadi Sodhana and Ujjayi "ecomes such a 0oyous discovery of well1"eing and 0oy that they may develop an 2addiction2 to it. Even if they won$t $$upgrade$$ to Kriya% a minimal practice of these will always "e part of their life. !bout introducing the "irst Kriya set of techni#ues
I would avoid the particular freny that accompanies a traditional Kriya initiation where all the practical instructions are transmitted hastily in one single lesson3 This is what usually happens with mass initiations. ithin a few days% almost all details are forgotten and one goes through a crisis. The teacher is no longer there (4+
and the other fellow kriyabans dismiss their fraternal duties "y stating they are not authoried to give counsels. Instead of this insane and stupid situation% teaching one to one is the only reasona"le alternative. Then% things may go differently3 differently3 The few people who have had this privilege privilege remem"er the words of their teacher% with the same voice inflection% for all of their lives. In certain circumstances &one might visit his teacher and not "e a"le to remain there for more than one day)% it might "e necessary to demonstrate all the techni!ues in one single lesson% "ut generally spea#ing one should "e introduced to the Kriya techni!ues a "it at a time so that one can e'perience them without any tension. In the first lesson I would not teach Na$i Kriya% whose 2time2 will come later% nor Yoni %udra either since that could "e a source of distur"ance. distur"ance. I would restri restrict ct the teachi teaching ng to Kriya Pranayama &first and second part only). After a couple of wee#s% the second lesson should "e devoted to emphasiing the details of Kriya Pranayama that really matter. 5nly then should the other techni!ues of "irst Kriya "e introduced and chec#ed% and thus the teaching of "irst Kriya "e completed. Some points to be emphsi!e"
(. &'eriencing of the beauty of (alabya (alabya Kriya and )m *aa +in the hakras6ome organiations% in their didactic effort to "ring Kriya Yoga to the people% pic#ed out some easy techni!ues as a preparation. P. 7. choose to give .ong Sau and )m techni!ues techni!ues for si' si' months. months. The first techni!ue calms the "reath and the psycho1physical system. The second techni!ue addresses listening to the internal &astral) sounds% and the )m sound. ,oth are wonderful techni!ues% "ut in 8ahiri ahasaya$s Kriya% the preliminary preliminary techni!ues are (alabya Kriya and the chanting of )m in the hakras. A kriyaban should never overloo# them. They usher a kriyaban into a state that is considered a real 2"enediction.2 2"enediction.2 A meditation meditation session could "e composed of only these two techni!ues followed "y a few minutes of en0oying the induced calmness. Even in this short time one will taste a very deep calmness. 5ddly enough% (alabya Kriya doesn$t re!uire concentrating on anything% it is purely physical. :ust as an attempt to 0ustify this% we can say that merely pressing the tongue against the upper palate and maintaining the suction effect on the palate for (;1(< seconds% can% in and of itself% generate sensitivity in the !jna hakra area in a very short time. The detail of e'tending the tongue plays an important part too. hen the tongue is fully e'tended% it pulls on some cranial "ones and leads to decompression of the whole area. =. &'eriencing the beauty of Pranayama with Short /reath not only during a Kriya routine but also during additional free moments during the day
A famo famous us Kriya teacher said that if you want to ma#e remar#a"le spiritual progress% you should s hould engage yourselves y ourselves in "eing aware of at least (>=? "reaths a (4>
day. E'periencing this is surely possi"le for everyone - at least once in a wee# "y practicing the techni!ue of Pranayama with Short /reath for a"out three hours. This is a great decision which will surely produce the )mkar e'perience. *. Ne$er ski the ractice of %ental Pranayama at the end of a routine %ental Pranayama has a divine "eauty. ithout %ental Pranayama, Kriya Yoga
ris#s "ecoming a self1imposed torture% a nightmare. I "et that without it one unfailingly gives up Kriya Yoga % unless one is sustained "y the e'citement and e'pectations created in him "y a heavy process of indoctrination. 4. &'eriencing the imortance of %aha %udra It is very wise that a kriyaban practices %aha %udra "efore Kriya Pranayama. It is good to feel the difference "etween Kriya Pranayama with and without %aha %udra. The most serious schools of Kriya recommend that for every (= Kriya Pranayama% one should perform one %aha %udra 0 three remains the minimum num"er. &To ma#e it clear% those who practice +; Kriya Pranayamas should perform %aha %udra five times% while those who practice (= or =4 Pranayamas should perform it three times.) @nfortunately% having listened to different kriyabans% I dare say it would "e a miracle if kriyabans regularly practiced even the three re!uired repetitions. 5thers "elieve they are practicing Kriya correctly without ever practicing one single %aha %udra3 There is no dou"t that if you regularly s#ip this techni!ue and lead a sedentary life% the spinal column will lose its elasticity. 5ne$s physical condition deteriorates over the years and it "ecomes almost impossi"le to maintain the correct meditation position for more than a few minutes - that is why %aha %udra is so important for kriyabans. There are reports of yogis having achieved fantastic e'periences using only this techni!ue. According to their accounts% the perception of Sushumna has increased tremendously. There are kriyabans who have set aside all the other Kriya techni!ues and practiced (44 %aha %udra in two sessions daily. They consider %aha %udra the most useful among all Kriya Yoga techni!ues.
<. !$oid any obsession about technical details 6ome students call their teacher every other day with tortuous and "iarre !uestions. They "elieve that something valua"le can spring only from an impecca"le e'ecution of the 2magic recipe2 of Kriya. They pour into their Kriya path a remar#a"le commitment% "ut get nothing in return. They do not understand how important it is to en0oy the practice as it comes out naturally and to wor# on refinements - using their intuition and reasoning upon their direct e'perience - only afterward. It is as if their e'pectations are a shield that prevents the genuine "eauty of Kriya from entering their life. However% they will soon get tired of as#ing !uestions and will eventually a"andon everything. (4?
+. Understand that the joy coming from meditation is more imortant than self analysis
6ome kriyabans e'acer"ate the previous o"session for technical details "y not trusting the sheer employment of a techni!ue% even it is done correctly% unless it is coupled with toilsome psychological wor#. They want to "uild "ric# "y "ric#% "y the sweat of their "row% as if it were a highly comple' pro0ect of adding new structure to old structure% the ma0estic "uilding of their redemption. They thin# that only "y tormenting their psychological structure is it possi"le to uproot any deeply ingrained "ad ha"it and the very roots of ini!uity and egoism. 5ften they impose upon themselves useless privations and attempt unnatural renunciations. They do not understand what the spiritual dimension of life is. Their idea is that the ivine resides outside our human dimension and therefore we can progress only if we start a strenuous fight against our instincts. Religious conditioning can "e very strong% fatal in certain cases. 6ome entertain the thought of retiring from active life in order to live a life of self1denial. The few who have the opportunity to achieve this ¬ necessarily entering a convent "ut for e'ample !uitting their 0o" and living "y a modest lifetime annuity) are doomed to discover that this sudden leap into this so ardently longed1for condition does not fulfill their desire for perennial peace coupled with ardent mystical inspiration. The initial feeling of total freedom from worldly engagements "reeds good results in meditation "ut not so deep as imagined. They suffer from an ine'plica"le drastic diminishing of the sharpness of their concentration. They are fully aware of how insane this is% yet they cannot 0ustify why their free time% instead of "eing devoted to a deep practice of Kriya or to *aa or whatever spiritual activity they choose% is depleted in too many useless occupations. o not impose on yourself perfect chastity. There are famous "oo#s on Yoga demanding impossi"le things. How precious would "e a "oo# that teaches how to use one$s own intelligence and to thin# with one$s own head3 Avoid any compulsive process of self analysis. o not try to discover e'act grounds on which to 0ustify continuous fluctuations "etween feelings of well1 "eing and 0oy during Kriya and periods where there will "e nothing pleasura"le or e'citing. The "est attitude is to let Kriya enter your life and "ring all the possi"le "enedictions without tormenting yourself "ecause you feel unworthy. ,lessed are those who have the courage to go ahead unswervingly% in spite of their failures% worthlessness and unsuita"ility3 ,ehave li#e a dedicated maid who does her daily duties with patience and circumspection. 6he prepares the daily meal% ta#ing care of all the details from the tedious tas# of peeling potatoes to the final art of putting on the finishing touches. The awareness of having completed her 0o" well is her gratification. In time there is a greater reward for those who practice Kriya conscientiously even if they see no apparent result. 6omething tremendously vast (49
will manifest and crush down any dichotomy of worthyBunworthy% pureBimpure. It is not only a matter of astral sounds and light% cosmic e'pansion% or "as#ing in endless 0oy 0 your very perception of Reality will change. 6ome will rediscover an almost forgotten potentiality of aesthetic en0oyment &as if they had eyes and heart for the first time) others will "e deeply moved "y the significance of their family% "y the value of lifelong friendship and will "e surprised "y the intensity of the responses of love from their heart. At the onset of their Kriya path% some students are far from a"iding "y not only Patan0ali$s moral rules "ut also common1sense guided health rules. 5ften there is a clear split "etween the new interest in meditation and other well1rooted social ha"its. It$s a good rule for a teacher to pretend not to notice pro"lematic delusive student "ehavior. @ndou"tedly after months of practice% some changes in a kriyaban$s temperament and ha"its will appear% "ut they will "e unsta"le. A teacher values the constancy of the practice of meditation and avoids censorial attitudes. 5ften% to help a kriyaban get free from a harmful ha"it% you need only to give him a glance and a smile. The point is that "eginners are not a"le to realie they are slaves to "ad ha"its. 8et us ta#e for e'ample the pro"lem of smo#ing. How many have a clear vision of the real situationD Parado'ically% it is easier to !uit smo#ing "ecause of a new ecological vogue than as a result of a lucid vision of one$s addiction to nicotine. E#POSURE TO THE $ATCHLESS ACTION OF THE INCRE$ENTAL ROUTINES
Kriyabans customarily practice the same standard techni!ues day in
and day out changing neither the se!uence nor the num"er of repetitions. In fact% an unvarying routine that always ta#es the same amount of time is what is recommended "y many organiations. There is no dou"t that a fi'ed routine is the "est practice for "eginners however% practicing it for one$s entire life is something else3 In the first part of the "oo# I have introduced the concept of Incremental Routine. I strongly recommend that a student focus on fundamental Kriya techni!ues li#e Na$i Kriya, Kriya Pranayama, and Second )mkar Kriya and practice them intensively following the format of the Incremental Routine . This is one of the most worthwhile activities a kriyaban can engage in% an effort that will play a decisive role in "uilding the foundation for a lifelong en0oyment of Kriya. hen the earnestness of the student is un!uestiona"le% it is wise to encourage them to "egin at least one Incremental Routine1 This counsel should "e given without lingering or investigating too much. I have witnessed un"elieva"le results in those who follow this counsel% results that are inconceiva"le to those who follow a traditional practice.
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opi Frishna wrote how hopeless is the attempt to o"tain a full realiation of the potentialities contained in the human "ody and mind "y going on only in the traditional way &a few minutes of concentration following the format of the commonly1counseled unvarying routine.) 2... the whole #ingdom is the product of the activity of Prana and the atoms of matter "oth com"ined. G Jothing would "e more ridiculous to suppose that this com"ination of Prana and matter which resulted in such marvelous organiations of living creatures "e so flimsy and unsta"le as to yield readily to the human will. The impression prevailing in the minds of some people that a few minutesK e'ercise of concentration can wor# miracles in changing oneKs e'isting level of consciousness G... is% therefore% as correct as it would "e suppose that repeated light hammer1"lows dealt to a metal can lead to the release of atomic energy. An overhauling of the entire human "ody is necessary to effect a radical transformation of consciousness G... This is the reason why real success in Yoga is so very rare.2 &opi Frishna Kundalini2 (he Secret of Yoga).
hat happens in athletics gives us a good e'ample of how to progress. Athletes who wish to achieve world class performance must somehow increase the intensity and the !uality of their practice. 5nly through short intensive interval training sessions where they push their physical and mental endurance "eyond their normal levels% will they succeed in accomplishing otherwise unachieva"le levels of performance. This is a 2law2 no one escapes. Jow% do not "e offended "y the comparison "etween Kriya and sports. Kriya is not a sport% "ut in the "eginning stages of Kriya, while applying its different psycho1physical techni!ues% it has many points in common with the essence of athletics. ,oth shun the employment of "rute force% and "oth re!uire goals and the diligent channeling of one$s strength to achieve them. ,oth also re!uire analying and evaluating one$s performance to learn from the e'perience. e understand% of course% that this process is an authentic challenge and "eginning it is an act of courage% a mature act of trust in Kriya and in oneself% a decision that should only "e inspired "y one$s intuition. Kriya techni!ues arouse specific effects &especially perceived the ne't day following the practice) which may appear as distur"ingL moods% fancies% memories and suddenly1arising desires. Actually this is a clue that a cleansing process is happening in one$s su"conscious mind. Kriyabans should "e familiar with the "asic laws of the human psyche. Coupling an incremental routine, to "e practiced once a wee#% with the daily practice of a simple Kriya routine has within itself an e!uili"rating mechanism that will help them to get through alternating moods that will surely appear during the way. There are situations such as the anguished feeling of "eing overwhelmed "y a sudden storm of increasingly dar# pessimism% in which kriyabans should sense if it is necessary to stop their practice for a few wee#s. After the pause% the 2warrior2 in them will return to the "attlefield ready to "ring this wonderful wor# to fruition.
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I% In&'ement( Ro)tine o* N+i K'i,
Here is an e'ample of the very words we can use to introduce a student to an easy "ut very important incremental routineL 25n 6aturdays - or on any free day - after a short practice of (alabya Kriya% %aha %udra and Kriya Pranayama% practice ? sets of Na$i Kriya, thus dou"ling the num"er of the usual 4 scheduled repetitions. As usual% complete your routine with mental Pranayama. The following day% you can ta#e a "rea# from all Kriya practices and you can give your mind the "alm of a long% tran!uil *aa1 /or the ne't few days% resume the original standard routine. 5n the following 6aturday% practice * times the normal num"er of Na$i Kriya% i.e. (= sets. 5f course% this is always to "e done within the framewor# of (alabya, %aha %udra... finish with mental Pranayama1 If possi"le ta#e a long wal# in the evening to calm the deep regions of your psyche. The following day rest "y doing 0ust *aa and go for a wal#... After one wee#% or two if you wish% practice (+ sets of Na$i Kriya .... and so on .... =;% =4...up to ?; sets% which is =; times the original recommended num"er. The increase of this delicate Kriya techni!ue should "e gradual. If you try to outsmart the process and perform too many repetitions all at once% nothing will come of it "ecause the inner channels close up. 5ur inner o"stacles cannot "e removed in one day our inner force is not strong enough to dissolve them. This internal power is initially wea# and must "e enhanced wee# after wee#. /urthermore% this process should "e incorporated within a regular active life. It is up to you to ma#e your practice days as pleasant as possi"le. It is advisa"le to "rea# these long sessions into two parts - to "e completed "efore going to "ed. 7ou can conclude each part "y lying on your "ac# & Sa$asana2 the corpse pose) on a mat for a couple of minutes. 7ou may complete the first part unhurriedly in the morning% carefully respecting every detail. In the afternoon% after a light meal and a little nap% it is fine to go out% find a pleasant place to sit% and then reserve some time to contemplate nature. Then you can complete the remaining prearranged num"er of repetitions% a"sor"ed in your practice and perfectly at ease. 7ou will see how the effects increase as daylight approaches twilight. If you always practice in your room% arrange to have a tran!uil wal# in the evening. Everything will proceed harmoniously and the "enediction of "lissful silence will unfailingly visit you.$$ It is possi"le to choose any variation of Na$i Kriya% "ut the "est is surely variation G4.= e'plained in chapter ? &$$ 3escent through four directions$$). It rivets the attention in a way the "asic form cannot1 Its smooth shifting of energy along the circumference of the head has an unparalleled effect. As for this variation% since one set consists of *+ descents of energy% preceded and followed "y chanting )m in the hakras% the process "egins with *+ ' = descents. The ne't steps areL *+ ' *% *+ ' 4....% *+ ' (9% *+ ' =;. It has "een e'perimentally proven that there is no need to go "eyond *+ ' =; repetitions. As for this variation% it happens that after the first half hour the head movements are hardly noticea"le. In other words% the forward% "ac#ward% and (<=
sideways movement of the chin is reduced to a couple of millimeters3 Subtle aspects to be discovered in time hat is the reason why this variation is prefera"leD After many repetitions% the e'halation seems to "ecome internal. At the very moment the order to e'hale has "een imparted "y the mind% it feels as if the lungs cannot move. 6ome instants later comes the awareness of something su"tle descending into the "ody% accompanied "y a very pleasura"le e'halation. The e'halation is a mental act% li#e an internal all1pervading pressure which "rings a"out a peculiar feeling of well1"eing% harmony% and freedom. 5ne has the impression one could remain there forever. The "reath is still coming out of the nose% yet while practicing one would swear it wasn$t. This may "e considered the first timid apparition of the Pranayama with internal breath &also called Kriya of the cells) that we are going to introduce in Chapter (=. Another good effect of this practice is a stri#ing increase in mental clarity% pro"a"ly due to the strong action on the third hakra which governs the thin#ing process. A more cali"rated% precise and clear logical process rises from a more efficient synergy "etween thoughts and emotions. Intuition flows unimpeded when important decisions are to "e made. @nfortunately% traits of hardness might appear sometimes in your temperament. 7ou will find yourself uttering statements that others find offensive and cutting "ut that for you% in that moment% are the e'pression of sincerity. Although sustained "y a luminous internal intuition% you might hurt friends through your words and only hours later% "eing alone and detached% notice how those words were inappropriate. To understand the reason for this pro"lem% let us loo# into the meaning of $$crossing$$ the #not of the navel. & Na$i Kriya is done primarily for this reason and secondarily to unite Prana and !ana and attract them into the spine.) It is e'plained that the cutting of the um"ilical cord at "irth splits a uni!ue reality into two partsL the spiritual and the material. The spiritual% which manifests as 0oy and calmness% esta"lishes itself in the higher hakras and in the head the material esta"lishes itself in the lower hakras. That rupture "etween matter and spirit inside each human is a permanent source of e'cruciating conflicts in the lives of many spiritual searchers. Through this incremental routine and through conscious effort towards harmony "etween the two dimensions of 6pirit and matter in our daily lives% the healing of this rupture ta#es place. Although the healing is harmonious% visi"le manifestations can "e interpreted negatively "y others% often due to a kriyaban$s newly ac!uired confidence and conviction that may appear to "e stu""ornness or dogmatism. The personality of a kriyaban is destined to "e ideally collected around a central point and all inner conflicts healed. The effects are perceived inwardly and o"served clearly in one$s practical life. 5ne feels an inward order settling each action seems as if it were surrounded "y a halo of calmness and headed straight for the goal. It reminds me of Aha" in 2o"y ic#2 "y Herman elvilleL 26werve meD ye cannot swerve me% The path to my fi'ed purpose is laid with iron rails% whereon my soul is grooved to run. Jaught$s an o"stacle% naught$s an angle to the iron way32
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II% In&'ement( Ro)tine o* K'i, P'n,m
After some months &when the previous incremental routine of Na$i Kriya is completed or at least half completed)% the kriyaban can "egin a parallel process using the techni!ue of Kriya Pranayama and increasing it gradually1 *+ ' =% *+ ' *% up to *+ ' =; Kriya Pranayamas is a very good plan =4 ' =% =4 ' *%..=4 ' =4 is lighter "ut also good. Practice in se!uence the three phases of Kriya Pranayama, a"iding "y what is said in Chapter +. hen the practice is "ro#en into two or three parts - for e'ample "etween morning and afternoon - you always start from phase (% then introduce phase = and then phase *. Subtle aspects to be discovered in time I have learned to respect all Kriya schools% "ut I will tell you now that when I tried to increase the num"er of Kriya Pranayama that I was taught to perform in my first school% after +; repetitions of Kriya Pranayama I developed so much nervousness that I couldn$t remain sitting. Jow% with my new Kriya Pranayama &closed mouth% partly with Kechari and partly without% and mentally chanting )m in each hakra) I neared (;;; Kriya "reaths% always dwelling in the most complete tran!uility. However% I counsel here to move forward prudently% not giving too much attention to the right length for each "reath. uring this process &incremental routine) it is a"solutely necessary to follow nature% respecting the rhythm of the "reath suited to one$s own constitution. If you feel that your "reath is too short% don$t worry a"out it3 7ou will have plenty of time in the future to lengthen it. /urthermore% when more than a (;; "reaths are practiced% it is wise to ma#e use of the (= letter %antra 2)m Namo /hagabate 4asude$aya 2 &)m Na %o /ha 5a /a coming up and (e 4a Su 3e 4a Ya coming down)% which does not mean to apply all the su"tle details of the "irst )mkar Pranayama "ut simply to utilie that "eautiful %antra. uring each stage of the process it is important to #eep a slender thread of "reath up to the completion of the prescri"ed num"er. In other words% the process should never "ecome purely mental.
In these optimal conditions% "e ready to "ecome a"sor"ed in a most sweet e'perience. on$t "e upset if on some occasions this routine "ecomes an e'traordinary 0ourney in your memory. It happens indeed that "y focusing our attention on the hakras we o"tain a particular effectL the inner screen of our awareness "egins to display a lot of images. This is a physiological fact and we have reasons to suspect that for those who affirm they are e'empt from such phenomenon% it is "ecause they do not have enough lucidity to notice it. The hakras are li#e 0ewel "o'es containing the memory of one$s whole life and they give rise to the full splendor of lost reminiscences. The essence of past events &the "eauty contained in them and never fully appreciated) is lived again in the !uiet pleasure of contemplation while% sometimes% our heart is pervaded "y a restrained cry. It is a revelationL the light of the 6pirit seems to twin#le in what seemed to "e trite moments of our life.
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III% In&'ement( Ro)tine o* Se&on" Om-' K'i, .Tho-'/ This third Incremental Routine has a value "eyond words. Its incremental scheme is different from the two previous Incremental Routines. e have already hinted at it in Chapter >. 6tarting from (=% a kriyaban adds si' repetitions per wee#. The
fi'ed ma'imum of repetitions is =;;. 8et us clarify what I mean% adding si' repetitions per wee#. uring the first wee# practice (= repetitions each day. Then consider the practice of (? repetitions each day. If there are pro"lems% practice this delicate techni!ue every other day. It is not necessary to practice every day rather it is wise to wor# three days a wee# on the average. The third wee# you can practice =4 repetitions on alternate days and so on... hen you reach a consistent num"er of repetitions &more that +;) the effects are very strong. Therefore "e very careful. o not practice more than =;; repetitions. I hope the reason is clear why we have said that this last incremental scheme is different from the plan utilied for the Incremental routines of Na$i Kriya and of Kriya Pranayama% in which you practice only once in a wee#.
As for the necessity of having achieved Kechari %udra "efore practicing (hokar, there are many who have practiced (hokar with enthusiasm and with admira"le commitment who have "enefited from its remar#a"le effects "ut who have not realied this %udra. Kriya literature affirms Kechari %udra is crucial for initiation into the .igher Kriyas1 !charyas of original Kriya indeed demand to see the actual e'ecution of Kechari %udra - they want the student$s mouth opened in front of them and to see the tongue disappear into the nasal pharyn'. Jow% there is no dou"t that Kechari %udra helps to perceive the vi"rational state% rhythm% and astral location of each hakra% "ut to those who are depressed "ecause they are not a"le to achieve Kechari %udra% let us remind you &without any fear of "eing contradicted) that many mystics who e'perienced the ivine never heard of Kechari %udra. any Kriya !charyas claim thatL 2@ntil one is esta"lished in Kechari %udra% one cannot achieve the state of Eternal Tran!uility.2 This statement is false. As for a possi"le (hird )mkar Kriya incremental routine , it is unrealistic to give any indication. Those who have achieved the "reathless state% and are a"le to effortlessly hold the "reath during this practice% are not #een to follow any other cautionary warning a"out the num"er of rotations to "e practiced. Anyone who succeeds in that form of (hokar usually doesn$t have the patience to gradually increase the num"er of the rotations. Subtle aspects to be discovered in time uring this incremental routine important e'periences occur. An endless ,eauty% creating a previously un#nown devotion% intensifies around the fourth hakra% as if a mighty hand were s!ueeing the chest region. 5ne feels li#e they are "eing immo"ilied "y an immense strength. It is "ecause of the intensity of this e'perience% which sometimes seems difficult to endure% that the effect of (hokar
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has "een descri"ed as 2into'icating2. The daling point that is perceived in the center of the heart hakra and that turns out to "e the star inside the third eye gives a kriyaban a deeper e'perience. There comes the feeling of "eing divided into a thousand parts each one of them on the verge of e'ploding from "liss. It is only now% having in one$s heart the rever"eration of such a state% that one learns to meditate without mental pollution% and without imaginings. I wonder how those devotees who never had a taste of such "liss are a"le to find the strength to continue practicing Kriya for years. 7ou can only than# those uncertain illusions a"out Kriya% those impro"a"le promises that "oo#s and gurus ma#e to those interested in Yoga and meditation to attract them to the Kriya path% which #eep one tied to this practice until the real e'perience happens. 5lobal Results !chie$ed through the omletion of the !fore63escribed Incremental Routines
After completing these three Incremental Routines% one has the feeling that entire eons have passed and one has achieved something concrete and permanent. After this once1in1a1lifetime e'perience% a person seems 2older2 in wisdom and temperament% as if several decades had passed. They have learned how to #eep emotions at "ay &I mean superficial emotions) in such a way that only deep sentiments then guide their decisions. Among other things% we cannot conceive that a kriyaban who doesn$t develop this faculty can nevertheless $$survive$$ on the Kriya path. 7ou cannot imagine how delicate an operation it is remaining faithful to the Kriya path that can suddenly go "ad3 e are governed "y emotions and instincts that include our religious conditioning% our wea# points% our fears% our dou"ts% and our pessimism. It is important to have the a"ility to go our way even when our closest friends are trying to convince us to follow theirs. I have tried to retrace this theme in some oriental "oo#s "ut I have found so much rhetoric% too many words without practical meaning. They distinguish "etween positive &affection% happiness% contentment...) and negative &envy% aggressiveness% illusion ...) emotions% "ut at the end of "oring discussions you still have not grasped the essential factL untamed emotions can create disaster in our life. This fact is serious% and tremendously important. In my opinion% kriyabans who are not a"le to complete at least one incremental routine of a "asic Kriya techni!ue are always on the verge of losing everything they have realied. e all #now that f rantic and hysterical emotions often rise une'pectedly from one$s inner self% then disappear after a while. They actually e'press a reality devoid of authentic depth "ut their propulsive action inevita"ly results in hurried acts accompanied "y a sort of cere"ral fever% nourished "y a narrow% visceral pleasure. hen passion inflames one$s whole "eing% it is not possi"le to "e guided "y common sense the conse!uence is that our deeper and most earnest choices sometimes withdraw to an irrevoca"le halt. :ust as during the summer hail stones are molded% condensed and enlarged (<+
in the air "efore falling down to the earth and cause disasters% fatal decisions ta#e shape in advance in one$s imagination. uring daily% fre!uent daydreams% the perspective of renouncing something positive which re!uires a great commitment throws a false light upon our immediate future% so that what in the past would appear as an act of cowardice% now seems to glitter at the horion of our life% li#e a dull% flat% som"er s#y that suddenly lights up% serene% in luminous aure "lue. hen we listen to such alluring emotions% we pave the way for our doom. A wrong decision may "ecome our crucifi'ion% our covenant with unhappiness% with a state of inner misery that will last a lifetime. And lo% some put aside Kriya Yoga forever while others interrupt a course of studies and throw away a profession they had "een dreaming for years for which they had fought and suffered. They do the same with a "eloved% with friends% with their family itself. Jothing can stop themL the wise words of people near them have no power to stop them. An indomita"le internal strength wants to produce sheer calamity in their life. 6ometimes we have the idea that a person wants only one thingL to affirm with stu""ornness his 2right to ain and suffering12 GThe sentence in !uotation mar#s is an e'pression of the %other 0 main disciple and companion of Sri !urobindo. The decision to yield to emotions does not differ from that of an asteroid falling through the atmosphere on its way to fire and destruction. To this very common tragedy% 2emotional maturity2 is opposedL this is a healthy relationship with reality% the !uintessence of what we visualie when we use the terms 2wisdom% mental health% centrality ...2 This is e'actly what one can o"tain through the practice of the Incremental routines. Another important effect of the Incremental routines is that one develops the !uality of a self1teacher. At the very "eginning of the Kriya path% it is o#ay to put a certain amount of trust in a school or in a teacher% "ut su"se!uently% one has to trust his own e'perience and intuition. ost kriyabans "egin their path as gulli"le persons% ready to "e cheated. The Incremental Routines change their lifeL they replace the infantilism of hanging on 2authoried2 teachers$ every word with an o"0ective estimate of the effects of each techni!ue and of each routine. @nsure and full of dou"ts% kriyabans "ecome a"le to "e acutely creative and ameliorate day "y day the e'ecution of the techni!ues% 2reading2 with o"0ectivity the o"tained results. Having shaped a sound vision of Kriya, they do not feel the necessity of practicing under the supervision of Kriya e'perts. In the days following a long session of practice% one has a deeper understanding of the techni!ue through perceiving its essence intuitively. 5ne receives important cluesL certain details of a techni!ue appear as wearisome and prove useless other aspects reveal all their power and are greatly appreciated.
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Some remarks about the (ribhangamurari mo$ement related incremental routines
In Chapter > we have introduced the "ifth and Si'th )mkar Kriya techni!ues. The (ribhangamurari movement was perceived first "y simply moving one$s awareness along a prescri"ed path% then "y the help of a %antra and% in the case of the acro movement% also with the help of movements of the head. As for the purpose of those techni!ues% the main idea was that they induce the natural movement of Kundalini energy and guide it to cross% during its return flow toward its seat in %uladhara% the three main #nots &5ranti)L tongueB %edulla% heart and coccy'. It is o"vious that this theoretical e'planation would re!uire more space and other #ey clarification. The given description has raised many dou"ts in the readers. Their legitimate o"0ections are worth !uoting. A very pertinent one wasL $$These techni!ues come from 6atya Charan 8ahiri &grandson of 8ahiri ahasaya) "ut we have no proof they come from 8ahiri ahasaya. e #now that 6atya Charan practiced seriously after retiring. Jow% who guided him% as his father Tincouri 8ahiri was no more there. Could he have misinterpreted the diaries and diagrams descri"ing the (hokar techni!ueD$$ 5ther readers as#ed why many schools don$t teach anything related to the (ribhangamurari movement "ut consecrate the last stages either to (hokar or to the process of raising the hakras into Kutastha or into the higher part of the "rain. As many have o"served% some drawings which appeared in Kriya Yoga "oo#s% inspired "y 8ahiri ahasaya$s diaries% show something similar to the (ribhangamurari movement "ut not identical. 5ther !uestions show the genuine desire to understand where in one$s daily routine to place the (ribhangamurari techni!ues and% a"ove all% if the (hokar6 (ribhangamurari can replace the classic form of (hokar &Second or (hird )mkar Kriya) .... I can surely say that (hokar6 (ribhangamurari doesn$t su"stitute for the classic form of (hokar % which is !uite another thing% "ut I do not have the power to dispel the main perple'ity a"out their authenticity. I would li#e to say thisL $$test their power yourselves through their practice$$ "ut the main pro"lem or unavoida"le characteristic of this techni!ue is that its effect cannot "e received if the counseled num"ers for each stage are ignored. They re!uire an immense amount of passion and dedication during a long part our life - I mean years not months. The (ribhangamurari1"ased techni!ues have the power to create a permanent transformation in your attitude towards Kriya "y ma#ing you ac!uainted with a mostly un#nown ecstatic state while fully living the e'perience of life - let us define it as a sort of trance with open eyes. ,ut it should "e e'perienced first inside a rigid scheme of incremental routines. 6ome students try to relish right away the power of (hokar6 (ribhangamurari "y a desultory% system1less e'perimentation% far from a"iding (
"y the a"ove1mentioned rules. hat could "e the real impact of the (hokar6 (ribhangamurari techni!ue remains un#nown and not even vaguely foreshadowed. Jow% if you consider the enormous amount of time that these incremental routines re!uire% you understand that no one is able to tackle with them without ha$ing an e'treme trust in another erson, in one who gi$es you that instruction, who looks into your eyes and with a serene smile challenges you to e'erience the mystery of Unworldly /eauty they contain1
The only thing I can do% the only thing worth doing% is to relate what is stored in my memory - the e'periences that happened and the spiritual advice received. hat happened in my life was a miracle. hen I received these techni!ues% I was completely free from wor#. I could complete all the incremental routines as they were proposed to me% even those that appeared as $$impossi"le.$$ 5f course% receiving a "oost% a strong encouragement% from a person who had already practiced them was indispensa"le. If I had read those techni!ues in a "oo#% I would have surely failed in respecting the num"ers the effect would have "een far from "eing the same. 5ne of the most difficult periods of my life "egan when I received the !mantrak techni!ue. I felt down and had strange emotional and mental mood changes. It was li#e e'periencing a slow recovery from a nervous "rea#down that ro""ed me of my energy and 0oy of living. Actually I felt an a"solute lac# of enthusiasm it was as if there e'isted no activity that could produce any satisfaction. I felt e'traneous to activities that I would otherwise have found very enticing. 6ome days I remained in my room doing nothing% as in a state of convalescence. In some ways I was prepared for this event. y teacher had e'plained that "y perceiving this new flow of energy along the (ribhangamurari path% one would foster a decrease in the hectic condition caused "y superficial emotions. The impression of having no feeling% of "eing dull% insensi"le% was only an illusion due to this meaningful internal transformation. hen the amount of practice spent perceiving the (ribhangamurari flow "ecame greater than one hour% I felt li#e I was going to e'plode. I felt how difficult it was to "ear all that power. y dreams were very lucid I wo#e up in the morning as if I had lived a deeply intriguing and captivating adventure. 5ddly% when I approached the =;; repetitions% any trou"le disappeared. That period was mar#ed "y an uncur"ed enthusiasm a"out my new practice. After having completed the prescri"ed num"ers of !mantrak % without waiting for the official initiation% I immediately started the practice of Samantrak . All of us in the small group #new what would have "een the techni!ue of Samantrak "y simply reflecting on its name & Sa6mantrak M with the %antra.) It had to "e a (= sylla"le %antraL o"viously $$)m Namo /haga$ate 4asude$aya1$$ I had my first Samantrak session in springtime on a near perfect day% when the pure air% fresh "ut pleasant% invited me to practice outdoors% where I (<9
en0oyed a "lue s#y with a small cluster of clouds floating in the golden light. I was really happy% and it seemed I had entered a new dimension. There were only few repetitions of the techni!ue% "ut they changed my mood. Samantrak was li#e turning on various lights along the three1curved path. It was as if so much sun and clear s#ies finally entered my practice. The %antra$s sylla"les% which I put with care li#e seeds in each center% would warm me up the way the sun warmed up the land around me. The only pro"lem was that the use of the %antra would induce me to go speedily. It was only when I decided to ma#e a special effort to go ahead slowly% that the (ribhangamurari path "egan to "e 2lit.2 espite the fact that pauses in each hakra were short% I had the impression of reaping the reward of my practice of the "ourth Kriya. The colors of the hakras% namely the colors of the relative (attwas, were perceived% first timidly and then always with great clarity. Though having not yet completed the last sessions of Samantrak % my soul was already pro0ected upon the ne't step% eagerly anticipating its effects. The words of my teacher at the time resounded in my mindL $$The practice of (hokar &meaning the (hokar6(ribhangamurari techni!ue) will produce a state of into'icationL you will "e drun# with 0oy all day long3$$ At long last% I received the yearned1for techni!ue. That moment of my life was really a magic one. I would "e lying if I did not say that I have an endless nostalgia for it. 6ince I practiced this routine in summer and in the open air% I associate it with long sunsets% with evenings that seemed to have no end. Through this procedure% the (ribhangamurari flow is intensified "y specific movements of the head. In Chapter > I have descri"ed how a continuous slow movement of the chin ends with a 0er# directed on a specific center% then% after a micro pause% the movement restarts and there is another 0er# directed on the ne't center and so on - five 0er#s. The pro"lem is that many kriyabans focus all the attention on giving the stro#es and don$t understand the value of creating mental pressure along each millimeter of the path. The desire to get a strong effect too soon should "e cur"ed. The (hokar6(ribhangamurari can "e ideally mastered in four steps. 8et us here consider the movement sensation up the spine and down along the three1curved pathL (. /irst of all it is necessary to feel that the movements of the head accompany perfectly% millimeter after millimeter% the flow of the internal current. /or some time% we ma#e a point of forgetting any attempt at intensification. ,efore considering a further step% we do our "est to o"tain an uninterrupted perception of the current. =. 5nly now we can try to intensify the perception of the internal flow "y creating a mental pressure along each part of it. e utilie the movements of our head to 2touch with pressure2 each millimeter of the path% up and down. The chin is to "e moved slowly as we are striving to win a strong resistance. In Chapter > we have suggested the ideaL $$li#e s!ueeing with a pencil an almost empty tu"e of toothpaste to get the last little "it out. $$ (+;
*. Jow we focus on what is happening when% stopping for a fraction of a second% we vi"rate the related sylla"le in a center. e develop a resolve to "ecome aware of each of the (= centers. hile points ( and = "enefit from our effort with !mantrak % point * "enefits from our effort with Samantrak . 4. 5nly at this point we give all possi"le emphasis to the five stro#es and we perceive also what is radiating out of each center after the stro#e. If I could add a fifth further point% it would "e to give e'treme attention to what happens while chanting (eeee in the %edulla. I refer to our attempt to reach &to "ecome intensely aware of) the Kutastha. 8et me now give an idea of what the standard incremental routine of (hokar6 (ribhangamurari implies. hile !mantrak and Samantrak are practiced every day% the incremental sessions of (hokar6(ribhangamurari are practiced once a wee# &the other days one can% however% practice up to *+ repetitions.) A kriyaban must have had all the time necessary to meta"olie the su"conscious material that the strong action e'erted upon %uladhara "rings to the surface. A kriyaban perceives first a tran!uil flow of energy rising along the spine during =;1*; seconds &this is in itself a strong e'perience)% then while coming down% the head follows the inner flow along the three1curved path% cutting the three main #nots during =;1*; seconds. The movements are perfectly rational and have only one purposeL to increase the strength of the process. In five places lin#ed with 4a Su 3e 4a Ya we have the stro#es. ,y moving the head left% then right% then left% a kriyaban creates an Ida6Pingala "alance. At this point there is the stro#e upon the %uladhara followed "y the ascent through the spine. ,y repeating this process again and again% there is real hope that one succeeds in entering the Sushumna channel% stopping the "reath and en0oying a "lissful ecstatic state3 5ne "egins with *+ rounds a wee# later one practices *+'=% then *+'* ... and finally *+'*+ repetitions. This means (=9+ rounds3 Can you imagine the powerful effects of this actionD (=9+ means that you "egin in the morning and end in the night% doing again and again the same action. There is no dou"t that you$ll succeed in opening the door of Sushumna3 5f course you have prepared this e'perience "y practicing *+'*<% and "efore that *+'*4.... And don$t forget that you have practiced !mantrak for months and Samantrak for another cycle of months3 8iving those long sessions sitting in the open countryside% in total freedom and in a state of mystical $$into'ication$$ was an unforgetta"le event. /or wee#s I had the tendency to practice too !uic#ly% ris#ing never tasting the essence of the procedure. In time I appreciated going slowly and feeling that the process of (hokar happened along the whole path. This created a particular mental intensity of perception. hen in the late afternoon the practice neared the end% I was #een to diminish the strength of the movements of my head and to en0oy the pure (+(
vi"ration of each sylla"le. Towards the end of those "lessed days , I often violated the instruction to chant the sylla"les only mentally. I slowly uttered each sylla"le in a whisper% en0oying a micropause after each of these utterings. This was enough to perceive the sweet irradiation springing out from each center. This perception amplified my e'perience of 0oy. In this incremental routine I found not only peace "ut love% "liss% into'ication... everything. 5ne evening% a sound of tolling "ells came from a distant village - it was li#e a cascade of light3 It was so une'pected3 A part of my mind went on repeatingL 2A human "eing has never "een granted so much 0oy32 To each du"ious kriyaban I would li#e to sayL $$,e assured that if you practice the correct num"er of !mantrak and Samantrak % then the e'perience of (hokar (ribhangamurari will never disappoint you and will "ecome your favorite techni!ue3$$ A"out two months after "eginning this last practice% I too# part in a group pilgrimage and wal#ed a full night in order to reach a "eautiful sanctuary the following morning. I moved around as if my heart "ore a "raier within. I perceived that the center of my personality was not in the "rain% "ut in my heart. al#ing on% I would murmur the (= sylla"les of the %antra% ideally putting each one of them in the related center. I was perfectly aware that mine was not a commonly esta"lished way of practicing% "ut I could not avoid it. I started to perceive something in my heart% a sort of tension of tenderness. I e'perienced the strong power that procedure has of changing the way you loo# at life. I realied that my mates$ lives were wrapped up in love. I understood that the reality of love was the most intense force of life% corrupted only "y the pollution of mind. I felt that human "eings could not "y instinct avoid loving or ta#ing care of some"ody - their own children for e'ample. I had no dou"ts that they were a"le to give their own life for their children. There was in each one of them the power for great and incredi"le actions. As a conse!uence% they could not avoid painful e'periences. I felt as though our lives were soa#ed in love as well as pain and tragedy. This duality was involved in earthly e'istence% interwoven with our "eing. The sentiment of this inescapa"le reality was e'perienced as a painful grip tearing my chest apart. As the sun rose over our path and the sanctuary appeared over a hill% something thawed in my depths and there came such an intensity of love that the same e'perience turned into a 2"lissful2 pain. Jow I was ready to focus all my efforts on the %icro (ribhangamurari mo$ement . It was impossi"le however to drop the %acro (ribhangamurari mo$ement entirely. I "egan e'periencing the %acro %o$ement as a form of *aa "efore each Kriya routine. ith the encouragement of another kriyaban 0 who practiced in this way for months - I "egan practicing it with open eyes. /or reasons that escape my understanding% the psychological effect of this practice was remar#a"le. /rom the very "eginning I had realied that an important detail was to move not only my head "ut my gae also% smoothly% without 0er#s. 6ince this detail is very important% let me dwell upon it. I started with open eyes and chin on the chest. The eyes loo#ed at the (+=
floor. I murmured in a whisper the sylla"les of the %antra and simultaneously raised my chin and gae. y attention moved centimeter after centimeter% loo#ing at anything that was "efore me. Then% without turning the face% my head moved toward the left shoulder% then returned to the center while at the same time I raised the chin up as much as possi"le. uring this movement% my eyes turned up high. hen% from that chin1up position% my face slowly turned to the right% my eyes followed the movement and ended "y loo#ing attentively at the area on my right% as far "ac# as possi"le. Then my face slowly turned to the left. The eyes followed the movement% shifting horiontally without losing any detail of what was in front of me and ended "y loo#ing attentively at the area to my left% as far as possi"le. uring the last four stro#es given from the left% the intensity of my gae diminished and the eyelids closed. In the final instant I felt li#e falling asleep. In this way I repeat the procedure again and again. The first effect I noticed from the first day of practice was the intensity of oneiric activity. 6ome dreams remained very vivid in my imagination during the morning hours. I considered this a privileged way of creating a dialog with the unconscious sphere. I perfected the a"ility to meditate anywhere and not "e distur"ed "y anything. hile in the "eginning I was inclined to "e maniacal in preparing the proper meditation environment and "ecame nervous and worried a"out the slightest thing% now I loved to meditate in unusual places and impossi"le situations - e.g. traveling "y train or watching a movie. I saw that% strangely enough% such occasions could esta"lish% "y contrast% a particular state of awareness yielding unhoped1for results. y practice of %acro (ribhangamurari mo$ement with open eyes continues to the present day and I don$t want to contemplate the eventuality of dropping it. Some remarks about %icro (ribhangamurari routine
hen I received this instruction I was told that% analogously to the Yoni %udra which is practiced every night at the moment a kriyaban prepares to withdraw his awareness from the "ody and from the physical world and gets ready for sleep - which is a 2small death2 - the %icro mo$ement (ribhangamurari incremental routine is li#e a peaceful return to the origin - a preparation to 2die forever2 - meaning to "ecome forever free in 6pirit. It was e'plained to me that this last incremental routine% "esides "eing the "est preparation for the conscious e'it out of the "ody at death & %ahasamadhi)% "urned forever the necessity of reincarnating. ( (
As for what happens during the process of %ahasamadhi% we have heard many stories a"out possi"le $$ Kriya ways$$ of leaving the physical shell o"viously we cannot vouch for their authenticity. 6ome assert that the typical practice is (hokar % others hint at procedures happening entirely in Kutastha1 e can reasona"ly assume that it is not always possi"le to perform the physical movement of (hokar . To focus one$s awareness in the spine or at the point "etween the eye"rows may "e the only thing possi"le. The most interesting thing I$ve heard is that some kriyabans, during the last wee#s or months "efore leaving the "ody% practice only one techni!ueL perceiving the %icro6mo$ement (ribhangamurari nel Kutastha. At the moment of death% they merge with the Infinite through the
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A kriyaban should ma#e every effort to create the opportunity to grant himself the 0oy and the privilege of completing the recommended num"er of repetitions without every yielding to the temptation of hurried practices. In %icro6mo$ement incremental routine we have *+ sessions of practice. hat$s new is that the ma0or part of this session re!uires more than one day. 5n the first day you perceive *+ icro1movements in each of the (= centers &you start from what we have already envisaged in chapter >.) The second session re!uires that you perceive *+'= icro movements in each center. G7ou e'perience one single long roundL >= icro movements in the first hakra without interruption% then >= in the second hakra% and so on.... After some days% you face the third session with *+'* icro movements in each center. Then other days pass "y. Then you have your *+'4 session which will fill up your whole day. The ne't stepsL *+'<% *+'+% *+'>% *+'?% will not only fill up a whole day "ut also part of the ne't day. Therefore you must divide your effort into two parts. hat was heretofore never allowed now happensL you can sleep a whole night "etween the two parts which are considered one session. hat is important is that you start more or less immediately on the morning of the ne't day. Therefore% you are not allowed to go to wor# and it is also recommended that you #eep silent% avoiding any opportunity for conversation. &However% the use of common sense should always prevail if addressed% a polite reply is always imperative.) 7ou can now understand that the following sessions re!uire more days the last session re!uires a"out (= days3 8et me descri"e what happens during the last sessionL you perceive *+'*+ micro movements in each center3 This meansL (=9+ micro movements in %uladhara% (=9+ in Swadhistan.... and so on% ending after some days in %uladhara with (=9+ movements. It is clear that you can complete this routine only when you are free from wor#. 8et me emphasie that one should never s#ip over a stage. on$t thin#% $$5n my ne't 6ummer holidays I$m going to find a doen days to practice *+'*+.$$ Jo3 It does not wor# in this way. ,efore perceiving the icro movement *+'*+ times in each center you must have perceived it *+'*< times. And "efore this% you should have perceived it *+'*4 times% and so on.... Completing this incremental routine is really a giant achievement. any splendid e'periences will happen and the last internal o"stacles will "e cleared one after another. The period in which I was a"sor"ed in this process is enveloped in my memory "y a dreamy aura. I even still find it hard to remem"er it sometimes% only in 0est% I as# myself if it actually e'isted. /or more than two years I deviated from the common way of living. I practiced all day long% every day% out in the open if possi"le. I used to carry along a seat made of a plastic and a wool layer% something to drin#% and a thirty1si'1"ead rosary. I would sit down% "reathe deeply and same procedure.
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proceed with the %antra and the conse!uent icro movement. At the end of each cycle% I would move an o"0ect% a little stone% from one side of my "ody to the other to #eep trac# of the appro'imate num"er of *+ cycles. 5ften an invinci"le drowsiness overpowered all my "est efforts. 5n the inner screen of my awareness a lot of images were displayed li#e dreamli#e visions. Jo help came from changing the position of the legs% practicing %aha %udra several times% or interrupting the practice for a short pause. any times I wondered what "enefit% if any% could "e received from what seemed to "e a voyage into the unconscious world of dreams. After interrupting the practice to get some rest% I found out% however% that it did not solve my pro"lem - sleepiness came "ac# as soon as I resumed the practice. There was no way &coffee% a lot of rest) to find some relief from it there was nothing to do "ut to accept the situation. I went on increasing the length of my sessions. /rom a certain moment onwards% especially "y assuming Kechari %udra% the drowsiness changed into an e'traordinary condition of rela'ation. ore than once I found my "ac# slightly "ent forward I learned not to straighten it with a sudden movement% "ecause that would interrupt the condition of a"sorption and !uiet. After many hours of practice% at the end of my day% occasionally% I was caught "y such euphoria that I felt the irresisti"le instinct to swing the "ody. It was li#e dancing from a sitting stance% accompanying the dance with a su"tle form of internally hitting the center where I was focusing my concentration. henever I pronounced the seventh sylla"le% my trun# swung left% thin#ing of the following one it swung right... and then left again. hen I thought the last sylla"le my trun# !uivered a little% giving such a profusion of "liss3 I learned to practice without "eing distur"ed "y anything in this way% the techni!ue landed in my life as a new instinct arousing spontaneously when I sat down and straightened my spine. /rom that moment onwards% the heart hakra "ecame a reality manifesting very easily as a warm% pulsing sensation the other hakras "ecame easy detecta"le "y inducing% through a moderate use of attention% a swinging sensation in them. This event deepened my way of practicing the Kriya techni!ues , erasing forever the necessity of any visualiation. = 5ne day I was on a cliff not far from a "each where a small num"er of people used to go for a wal#. I too# shelter under a tree from the sun% and at dus# I went to the "each% leaned my "ac# against a roc# and stayed there% pretending to stare at a distant o"0ect. I practiced #eeping my eyes open. The s#y was an indestructi"le crystal of infinite transparency and the ocean waves were continually changing their color% having in themselves an almost un"eara"le charm. I was trying to hide my tears "ehind the "lac# lenses of my sunglasses. I cannot descri"e what I felt e'cept in poetic form. There is an Indian song &in the final part of the movie %ahabharata) =
Even a little practice of this e'ercise is a miracle of sweetness. In the last part of your Kriya routine% you can perceive three micro1movements in each of the (= centers starting from %uladhara and returning to %uladhara1 ,y repeating this for three rounds% you plunge into a state without parallel. After this routine% you can lay down in corpse pose & Sa$asana) o"taining a particular state of physical and mental immo"ility where the Kundalini energy will rise into the heart hakra.
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whose lyrics are ta#en from the S$etas$atara Uanishad 1 2I have met this reat 6pirit% as radiant as the sun% transcending any material conception of o"scurity. 5nly the one who #nows Him can transcend the limits of "irth and death. There is no other way to reach li"eration "ut meeting this reat 6pirit.2 hen I listen to the "eautiful voice of the Indian singer repeating 2There is no other way2% my heart #nows that nothing has the power to #eep me away from this state and this terrifically "eautiful practice% which I will en0oy for the rest of my life.
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CHAPTER (; PRAYER 01APA2: THE BASIC INSTRU$ENT OF ALL THE $YSTICAL PATHS
y purpose is to cope with a vital pro"lem. How many people are there who have started and then a"andoned the practice of the Higher FriyasD @nfortunately many receive (hokar without complete e'planation and a"andon its practice after their initial attempts% yielding either insignificant or no results. 5ther Kriya students "oast that they are $$hum"le$$ and affirm that for them the "irst Kriya techni!ues are enough% that within the "irst Kriya there is everything% and therefore there is no need for any effort and or concentration for anything that falls outside the "irst Kriya techni!ues. If you tell them they have renounced a great treasure% they will reply with their worn1out clichNs and turn a deaf ear to any o"0ection. Their statements reveal a lac# of understanding of the meaning and importance of those su"tle procedures. /or those who are willing to listen I want to consider them according to a uni!ue perspective. Actually% in my opinion% (hokar and its refinements & .igher Kriyas "eyond second) in order to "e fully realied should "e lived in the dimension of the ontemlati$e Prayer . Indeed% if my convictions have any validity% outside that dimension% the whole set of the .igher Kriyas ris#s to "ecome only a toy with which to e'periment% to "e e'alted through it and then let all of it "e disintegrated "y different dou"ts and "y endless curiosities for alternative practices. Perhaps I am saying that the Kriya path is incomplete without considering the path of ontemlati$e Prayer D Certainly I am% of this I have no dou"ts3 I am firmly convinced that those who went to 8ahiri ahasaya already practiced Prayer +*aa-, pro"a"ly for su"stantial part of their life% and for them Kriya Yoga didn$t represent something totally new "ut was a od sent improvement of what they already were doing% in which they had already poured their soul. /or them the lofty procedure of (hokar wor#ed and actually gave results "ecause they were already very near to the achievement of the Prayer of the heart that we are going to descri"e in this chapter. If a person has no factual #nowledge with these themes% one will thin# that I am a"out to diminish the value of the (hokar techni!ue. ell% (hokar can induce a particular state in the heart% a state that can "e deepened only "y a mind transformed "y ontemlati$e Prayer . After (hokar there are stages to whom the practice of %ental Pranayama is only an introduction. Those states lead to something that I have no words to define and for this reason I will refer to the great mystical traditions% especially Hesychasm and the wor#s of Teresa of Avila. Practicing the ontemlati$e Prayer in order to create the "est am"ient for (hokar and utiliing ( hokar to give a "oost to the intensity of a ontemlati$e Prayer creates the condition where $$the Prayer reaches the Heart$$. There are no words ade!uate to e'press what this implies. ivine 8ight is e'perienced in the heart hakra. Yoni %udra intensifies the e'perience of 8ight and through it ma#es the last #not &5ranti) in the point "etween the eye"rows e'plodeL with (+>
this event all Kriya procedures end in full% final Emancipation. In the following paragraphs you will find good material for refining your practice% fully realiing what (hokar has prepared you. Kriya yoga is our life and every word that comes from great mystical traditions enriches and inspires us. 5ur lifelong effort is greatly "enefited from such a study. 7ou will o"tain undreamed of results li#e for e'ample the endless delight of the "reathless state. hat I am suggesting &the practice of the ontemlati$e Prayer coupled with Kriya techni!ues perfecting (hokar at the ma'imum level) is a 0ourney that can ta#e a lifetime to flourish in the full 6elf1realiation state% and perhaps continues "eyond the life of the "ody. Throughout oneKs life% it can "e mediated "y different teachers% each one ade!uate for the appropriate stage of practice and development. Therefore% I am setting out to ta#e "ac# the discourse of *aa introduced in Chapter * e'panding% utiliing estern material. I will tal# a"out Hesychast traditions summariing their #ey teachings and s!ueee the essence of the writings of 6t. Teresa of Avila. &7ou will find only hints to 6ufi and Ti"etan traditions in the appendi' to this Chapter.) Clearly% the second part of the "oo# could not contain that material Jow what is ontemlati$e Prayer7 It is the repetition of a formula which has a devotional meaning of offering% of surrender to od. In Christianity over the centuries% a great deal of incomprehension and misunderstanding has arisen with respect to the practice of ontemlati$e Prayer that it ris#ed an almost total eclipse of understanding. /or many devotees Prayer was - with rare e'ceptions - a plea to od with the sole purpose of o"taining personal favors or "lessings for a suffering humanity. Jow let us consider only the so called Prayer of 8orshi or !doration. &An e'ample of such a Prayer is 8ahiri ahasaya$s $$)m Namo /haga$ate 4asude$aya$$. Another could "e )m Namo Shi$aya or Sri Ram *ay Ram *ay *ay Ram )m.....) Each person chooses his favorite formula and repeats it many% many times entering a deep state of meditation and contemplation. The Prayer is said with meaning and intent it involves the entire human "eingL soul% mind% and "ody. This is ontemlati$e Prayer1 ell% I am affirming that one can understand the whole edifice of Kriya and hence put the "asis to "ring it to perfection only "y enthusiastically adopting it as a daily ha"it. As conse!uence of the consolidated ha"it of ontemlati$e Prayer , sooner or later it "ecomes automatic. It is mentally repeated% without effort% and it "ecomes an a"iding present li#e a sweet accompanying "ac#ground music. It characteries a successful internal transformation of the devotee from a curious and acute researcher% pleased with one$s discoveries% to a hum"le mystic who #nows he #nows nothing. The 2internal dialogue2 that hindered every effort of concentration is now under control. 5ne remains as much as possi"le in solitude% avoids useless conversations% feels 0oy in dwelling upon the Prayer that is happening internally and in fi'ing all strength of attention and concentration upon all aspects the Prayer . (+?
The Prayer of the .eart is the goal of the evolution of the ontinuous Prayer . It is not a simple concept such as $$ Prayer uttered with devotion and feeling$$. It is a deeper e'perience achieved at the end of a life of surrender to od. It is the state where Prayer is uttered with all the faculties of the soul% with the energy of the whole "ody% when the "reath and the pulse of the heart have reached a sovereign calm. 5nly wor#ing to achieve this state% independent from (hokar "ut helped "y (hokar can one reach the summit of Kriya Yoga. 7ou are not geared to o"tain any #ind of astral e'perience% "ut you will come into communion with od and participate in It$s grace% discover ho is yours already% listen to ho never ceases to tal#% posses That or ho even now posses you. 7ou would not see# me unless you had already found me. & Pascal )
hat you will find in this chapter has one purpose onlyL to stimulate your curiosity &perhaps something dormant in you coming from who #nows whence...) to create a momentum which will assist you to "egin the practice of *aa. Although your initial efforts may "e far from an ideal of perfection% you will enter the most e'traordinary period of your life% culminating with the achievement of the "reathless state. I invite each kriyaban to ta#e note of the themes that are dealt with the "est of literature a"out Prayer & *aa) and to deepen them "y their own practice. 7ou will find simple "oo#s that e'plain with amaing simplicity everything essential a"out this theme. I am referring to "iographies of saints% !uoting the counsels give "y them. The literature on this su"0ect is vast% "ut there is no purpose in reading everything. The "eauty that is "orn from these te'ts ma#es you feel the goal as the nearest of the near% more appealing than anything else in the world. ,eing aflame for it% you practice "eyond the point of e'haustion and achieve your goal. Then you will have the opportunity to master (hokar and this will "e the end of your effort. If initially% as is perfectly understanda"le% the following paragraphs appear to some as empty rhetoric% the depth% clarity and purpose of these statements and esoteric procedure will "ecome more apparent as this and the su"se!uent chapter progresses.
The teachings of Hesychasm Hesychasm &from ree#L OQSUV hesychasmos% meaning 2stillness% rest% !uiet% silence% tran!uillity2) is a Christian orthodo' movement considering inner peace a necessity for everyone. 5n ount Athos the mon#s wor#ed out a whole system of contemplation "ased upon a simple Prayer% a simple formula &2 9ord *esus hrist, son of 5od, ha$e mercy on me, a sinner 2 which is called the $$ *esus Prayer $$) practiced in complete silence. Their main teaching is how to reach the lofty state of the Prayer of the .eart . Perfection of the Prayer of the .eart leads (+9
to the highest mystical achievementL the perception of the 2Uncreated 9ight 2. Hesychasts interpret Christ$s in0unction in the ospel of atthew which saysL 2go into your closet to pray2% to mean that their first duty is to withdraw inward. 5nly when we you have stilled your hearts and "odies you can "e fully open to the presence of the ivine. The "ody should "e held immova"le for a long time. The starting point is the re0ection of tempting thoughts. After ignoring the physical senses% you "egin to e'perience stillness. The discipline is toughL you watch your thoughts and courageously fight them. uch of Hesychast literature is engaged with the psychological analysis of tempting thoughts. A great emphasis is placed on humilityL disaster will "efall if one proceeds with pride% arrogance or conceit. In my opinion it is very important for a kriyaban read the "oo# (he 8ay of a Pilgrim. It is a Russian novel written "y $$Anonymous$$ in the mid1nineteenth century and translated into English in (9*;. In the meeting "etween 5rthodo'y and the est which has occurred over the past seventy years% pro"a"ly no single "oo# has e'ercised a wider appeal than (he 8ay of a Pilgrim. It is a simple% edifying "oo#% of universal spiritual appeal. It is imminently practical in its advice to not dither in starting the *esus Prayer . The main reason for the wor#$s attraction is the presentation of a wandering hermit$s life as the model e'istence for those who truly wish to lead a spiritual life. Than#s to the inspiration coming from it many feel to "e a "orn again Christian and are a"le to say the prayer faithfully for several hours. * The story is a"out a pilgrim returning from the Holy 6epulcher who stopped at ount Athos and told of his lifelong search for the teaching on how 2to pray continually2 - the way 6aint Paul had recommended - to a mon#. 5ne is immediately struc# "y the opening wordsL 2,y the grace of od% I am a Christian% "y my actions% a great sinner% and "y calling% a homeless wanderer of the hum"lest "irth roaming from place to place. y worldly goods are a #napsac# with some dried "read in it% and in my "reast poc#et a ,i"le. And that is all2. Jo one #nows for certain if it is a true story a"out a particular pilgrim or a spiritual fiction created to propagate the mystical aspect of the 5rthodo' Christian faith. 6ome% on the "asis of other witnesses% identify the author as the Russian 5rthodo' mon# Archimandrite i#hail Folov. hatever the historical truth% this pilgrim is the ideal representative of a vast category of people who spent their life visiting sanctuaries% churches% monasteries% the Athos ountain% the Holy 8and see#ing od through the continuous Prayer of the .eart . *
6trange as it may seem% for many the first e'posure to the Prayer of the .eart came from /ranny and Wooey "y :.. 6alingerL 2... if you #eep saying that prayer over and over again% you only have to 0ust do it with your lips at first 1 then eventually what happens% the prayer "ecomes self1 active. 6omething happens after a while. I don$t #now what "ut something happens% the words get synchronied with the person$s heart1"eats% and then you$re actually praying without ceasing.2 A"out the Philokalia% which is often used "y Hesychasts. It is a collection of te'ts on prayer and asceticism written from the 4th to the (
?=. In my opinion% it is a tedious te't showing the attitude of the mind% o"sessed "y sin and temptations% to complicates the simplest things. However% it is irrefuta"le that here and there% some pearls of wisdom are disseminated.
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The pilgrim completes not only a pilgrimage of physical order% "ut a"ove all spiritual% that is countersigned "y some precise% universal stages. These stages mar# the passage from the vocal prayer $$of the lips$$ to the fullness of the prayer $$of the heart.$$ The "oo# narrates how the pilgrim was resolute a"out covering an infinite distance across the steppes% if he had to% in order to find a spiritual guide that would reveal to him the secret of ontinuous Prayer . 5ne day% his ardor was awarded he found a spiritual teacher who accepted him as a disciple and gradually clarified to him every detail of the practice that was so strongly attracting him. The Pilgrim is commanded to say daily an e'act num"er of Prayers% neither more nor lessL *%;;; times for a certain num"er of days% increasing to +%;;;% and then to (=%;;;. reat emphasis is laid "y the teacher on these num"ers in order to realie the ideal of 2praying ceaselessly2. ,y following this counsel% the pilgrim finds eventually the Prayer at his lips and in his mind every wa#ing hour% as spontaneous and effortless as "reath itself. In this wonderful condition he comes to e'perience the effulgence of the divine light% the innermost 2secret of the heart2. In order to give an idea of what% from now onwards% his life has "ecome% the pilgrim !uotes the ospel passage of the "irds of the air and the lilies of the field 1 identifying himself with them as completely dependent on odL whatever happens% it cannot separate him from od. 8i#e a person en0oying the "eauty of a chilly winter near the fireside% one who practices ontinuous Prayer contemplates either the sad or the 0oyous spectacle of life having found the infinity of the s#ies residing in their heart3 Prayer is a marvelous gem whose glitter warms up life. Its magic spreads into each facet of life% li#e wal#ing out of a dar# room into fresh air and sunlight. 6ince the action of ontinuous Prayer goes on automatically in the mind% always present li#e a "ac#ground sound% the 2inner dialog2% which prevents meditation% is under controlL one can live permanently in the dimension of %ental Silence. Hesychasts counsel to care for this state at all stages of one$s life at every moment. The first commandment is to preserve in yourself a prayerful spirit that is% to have od in your remem"rance and e'ert yourself in every way to commit yourself to Him. hen this intention is sincerely etched in your mind and heart% then they counsel to $$arouse in your heart a feeling of heat .$$ They e'plain that when you have succeeded in attaining this condition% you must develop all your duties in such a way as not to destroy it. 7ou must live this condition and heed it continuouslyL as soon as it changes% realie that something in your consciousness is creating disharmony. Therefore you must analye yourself% find the cause of disharmony and rectify it. They also addL $$8earn to constantly fi' your own attention on the region of the throat.$$ They e'plain that during active life% the words of Prayer + although almost automatic) gush out incessantly from there while during immo"ile meditation they are felt in the heart. A type of mental light illuminates the internal "eing. 6oul and "ody live in harmony and this is the "ase of the spiritual life. This harmony is not lost during sleep. (>(
I sleep% "ut my heart wa#eth &Song of Solomon :2; )
Jo wonder that those who e'perience this state try to live% as much as possi"le% in solitude. If this is not possi"le% they try to avoid useless conversations with people. There are moments during the day% when the "reath stops and the awareness is filled only "y od$s presence. The first step is that of purest prayer% /rom this there comes warmth of heart% And then a strange% a holy energy% Then tears wrung from the heart% od1given. Then peace from thoughts of every #ind. /rom this arises purging of the intellect% And ne't the vision of heavenly mysteries. @nheard of 8ight is "orn from this ineffa"ly% And thence% "eyond all telling% the heartKs illumination. 8ast comes - a step that has no limit Though compassed in a single line - Perfection that is endless & %onk (heohanis, the .esychast ascetic of the
In the pages of this inspiring "oo# we can glimpse the great clout of a very ancient tradition. In recent years% its readers have multiplied. 7et many of them wonder how to underta#e the practice of ontemlati$e Prayer . 8et me therefore attempt to summarie the esoteric teachings of the Hesychast method. They are to "e found not only in the !uoted "oo# (he 8ay of a Pilgrim "ut in the Philokalia and in other Hesychast literature also. e kriyabans discover that those instructions have amaing similarities with the Kriya procedures. The study of them provides a particular lens to "etter understand our Kriya discipline. The words of those who had practical e'perience of the Prayer of the heart % are very important for us% and it would "e foolish to superficially glance over it. ,asic teachingL how to start the practice of ontemlati$e Prayer They counsel to repeat the Prayer orally% with your lips% tongue and voice% then !uietly% 0ust audi"ly enough that you can hear yourself. hen you are $$satiated$$ of this oral Prayer % "egin to repeat it in whisper. hen assailed "y distraction or lainess% then return to repeating it aloud. It is very important not to distur" the peace of the practice and to maintain a tran!uil rhythm. 7ou can ma#e a few prostrations &"ows from the waist.) Twelve prostrations will suffice in the "eginning. That num"er can "e constantly increased. The prostrations warm up the "ody and strengthen fervor in Prayer . Then sit comforta"ly and try to lengthen the rhythm of your "reath. ,reathe in and "reathe out producing and perceiving a sweet noise and sensation (>=
in the throat. &6trange as it might seem% I have found this instruction in Hesychasm literature. I am not creating this instruction using my Kriya #nowledge.) As the "reath reaches a sta"le and regular rhythm% com"ine and merge either the whole% partial or sylla"le aspects of the Prayer % with the rhythm of the ingoing and outgoing "reath. Thus esta"lishing a lin# "etween the rhythm of the "reathing process and the mental repetition of the Prayer . It is further advised to use one$s intuition and awareness in discovering one$s preference on how to proceed with merging their chosen Prayer with the "reathing process &whole% partial or sylla"le - i.e. half the Prayer with the ingoing "reath% and half the Prayer with the outgoing "reath). As a general rule you should repeat your Prayer for a minimum of (< minutes. 7ou should then gradually increase to a period of *; minutes. 7ou will need to measure your timeL one way is with a cloc#% another way is to use a Rosary or %ala. A Rosary=%ala is also employed as an aid to concentration and to the esta"lishment of a regular rhythm. After a ma'imum of *; minutes% move on to pure mental repetition. Repeat the words in the center of your mind% "ehind your forehead. Repeat !uietly% unhurriedly% thoughtfully avoiding any imagination. @sing imagination may create new mental distractions and hinder clear perception and awareness of the process. 8ittle "y little your attention will settle on the meaning of the words you are using% your heart will "e touched and the Prayer will introduce you into its sanctuary. 6trive therefore to confine your thought to the Prayer and you will surely reach the stage when the mind remains e'clusively in the words. This will guide you% as we are going to descri"e% into the final a"duction of the mind into od$s dimension. Advanced teachingL how to move toward the achievement of the Prayer of the .eart
uring the previous "asic stage% it is very li#ely that the center of your "eing is located within the region "etween the eye"rows. This place corresponds to an a"stract thought of pure intellectuality and is not fit for all the phases of meditation. If the energy of your thought comes down to the level of the throat% as it normally happens while reciting the Prayer % it ac!uires an evocative power recharged with emotional values. As a conse!uence there is the tendency to "ecome lost in mental associations. In the advanced stage that we are now going to descri"e% you will learn how to move the center of your awareness towards the heart center. The attention reaches complete cohesion it is sustained "y a higher intensity and nothing e'traneous can distur" it. Hesychasts e'plain that finding 2the place of the heart2 means to esta"lish one$s internal life in a lasting Present % where you don$t pray anymore with the $$mind in the head$$ "ut with $$the mind in the heart.$$ Achieving this state is a very great e'perience3 Hesychasts e'plain that it is followed "y a full drastic realiation that $$what we have lived till now has "een nothing .$$ ,ut now let us descri"e how to move the awareness towards the heart center. ith all your attention focused upon the cardiac center% inhale through the nose% thin#ing all the words of the Prayer1 uring inhalation% feel the energy of the air "lend with the words of Prayer and guide it to the place of the heart. (>*
E'hale feeling that the Prayer comes up with the "reath and goes out through the nose. &If your Prayer is long% recite half during inhalation and half during e'halation.) After some repetitions% introduce a pause after inhalation. uring this pause tilt the chin onto the upper part of the "reast% feeling the tension of the nec# muscles% hold the "reath for how much you are a"le to do so &comforta"ly without strainBforce)% loc#ing your awareness in the heart center and repeating your Prayer there several times. Then e'hale% repeating it again while "reath and Prayer rise to the nose. Jote uring the pause you can synchronie the Prayer with the "eating of the heart. Xisualie your heart and turn your eyes to it% as if you are loo#ing at it. 8isten attentively with the mind to its pulsations% one after the other. hen you are used to this% proceed &always loo#ing internally at the heart) to ma#e each pulsation coincide with a word or with a sylla"le of the Prayer . This can happen also during inhalation and e'halation.
This is the most ancient tradition of the practice of the Prayer of the .eart . If you persevere in "ringing ahead this practice% you will discover new aspects of it. Patience and commitment should "e unsha#ea"le during the practice. If this stage seems difficult to you% remem"er what 6t. 6imeon the Jew Theologian saidL 26it in your cell% and the Prayer will teach you everything2. editation after the previous advanced practice /orget the "reath. 6it &comforta"ly and without strain) with your head "owed and your eyes directed toward the a"domen. &e can o"serve that even if a person sits with straight spine% he ac!uires this position spontaneously when he comes close to the state of Samadhi1) Empty your mind of every picture and image. ,e tenacious in praying with concentrated focus on the navel "ut try to enter it% as if the navel were only a $$door$$. Initially% you will find a 0oyless and dull o"scurity "ut with persistence% a limitless happiness will "e reached. 7ou will see the open space within the heart and yourself entirely luminous and full of discrimination consciousness contemplates the 2Uncreated 9ight 2. The heart is filled with the most loving and su"tle "liss3 In this state one "ecomes 2entirely2 luminous. The illumination comes from inside% proceeding from the open space within the heart center. 6ometimes you will feel a warm sensation originating from the heart region. This sensation% first mild% may turn into a sensation of solidification of the heart which is felt li#e a point surrounded "y an endless pressure. /rom this pressure comes a strange e'perience of pain. e perceive the ivine% the endless 8ight and we "urn of love. e realie the moment has not yet come to "ecome one with that endless 8ight and ,lissL hence the pain. 4 4
An Hesychast author gives this e'planationL $$To pray with the heart% we suffer "ecause we "ecome one with other$s pain.$$ This author reminds us of the Hesychasts$ recommendationL $$e must come out little "y little from our own self and "egin to love% to suffer for other people as well. e must love the other% must suffer for him% so that we can pray for him. Pain "ecomes a grace that passes through the "ody which "ecomes dead to the world and is crucified.$$
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Sectarian religious objections based on atent nonsense
8et us reply with dignity to folly uttered "y those people who have never really practiced this path. e have heard from people who call themselves Christians. They affirm that the Hindu techni!ue of %antra & *aa) cannot "e practiced and e'perienced inside the dimension of the Hesychasm in other words% it can never "e defined Prayer of the .eart . They say that there is an infinite distance separating the Christian Prayer of the .eart from the Hindu *aa. e are stunned "y reading such statement asL $$,ehind some names li#e Krishna% Rama% or Shi$a there are demons lying in wait. 5nce they are invo#ed "y the use of the %antra% the door is open for the devil to "egin his theatrical productions% using sounds% images% dreams% and the imagination in general in order to drag the practitioner deeper into deception.$$3 In our hum"le opinion% when a person is seriously committed to the path of the Prayer of the .eart % there is no time% no interest% nor any will to "e concerned a"out the thoughts and opinions of people pertaining to other religious traditions. If they practice something similar to your Prayer % this very fact should "ring 0oy to you% not harsh terri"le 0udgment. hy tal# a"out ecumenism if you show such contempt towards Hinduism and YogaD /urther nonsense is that using this method without guidance is to court spiritual disaster and ruining our lungs. They assure that many who have tried to learn the procedure of the Prayer of the .eart "y themselves% have ruined their lungs and achieved nothing. This seems to me an e'aggeration and fundamentally a lie. They go ahead e'plaining that the various phases of the procedure &gae turned to the navel% attention to the "reath and to the pulsation of the heart upon which to synchronie the Prayer ) push one into a world of dreams% illusions% and at times $$in a constant state of lust.$$ e cannot accept the claim that those who e'plore the way of ontemlati$e Prayer % without a socially accepted religious community and liturgical conte't% are prey to total illusion and instead of "eing in a relationship with od% they grow a su"tle form of self1satisfaction 1 a form of spiritual narcissism. This accusation is a#in to the ordinary accusation that Yoga is a process of self1deifying% while the correct attitude should "e the will to reunite with od "ut to remain a distinct person. The ignorance of such affirmations are truly astounding3 They don$t recognie the fact &which many mystics have often e'pressed in poetic form) of a completely different attitude the idea of total% irrevoca"le union with od. hat they are claiming only reveals their limited #nowledge of oriental meditation and ignorance of Christian literature% where numerous Christian 6aints have e'pressed their vision which in an identical manner to the 6aints and Rishis of Hindu Yoga. Another ordinary accusation is that the insistence on properly performed techni!ues of meditation and on correct procedures of Prayer % as a prere!uisite for e'periencing well defined mystical states% is in contrast to the teaching of race. e #now that some yogis claim that the "enefit accrued "y repeating the (><
%antra is
due to certain fre!uencies produced "y its pronunciation% which cause spiritual vi"rations that activate spiritual centers within man% "ut this is only an innocent tentative fantasy a"out the wor#ings of our "rain and nervous system. In the estern world there are plenty of theories a"out the use of "rain waves and meditation% and thus far their use has "een of no value or success owing to the fact that these respective su"0ects are incompati"le and non1interchangea"le with each other due to the conflicts arising primarily from linguistic and philosophical differences &i.e. utiliing or translating Patan0ali$s Yoga sutras in con0unction with scientific theory sans#rit terms e'ist in these sutras for which the English and scientific language simply has no e!uivalent words or concepts% and are actually totally at odds due to linguistic limitations and that the "asis of the scientific method of in!uiry is "ased on empirical and measura"le evidence). e #now that the fervor of our heart% which alone can create a total% true and sincere surrender to the ivine% simply cannot "e "rought onto the ta"le of a scientific la"oratory. e understand this and it has "een evident to mystics% yogis% ,uddhists and so on. Therefore% let those who wish to argue and "ic#er overcome their flimsy polemics "y themselves. Each mystic "egins his long path "y ma#ing an effort% many try to learn conscientiously a procedure &li#e the Russian in (he 8ay of a Pilgrim ) - why do certain people feel the need to stigmatie thisD If one "egins in that way% a great many transformations happen along the path there comes surrender% total trust in od and then comes the race of od 1 and why not% who has the authority of denying thisD The teachings of St. Teresa of Ávila In the writings of 6t. Teresa of Yvila < we see clearly that perfection in the spiritual life can "e reached only "y e'panding the limit in the practice of ontemlati$e Prayer &she uses the termL $$ Internal )ration.$$) According to 6t. Teresa &iovanni of the Cross was of the same idea) Prayer is everything in the mystical path. There is no other e'ercise upon which she insists so much in all of her writings and to which she grants such importance. In her opinion% the soul that doesn$t create the ha"it of Prayer is lost - it won$t reach the mystical goal. 6he descri"ed nine levels of Prayer - not nine different techni!ues of praying "ut nine stages that one e'periences while continuing to repeat the chosen Prayer . ost Catholics are not informed a"out these levels. This teaching compliments and completes in a useful way that of the Hesychasm. Here we find a very precise analysis of the various degrees and stages of ontemlati$e Prayer . The stages descri"ed happen with spontaneous naturalness and the teaching of 6t. Teresa flows from her own e'perience and not from the "oo#s she consulted. <
6aint Teresa of Yvila% also called 6aint Teresa of :esus% &arch =?% (<(< - 5cto"er 4% (
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This is an outline of her Prayer schemeL (. Xocal Prayer =. iscursive editation *. Affective ental Prayer 4. Ac!uired Recollection <. Infused Recollection +. Prayer of Zuiet >. Prayer of 6imple @nion ?. Prayer of Ecstatic @nion 9. Prayer of Transforming @nion 3% 4o&( Prayer
6t. Teresa recommends that "eginners should first use vocal Prayer . 7ou choose the formula that mostly e'cites fervor and devotion. In this way you can hope that attention follows what you are saying and to hom you are addressing it. Xocal Prayer must last the time necessary to e'cite devotion% no more. It is the door to enter the internal castleL 2e need no wings to go in search of Him% "ut have only to find a place where we can "e alone and loo# upon Him present within us2 &6t. Teresa). 5% Dis&)'si+e $e"ittion
6t. Teresa tal#s a"out $$reasoned application of the mind to a supernatural truth to have a deep conviction of it and therefore to love it and to practice it with the help of the race.$$ This doesn$t seem a stage of Prayer "ut it represents a universal human instinct and necessity. Therefore we appreciate 6t. Teresa$s deep understanding of the human psyche. 6t. Teresa e'plains that at this moment &after the preliminary phase of Prayer % after your striving against distractions) you will have a poignant vision of what you can do directly after your Prayer something that is spiritually uplifting% something that translates into practical life the deepest meaning of your Prayer . 6t. Teresa #nows that this process of reasoning mi'ed with strong power of implementation will stop the Prayer for some minutes. However% she #nows that it is compelling that it has to "e accepted without resisting until the heart finds peace 1 after which you can resume your Prayer . 6% A**e&ti+e $ent( Prayer
Jow we enter what is called a $$sleep of the faculties$$ it is not $$trance$$ nor is it $$union.$$ The heart prevails% consolations and sensitive softness are "egotten. 7% A&8)i'e" Re&o((e&tion
In this stage you feel the presence of od. $$Ac!uired$$ means achieved with your efforts. Prayer goes on and you are a"sor"ed in a loving awareness. your attitude is going to "ecome more and more passive. The soul is% as it were% utterly (>>
fainting in a #ind of trance. ,reathing% and all "odily strength seems to fail% so that it cannot even move the hands without great pain the eyes close involuntarily% and if they are open% they are as if they saw nothing nor is reading possi"le - the very letters seem strange% and cannot "e distinguished. The ear hears% "ut what is heard is not understood. It is useless to try to spea#% "ecause it is not possi"le to conceive the words nor% if it were possi"le% is there strength sufficient to utter it for all "odily strength vanishes% and that of the soul increases. hen a kriyaban e'periences this stage% one would li#e to write down something as to fi' the the method "y which to achieve that state again% to have it again and again in the following practices of Prayer . 5ne is sure of the discovery of a secret% "ut when the eyes are opened and one tries to write% the magic of those moments disappears and one can$t remem"er what e'actly was done to reach that state. It is important to understand that this state happens when many conditions are respected and fall into place together - optimal condition of our "ody% pacification of our emotions% deep silence in our thin#ing process. It is for this reason that it is useless to see# a precise recipe to reproduce it. 9% In*)se" Re&o((e&tion
This state is a logical deepening of the previous state and is the first degree of mystical contemplation. 6t. Teresa calls it $$Infused Recollection$$ "ecause it comes from race. 6he descri"es it as a glorious delirium% a celestial folly% a state of unspea#a"le delights. It is an ine"riation of love in which the soul doesn$t #now what to do% whether to spea# or to #eep silent% whether to cry or to laugh. The soul is conscious of a deep satisfaction. The soul feels invaded "y something that has the taste of eternal life. 7ou feel as if coming into contact with an &ndless 5oodness. Intimately you #now that you are in communication with od. This state produces a partial transformation of your way of living. However% it needs to "e remem"ered that this state em"odies only the "eginning of true mystical e'perience a feeling that there is nothing on the earth worthy of your desire or attention. This is the last state in which you can have a physical movement. It happens that the movements that you are induced to do have the character of dance - see the ervish e'perience. % P',e' o* ;)iet < =% P',e' o* Simp(e Union
The "ody "ecomes insensitive and the will is totally captivated "y ivine 8ove. The other faculties% such as memory% reason% and imagination% are progressively captivated and occupied with od. ,oth the intellect and the will are a"sor"ed in od. istractions are not possi"le and the e'ternal "odily senses are $imprisoned$. In Kriya% we would appro'imately descri"e this as the first stage of Samadhi. At this stage one listens to the internal astral sounds% the sound of )m and also (>?
witnesses the ivine 8ight. 5ne is in total a"sorption% "eing drawn and merging very deeply into the e'perience feeling as if approaching annihilation "efore such tremendous /eauty. >% Prayer o* E&stti& Union
The description that I am going to give of the state of Ecstatic @nion using the words of 6t. Teresa is very strange. However% remem"er that what I$m going to report is not an e'aggerationL 6t. Teresa couldn$t have found "etter words attempting to e'press the ine'pressi"le. 8et us then "egin to e'plain that the soul is wounded with love for the ivine. ,ody and 6pirit are in the throes of a sweet% happy pain% alternating "etween a fearful fiery glow% a complete impotence% unconsciousness% and a feeling of suffocation% sometimes intermi'ed with such an ecstatic flight that the "ody is literally lifted into space. /rom this the su"0ect awa#ens in tears. The way with which od hurts the soul is ine'pressi"le. The torment is so alive that the soul goes out of itself% although at the same time so sweet that you can not compare it with any pleasure of the earth. 6t. Teresa further e'plains that there are moments in which you can feel li#e an arrow has deeply penetrated your heart. 5ne laments with such a vivid and intense pain% "ut at the same time the e'perience is so delicious one never wants it to end. ?% Prayer o* T'ns*o'min@ Union
Also called the 2mystical marriage2% it is the highest state of Prayer that can "e achieved in this life. It represents the most intimate union of the soul with od the soul "ecomes ivine and is no more su"0ect to ecstasy 1 the contact with od happens without the physical death of the "ody. Jow the 0ourney of the soul ends. hat at one time had the character of supplication or of a sweet conversation with our personal idea of od has progressively transformed into a hard unemotional wor#% and has now lead you to the ultimate crowning e'perience of the encounter with od.
)ther sources of insiration2 (ibetan /uddhism and Sufi mystical ath (ibetan /uddhism insists
so much on the value of %antra that I couldn$t avoid !uoting this source of inspiration. Their teaching is repeating )m %ani Padme .um &$$Hail the 0ewel in the lotus$$) again and again until the chaos of your thoughts !uiets. e rarely come across deeper remar#s% "ut you can find them if you #eep on see#ing. /or e'ample% among a great deal of empty chatter% I found an e'cellent teaching. 8et me summarie itL "y repeating the %antra% the pulse of your heart "ecomes clearly evident and your attention turns to the easy movement of "reath through your nostrils in and out. 7ouKre no longer lost in thought. 7ouKre not spaced out. 7ouKre in the state of meditation. The layers that are covering up your true "eing% reveal your true nature which is love and (>9
compassion. If Ti"etan ,uddhists would stop here% all would "e perfect. @nfortunately they try a childish demonstration that all the teachings of the ,uddha are contained in the %antra )m %ani Padme .um. 7ou find also clear e'aggerations li#e the story that if any animal or insect should hear this %antra "efore dying% it would "e re"orn to the pure land of !mitabha..... Another story is that "y reciting the %antra with mindfulness and a proper understanding% all sufferings will dissolve and up to seven generations of that personKs descendents wonKt get re"orn in the lower realms.... or that viewing the written form of the %antra is said to have the same effect that reciting it....... or that spinning the written form of the %antra around a wheel is also "elieved to give the same "enefit as reciting the antra.... These stories distur" the "eauty% purity and value of the %antra% "ut we are used to such nonsense. 6ouls stirring ardent feelings and sincerity are to "e found in the literary material relating the e'periences of the Sufis &Islamic mystics)% where the cele"ration of od and nature shines with a strength and amplitude "eyond comparison. There you will find sincerity and a "urning feeling of love and devotion that touches your soul. Reading some pages of the Sufi mystics means receiving spiritual into'ication and 0oy that are the "est antidote to the periods of depression or aridity typical of many spiritually oriented people. $$I died as a mineral and "ecame a plant I died as plant and rose to animal I died as animal and I was an. hy should I fearD hen was I less "y dyingD 7et once more I shall die as an% to soar with angels "lest "ut even from angelhood I must pass onL all e'cept od doth perish. hen I have sacrificed my angel1 soul% I shall "ecome what no mind e$er conceived.$$ & Rumi,(ranslated by !1*1 !rberry )
In Sufism% the art of ontemlati$e Prayer is developed in an astonishing way. The Sufis passionately loo# for the possi"ility% in which they firmly "elieve% of a direct e'perience of od. any practice a private and silent !doration. 5thers 0oin together in an outward group e'pression of their love for od. The word 3hikr is commonly translated as 2remem"rance2. Essentially% the practice of 3hikr is a form of Prayer in which the uslim e'presses one$s remem"rance of od. Through 3hikr the seed of remem"rance is planted in the heart and nourished daily% until the tree of 3hikr "ecomes deeply rooted and "ears its fruit. ost inspiring instructions are given to avoid distractions in such a way that the heart is occupied with neither 2family2 nor 2money2. 5ne continues until the heart is continually applied to the 3hikr1 The Sufi teach that the purpose of 3hikr is to purify hearts and souls and to "e fortified "y the 8ight of the ivine. hen the heart is immersed and enraptured "y the Truth% it turns to the highest ideal without "eing deflected "y anything. How "eautiful is to thin#% to feel that when we open our heart to !llah and (?;
utters words in His praise% !llah fills us with strength and inner peace. How great is the inspiration that we receive from images as this oneL 2hen a servant of Allah utters the words $$ 9> Il>ha Ill> !ll>h$$ &There is none worthy of worship e'cept Allah) sincerely% the doors of heaven open up for these words until they reach the Throne of Allah.2 Therefore% 3hikr is something of tremendous importance. hen praying% the individual "ows as a human person and gets up as od. & !l6*unayd )
They teach to "egin the practice "y uttering the %antra aloud & 3hikr of the tongue)% then a state of great a"sorption ma#es it impossi"le to go on in this way. At this point the mental practice commences. ,y persevering assiduously in this way% putting all our concentration into the practice% the sylla"les chanted mentally are gradually effaced from our awareness and only the meaning of the Prayer remains. The mind "ecomes so calm that it is una"le to thin#% while the deepest sentiments are awa#ened 1 a touch of divine recollection drives the mind cray and the most into'icating of 0oys "egins to e'pand within. 2Heavens and earth contain e not% "ut the heart of y faithful servant containeth e.2 & Prohet %uhammad con$eying the words of 5od, .adith Kudsi1 ) 2Fnow that there is a physical Heart in each "ody. There is a spiritual Heart in each Heart. There is a 6ecret in each spiritual Heart. There is a Hidden in each 6ecret% and there is a ost Hidden in each Hidden. I am in that ost Hidden.2 &(he Secret of Islam =>4% "y Henry ,ayman)
If one wants to follow the Sufi path and uses the Kriya techni!ues% one will encounter no difficulties whatsoever. 5f course% one should "e endowed with a strong self1teaching spirit. There is no dou"t that (hokar has a great affinity with a particular Sufi way of practicing their 2 3hikr 2. I am referring to those procedures in which the chanting of the $$ 9> Il>ha Ill> !ll>h?? is accompanied "y the movements of the head. ItKs interesting that 8ahiri ahasaya gave the Islamic mantra $$ 9> Il>ha Ill> !ll>h?? to his uslim disciples to "e practiced during (hokar . e don$t have the e'act details of that procedure "ut it seems reasona"le that the head was lifted &with or without the help of the "reath) from under the navel up to the "rain after reaching the "rain% it moved from the "rain to the one shoulder% then to the other shoulder and then it hit the heart. 6ome Sufi order e'plains that he who wants to guide his Prayer into his heart% imposes a circular movement to his head and then lowers it on his "reast or on his navel. A modern Sufi confraternity practices it in the following wayL 2 9>2 is placed in the head% 2 il>ha2 &with head "ending to the right) in the right upper part of the chest% 2 ill>al 2 &with head "ending to the left) in the left upper part of the chest% and 2 l>h2 &with head "ending down) in the heart then again 2 9>2 in (?(
the head% while raising it.... As the num"er of repetitions of the techni!ue increases in intensity% a deep into'ication is felt in the heart. 5ne may a"ide "y the num"ers given in Kriya schools or can go "eyond them in a completely different dimension. I #now that the Sufis reach a num"er of repetitions that is inconceiva"le to a kriyaban. onclusion
I hope that what you have read here has stimulate your curiosity &perhaps something dormant in you coming from who #nows whence...) to create a momentum which will assist you to "egin the practice of *aa. 7ou will see how the Prayer turns on the sacred fire of an un"elieva"le enthusiasm which can re#indle your Kriya path. /urthermore% I invite you to deepen the themes that are dealt with here "y your own study. If initially% as is perfectly understanda"le% some "oo#s will appear as full of empty rhetoric% their purpose will "ecome more apparent as your practice of *aa progresses. The literature on this su"0ect is vast% "ut there is no purpose in reading everything. 7ou will find simple "oo#s &I am referring to "iographies of saints) that e'plain with amaing simplicity everything essential a"out Prayer & *aa). The "eauty that is "orn from these te'ts ma#es you feel the goal as the nearest of the near% more appealing than anything else in the world. ,eing aflame for it% you practice "eyond the $$point of e'haustion$$ - in this way you will enter the most e'traordinary period of your life% culminating with the achievement of the "reathless state. 6uch a state doesn$t represent the final achievement "ut it gives us the means for a total renewal of our own life from which to draw that necessary push to aim at the ape' of the spiritual path.
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Appendix to chapter 10. irst part! Practical instruction to court the Prayer of the heart Indeed there is a piece of flesh in your "ody which% if it "e sound% then the whole "ody will "e sound and if it "e corrupt then the whole "ody will "e corrupt. Indeed it is the heart. & !l6/ukhaari)
hat I am going to descri"e will "e appreciated "y the greatest part of the readers. I have had conclusive proof that this is the most direct way to straighten one$s path% in the case there are some pro"lems of un"alance. The following procedure is an unparalleled method to approach the $$ Prayer of the heart $$. If you have never #nown this dimension of the spiritual path% try anyway and you will "e struc# "y the "eauty of the procedure. 8et us consider a (= sylla"les Prayer li#e )m Namo /hagabate 4asude$aya. Each of the four "reathing actions that I am going to descri"e now lasts =1* seconds. Each is accompanied "y a particular internal movement of energy. (.Inhale calmly% perceiving a horiontal movement of energy that from a point at the left &a"out + centimeters) of !nahata moves toward a symmetrical point on the right% passing through !nahata. uring this movement% mentally chant )m in the first point% Na in !nahata% %o in the point at the right. =. E'hale calmly% perceiving a horiontal movement of energy that from the point at the right of !nahata moves toward the starting point on the left% passing through !nahata. uring this movement% mentally chant /ha in the point at the right% 5a in !nahata% /a in the point at the left. *. Inhale calmly% perceiving a vertical movement of energy that from a point over !nahata &a"out 4 centimeters) moves down toward a symmetrical point under !nahata% passing through !nahata. uring this movement% mentally chant (e in the point over !nahata% 4a in !nahata% Su in the point under !nahata. 4. E'hale calmly% perceiving a vertical movement of energy that from the point under !nahata comes up to the point over !nahata% passing through !nahata. uring this movement% mentally chant 3e in the point under !nahata% 4a in !nahata% Ya in the point over !nahata. The repetition of these 4 movements% namely to draw this $$cross$$% using two complete "reaths and one repetition of the (= sylla"les antra is one cycle. They recommend (;? cycles without hurry. It is clear that this is only an e'ample and one can choose other prayers and "lend them with the "reath in different ways. 7ou can also ma#e the choice of forgetting the "reath% let it flow freely% and practicing mentally only. 6till "etter is to start with the "reath and then% gradually internalie the practice% end with a mental practice. It is important to perceive the flow of energy left1right1left% over1under1over Xery interesting it is the possi"ility of synchroniing the Prayer with the pulse of the heart. In order to e'perience this is worthwhile to slightly lower the chin of one or two centimeters then totally forget the "reath. 7ou will realie that the oscillation of energy and consciousness around !nahata tends to "ecome (?*
smaller and smaller and collapse in the nucleus of the hakra. Xariation 7ou can alternate this $$cross$$ with an horiontal cross touching the physical heart and the central part of the chest &frontal component of !nahata). These two crosses count as two% therefore the time necessary to complete a mala is the same. At the end you perceive a greater focusing of your awareness on the nucleus of the heart hakra. (. and =. remain the same *. Inhale calmly% perceiving an horiontal movement of energy that from the seat of !nahata moves forward toward the central part of the chest% passing through the physical heart. uring this movement% mentally chant (e in !nahata% 4a in the physical heart% Su in a point located in the central part of the sternum &at the same height as !nahata). 4. E'hale calmly% perceiving an horiontal movement of energy that from the point located in the sternum comes "ac# to !nahata% passing through the physical heart. uring this movement% mentally chant 3e in the point located in the sternum% 4a in the physical heart% Ya in !nahata. Through the instrument of (hokar you have learned to stimulate the heart hakra in a strong way. ,ut this is only the first phase of the wor#% after (hokar you must continue guiding patiently the Prayer into the heart. The a"ove descri"ed procedure is a means to $$dance$$ with the Prayer 2around the heart2 until a door opens. The procedure is effective "ecause if affects% trying to dissolve them% all the dualities that hamper our tuning with the cardiac ple'us. The dualities I am referring to areL Ida and Pingala &flowing sideways the spine and !nahata-@ Prana and !ana &having their seat over and under !nahata respectively). In the variation% you touch the frontal component of !nahataL the effect is the overcoming the innerBouter duality. There is a more ela"orate e'planation which is related with the $$spiritual centers$$ of su"tle energy in the chest as descri"ed "y some 6ufi mystic. The common #nowledge is limited to the heart hakra% !nahata which is connected with the e'perience of oneness with the ivine Person. There are two su"tle centers% which are structures different from hakras. The center on the right of !nahata is connected with the individual sense of I. The e'perience of our personality% which rises in fi'ing attention there% "rings to consciousness hidden desires% emotions% motivations% as well as past memories and traumas within oneKs individual history. The center on the the left of !nahata is connected with the e'periences of Cosmic Consciousness. This does not mean that when you focus on it you are in a ,lissful state. Cosmic Consciousness is the stage that comes after crossing the Collective @nconscious. 7ou must first e'perience the dar#ness contained in the human heart and although it pertains to the universe as a whole you will perceive it as your own - which usually clashes with oneKs moral code and oneKs 6elf1image. (?4
Practicing the given techni!ue means ma#e Prayer swing "etween the sense of I and the origin of pure consciousness. The e'perience of @nion can "e accessed through this 2river2 only. The esoteric e'periences of meditation on those centers dissolves the consciousness of pure su"0ectivity. Eventually% attention is reduced into the focus of the 6piritual Heart which is the core of Anahata Cha#ra. As you repeat this prayer over many months you will find that it gradually goes deeper and deeper into your consciousness and "egins to act on your soul. /or many wee#s &perhaps months) you are so thrilled that you are not a"le to overstep this lofty stage. + 5ne day you will discover that the Prayer has entered your heart and from which an incommensura"le ood is "orn. The heart thrills in welcoming that state you sip the celestial honey of a radiation of sweetness which annihilates every desire and this event is en0oya"le "eyond words. After this meditation% every o"0ect will appear transfigured% physical reality will reveal the indwelling presence of 6pirit. The radiance "rought a"out "y Prayer "ecomes the gold of your first e'perience of the ivine. 7ou are permeated "y a taste of EternityL 6. Teresa of Avila wrote a"out an $$Endless oodness.$$ 7ou will feel infinite love "lossom in your heart. In fear and 0oy% in loneliness and companionship% you will feel this love with you. Appendix to chapter 10. Second part! "ystics #ho thin$ the Prayer in their body A not widely #nown fact is that there are mystics who 2thin#2 their Prayers in their "ody - a tendency which is not at odds with the techni!ue of Prayer . This 2downward2 contra position to what we have seen till now - the ma0estic 2upward2 direction of the traditional mystical path - represents indeed the last phase of the process of unfastening the #not of %uladhara1 A small collection of written material a"out this practice has "een pu"lished almost e'clusively "y specialied pu"lishers in the esoteric field. These "oo#s can "e found "y rummaging among occult and magic te'ts. Ferning% Fol"% 8asario% einfurter% Peryt 6hou and 6pies"erger are 0ust a few of the authors. Even though these mystics were "orn within Christianity and felt on the average in sync with its doctrines% they have "een confined to a corner as if they were e'ponents of esoteric thought% or magicians whose aspirations were to develop secret powers. Any reader who has the patience to research this material% s#imming through pages and pages of trivial theories and practices whose only goal is to confuse and mislead% will nonetheless find paragraphs of inimita"le charm. Their Prayers are very short% reduced sometimes to a single vowel or sylla"le. The main techni!ue is to choose a vowel and "egin repeating and vi"rating it in one$s feet and gradually "ringing it up to different parts of the "ody. The same process is repeated with another vowel and so on. 5f course% w e can use our chosen %antra. The essence of their teaching is that any sound vi"ration% if repeated with +
It is for this reason that I have counseled an Incremental Routine.
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an unfaltering concentration in the "ody% can reach its cells - 2the whole "ody will "e re1activated with new life and "e re"orn2. Among those who descri"ed this practice% I cannot avoid !uoting Nre &irra Alfassa)% disciple and spiritual successor of 6ri Auro"indo. I wrote some introductory lines a"out her uni!ue spiritual path in the first part of the "oo# &see Chapter *). Her !genda is a must read. any e'periences we find in it% "ringing us "ac# to the practice of the %antra $thought$ throughout the "ody. The !genda is an amaing 2log2 of irra$s attempt to descend into her "ody to contact the 2Consciousness of the Cells2% crossing various layers of consciousness. It is interesting to note the invalua"le help she found in the practice of the %antra. &Her %antra was the splendid Prayer2 2)m Namo /haga$ateh12) This tool let her cross not only the different layers of the mind% "ut emotions and physical sensations also. Her "eautiful recollections to 6atprem &her most famous disciple) are of great inspiration to all on the spiritual path. 6he dared to challenge 6ri Auro"indo$s authority. 6he said to 6atpremL 26ri Auro"indo gave no %antra he said that one should "e a"le to do all the wor# without having to resort to e'ternal means. Had he reached the point where we are now% he would have seen that the purely psychological method is inade!uate and that a *aa is necessary% "ecause only *aa has a direct action on the "ody. 6o I had to find the method all alone% to find my %antra "y myself. ,ut now that things are ready% I have done (; years of wor# in a few months.2 al#ing "ac# and forth in her room% unremittingly concentrated on her "ody% she repeated her %antra for hours with endless devotion and total $$surrender$$. Each sylla"le was recharged with her laser1li#e will and aspiration. The luminous vi"ration of the Prayer easily made its way through her "ody and reach an une'plored territoryL 2... perfect% eternal% outside time% outside space% outside movement ... "eyond everything% in ... I don$t #now% in an ecstasy% a "eatitude% something ineffa"le.2 The e'perience she descri"es is li#e a "reath of the whole "ody that "ypasses the lungs. That su"lime state was the very 2consciousness of the "ody%2 implying that the cells had their own consciousness. The cells% according to her% act as doorsL opening on a totally new dimension of consciousness - the only one free from the la"yrinths of the mind. However% to reach this plane% she also had to cross a negative layer which% according to her e'planation% was the "ase of any disease and% apparently% of any casual incident% the origin of every feeling of desperation% deposited therein over thousands of years. 5nce e'perienced% she discovered that when she sat for meditation% as soon as she "egan the repetition of the %antra, there was an immediate response in the cells of her "odyL they all started vi"rating as 2seied with an intensity of aspiration2 and that vi"ration went on e'panding. It was li#e merging the totality of her "eing in the vaster manifestation of the ivine inside matter. In many passages of %other?s !genda, 6atprem and Nre discuss how the %antra calms the persons in surrounding areas "y creating an atmosphere of such an intensity that disharmonies cease to e'ist. /urthermoreL 2 %antra has a great actionL it can prevent an accident. It simply springs forth in a flash% all of a (?+
suddenL 2It has to spring up without thin#ing% without callingL it should issue forth from the "eing spontaneously% li#e a refle'% e'actly li#e a refle'.2 The %antra is also the sweetest of all thingsL 25n the days when I have no special preoccupations or difficulties &days I could call normal% when I am normal)% everything I do% all the movements of this "ody% all% all the words I utter% all the gestures I ma#e% are accompanied and upheld "y or lined% as it were% with this mantraL 5 JA5 ,HAAXATEH ... 5 JA5 ,HAAXATEH ... all% all the time% all the time% all the time.2 Nre was a"le to notice the difference "etween those who have a %antra and those who don$t. 2ith those who have no %antra% even if they have a strong ha"it of meditation or concentration% something around them remains hay and vague% whereas *aa imparts to those who practice it with a #ind of precision% a #ind of solidityL an armature. They "ecome galvanied% as it were2. Jow% if we try to apply such a procedure 0ust for the pleasure of ma#ing an e'periment% we shall find it has an immediate effect upon our mood. To say it shortly% even a rainy day of Jovem"er will seem to evo#e the mood of the clearest days of 6pring. Jot only that% in the following days we shall e'perience something strange. The image of an anthill that$s "een distur"ed comes to mindL scores of ants immediately appear to "egin repairing it. 6imilarly our environment appears to us as more agitated% at times frenetically active and partly aggressive toward us. It is as if everything &especially in the field of human relationships) is conspiring to reveal 2our sins.2 6urprised% we o"serve that many long lost ac!uaintances appear and call on us with demanding challenges that re!uire radical changes of attitude on our part. e feel the unavoida"le duty of facing intricate% unsolved issues that in the past we cleverly succeeded in avoiding. ,eing utterly sincere with ourselves is unavoida"le. However% if we try to apply such procedure with serious commitment% we shall "e stunned "y a very peculiar effect% li#e 2not having a s#in anymore2 - "ut what does it meanD e have the impression of having touched and distur"ed the surrounding environment. e feel we are perceiving - not only through our awareness "ut% in a strange way% also through our "ody - what is passing in another person$s consciousness. This will not "e e'perienced as a telepathic phenomenon "ut as a type of su"tle deceptionL we actually e'perience a mood which is not our own% which has no reason to e'ist% "ut we e'perience it as if it originated and emerged from the intimate part of ourselves. The first reaction is to vainly search for reasons in order try to e'plain the phenomena% to find logical or plausi"le grounds for it. hen it vanishes% only then we actually realie that it came from the e'ternal am"ience of the situation with the other person. The reader might "e disappointed "y the fact that what I am writing evo#es the most "old of New !ge manias. It is only after listening to similar effects "y other researchers and on account of my commitment to total sincerity% that I have made up my mind to write a"out this particular e'perience. 8et me !uote a recurrent e'ample. It happens that all of a sudden% a deep depression ta#es hold of our mood &let us suppose we had previously never "een (?>
su"0ect to depression)% lasts several hours and then disappears it is not a simple dissonance% a disharmony% "ut an agoniing pain in a moment in which there is no 0ustification for it. @nfailingly we realie that a significant event had occurredL we had "een introduced to a new ac!uaintance% we had sha#en hands and tal#ed with a sincere involvement. It is well #nown how good our mind is when it comes to clutching at straws "ut when a similar episode is o"served with due detachment and% as the days and the months go "y% it repeats with mathematical precision% then the evidence of a phenomenon of tuning to another person$s consciousness% cannot "e denied. hat one is and what others are% mi'es. It goes without saying that this phenomenon disappears as soon as we cease trying to $$in0ect$$ a %antra in our "ody.> How many times I wonderedL how is it possi"le that% through guiding "reath and awareness into the cells of our "ody% we o"tain such an important result% which has such tangi"le effects on the material% emotive and psychological planesD To affirm that *aa in the "ody leads a person to perceive reality in a different way is perfectly accepta"le% "ut to assume that such a practice ma#es things happen that would not otherwise happen &or that would have happened anyway% "ut in a different way) is !uite another thing. This hypothesis has all the appearance of a figment of our imagination. The principle of causality implies that the world ignores what happens inside our consciousness. How is it possi"le to 0ustify the notion that when we "ring our consciousness into the cells of our "ody it has su"se!uent effects on the surrounding worldD Even after months% you cannot #now whether this is simply a surreal impression or in fact real. @p to now% this phenomenon has not "een completely descri"ed in the mystical literature. Regarding the !uoted esoteric sources &Ferning% Fol"% 8asario% einfurter% Peryt 6hou and 6pies"erger)% it remains till now undeservedly almost un#nown. In order to try to e'plain it% it is necessary to ma#e two important premisesL the first one concerns the #not of the %uladhara% the second concerns the concept of the ollecti$e Unconscious and the Princile of Synchronicity descri"ed "y C.. :ung. @nfastening the #not of %uladhara constitutes the last phase of the spiritual path. As we have already discussed% some .igher Kriyas are utilied for that. Jow% a very attractive theory e'plains that the %uladhara #not e'ists not only in the coccy' region "loc#ing the opening of Sushumna "ut e'tends to each cell of our "ody &s#in% feet and legs in particular) as well. This secondary aspect of the %uladhara #not hides a door leading to the psychological dimension which ties all human "eings togetherL the vast ocean of the ollecti$e Unconscious. The cells of our "ody contain the deepest layer of our mind% which is as vast as humanity itself. Therefore% a complete action concerning %uladhara implies guiding Fi'st p'emise%
>
In Chapter (= we are going to return to this theme introducing the so1called $$ Friya of the cells $$ which utilies the "reathing process in our effort to reach the cells of our "ody.
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awareness into your "ody% usually assisted "y *aa. This is e'actly what previous mystics have done. Their strange action of vi"rating a Prayer in the "ody% not only in the so called $$spiritual places$$ li#e the spine% or the frontal part of the hakras &navel% central part of the chest% Adam$s apple% the point "etween the eye"rows or the fontanelle) "ut in the feet and legs also succeeds in "rea#ing the last "arrier of the mind. The ollecti$e Unconscious is not a poetic concept "ut a real widening of the sphere of our awareness. :ung introduced terminology which permits us to pro"e an aspect of the mystical path which would otherwise ris# "eing totally e'traneous% not only to our capa"ility of e'pression "ut also to our comprehension. I "elieve that :ung$s discoveries are precious for the understanding of the mystical path - perhaps more than many other concepts formulated during the =;th century. :ung discovered that the human psyche is made up of layers or strata% parts of it shared "y all humanity and called the ollecti$e Unconscious. Even though his statements never lac#ed the necessary prudence% the scientific community never forgave him for dealing with matters that were not considered a part of Psychiatry - such as Alchemy &deemed an a"surdity)% the realm of myths &considered the result of a senseless imagination) and% more than any other thing% the great value he attri"uted to the religious dimension which he considered something universal and fundamentally sane% instead of a pathology. Presently the enthusiasm for his writings remains% especially among those who study topics of a spiritual and esoteric nature. The contents of the ollecti$e Unconscious have never directly "een in our immediate conscious perception% and when an infinitesimal part of it "ursts forth into our psyche% we are momentarily dismayed. 6ince we have hinted at particular facts that in their manifestation seem to ignore the principle of cause1effect% it is important to remem"er that :ung put a rational "asis for the study of this su"0ect in his "oo# Synchronicity2 !n !causal onnecting Princile. To e'plain with simple terms what this is all a"out% we say that in addition to causality 1 that which acts in a linear direction of progression of time and puts in connection two phenomena that happen in the same space at different times 1 we hypothesie the e'istence of a principle &acausal) that puts in connection two phenomena that happen at the same time "ut in different spaces. The point is that they have a meaning% a certain sense that ties them together and it is this very meaning that arouses deep emotion in the o"server. Jow% if two events happen simultaneously "ut in different spaces% it is clear that causality &cause1effect chainL one has caused the other or vice versa) is impossi"le. There would "e nothing strange in these events of themselves% however% the emotion that they produce in the o"server cause one to consider this as a $$meaningful coincidence$$ 1 something that the universe wants to communicate to him. The o"server is intimately touched "y what is perceived as the mystery of life. An e'ample will help us to "etter understand this concept. A youth moves a plant in a vase% which falls% "rea#s into peaces and the young man loo#s at the Se&on" p'emise%
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wounded plant. He thin#s with intensity a"out the moment when his girlfriend gave the vase to him as a present. There is emotion and pain in him% the event is feared as an omen. At the same time his girlfriend &this will o"viously come to "e #now su"se!uently) is writing him a letter to leave him and therefore to "rea# their relationship. Here the characteristics of the :ungian 6ynchronicity are o"served. The two events happens simultaneously and are connected% concerning the meaning &a vase "rea#s and a relationship is "ro#en)% "ut one is not the cause of the other. hen one later discovers the contemporaneity of the two events% one will "e stunned and have enough material to thin# a"out for years. 8et us emphasie that this is not telepathy or clairvoyance in telepathy a cause could "e hypothesied% namely the e'istence of cere"ral waves transmitted from one person to another. In this case% no cause e'ists whatsoever. :ung e'plains that in this situation we have only one event in a multi dimensional reality% the two events are actually only one event% merely seen from two different points of view.? The last phase of the spiritual path% of every spiritual path% consists in dealing with the ollecti$e unconscious and with the continuous happening of %eaningful oincidences. This means to cross the protective hull with which nature has endowed us and emerge out of a swamp which must "e crossed sooner rather than later. aintaining our effort with untamed serenity% we will see the various layers of o"scurity melt and we will meet 2the a"ysses of truth and the oceans of smile that are "ehind the August pic#s of truth2 &6ri Auro"indo). Pure love for humanity is "orn. This puts us in touch with the ivine immanent in matter% a reality "eyond every e'pectation% every dream. 8ahiri ahasaya saidL $$The whole universe is in the "ody the whole universe is the final 6elf.$$ Jow we can understand what he meant "y such a wonderful statement3 There is a wonderful aspect to this processL all of our psychological pro"lems% especially those connected with negative moods tied with intricate and thwarted plans for the future% appear as a nightmare we have dissolved forever% an illusion out of which we have emerged definitively. The life which up until that point had "een full of asperities% now seems to stretch out evenly toward the future. The "eauty of living% li#e wine from a full cup% seems to overflow from every atom and fills the heart. ?
In the esoteric literature we find the concept of Siddhis &powers). e are very perple' a"out it. Those who write "oo#s on Yoga are not a"le to resist the temptation of copying some lines from Patan0ali$s Yoga Sutras. It$s typical to find the ridiculous warning of the danger coming from the a"use of the Siddhis. Zuoting Patan0ali &IXL()% they recount that Siddhis are the spiritual powers &psychic a"ilities) that may occur through rigorous austerities they e'plain that they vary from relatively simple forms of clairvoyance% telepathy% to "eing a"le to levitate% to "e present at various places at once% to "ecome as small as an atom% to materialie o"0ects and more. They recommend to their readers not to ever indulge in these powers since 2they are a great hindrance to spiritual progress2. Indulge 6 what a "eautiful word3 If you did see someone practicing Pranayama and $indulging $ in a little "ilocation for fun% could you tellD3 Perhaps they don$t thin# enough a"out what they are writing "ecause they let themselves "e seduced "y the dreams of possessing those powers. Perhaps they already visualie all the fuss which will come with itL interviews% ta#ing part in tal# shows etc. However% here% I repeat with emphasis% we are discussing !uite another phenomenon3
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The difficult part of this process is that 0oining our consciousness with someone else$s means involving ourselves with their pro"lems. A lasting transformation in another$s state of consciousness happens only when the opacity in them is purged "it "y "it. This cannot "e achieved "y any way other than sharing part of their suffering 1 a feat which might imply a momentary loss of our spiritual realiation. Indeed it is a terri"ly cruel test% that only true love can 0ustify% and implies a momentary loss of our own spiritual realiation such tests must "e overcome. In the end% there is something infinitely "eautiful that a"sor"s you in a "lue1colored profundity where the pure s#ies are perceived as they had appeared to us during our infancy. Jow the wasteland% now the silence A "lan# dar# wall% and "ehind it heaven. &Sri !urobindo, from2 ??*ourney?s &nd?? )
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CHAPTER (( EATHLESS STATE HO TO ACHIE4E THE BR EATHLESS
5ften I have thought over 8ahiri ahasaya$s motto 2 /anat, /anat, ban jay32 &doing and doing% one day it is done3) At first this sentence gave me the idea of one who% without ever losing heart% goes all out to reach the pea# of a high mountain. The pea# to seie hold after a life long effort was for me that particular stat statee of co cons nscciou iousne sness of wh whic ichh I ha hadd read read%% call called ed $$Self6 Self6 RealiAa RealiAatio tion n$$. 6u"se!uently% I changed my perspective on the meaning of the intensive effort re!uired to follow a spiritual path. I realied that the "est way of engaging in something of permanent value consisted rather in removing all o"stacles created "y the mindL when this had "een done% the spiritual dimension would manifest naturally% without further effort on our "ehalf. The necessary action to start the cleaning process consisted in creating the state of mental Silence and holding onto it during the activities of daily living. The "est and surest way to achieve and to maintain the state of mental Silence was *aa1 In my e'perience% when I decided to practice *aa seriously every day% the state of "reathlessness "reathlessness spilled an unparalleled unparalleled e'perience e'perience of divine "liss into my "eing. /rom that moment% *aa "ecame an essential tool to prepare my mind for meditation. ,reathlessness does not simply mean that the "reath "ecomes more and more !uiet or that the "reath is held after a long hyperventilation li#e divers do. In this state state the "reath "reath is entire entirely ly non1e'is non1e'istent. tent. In Chapte Chapterr >% "efore "efore introducin introducingg the techni!ues techni!ues of the (hird and "ourth )mkar Kriya we$ve shortly touched upon the theme of how to achieve the "reathlessness state. e have seen that the most auspicious moment to e'perience this state is the practice of mental Pranayama at the end of the Kriya routine. routine. 6ince the "est wor# to "e done during the day in order to let this e'perience appear in the most sta"le of the ways is *aa% let us% therefore% discuss a good plan to practice *aa. 3% The &hoi&e o* $nt' Choose a %antra &Prayer) that appeals to you. on$t feel o"liged to use 8ahiri ahasaya$s favored 4asude$a %antra &2)m Namo /haga$ate 4asude$aya 4asude$aya2.)
7ou can% 0ust to give you an idea% choose one from your favorite set of prayers% one that has &"y adding% if necessary% )m or !men at the "eginning or at the end) twelve sylla"les. Twelve is a perfect num"er "ecause you can utilie it during Kriya% placing each of its sylla"les in a different hakra. ,eautiful twelve sylla"les %antra can "e ta#en out of /hajans or poems. As an e'ample% from the well1#nown Adi 6han#ara$s chant you can select the "eautiful verseL hi6da6nan6 da6ru6ah6shi6$o6ham6shi6$o6ham &That /orm which is pure consciousness and "liss% I am that supreme ,eing% I am that supreme ,eing3) 5ne thing should "e stated o"0ectivelyL 75@R %antra should e'press or evo#e e'actly what 75@ want to achieve. /or e'ample% the attitude of surrender (9=
is e'pr e'pres esse sedd "y %antras "eginning with )m Nam ... other other %antras might Namo ... e'press e'press the a"solute a"solute non1dual realiation% realiation% and so on. 6ometimes% 6ometimes% the meaning is not as important as having in oneKs heart the e'ample of a dear saint who used it. ,ut this is effective only if you really love that saint. 7our chosen %antra should have "oth "oth a strong strong and a soft tone. tone. It is important important to relish relish it. 26tron 26trongg tone2 means that it is incompati"le with an attitude of resigned complaint% rather it implies the happiness that you are attracting through the very repetition of its sylla"les. In literatur literaturee you will see how very very "eautif "eautiful ul %antras have "een "uilt. Here Here you have the Krishna %antraL )m Klim Krishnaya 5o$indaya 5oi6jana 4allabhaya Swaha1 Here you have the 3urga &ivine other) %antraL )m .rim .rim 3hum 3urgaye Namaha1111
6ome hesychasts use 2 Kyrie &leison2. &leison can "e translated asL 2"e your em"race upon me% turn yourself to me.$$ 7ou can appreciate how the sound &leison seems to melt with the sound of the )m. hat is important to understand is that the chosen Prayer should "e a"le to stimulate your devotion% to unify all your "eing around the practice. I hope you are not so naive to "elieve that a %antra wor#s only if it is received from your 5uru. Certainly if you want to lighten your portfolio then race to a teacher and "uy your personal %antra. Jaturally in certain occasions having a teacher is 0ustified. hen an e'perie e'perience ncedd person person helps you to choose a %antra and uses everything in his power of persuasion to convince you to apply it continually% this persons does you the greatest of all the favors and is correct correct to compensate compensate him "ut that$s all3 /or e'ample an e'pert who is familiar and has e'perience with .atha Yoga and with ith /ija %antras, can can forg forgee for for you a wo wonde nderf rful ul %antra. To a pree'istent initial )m% your teacher can add some 2 /ija2 &seed) %antras %antra% after the initial li#eL Aim% [m% am% lamu% lom% Haum% Hoom% Hreem% Hrom% Fleem% Freem% 6hreem% 6treem% Xang% Xang% These sounds were chosen "y ancient yogis, who felt their "eauty and li#ed their vi"ration. They were not given "y a divinity% they are a human discovery. discovery. Afte Afterr havi having ng chose chosenn yo your ur %antra, use it for a few wee#s to find out whether your mind accepts it or not. It often happens that a person chooses a %antra, "egins to utilie it with enthusiasm and then% after a few minutes% realies to "e reciting another one. This is a hint that very pro"a"ly the right %antra has not "een found. To e'perience this first hand is what counts% it is the only reasona"le thin# to do. ,e sensitive and careful to the vi"ration that it arouses in your "ody and in your heart. 6ome ma#e an unfortunate choice% through which they seem to punish themselves. They affirm their limits and unworthiness. After a short time% their practice falls apart sometimes they find themselves repeating it once or twice during the day% day% li#e a sigh of de0ection. de0ection. This has nothing to do with what we are descri"ing here.
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5% Ho to )ti(i!e ,o)' $nt' hen you have found your %antra% resolve to complete daily at least one %ala
&a rosary of (;? "eads) of it aloud. Pronounce its sylla"les with serene attitude. 8earn to resonate it in your head. /eel its vi"ration e'tending to all the parts of your "ody. 9 hen you have completed the (;? repetitions% let it go ahead automatically in the "ac#ground of your mind. If possi"le% ta#e "ac# the vocal practice of *aa in the ne't hours. /orget the words "ut feel the protective shell shell of tangi"le peace surrounding surrounding you. I am not recommending recommending to adopt a particular particular visualiation "ut to increase the capacity of perceiving what is around you. /or sure% it re!uires additional time% time free from wor# and from social contacts. any have plenty of opportunities opportunities to get it - !uite a lot - "ut apparently apparently do their utmost to fill their life with nonsense. ise ise are those who are a"le to clear their life of unnecessary necessities and% having learned *aa% have the resolute will to "e loyal to it% eventually emerging in the dimension of %ental Silence. 6% Ho to p(n K'i, 'o)tine Having practiced *aa seriously
all day long &"oth aloud and mentally% therefore J5T 5J87 5J87 EJTA88 EJTA887)% 7)% practice in the evening the following routineL Preliminary partL aha udra - Javi Friya - Tala"ya Friya - 5m :apa &+ repetitions) (. Friya Pranayama or /irst 5m#ar Friya &=41*+ repetitions) =. Tho#ar &6econd 5m#ar FriyaL (=1=4 repetitions) *. /irst 5m#ar Friya &+1=4 repetitions) 4. ental Pranayama &(1* repetitions) or% as a good alternative% Pranayama with short "reath and micro Tho#ar THI6 I6 EJ5@H T5 ACHIEXE THE ,REATH8E66 6TATE 8et us discuss each of these pointsL 3% K'i, P'n,m o' Fi'st Om-' K'i, .576 'epetitions/
After After practic practicing ing the premi' premi'es es and hav having ing found found a comfor comforta"l ta"lee position position%% you discover that the same %antra utilied during the day is going on "y itself in your consciousness. consciousness. 7ou 7ou sit with your "ac# upright% the eyes are closed and you feel feel that your "ody is a uni!ue uni!ue solid solid vi"rati vi"ration. on. ,od ,odyy and mind reach almost almost automatically the immo"ility at ranic level. Jo other preliminary practice can give you the fullness and the peace of that silence o"tained through the action of *aa during the day. There e'ists no other method of concentration which would succeed in calming that $$"ac#ground noise$$ that is the dominant soundtrac# of human mind. 9
A teacher was adamant a"out the fact that a %antra should "e pronounced only mentally. I tried to follow his counsel and it didn$t wor#. After various months I was fed up with my useless attemptL I dared to chant it vocally on my %ala. ,efore completing my (;? repetitions% repetitions% a spring of happiness happiness and mirth gushed from my heart.
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,egin the practice of Kriya Pranayama. The idea of ta#ing a long "reath and thin#ing your Prayer during during the inhalation and repeating it &or completing it) during e'halation comes naturally3 iscover that your routine can "e lived in a very simple and natural way% utiliing the same %antra6Prayer chanted chanted during the day. any kriyabans do not $$dare$$ to adapt their personal Prayer to Kriya Pranayama. It is as if they were afraid to ruin it% to show disrespect for 8ahiri ahasa ahasaya. ya. 7et% 7et% if with a Prayer that that arouses your deepest emotions you can create a more ardent Kriya Pranayama% why do not try itD hat during the day was a formula affirming affirming your surrender surrender to the ivine% ivine% it will now "ecome a tool that will guide you within% towards the ecstatic stages descri"ed "y 6. Teresa of Avila. /eel the pranic current touching all the cells of the spine% up and down. 7our attention is focused on one action onlyL merging the inner chanting of the slow% even1p even1pace acedd "reath. "reath. This This is now your Kriya Pranayama. Prayer with a slow% hat you are e'periencing is similar to the procedure of "irst )mkar Kriya 0 only it is more simple3 7ou have not that particular attention on the throat sounds - "etter saidL you have it "ut it is secondary. ,ring ahead this easy e'perience for =41*+ "reaths. o not entertain any hurry. At a certain point you might discover that you are not "reathing. If this happens% don$t a"andon the mental repetition of the Prayer@ intensify the power of touching through it the spinal su"stance% go ahead with the action of moving it up and down. If this doesn$t distur"% you can then repeat your Prayer in each hakra and ma#e the "reathless state more sta"le. If this happens% you won$t need any other practice and your Kriya routine ends here3 5% Tho-' .Se&on" Om-' K'i,: 3557 'epetitions/
,ut events don$t always go so well. 6ometimes it is necessary to add at least (=1 =4 Second )mkar Kriya repetitions. It is true that 8ahiri saidL 2In "irst Kriya you can find everything2 "ut you must accept the situation you are in. ost part of need (hokar . It help helpss to calm calm%% appe appease ase the the hear heartt gang ganglio lionn wh whic ichh kriyabans ne regulate the heart pulse. (hokar was was conceived to esta"lish a particular calmness &tran!uility) in the heart region. region. Actually% Actually% 8ahiri ahasaya says thatL 2(hokar opens the doors of the inner temple2 and e'plains that when the cardiac ple'us is struc struc## "y its strong strong actio action% n% the the Prana that is lin#ed to the "reath is directed inwardL this results in a spontaneous state of profound and prolonged a"sorption. Remar# /haga$ate .... you can adapt to the Inst Instea eadd of usin usingg the the ant antra ra )m Namo /haga$ate procedure of (hokar the the Prayer that you have repeated during the day. 6% Fi'st Om-' K'i, .57 'epetitions/ A few rounds of the "irst )mkar Kriya
are are not option optional al "u "utt nece necessa ssary ry to reesta"lish the total calmness in the "ody after the physical movements of (hokar . 7% $ent( P'n,m .36 'epetitions/
It is good to read again the e'planation of %ental Pranayama given in chapter +. (9<
any kriyabans have not understood it. This sweet e'perience can "e the decisive turning point where you calm down your "reathing dramatically. 7ou have to move your awareness up and down the spine pausing in each hakra for (;1=; seconds. seconds. 6tart with the first hakra at the "ase of the spine% then move to the second% second% third and so on. After After ascend ascending ing to the /indu% "egin the descent% pausing in %edulla% fifth fifth hakra% fourt fourthh hakra and so on. The instructions given in Chapter + e'plain that% if this is agreea"le% )m may "e mentally chanted in each hakra. 7ou will see how easy it is to create a countercloc#wise moving sensation in each hakra. The practice of *aa &Prayer) during the day has given you a particular faculty. 7ou feel% nay% you are surprised to discover that you are a"le to create an internal energetic movement around the nucleus of a hakra% of each hakra. It is as if you can% in a certain way% $$touch$$ the su"stance of which a hakra is composed. /urthermore% we have seen &Chapter +) thatL $$... one may also ercei$e the subtle elll then then%% #eep #eeping ing on touch touching ing with with radiation of each hakra in the body111$$ el your Prayer the nucleus of each hakra hakra,, you will perceive a fresh energy that susta sustain inss the the "o "ody dy from from the the insid inside. e. This This happ happen enss of cour course se%% on only ly wh when en the the emotional mind is calm% silent. on$ o n$tt even even drea dream m a"ou a"outt ho hold ldin ingg yo your ur "rea "reath th33 6ome 6ome yogis, and even some kriyabans, "elieve that the "reathless state is gotten "y learning to hold the "reath for longer periods of time. There is nothing not hing more wrong3 After some rounds &often after the first round) of mental Pranayama while your consciousness settles in a vast space e'tending "ehind and over the occipital region you have the perception perception of having calmed calmed down the inner movements movements of the "od "odyy% even even at a molecu molecular lar level. Calm Calm yourself yourself even furthe furtherr. /orget /orget time. time. 6uddenly you have the impression of crossing a screen% emerging in another dimension. The awareness of the hakras has disappeared. 7our 7our heart re0oices in discovering that a Prayer does not simply consist of wordsL a repeated Prayer is a churning process of your mental Prana until that Prana "ecomes static and% as you #now% static Prana is all in all in the Kriya path. 7ou are enraptured "y the thrill of an une!ualed "reedom. It is a fantastic state3 state3 The cells of your "ody are internally recharged "y a mysterious source that you perceive as $$cold li!uid light.$$ light.$$ There is is not the least !uiver !uiver of surprise surprise or the thoughtL thoughtL 2Jow I have have it finally32 The restless mind is dissolved. 7ou are perfectly aware% "ut in a calm and detached way. 7ou are pro0ected out of time% you are a"ove life. hen this happens% a great event happenedL this is the true initiation into Kriya Yoga whose ceremonies are 0ust a sym"ol. A tran!uil 0oy% vast as the s#y% confirms that this is the #ey e'perience of your life. Kriya is "ased on the "reath. Jow% to see it magically annulled implies a great personal satisfaction and also a lesson that nothing else could give.
,efore persuading yourself that you are not ready for achieving the "reathless state% mee#ly test the following procedureL Pranayama with short breath enriched by %icro (hokar . %icro (hokar consist in the fact that the sylla"les (e 4a Su are thought in the same hakra1 &see Chapter ? - (.+) The hakra is visualied as a little
horiontal dis# of a coinKs dimension% with a diameter of a"out an inch. 5n this ideal coinKs surface% you activate a countercloc#wise internal movement in each hakra. Thin# 2(e2 when you move to the left of its center% 2 4a2 when you move to the right% 2Su2 when there is a soft tap in its center. &see /igure (; of Chapter ?). All the other sylla"les of the antra )m Namo /haga$ate 4asude$aya are forgotten and only this (e 4a Su is utilied. This procedure gives you the opportunity of awa#ening the innermost core of each hakra. Thin#ing% mentally chanting 2 (e 4a Su2 in the seat of a hakra is not li#e thin#ing any %antra. It recalls all you have learned through (hokar . 8et us descri"e the techni!ue of Pranayama with short breath2 /ocus your attention on the %uladhara hakra. Xi"rate &thin# with emphasis) 2(e 4a Su2 in %uladhara. o it once. Try to feel that 2(e 4a Su2 creates an oscillatory movement inside %uladhara. hen it "ecomes natural to have a very short inhalation% inhale only what is necessary% pause an instant and concentrate on the second hakra1 Hold the "reath gently and vi"rate 2(e 4a Su2 in the second hakra. E'hale when you feel li#e e'haling% concentrate on %uladhara, vi"rate B(e 4a SuB there. hen it "ecomes natural to have a very short inhalation% inhale only what is necessary% pause an instant and concentrate on the third hakra. Hold the "reath gently and vi"rate 2(e 4a Su2 in the third hakra. E'hale when you feel li#e e'haling% concentrate on %uladhara, vi"rate B(e 4a SuB there. o on li#e that% repeating the procedure "etween %uladhara and the fourth hakra@ %uladhara and fifth hakra@ %uladhara 0 /indu@ %uladhara 0 %edulla@ %uladhara 0 fifth hakra@ %uladhara 0 fourth hakra@ %uladhara 0 third hakra@ %uladhara 0 second hakra. As you see% one cycle is made of (; short "reaths. Repeat more than one cycle% increasing your concentration until your "reath is almost none'istent. Pause in !nahata hakra% repeating there 2 (e 4a Su2 many% many times% until you perceive light "oth in !nahata hakra and in the point "etween the eye"rows. This is the "est condition to realie the "reathless state. 5ne day you will "e a"le to stop the "reath and any movement in the "ody it will "e li#e a miracle. 2Jo me pid\is !ue lo e'pli!ue. (engo el fuego en las manosB &5arcia 9orca)
(9>
Important remar# hen you achieve the "reathless state% you will fall in a very intense love and attraction toward some marginal aspects of the mystical pathL those that have ignited your interested during this particular phase of your life. 6trange as it may seem% this fact may lead you to lose the "reathless state for a long time% even years. The strength of your elated reaction to the new great e'perience can produce an inflated sense of importance and worth of those aspects. evoting yourself to stupid searches% e'periencing with unnatural and illogical routines% you might postpone% for "etter times% all actions necessary to continue to en0oy the "reathless state. 7ou might enter a delicate phase of your life where there is no more the desire to en0oy the simplicity and austerity of the mental Silence. The temptation to put *aa aside is tremendous. 7ou might slip in a state of despondency and face the specter of dou"t cast upon you "y momentary lac# of results. There comes the idea that *aa is a $$poor$$ practice% that there are plenty of other ways to foster spiritual evolution other then parroting words and sounds. 6ometimes this illusion is reinforced "y the overindulgence in the thought that your mind needs rest and you should avoid all effort even that of practicing *aa. Resist this temptation3 ! final encouragement
I have heard some kriyabans affirm impudently that Kriya Yoga has nothing to do with *aa &much less with the pious practice of continuous Prayer1) Almost annoyed "y finding that their path could "e polluted "y other practices% they pour our their ignorance on youL 2Jeither 5uruji% nor 8ahiri ahasaya taught it. Kriyabans don$t need it.$$ They are filled with the conviction that Kriya wor#s in an automatic% infalli"le way. 6till% if the sense of smugness and self satisfaction will not continue "linding their eyes% they could realie very easily that this Kriya path is incomplete when it is not coupled with the practice of *aa. ithout *aa no one is a"le to ma#e the mental 6ilence state permanent and Kriya Yoga wor# as it should wor#. ,ut not only Kriya Yoga% "ut any form of Sadhana after some temporary success% is eclipsed "y the main occupation of the mindL running dry all its energies in the frantic pursuing or ever new dreamland worlds. Ta#e the resolute decision not to renounce anymore to the fantastic help that only *aa can give. It creates around you the protective mantle of mental 6ilence. In spite of whatever a"yss of mental confusion and spiritual aridity you are% its sweet vi"ration will "egin to echo into every fi"er of your "eing% as an angel heralding the season of your resurrection.
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CHAPTER (= PERFECTING THE TECHNI;UE OF K RIYA PRANAYA$A
Perfection of Kriya Pranayama happens according to two different and antithetic aspects. ,y perfecting the phase of inh(tion % "ecoming sta"le upon the ideal time of ==$$% you arrive at the disappearance of the most important o"stacles e'isting along the Sushumna path. ,y perfecting the phase of eh(tion you arrive at filling with Prana &coming down from the Cosmic fountainhead through the %edulla) the cells of your "ody e'panding the #ingdom of our awareness of the physical "ody to the vaster "ody which is the life that surrounded us touching with the awareness what is called the ollecti$e Unconscious. e are going to descri"e the two aspects separately. PERFECTING THE PROCESS OF INHALATION
hen we learn the techni!ue Kriya Pranayama we are taught a minimum of internal anatomy aiming at achieving a wor#ing visualiation of the spine. 5ur first e'periences with Kriya Pranayama are accompanied "y a wonder that increases day "y day for its intrinsic "eauty. 8ater% when we are taught to mentally chant )m in each hakra% the techni!ue remains 0ust the same simple and effective. The hakras are seen as steps of an ideal staircase leading to the dimension of the 6pirit. e can easily visualie its first five steps. 6ome uncertainty remains a"out how to visualie the si'th and the seventh hakra. 7et this visualied staircase is distant from actual reality. In time we come to the realiation that "etween the three initials steps &corresponding to the first three hakras) and the fourth one &heart hakra !nahata) there is an enormous distance. hen we have reached the third step this is not difficult at all - the fourth is too high% practically unreacha"le without an integral psycho1physical transformation. e don$t even suspect it% "ut it can remain unreacha"le for too long. I "elieve that if we saw the situation as it really is we would get desperate. 5n the other end% for the few ones who are actually a"le to reach the fourth step% the fifth and the si'th are very nearL the goal of the spiritual path is at hand 8et us clearly state that% apart from "eautiful soothing sensations in the spine and glimpses of light in the eye"row center% with our Kriya Pranayama nothing meaningful and su"stantial happens% for a very long time. 5ur practice can "e called a general preparation and we are wisely invited to wait patiently for future developments. e are taught that the space that separates the third from the fourth hakra% separates !ana from Prana & !ana is under the third hakra% Prana is over the fourth.) i'ing them and guiding the new energy in Sushumna is our purpose% yet this internal alchemy is not easy to achieve. It is for this purpose that we are wor#ing upon the third hakra with Na$i Kriya and upon the fourth with the (hokar1 (hokar does not consist only in guiding the energy from the head to (99
the heart "ut also in dragging the energy from a"domen upward to the heart. The secret of our spiritual realiation lies in merging Prana with !ana. They will unite one day. All the rest will "e a child$s play. Each further step will happen in a natural way. 5ur personality will change drasticallyL it will immediately e'hi"it appropriate "alance amongst all its functions. After a couple Kriya "reaths% our Prana will "e attracted% as from an irresisti"le magnet% inside the spine and our "ody would appear as dead. 5ur awareness% detached from ephemeral things% will rise to the most ineffa"le spheres of the mystical e'perience. ell% "esides our commitment to a peerless practice of Na$i Kriya and (hokar we are going to add a very important procedure of uniting the two energies Prana and !ana1 In this chapter we are going to ma#e an important improvement in our Kriya PranayamaL during the inhalation , the air entering the lungs will accompany the upward movement of !ana only from the first to the third hakra@ then there will "e no air "ut only a pure e'ertion of awareness accompanying !ana from the third to the fourth hakra and then to the all the higher hakras. !ana will then gradually merge with Prana. This new #ind of inhalation will "e followed "y a tran!uil and very en0oya"le e'halation. Practice
In Chapter > we have introduced the concepts ofL /ahir Ke$ala Kumbhaka &"reathless state after e'halation% that is with empty lungs) and !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka &"reathless state after inhalation% that is with full lungs.) In the state of !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka% "reath ] Prana are located in the higher part of the lungs. Ri" cage is e'panded "ut this does not hamper a sensation of rela'ation and freedom from "ody consciousness. 8et us now e'plain how the constant attempt at achieving !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka &which happens during (hird and "ourth Kriya)% creates the a"ility of ma#ing our Kriya "reath last ==^== seconds. Chec# your Kriya Pranayama with a chronometer. Try to get a true measure of it have different "reaths in order to measure the mean time. If the employed time is mar#edly less than 44$$ for each Kriya "reath% then very patiently "egin to practice Kriya Pranayama in the following wayL G( Inhale slowly and deeply% raising the Prana from hakra ( to hakra *. This happens in a"out +$$. G= Jow try to have a short "ut intense e'perience of what you have learned in Chapter > a"out reaching the state of !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka1 Hold your "reath% e'pand your ri" cage and "ring the awareness in %uladharaL "egin mentally chanting )m, )m, )m... rapidly% many times &a"out two chants of )m per second) clim"ing the innermost channel of the spine li#e an ant% millimeter after millimeter% reaching the heart hakra. Jow perceive the freedom from the "reath.
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G* If your lungs are a"le to receive another minimal !uantity of air% utilie your physical "reath% otherwise utilie only awareness and intuition to complete the path of the energy lin#ed with Kriya inhalation. In a su"tle way% awareness and energy move from hakra 4 to hakra + in a"out +$$. It is o"vious that the throat sound e'ists &and is very su"tle) only if there is a flow of air through the nostrils. G4 Jow complete the Kriya "reath% e'haling in the most tran!uil possi"le way. on$t care a"out the length of the e'halation. 6ummaryL uring Kriya inhalation% while the energy moves from hakra ( to hakra * nothing in particular happens. hen the energy is a"out moving from hakra * to hakra 4% a short pause of the "reath is made 1 The ri" cage is e'panded and rela'ed. The kriyaban$s awareness is split into twoL one part perceives and #eeps steady the e'pansion of the chest% the other part draws energy &which is !ana) from %uladhara to the third hakra. hen it reaches the third hakra% !ana merges with Prana producing an ecstatic state. The "reathing process undergoes a transformation. The last part of inhalation is not made of air entering through the nose "ut consist only in a movement of energy. The inhalation is thus completed in a subtle way. The process deepens "y itself since the ensuing e'halation drags the mi'ture of Prana and !ana down% to the door of Sushumna1 The #ey ingredient of the process &the drawing up of !ana current from %uladhara li#e an ant) "ecomes more an more natural until the pause necessary to enter the !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka state disappears. &ffects
hen you are first getting used to this delicate process you might feel some tension and dou"t you are progressing. 7ou might decide to a"andon this practice on the prete't that it is not fit for your physiology. Contrary to what one might thin#% the effects - spiritual revelations through intuitive discernment and temperamental transformations - can "e indeed epochal. This practice can help a kriyaban to face some important and decisive challenges that life "rings "efore them. 5ften kriyabans understand the necessity of run after something that seems impossi"le. They might nurture a passion for something that appears as an utopia% a thing which is a"surd to the common reasoning. ell% the practice we are discussing can provide the energetic potential necessary to pursue that ideal. PERFECTING THE PROCESS OF E#HALATION
hat I$m going to discuss now is not intended to "e studied and tested simultaneously with the previous point. It should "e practiced months later. It is really too hard wor#ing to refine "oth aspects at the same time. 7ou will tend to practice a"sent1mindlessly one of the two% imprinting indeli"ly on your mind a =;(
wrong way of conceiving its meaning and value. Therefore% don$t care now a"out how inhalation happens. :ust follow in a very rela'ed way the minimal direction we are going to give% and focus all your attention upon how e'halation happens. It is clear that% in the future% the two different instructions for inhalation and for e'halation will "e practiced one after the other% "ut now let us not attempt to accomplish this. Practice I% Eh(in@ Shee so)n" @)i"es ene'@, into the bo",
uring inhalation% ma#e a loud sound and visualie a powerful vi"ration departing from the se'ual one% a"sor"ing the energy there and "ringing it into the head. uring e'halation create a strong pressure of the awareness on the whole "ody. Perceive that the downward flow of energy permeate all the parts of the "ody% muscles% internal organs% s#in% cells. ,reath after "reath% while maintaining a slow% deep rhythm of "reathing% try to increase the intensity of the sound of the e'haling air in the throat. The Sheee sound of e'halation helps to in0ect energy into the cells of your "ody as if it divided itself in a limitless num"er of micro hypodermic needle in0ecting energy and light in each cell. ,efore starting the e'halation strengthen the intention of finding &or opening) an internal way to reach the cells of your "ody. Jot one iota of vitality in the air should leave your nose all the vitality should "e directed into the "ody. 8et "e inspired "y thin#ing that the Shee sound "e li#e 2the cry that "rea#s the hardest roc#2 - thus 6ri Auro"indo was referring to the power of /ija %antra% the 2sacred sound of the Rishi2 - revealingL ...the treasure of heaven hidden in the secret cavern li#e the young of a "ird% within the infinite roc# & Rig64eda, I1CDE1D) II% Con&ent'tion on the n+e( (en@thenin@ the eh(tion
At the "eginning of inhalation% e'pand the a"domen "y pushing out the navel which pushes down the diaphragm. 5n the contrary% during e'halation concentrate intensely on the navel as it moves toward the spine. 6ure% we have already learned doing this during "asic Kriya PranayamaL now it deals with intensifying at ma'imum this detail. /ocus your attention on the internal gathering of energy into the a"dominal region. This manifests as a peculiar ecstatic sensation that is perceived from the a"dominal region to the chest region. It comes spontaneous ma#ing e'halation last a lot more than inhalation. Rather% you have the impression that the e'halation "e lengthened indefinitely. The e'perience is similar to a Na$i Kriya diffused throughout the "ody. 5ften you will find yourself "ecoming cray with 0oy% sometimes with the chin slightly lowered% directed toward the navel as if it were a magnet. The pleasura"le sensation "ecomes orgasmic. 5nly a faint signal of the need of o'ygen appeases its progressive growth. &5ccasionally% it is good to stop at this =;=
phase to en0oy this state% avoiding going ahead with point III.) III% F'@mente" eh(tion
At this point% only a frail shell separates you from the coveted state where all effort ceases. Xery useful to cross this veil% is the su"tly fragmented e'halation. Here we consider dividing our e'halation into a"out =;1*; fragments or even more. This is in itself a pleasura"le e'perience% especially when each fragment tends to "ecome microscopic. 5nly if this is really necessary you can ... 2cheat2 a little "it% provided it is done with a good measure of delicacy. 2To cheat2 means to interrupt the e'halation% when necessary% inhale "riefly and then ta#e "ac# the e'halation and the downward movement of the energy. &To "e a"le to do this without distur"ing the delicacy of the phenomenon is an art.) I4% The epe'ien&e o* the Inte'n( B'ethin@ The process of Kriya Pranayama is leading us
toward something stunningly newL a rotation of energy independent from the act of "reathing. The e'halation seems to "ecome endless and the fragments of "reath seem to have practically dissolved3 There is also a faint "ut clear component of rising energy in the spine. 7ou feel you could lengthen this process infinitely% without ever e'hausting its marvel. 7ou have crossed a "arrier and reached a seemingly "reathless state where there is no air coming out your nose &this cannot "e affirmed with scientific certainty.) There is an inner source of fresh energy ma#ing you lighter and filling you with strength. The sensation is reminiscent of a "ris# wal# in the wind. This can not merely "e called a 0oyous stateL it is a feeling of infinite safety surrounded "y a crystalline state of an immo"ile mind. @sually% this e'perience is enriched "y hearing a loud and continuous )m1 This comforting sound is the confirmation that you are heading in the right direction. In the initial phases of mastering this practice it is "etter to avoid any form of Kechari %udraL it might sometimes give the parado'ical impression of hindering your efforts. The reason is that it isolates you from your surrounding environment. uring this practice% it is essential that your sensi"ility "e in tune with all that is around. A great source of inspiration &specific for this practice) is meditating outdoors with the eyes open and with the adamant% steadfast will of "ecoming one with a mountain% a la#e% or a tree in front of us. A strange phenomenon% that however does not contradict what we have said% is that sometimes the "est e'periences happen under conditions unfavora"le to one$s concentration% for e'ampleL practicing in a waiting room while pretending to read a magaine practicing while traveling "y train% loo#ing out of the window% giving the impression of "eing a"sor"ed in one$s thoughts... 5n such occasions% the 0oy "ecomes so great that it$s difficult to hold "ac# tears.
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!bout the e'erience of internal breathing
The e'perience of internal "reathing is a peculiar phenomenon of circulation of energy in the "ody and it is not what a "eginner kriyaban e'periences. The "reath is a"sent% yet one perceives the circulation of the energy% an $$internal "reath.$$ e have all the reasons to "elieve that this is the same e'perience called in Taoist internal alchemy %acrocosmic )rbit . There are also good reasons to hold that this is the same e'perience to which P.7. referredL 2...the current will then automatically move "y itself and the 0oy e'perienced will "e indescri"a"le.2 It may "e also the e'perience that 8ahiri ahasaya refers in his diaries when% a couple of years after his initiation in the Himalayas% wroteL 2/ollowing an e'cellent Pranayama% the "reath is wholly internally oriented. After a long period% today &the purpose of ) my descent &on earth) has "een fulfilled32 Even if we don$t realie the alchemical %acrocosmic )rbit % the simple fact adding awareness to the e'halation phase of our Kriya "reath has surprising effects. It ma#es you feel the "eauty of living as if you had vainly hoped for years on end that the ivine would "e part of your daily life% without ever seeing any result% and suddenly you discover that the ivine had always "een there. Heaven$s fire is lit in the "reast of the earth and the undying suns here "urn. &Sri !urobindo, ! 5od?s labor .)
The sense of "eauty and satisfaction is great% as if an impressionist painter had finally succeeded in actualiing their visionary conception conveying the idea that the painted inert su"stance of matter is composed of multicolored particles of light% li#e innumera"le suns radiating in a "rilliant transparency. There are also effects that we cannot even imagine. I$m referring to touching the psychological dimension that ties together all the human "eingsL the vast ocean of the ollecti$e Unconscious. The first percepti"le effect is generating Synchronicity henomenons also calledL $$ %eaningful oincidences1? $ In chapter (; we have dealt with the theme of the mystics that thin# a Prayer in their "ody targeting their will to o"tain an unlimited internal pressure of their awareness over the whole "ody% either "y concentrating on it as a whole or following an orderly scheme of 2con!uering2 each part of it. ell% the effects of the a"ove descri"ed way of e'haling during Kriya Pranayama is e'actly the same% rather more intense. /abaji? romise
Each authentic spiritual path has an $$ascending$$ and a $$descending$$ phase. uring the descending phase% the spiritual realiation is in some way utilied to rouse man$s evolutionary driving force towards spiritual e'perience thus ma#ing life complete. The $$light$$ of the 6pirit descends to "righten up the clouded =;4
mental planes of those who are ready to receive it% even if they are momentarily in deep illusion. How will this descent practically happenD o not thin# that the descent phase consists in visualiing the sending of $$good vi"rations$$ and other pious intentions. It is my conviction that the most effective - and at the same time safest - way to proceed is to let the ivine /orce descend into our "ody "y filling it with awareness through Kriya Pranayama with internal breath or "y utiliing the vi"rational power of a %antra1 ,y wor#ing in this way we can cross unharmed the thic# wall of collective opacity. ,y studying the "iographies of the mystics% it appears evident that the e'perience of cooperation with the collective evolution is not an optional% is not a choiceL it happens at an appropriate moment "y virtue of a universal law. ystics suffer from very negative moods and face also physical suffering. The ma0ority of them cross this phase with the conviction of e'piating in their own flesh what they consider the effect of the sins of man#ind. They e'plain this phenomenon in a very simple wayL in order to 2love thy neigh"or as thyself2% you must go out of yourself and mi' your consciousness with that of other people. This action cannot prescind from an identification with their physical and mental condition. /rom this% a great suffering% sometimes e'cruciating% is "orn. ,eing suddenly overta#en "y this e'perience without the necessary protection &which is in the "ody and not in the rituals of protection that many learn from Esotericism) does not result in states of peaceful e'pansion of awareness "ut in what could "e called a $$descent into hell.$$ ystics may suffer to the point of #nowing the "lac#est desperation. 6t. :ohn of the Cross calls that stateL 2The dar# night of the soul.2 They feel as though od had suddenly a"andoned them they dou"t the validity of their spiritual path. Although their conscience continually surrenders to od% they #eep on "elieving to "e sinners% without any possi"ility of salvation. In a lengthy and profound a"sence of light and hope% even if they have the drive to go ahead with outward e'pressions of faith% they reach the stage where they dou"t the e'istence of od. The conse!uence is the feeling of "eing irremedia"ly impure% lost for eternity. %y conjecture is that the Bdark night of the soulB could be mitigated or e$en skied1 (his chance is gi$en to those who are able to guide the di$ine realiAation in the cells of their body1
6ure% the encounter with a certain degree of suffering is unavoida"le. I am reminded of the famous episode concerning the life of 8ahiri ahasaya. A story tells that one day he $$drowned$$ in the "ody of people who were shipwrec#ed in a far away sea. 8ahiri ahasaya did not as# that e'perience% had not endeavored to attract it. It happened suddenly he accepted fully it and we don$t #now% "ut we can guess% what supreme solace he was a"le to "ring to those poor souls. All this reminds me of how 6t. Pio of Pietrelcina &Padre Pio) had many times all the pains of death "y "eing metaphysically near some wounded soldiers who were dying far away from home on the field of "attle. =;<
There is a sentence attri"uted to the mythical /abaji &!uoting ,hagavad ita)L 2 &$en a little bit of the ractice of this +inward- religion will sa$e you from dire fears and colossal sufferings.2 I thin# that we can interpret it "y considering the suffering deriving from the contact with the !uagmires of Collective @nconsciousL the intrinsic "alance and comprehensiveness &the fact that it concerns all the levels of the "eing) of the Kriya path% the achievement of Pranayama with internal breath is going to spare us from many dangers and suffering. hat we can do is therefore to strive to perfect our Kriya Pranayama endlessly and any future e'perience of e'pansion of awareness will happen in the most favora"le modality for our spiritual evolution. 6ome kriyabans are lost in con0ectures on impro"a"le levels of Kriya "eyond those we already #now% claiming that /abaji will introduce us to these levels in the astral worlds. That seems to me a parody of the esoteric and theosophic thought. I "elieve that the last levels of Kriya are not achieved in the "eyond "ut here on earth% facing% when the right moment comes% a perilous contact with the Collective @nconscious% uniting our spiritual realiation with the ignorance and opacity contained in all human minds. 8ahiri ,a"a is a mirror for all kriyabans1 hat happened in his "ody will one day happen in our "ody. At a certain point of our path% we are going to a"andon the o"session of utiliing Kriya only as a means for o"taining the Samadhi state% shunning the physical level of e'istence. If we constantly and ine'ora"ly e'clude any difficult achievement from our dreams and goals% our spiritual venture ris#s falling apart. Perhaps we may thin# that we are not ready for following 8ahiri ahasaya$s e'ample% "ut even if we have not his wisdom and neither the inner 26un2 of persons li#e The other% we can at least patiently turn our heart toward this new dimension of the spiritual path. The opposite choice can ma#e our heart hard and resistant li#e a stone% closed to the @niversal 8ove. I was taught that the achievement descri"ed a"ove represents the final phase of unfastening the #not of %uladhara. The first phase is entering the Sushumna perceiving clearly the spiritual eye the following phase is crossing the spiritual eye and this happens only "y "ringing the spiritual light down% towards the "ody. This unfastening will not happen to a kriyaban who has the intention of living peacefully% always attuned to the higher hakras% considering any other related1with1"ody1and1matter e'perience as an illusion. 5nly the descent phase creates the possi"ility of contacting Cosmic 5mnipresence - the state that P.7. calls Christ Consciousness. This is the crowning of e'istence as human "eing. any% with the emergence of spiritual maturity% appreciate what 6ri Auro"indo envisagedL the possi"ility for the $$spiritual$$ man to infuse the ivine into man#ind% into all the living things% into matter. ,ut then they decide that this is only a romantic ideal. To them the purpose of Kriya Yoga is to learn how to astrally fly out of the "ody toward the rarefied dimensions of the 6pirit in order merge one day with the Eternal ,liss. They have only this goal in their mind and =;+
heart and do not understand what the various sharp downward tugs that life e'erts upon them actually mean. Those tugs are an unwelcome e'perience to "e shunned% without even attempting to understand it. Their state of enlightenment ris#s to resem"le a chronic state of drowsiness 6ee#ing heaven$s rest or the spirit$s wordless peace% 5r in "odies motionless li#e statues% fi'ed In tranced cessations of their sleepless thought 6at sleeping souls% and this too was a dream. &Sri !urobindo, Sa$itri@ /ook F 6 anto I4 )
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Appen"i 3 Abo)t p'emt)'e K)n"(ini -enin@
hile "rowsing through the e" pages dealing with Kriya Yoga or Yoga in general% you will find some pages warning against the dangers of 2premature awa#ening of Kundalini2. The list of the pro"lems that the allegedly premature awa#ening would cause is limitless. There are also a few we" sites that warn against any form of meditation% hinting at the possi"ility of a "rea# with reality with unusual or e'treme strengthening of emotions% in particular agitation and an'iety% long1term disorientation where one has "ecome una"le to focus long enough to wor#. Kundalini is
6ans#rit for 2coiled2L it is conceived as a particular energy coiled li#e a serpent in the root hakra & %uladhara). The representation of "eing coiled li#e a spring conveys the idea of untapped potential energy having its seat at the "ase of the spine. 6ome authors foster the idea that this great concentration of energy has its seat in our entire "ody% not only at the "ase of the spine. It sleeps in our "ody% underneath the layers of our consciousness% waiting to "e aroused "y spiritual discipline. In Kundalini Yoga a see#er aspires to harness this tremendous power through specific techni!ues &particular "reathing patterns% /andhas, %udras, /ija %antra...) and guide its rising from the %uladhara up through the Sushumna% activating each hakra. It is e'plained that when Kundalini arrives at the crown Cha#ra & Sahasrara)% it "estows infinite "liss% mystical illumination etc. The concept of Kundalini is very useful for us kriyabans since it provides a convenient framewor# for e'pressing what is happening along the Kriya path. The concept of Samadhi &or 26uper consciousness2) is very a#in to 2 Kundalini awa#ening2. It may manifest as a series of "liss waves rising through the spine and entering the "rain. The e'perience usually lasts from few instants to a couple of minutes. It is li#e having a volcano erupting inside% a $$roc#et$$ shooting up through the spine3 5ther times% it may appear li#e an intense "liss in the chest region - suddenly you are inside an immense 0oy and wa#e up with tears in your eyes. 6ometimes it is an electric wind on the surface of the "ody% propagating from feet up to head% that announces the e'perience. The deepest e'perience is when the point & /indu) in the center of Kutastha e'pands into a tunnel. The awareness is pulled through it. It is li#e a plunge into Eternity% "urning with endless 0oy for several seconds - you are filled with the euphoria o"tained "y this short "ut unforgetta"le glimpse of your eternal nature. 6ome were so elated "y their e'perience that wrote a"out it. I remem"er an article in a specialied magaine in which the woman who had the e'perience =;?
attri"uted the event to an imaginary individual who% purportedly% granted her every intimate detail. 7ou understood that it was the lady herself to write since it was highly impro"a"le that another person had communicated her such profusion of details. Her alleged act of humility was annihilated "y the title she gave to her articleL $$/orerunners of a new race23 6he gave the impression of not having understood the teaching contained in the event. In her description% the event was given as a divine intervention% a privilege "estowed on a person who too# the trou"le to assure of "eing completely unworthy of it. e #now instead that this e'perience is very common% "esides it implies the same transformation one receives from a near death e'perience - JE. I counsel Kriya students to read 9ife beyond 9ife "y Raymond oody. In the stories of those who had a JE e'perience% we find some details in common with the afore hinted e'perience. e find the feeling of moving upward% through a tunnel or a narrow corridor% of floating a"ove one$s own "ody and seeing the surrounding area. The whole e'perience is lived within a feeling of endless love and peace. 6ome accounts include meetings with deceased relatives% and with spiritual figures &"eings of light). Each individual interprets such meetings according to their own culture and e'pectations. Then the feeling of having arrived at a threshold and "eing sent "ac# to one$s "ody - often with deep reluctance to return there - seems to conclude the e'perience. If you have had a similar e'perience% as a result of a serious accident% you #now how this event "rought you to the edge of Eternity% offering a uni!ue opportunity to glimpse it. /or you it remained the most real e'perience% parado'ically the most 2alive2 of your e'istence. ,ut let us come "ac# to the main tal#% the alleged dangers coming from an hypothetical Kundalini awa#ening. e read also thatL 2 Through practicing Kundalini Yoga% an aspirant can develop occult% psychic powers. These powers can "e used for constructive or destructive purposes% "ut !uite often they are misused. /or e'ample the a"ility to read someone else$s mind can create pro"lems and is li#ely to "e ... resented "y those who it is used on.2 This is comic3 hen we find such amenities we wonderL 2who on earth has written such nonsense and with what purpose2D @nfortunately there is a tendency in the e" to duplicate pages from site to site without changing a comma. If one ma#es up that a yogi died of spontaneous com"ustion during the practice of Pranayama% he can verify that% after a couple of months% this story will appear on some we" sites. 5ther things instead% ma#e one feel very sad. In a site I was reading that Yogis, sooner or later% are inclined to fall into sorcery and "lac# magic "ecause they evo#e% unaware% negative entities. The author of the site claimed thatL 2hen you repeat that antra )m, )m... you are actually invo#ing a demon spirit to come and possess your mind. He added his testimonyL 2uring a meditation session "egan to levitate. Ever since that second I haven$t slept as a human% I lost my sleep3 henever I closed my eyes% I saw the flames of Hell% I didn$t dear to close my eyes% I couldn$t3 I "ecame a psychiatric case% and =+ times =;9
I$ve "een hospitalied.2 I had a hard time meeting people who claimed that Kriya was responsi"le of all their psychological &perhaps they meant psychiatric) pro"lems and of some physical trou"les too. Hence% I should "elieve that "y "reathing fresh air% focusing the mind on the spine and on particular centers in the head while mentally chanting a %antra &in e'treme synthesis Kriya Yoga can "e reduce to this) they had developed all #inds of mental and physical ailments. /rom a "enediction as it seemed at the very "eginning% Kriya turned out to "e a curse% a misfortune. They referred contemptuously the same techni!ues that I had e'perimented so many times% with so much love% drawing the purest delight. hen I heard all this% my reaction wasL $$How% with what attitude% with what e'pectation% did these persons approached Kriya YogaD Kriya cannot "e responsi"le of all this. Impossi"le3 They say Kriya will ma#e me cray ... well% if I must go cray% I prefer to go cray "ecause of Kriya, instead "ecause of living a chaotic% materialistic life% where the spiritual dimension has no place. If the germs of madness are inside me% they will come into "loom "oth if I practice Kriya and if I do not practice it. Any further discussion if Kriya can accelerate a latent psychosis is perfectly useless "ecause scientifically indemonstra"le. 7et% considering the glorious moments e'perienced% I will wal# the Kriya path without an ounce of fear% had I to "urn in it.2 This was my way of thin#ing and of dismissing the topic. Jow% I #eep on with the usual enthusiasm "ut I am prudent when I tal# a"out Kriya to other people especially if I perceive them as having specific pro"lems of mental or emotional loss of "alance. As for the patent e'aggerations and a"surd accusations a"out alleged dangers from Yoga in general or specifically from Kriya Yoga% I must admit that I cannot a"stain from a strong suspicion they are caused "y deviant "ehaviors% such as drug a"use. ! short remark uon drug use and mental disturbances
Personally% I$ve always "een ta#en a"ac# when people "lame their Kriya practice and even the more simple preliminary practices to it% for damaging their psyche "ut say nothing a"out the drugs they have ta#en for years3 e all are capa"le of seeing they desultory life1style mar#ed "y drug a"use. How came that they went to India every year for a series of yearsD How came that for many years there was no interest in learning YogaD 5nly recently they have practiced some mild form of concentration and lo% a catastrophe3 After having read some "oo# that had thrilled them on the value of the meditation% they have practiced some techni!ue of Pranayama% or of simple awareness of the "reath% something of really "land% yet they #new the greatest terror% what they defined $$ meeting with the devastating mental illness.$$ Hence% the same person who for years too# acids% any #ind of amphetamines% opiates and &emulous of Castaneda) didn$t disdain the use of =(;
psychotropic plants% now is accusing the simplest yogic e'ercises to have caused their doom. I don$t want to ru" salt in the wound% I don$t try to ma#e them reasonL no one li#es to put a past% which cannot "e changed% in causal relation with today$s trou"les and tragedies. Anyone wants to e'orcie the thought of having seriously damaged their "rain and "e in a condition of permanent% fatal psychic disorder. I feel they are implicitly as#ing me to respect their past% to accept it for what it was. They have erected% first of all for themselves% a psychological wall through the mechanism of removal. They invite me to comment only their Kriya efforts and e'plain how its effects that had to "e marvelous &as perhaps I myself had hastily promised them) and% on the contrary% had "een very disappointing. I can do nothing else than listen to them nodding my assent% "ut I would li#e to have a magic mirror in which they could see how inconsiderate and cruel they had "een toward their "ody and especially toward their cere"rospinal system. The rules of politeness re!uire that I listen to them without reacting. 5n some occasions we meet "oth drug a"use and mental distur"ance and will never #now if there were the drugs who damaged their "rain% or it was "ecause of an already damaged "rain that they sought soft or hard drugs as a remedy. In other persons we perceive that there is a per1e'isting psychological trou"le. They seldom confess how in the past at the clima' of a psycho1physical "rea#down they refused to ta#e prescri"ed medications. They claim they succeeded in solving any pro"lem through the sheer use of their will. ,ut we see that the reality is !uite different. e see that the pro"lems are still there% only they are not patently evident% "eing well camouflaged "ehind the facade of a weird personality. How terri"le is sometimes this illusion of self healing3 If someone is psychologically fragile% it is very unli#ely they use the techni!ues of Yoga in the right way. Pro"a"ly they don$t aggravate the condition of their alienation "ut fear and anguish might arise as an unconscious resistance to awa#en they lur#ing mental nightmares. In my opinion% failure is highly pro"a"leL fear forces one to remain on the surface and "ars their way to deep practice. A radical transformation is impossi"le% feared as the worst spectrum% a menace to one$s psychological sta"ility. Jow% what could "e a correct attitude on my "ehalf in front of this situationD Can I succeed% at least sometimes% in helping or at least in giving a momentary comfort to the person "efore meD Perhaps in this situation it is "etter not to give advices. 5r should I simply advise to e'clude the practice of Kriya altogether and contact a doctor or a psychologistD I a"hor this% "ecause I remem"er when% as a young% enthusiastic kriyaban I reported to some friend my first "eautiful e'periences with Pranayama and they recommended me% with a sneer% to address a psychiatrist3 e could calmly clarify that it is not correct to apply the mystical techni!ues of Kriya hoping to escape% as for a miracle% from one$s own psychological pro"lems. ,ut even if we e'plain this% we won$t "e listened to. Perhaps the reader might thin# I am a cynic if I claim that everyone has the right =((
to test the Kriya path getting nothing "ut headaches. ,ut I do say this "ecause I "elieve that there is always a remote possi"ility that something good comes out. !$owal of a ju$enile madness
5ften we are friends with a mentally distur"ed person and we are ready to devote time and energy to them% encouraging them to practice some form of Yoga. hen we do this% let us "e prepared to ungratefulness and suffering. In my life% there came the decision to plunge myself in a deep commitment to help a person who had #nown "oth the world of mental distur"ances and that of drugs. I got caught up in this attempt for years and even today I feel the wound in my heart deriving from this illusion. The e'pectation that Kriya wor#s as a mental therapy "egan to ta#e shape in me after reading a "oo# where a physician descri"ed how he cured some cases of mental distur"ances through Yoga. uring the most fruitful period of my life% when Kriya was giving me splendid e'periences% I encouraged him to utilie Kriya as an alternative medicine. 5nly for sheer curiosity% he had learned Kriya a year "efore and had practiced it only a couple of times. Jow he was suffering from a sort of compulsive agitation mi'ed with moments of severe depression. I counseled him to practice Kriya twice a day which he did with a dedication that e'cited my admiration. y plan was to use the stimulus to the hakras given "y chanting )m vocally "efore Kriya Pranayama and mentally during it as a cathartic method to ma#e images% desires and unconscious nightmares arise. e would analye them according to the laws of psychoanalysis% a discipline I had e'plored years "efore. P.7. e'plained that Kriya "reath magneties the spine% dissolving the energetic micro vorte'es which are created "y our unresolved desires. Kriya "urns the so1called 2"ad seeds2 of Karma "efore they manifest in our lives. 6ince hakras are lin#ed with the su"conscious mind - each kriyaban can easily have a direct e'perience of this - Kriya can "e seen as a process of integrating our su"conscious with our conscious mind. If all this were true% you cannot say that my plan was completely a"surd. I didn$t understand that interpreting my friend$s dreams and what emerged during his spontaneous reveries had nothing to do with the spiritual path furthermore I was not ready for this action which should "e reserved to specialists. However% at the onset there were positive signs that encouraged me. I was convinced that there were only few steps and my almost miraculous cure had "rought definite victory. Actually I was preparing the "asis for an atrocious conflict that was spilled as "urning acid all over my Kriya path ris#ing to destroy it. All of a sudden I met an ine'plica"le wall% a stu""orn will in my friend not to loosen the em"race with the monster that he "rought within himself. He stopped the practice saying he desired to rela' for some days. This stall "ecame permanent I faced the pro"lem "y tal#ing and tal#ing I dared to criticie some aspects of his =(=
personality. I couldn$t conceive why he was not a"le to say farewell to some dangerous ha"its. hen I went straight to the point% he would grow dar#er and roughly "rea# off the conversation. /urthermore I had the impression he had not surrendered to the restorative dimension that lies "eyond the mind. He "itterly said that it represented for him the worse of all the evils. hen he lamented e'cruciating fear and anguish% I stigmatied his o"sessive self1o"servation% his lac# of general appreciation for all the positive signs of improvement he had during the first days of our com"ined effort. ,ut it was all in vain. He showed no more faith in Kriya and "egan praising and defending stu""ornly a collection of illusions. Then the final defeat stro#e triumphantly over me. I was definitively hushed "y his remar# that all my action toward him was illegal "ecause I was not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. hining% he e'plained that his present state of suffering was due to his decision to come to me and not to a specialist. I was crushed "y the monster of ingratitude. 6ure% he was telling the truth "ut he #new I was not a doctor since the "eginning% now he was ungrateful. 6hould we "elieve that friends cannot give more counsels and reprimands each other "ecause it is up to specialistsD (; Having seen the disgusting specter of ingratitude% seied with "lind fury% forgetting any past ha"it of courtesy% I annihilated him with a merciless 0udgment% of whose hardness and infle'i"ility I would have% for a long time% grounds for regret. However I decided to go ahead with my underta#ingL I didn$t want to lose. In the following days I imagined that in my friend$s life there was a region where he preserved and nourished a malefic mushroom from which he e'tracted the eli'ir of his suffering. Actually% 0ust as in the fa"le of ,lue"eard% there were some 2rooms2 where he wouldn$t let me enter. They too# form in my wounded mind. I fancied I could tal# to them face to face. They seemed to remind me sarcastic that you cannot always win and that defeat in small things is li#e a ta' for other victories in other fields. I don$t #now if this is illusion or wisdom% however our friendship ended and when I remem"er that friend I feel only a great grip in my heart. /ack to the starting oint2 does remature Kundalini awakening e'ists7
To those who practice the classical Pranayama &especially with /andhas and with long pauses of holding the "reath) the e'perience of a rising energy through the spine happens and they can have an e'perience of panic. @sually% this (;
5ften depressed persons have the tendency to s!ueee friends% teachers% organiations slowly "ut unrelentingly% up to a point where% as Carlos Castaneda writes% there remains nothing . After having showed enthusiasm for you who are devoting attention to them% after having applied with success some of your counsels% there comes a time in which they ma#e you feel guilty for an inaccurate counsel you might have given. I thin# that the pernicious mechanism of counsel% refusal% ingratitude might have e'acer"ated organiations also. Perhaps Kriya organiations are ris#ing in certain occasions to "e accused of giving an unprofessional psychological help. I wonder if those Kriya organiations that have gradually turned away from a positive attitude toward all people and shifted toward a plethora of prohi"itions and of an a"surd "ureaucracy% were forced to react in this way "y the recriminations of ungrateful and mentally distur"ed people.
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irrational fear disappears within a couple of days. A real mess happened to opi Frishna who wrote his e'cellent testimony. His life after awa#ening was "oth "lessed "y ecstatic "liss and tormented "y physical and mental discomfort. In (9+> he pu"lished his first ma0or "oo# in India% Kundalini2 The Evolutionary Energy in an Gcurrently availa"le under the title 8iving ith Kundalini. His "oo# is of great inspirationL it gives a clear and concise auto"iographic account of the phenomenon of the awa#ening of Kundalini. He e'perienced this $$awa#ening$$ in (9*> although he had not a spiritual teacher and was not initiated into any spiritual lineage. He practiced concentration for a num"er of years. His main techni!ue consisted in visualiing 2an imaginary 8otus in full "loom% radiating light2 at the crown of the head. As he sat meditating - e'actly as he had for the three hours "efore dawn each day for seventeen years - he "ecame aware of a powerful% pleasura"le sensation at the "ase of his spine. He continued to meditate the sensation "egan to spread and e'tend upwards. It continued to e'pand until he heard% !uite without warning% a roar li#e that of a waterfall and felt a stream of li!uid light enter his "rain. 26uddenly% with a roar li#e that of a waterfall% I felt a stream of li!uid light entering my "rain through the spinal cord. Entirely unprepared for such a development% I was completely ta#en "y surprise "ut regaining self1control instantaneously% I remained sitting in the same posture% #eeping my mind on the point of concentration. The illumination grew "righter and "righter% the roaring louder% I e'perienced a roc#ing sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my "ody% entirely enveloped in a halo of light.2 &opi Frishna 9i$ing 8ith Kundalini).
This e'perience changed radically the scheme of his life. He e'perienced a continuous 2luminous glow2 around his head and "egan having a variety of psychological and physiological pro"lems. At times he thought he was going mad. He adopted a very strict diet and for years refused to do any other concentration e'ercise. 2The #een desire to sit and meditate% which had always "een present during the preceding days% disappeared suddenly and was replaced "y a feeling of horror of the supernatural. I wanted to fly from even the thought of it. At the same time I felt a sudden distaste for wor# and conversation% with the inevita"le result that "eing left with nothing to #eep myself engaged% time hung heavily on me% adding to the already distraught condition of my mind. G... Each morning heralded for me a new #ind of terror% a fresh complication in the already disordered system% a deeper fit of melancholy or more irrita"le condition of the mind which I had to restrain% to prevent it from completely overwhelming me% "y #eeping myself alert% usually after a completely sleepless night and after withstanding patiently the tortures of the day% I had to prepare myself for even worse torment of the night. 2
8et us see how he emerged from this negative e'perience into a wonderful state =(4
of awa#ening that "lessed him to the end of his life. He discovered that the esoteric teachings contained a num"er of practices that might help him to "ring the energy "ac# into "alance. hat he practiced reminds a lot the practice of Kriya Pranayama. 2.... a fearful idea struc# me. Could it "e that I had aroused Kundalini through ingala or the solar nerve which regulates the flow of heat in the "ody and is located on the right side of Sushumna?7 If so% I was doomed% I thought desperately and as if "y divine dispensation the idea flashed across my "rain to ma#e a last1minute attempt to rouse Ida, or the lunar nerve on the left side% to activity% thus neutraliing the dreadful "urning effect of the devouring fire within. ith my mind reeling and senses deadened with pain% "ut with all the will1power left at my command% I "rought my attention to "ear on the left side of the seat of Kundalini% and tried to force an imaginary cold current upward through the middle of the spinal cord. In that e'traordinarily e'tended% agonied% and e'hausted state of consciousness% I distinctly felt the location of the nerve and strained hard mentally to divert its flow into the central channel. Then% as if waiting for the destined moment% a miracle happened. There was a sound li#e a nerve thread snapping and instantaneously a silvery strea# passed igag through the spinal cord% e'actly li#e the sinuous movement of a white serpent in rapid flight% pouring an effulgent% cascading shower of "rilliant vital energy into my "rain% filling my head with a "lissful lustre in place of the flame that had "een tormenting me for the last three hours. Completely ta#en "y surprise at this sudden transformation of the fiery current% darting across the entire networ# of my nerves only a moment "efore% and over0oyed at the cessation of pain% I remained a"solutely !uiet and motionless for some time% tasting the "liss of relief with a mind flooded with emotion% una"le to "elieve I was really free of the horror. Tortured and e'hausted almost to the point of collapse "y the agony I had suffered during the terri"le interval. I immediately fell asleep% "athed in light and for the first time after wee#s of anguish felt the sweet em"race of restful sleep.2
/rom then onwards% opi Frishna "elieved that this e'perience originated a process in which his whole nervous system would "e slowly reorganied and transformedL he tried to write a"out the mystical e'perience and the evolution of consciousness from a scientific point of view. He theoried that there e'isted a "iological mechanism in the human "ody% #nown from ancient times in India as Kundalini% which was responsi"le for creativity% genius% psychic a"ility% religious and mystical e'perience. In his opinion% Kundalini was the true cause of evolution. Jow% let us ma#e the following remar#sL a. He did e'actly what in Kriya you are as#ed not to do &e'clusive concentration upon Sahasrara hakra.) ". He saved himself "y doing e'actly what in Kriya you are as#ed to do &raising a cold current through the spine.) In Kriya we learn that a routine which is totally "ased on a strong concentration =(<
on the Sahasrara is not appropriate for "eginner or medium level students. The concentration on Sahasrara should "e prepared "y a long concentration on the point "etween the eye"rows or at %edulla or at that point which is called /indu &see chapter +). ,uilding a strong magnet in Sahasrara is the most powerful way to stimulate the rising of Kundalini. 7ou might e'perience moments of panic or in which you feel unrelated with the reality. Then% let us reflect upon to the modality through which opi Frishna started a process of recovery. Convinced he had aroused Fundalini through Pingala% he made a last desperate attempt to "ring in activity Ida% thus neutraliing the internal fire that was devouring him. He tried to create a cold current coming up toward the "rain within the central channel of the spine. This process% patiently repeated% create the positive transformation of his conditions. Jote Another interesting testimony a"out Fundalini awa#ening is that of ,. 6. oel$s &(9*<1 (99?) descri"ed in hisL Psycho6!nalysis and %editation1 He was a very rare individual. His e'perience of Kundalini awa#ening happened when he was =? and was !uite dramatic. Kundalini got awa#ened on its own. uring this long process% his friends thought he was 2losing his mind2. He went up and down India loo#ing for someone who could e'plain what was happening to him. He found many people that had theories. However they did not #now. His uni!ueness lies in his e'perience of classical psychoanalysis along with meditation% which he advocated. hen he was *<% his 5uru appeared in his dream% and told him that Psycho1analysis and ar'ism% "oth of which he had em"raced% were false ways to happiness. He told him the only path to inner peace and 0oy was through od. In (9?=% he opened an ashram in the Himalayas to help and guide other aspirants who had Kundalini e'periences. hat is interesting for us is that r. oel tal#s a"out the different degrees of suffering he went through as his ego was destroyed and re"uild. He was the first% apart late 6wami 6atyananda 6araswati who studied the role of /indu point% in the occipital region. He e'plained that 2when the consciousness marches toward /indu &which he calls /rahma6randhra) the ego1formations will get e'posed "efore the consciousness in free1associations% in free writings% in dreams% and a"ove all% in meditation itself. In the last part of the "oo#% while discussing 2signals toward the final goal2% among a lot of signals he had the courage to !uote one in particular whom is not usually treated in "oo# "ut in those "oo# who want of mimic all the gurudom matter. He !uotes 2the great desire for "eing pierced and penetrated.2 A"out 2pierced2% he e'emplifies it with the 2desire of putting a nail at the mid1point "etween the two eye"rows. A"out 2penetrated2% he clarifies that the desire of penetration at /indu may% out of ego1 ignorance 2turn into the desire of passive anal1penetration.2 He clarifies that an ordinary se'ual act cannot satisfy the person who need really penetrated at the /indu to get final spiritual "liss. He adds thatL 2as long as he does not reach that stage% he may often indulge in compulsive homo1se'uality. It is very pro"a"le that many saints of all ages might have remained great homose'uals if they had stopped their spiritual effort in their pre1sainthood period.2
=(+
onclusion2 imortant rocedures and atterns of beha$ior to be recommended
6ometimes the e'perience of a su"stantial and spontaneous rising of energy through the spine happens. Although "eing "lissful in itself% often the practitioner reacts with a feeling of uneasiness and gloomy thoughts. @sually this mood &which can turn into real anguish or panic) is a"sor"ed in a short time% without pro"lems. 6ometimes% an emotive person might feel "eing wal#ing in e!uili"rium on a rope "etween mental health and alienation. This phenomenon has happened to all saints and it is only a fleeting e'perience. There is nothing to fear3 However it is always wise to have a sheet anchor at disposalL a list of some urgent actions to "e done. (. %ula /andha &(;?) 6it !uietly and practice slowly% "ut intensely% (;? %ula /andha. Contract all the muscles at the "ase of the spine% maintain the contraction for a couple of seconds and rela'. Repeat. /orget the "reath% try to attune to calmness in the point "etween the eye"rows. on$t "e in a hurryL each hold and rela' should last at least four seconds. 7ou can have more than one session in order to complete (;? repetitions. ,eside this% try to have plenty of physical activity. ;1 reate a cool sensation inside the sine utiliAing your breath
hen the pro"lem persists% sit with erected spine and concentrate all your mental strength in the point "etween the eye"rows. @se all your imagination to raise a fresh current up the spine. This can "e done "y inhaling through the mouth while #eeping the tongue in the position of Sitali Pranayama or through the left nostril - having closed somehow the right nostril. To practice Sitali% raise the "orders of the tongue to form a 2@2 e let it protrude "eyond the lips. Inhale deeply through tongue and mouth. E'hale through the nose. /eel a fresh sensation in the mouth% transfer it in the spine. Repeat this for a couple of minutes until you feel something changing. This is e'actly what opi Frishna did to get out of his awful situation. D1 /e always rudent while holding your breath ,e always cautious with Kumbhaka &holding your "reath). The famous author :.F. Taimni in his (he science of Yoga &The theosophical pu"lishing house
Adyar% Chennai% India _ heaton% Il% @6A) writesL 2 Kumbhaka affects the flow of pranic currents in a very mar#ed and fundamental manner and ena"les the Yogi to gain increasing control over these currents. G... Jot only is Kumbhaka the essential element of real Pranayama "ut it is also the source of danger in the practice of Pranayama. The moment one starts retaining the "reath% especially after inhalation% in any a"normal manner the danger "egins and one can never #now what it will lead to. G... Kumbhaka unloc#s the doors of une'pected e'periences and powers. If it is ta#en up without the necessary preparation and guidance it is sure to lead to disaster.2 Kumbhaka
is very powerful and in Kriya Yoga it is adopted with special =(>
proceduresL Yoni %udra% (hokar ... ,etween the two e'treme eventualitiesL to never hold your "reath or to overuse Kumbhaka% chose an intermediary percentage of seconds of Kumbhaka. Regulate this percentage according to your a"ility to "ear the originated power. Remem"er that Kriya was conceived to "e the foundation of an intrinsically healthy method. In Kriya Pranayama you are taught to feel the coolness and the warmth of the "reath to "alance Ida and Pingala. If this is respected% if it is com"ined with %aha %udra% Na$i Kriya and Yoni %udra, this action can never cause pro"lems. ith this foundation% you will cover all the spiritual 0ourney in a safe way. G1 oncentrate uon the hakras in a balanced way
on$t cultivate stupid theories according to which all your pro"lems originate from the "loc#age of this or that hakra. on$t utilie techni!ues that wor# on a single hakra with the hope of unloc#ing it. 5ur internal #nots are not as we usually visualie them% namely li#e ordinary rope1#nots. They have a #ind of mutual dependence% they are su"tly inter1twined% one inside the other. After studying the theory of #nots &5ranthis)% do not focus too insistently upon eliminating the one that you deem is the most important. 7ou ris# to enforce those very #nots you want to eliminate. on$t "e li#e a surgeon who wants to remove a gallstone em"edded in a organ% without ta#ing all the care not to destroy the organ and #ill the patient. It is correct to affirm that the #nots are the root cause of our miseries% "ecause they nourish the e'hausting world of superficial emotions and thoughts. ,ut it is not correct to thin# that they are our arch1enemies. They "lur our vision of the 6pirit "ut without them we would immediately dissolve in the 6pirit% we could not lead a normal life. They are at the "ase of the instinct of self preservation. Remem"er that the "alanced techni!ues of Kriya Pranayama and of the "irst )mkar Kriya patiently "ut safely wor# upon all the #nots simultaneously. Increasing gradually the repetition of these "asic procedures is always the "est choice3 If you concentrate for some time on %uladhara% give the same concentration to all the other hakras and always end "y concentrating on the point "etween the eye"rows. In one commentary "y 8ahiri ahasaya to the sacred writings% it is writtenL 2,eing tran!uil at the coccygeal center% do not stay longer. If you stay longer at the coccygeal center% then negative Samadhi &a negative state of a"sorption) will ta#e place. 6o after getting up again% you should start practicing Kriya12 If% 0ust to give an e'ample% you use (hokar to hit different times the %uladhara hakra and you don$t integrate this with other practices to stimulate the higher hakras% the result is mainly a state of greyish mind that appears in the day following the practice. It is difficult to sustain that uncomforta"le sensation - as if your soul were scratched. :1 3o not utiliAe rocedures wholly based on the ower of $isualiAation
@sually visualiation techni!ues are introduced as an omni1"eneficial activity. ,ut visualiation is a force acting in your psychic inner world% thus necessarily =(?
there should "e o"stacles and dangers to "e considered. 6ome schools teach you to create a virtual reality through the power of your imagination. The visualiation procedure "rought to the e'treme limit is useless and treacherous. 7ou "elieve you are entering the spiritual dimension "ut you are entering the #ingdom of alienation. Always remem"er that when you do a purely mental wor# that doesn$t envisage verification% the danger is certain. Remind :ung$s wordsL 2The deli"erately induced psychotic state% which in certain unsta"le individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis% is a danger that needs to "e ta#en very seriously indeed. These things really are dangerous and ought not to "e meddled with in our typically estern way. It is a meddling with /ate% which stri#es at the very roots of human e'istence and can let loose a flood of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed.2 &C. . :ung% Introduction to (he (ibetan book of the 3ead1-
hat are% according to :ung% the 2deli"erately induced psychotic states2D @nfortunately he does not e'plain it in detail and does not "ring e'amples. However it is not difficult to understand that a psychotic state is the one in which you see things that do not e'ist% have a relationship &listen to voices% receive messages) from a dimension you have created in your mind and that e'ists only for you. H1 8hen the real Kundalini awakening haens111 hen Kundalini e'perience happens as a result of Kriya practice%
you won$t feel disoriented. If not refused or repressed% the repetition of such e'perience gives you an unsha#a"le certainty of the value of Kriya techni!ues. However you must understand and accept one thingL you are li#e one who% dead in appearance% had visited the afterword and then had returned to wal# again amongst human "eings. It is clear that no one understands you. Therefore #eep silent and try to improve your practice of Kriya. After having e'perienced Kundalini awa#ening% some settle in a lethargic situation in which they are perfectly satisfied in esta"lishing an agreea"le% lofty atmosphere in their life. And this happens mainly "ecause they rationalie they have received enlightenmentL no further effort is re!uired. on$t deceive yourselfL your Ego is intact% it hasn$t turned into a 2divine Ego2. The path to "ecome an Emancipated 6oul% "egins now and there is no step that can "e disregarded. I) Avoid going to 2traveling gurus2 to tell what has happened to you. They have no time to ta#e care of anyone. They repeat hastily some general guidance and go away. They may even don$t recognie the authenticity of the e'perience. Their lac# of spiritual realiation is% in some cases% really remar#a"le. 7ou have the means to "e your own !charya. 8et us consider what might "e a simple criterion to 0udge the e'cellence of your routine. It should "y no means "e the amount of pleasure received while practicing a Kriya techni!ue. oing ahead see#ing momentary pleasura"le sensations through meditation means to put your ego as the compass needle of your spiritual 0ourney. A moderate sense of well1 =(9
"eing prolonged during the day and retrieved the day after the practice is a more important and healthy criterion. II) It is possi"le to have had Kundalini e'perience "ut not the "reathless state &and vice versa of course). ell% try to achieve it% in order to end each routine in the "reathless state. III) o not forget to let the effects of the "lissful e'perience grow and mi' with your life. Enlightenment is to "e achieved drawing that e'perience down into the earthly dimension of life. This means you must "e a"le to see the ivine in everything% to find 0oy in everythingL wor#% free time% family% friends% contemplation of nature% art.... 6ometimes it is difficult to "e always attuned to an internal authentic feeling of delight% "lessedness% 0oy% ... "ut you must as# yourself this realiation. IX) Jever rela' your guard and never stop using the common sense. editation rela'es the mistrustful side of your personality you will tend to disregard your inner wisdom. I could "ring many e'amples "ut I want to consider here the teachings that tend to poison you against the world% that alienate you from the society you are in. They try to amputate your individuality and your desires they try to cut you from everything interesting and thrilling in life. The first effect is that they throw you off "alance. o not impose chastity to yourself "elieving you must "ehave li#e a saint. 6ome rational and intelligent kriyabans "elieve impossi"le things. They state authentic nonsensesL for e'ample that married kriyabans should practice se' once in a year only to give "irth to children. A"out this issue% many live e'cruciating conflicts getting to the refusal of love and moving toward insane ways of living. e do not put in discussion here the typical yogic way of conserving the energy% without "eing o"sessive. 8ahiri ahasaya admitted in his diary that at times his se'ual desire was really strong. 5ne day a disciple put him a direct !uestionL 2How can one "e definitively free from se'ualityD2 He replied in a way that let struc# dum" the discipleL 2I will "e free from se'uality only when my "ody will lie on the funeral pyre.2 od "less his sincerity3 I #new a kriyaban who was so "ound to his illusions that he too# the aforementioned episode as a sign that ... 8ahiri ahasaya was not spiritually realied3
6ometimes I as# myself if the ideas discussed in appendi' ( and =% could have "een placed in a Preface. ,ut few people ever read a Preface. ost kriyabans when discover my writing "ehave li#e timorous animals in unfamiliar territory% wondering whether to give a modicum of trust to the author. They prefer to get a general idea of the author$s motivations &and o"sessions) "y concentrating on certain techni!ues to see how deeply they are discussed. 5nly if they are convinced of the value of a "oo#% they might pay attention to other parts of the "oo# and only at the very end they would pay attention to the Preface. Therefore I thin# that this is the appropriate place.
8et us dwell upon the theme of the wrong attitudes towards the Kriya path. This pro"lem is more serious than what it seems. 6ometimes I thin# that sudden realiation of the real situation would drive a Kriya Yoga teacher to despair. here can you find a kriyaban who has not received strong conditioning% and drags himself ahead not only "y reason of a sincere aspiration "ut than#s to unmotivated and irrational e'pectationsD The point is that many forget that Kriya is not a psychological 0ourney in the realm of our mind "ut a spiritual path. /orgetting this gives all deformations green light. The two main wrong attitudes ensuing from it areL practicing Kriya with the hope of entering a general physical and mental healing process and nurturing great e'pectations for Kriya% seen as the greatest esoteric secret. If you find yourself in "oth attitudes% #now that you are not alone3 As for the hope of applying the Kriya techni!ues to get free from depression% this may come naturally after reading Kriya literature. 6ome schools of Kriya have tons of literature spreading this idea. This attitude leads nowhere. If you have a sic# mind and after having e'perimented with alternative remedies% you follow the counsel of too much enthusiastic persons and try the Kriya path too% you won$t o"tain anything% e'cept for a headache. If something good happens you will not recognie it and get only anguish. Kriya wor#s when there is love for the ivine and great appreciation for the Kriya techni!ues. 7ou cannot loo# at Kriya with suspicionL 2oes it really wor#2D In this situation there is no love for Kriya. 7ou fear in your heart you will "e disappointed and you will. Jo human can ever touch the sureme 5ood of Kriya unless you place it% with unsha#ea"le trust% a"ove all the other achievements of the world. 7ou cannot clumsily try to camouflage your s#epticism "y pretending a none'istent spiritual interest. Kriya can wor# even if you are not a 2religious2 person% "ut it should "e the o"0ect of your enthusiasm and aspiration. As for the second wrong attitudeL nourishing the groundless e'pectation that Friya practice might amplify your mental powers. This idea is su"tly fostered "y some Kriya literature. I don$t want to say that this is the only idea that comes out from certain literature. ,y no means3 It descri"es the spiritual path in a correct way% inviting ==(
you to see# the ivine only% !uoting the ospel with authority. 7et the preceding idea distur"s indeed. It gives origin to an almost ine'tinguisha"le oscillation "etween see#ing the ivine only% surrendering to His will without as#ing any other thing% and to use will% imagination and effort to get some tangi"le results which it is the aspect that% 0ust in order to "e understood% I call $$magic$$. This situation is made more unsta"le "y the fact that% owing to religious conditioning% the idea of moving towards od might remain% for many persons and for a long time without an ounce of attractiveness. hile the goal of the spiritual path seems a deviation of the natural instinct liven in the cold dar# of churches% the literature goes on encouraging you to develop this% to develop that. The dawning of a spiritual awa#ening is when suddenly the )mkar dimension enters one$s life. )mkar is important% very important. ithout it% you can repeat all day longL 2Thou art that2 "ut you don$t grasp its meaning. 7ou are only en0oying lofty ideas. Even if you "elieve in a Higher Self and desire to live without "etraying it% if you are not in contact with the )mkar reality% you "etray your Higher Self continuously. I am not afraid of saying that without this "aptism% one$s practice of Kriya is a caricature of 8ahiri ahasaya$s Kriya. 7ou cannot tal# only a"out evolution. 2Evolution2 is a vague% inconsistent mirage which destroys all genuine spiritual aspiration. An hypothetical evolution is less than nothing compared to the e'perience of contacting and merging into the )mkar vi"ration. I "egan to free myself from all esoteric1magic conditioning when I was invited "y a local cultural institution to give lessons on the present tendency of creating self1made religion. I went through the whole history of western esotericism. 7ou can understand where the "oundary line "etween the genuine mystical !uest and the cultivation of magic am"itions lay when you are familiar not only with the history of the mystical movements "ut esoteric too. I was delighted to prepare the lessons "y studying the "est availa"le essays and te't"oo#s 11 I mean "oo#s written "y academics who didn$t "elong &or were so smart as to hide their mem"ership or affiliation) to any particular mystical school and manifested a detached attitude toward the whole matter. I appreciated those te'ts that were capa"le of presenting the essence of those religious movements which flourished freely around the great religions. This was an unclouded period of my lifeL I was very gratified to have time and opportunity to pursue such studies. The impact of certain readings% the liveliness of certain historical facts% had the effect of cleaning my path from useless dogmas admitted innocently into my life through the door of mee# adapting to the ideals of my first Kriya organiation. I was struc# "y the devastating inconsistency of many esoteric movements% widely recognied as demanding and elitist. any magnificent terms% which would have once allured me% turned out to "e totally empty of any significance. Their redundancy filled me with nausea as if they were an o"scenity "rought forth "y a monster. I was stric#en "y the wea#ness of the human mind% "y its discouraging slowness in dissolving glaring deceptions and fallacies. 6ince the first lesson% I tried to communicate what is "eing e'pressed ===
clearly with the word $$mystic.$$ I repeated that even if in some conte't the word mystic evo#es a relationship with the mystery% with the concept of initiation &from the ree# Q`bUV Gmusti#os% an initiate) into secret religious rituals &also this from the ree# % to conceal)% a mystic is one who tries sincerely &adopting any form of mental and or "odily discipline) to surrender themselves to something which is the !uintessence of supreme comfort% something which lays "eyond the territories of the mind 11 unattaina"le "y the acro"atics of a never satisfied mind. The pro"lem was that that something "eyond mind was unintelligi"le and had no appeal for most part of them. I repeated to no purpose how frail &full of suggesti"ility and vulnera"ility) was the human psyche when it deals with approaching the spiritual path. I saw that my students showed scant regard for this theme. They didn$t seem to realie the relation it had with their own life. Rather someone contested me remem"ering me the great value of the curiosity in "ringing forth the scientific search. I realied with cold mind that some listeners came to my lessons in the hope to receive support and fuel for their illusions. Towards the end of cycle of lessons I tried to e'toll the concept of a $$ clean mystical path$$ - a path directed one pointedly towards the total surrender to od and not polluted "y the fantasies and deformations of the human mind. I tal#ed privately with some students a"out how to approach the very core of the spiritual path. I e'tolled the value of spiritual classics li#eL 2 (ales of a Russian Pilgrim2. I e'tolled how "eautiful and valua"le it was feeling li#e pilgrims% li#e those souls who followed the thousand1year1old spiritual tradition of ontinuous Prayer . It was evident that I had strongly strayed off of my didactic theme. However they forgot everything 0ust five minutes after our conversation and revealed the stimulus of the most curious illusions with the firm proposal of cultivating them on their own with great delight. At the end of this didactic e'perience I had clear in front of me the great danger to consider any spiritual path as a magic process. Actually% there are some aspects of Kriya advertising that seem an invitation to tread the path of agic. $$7ou will develop this% you will develop that....$$ There is a su"tle conditioning% seeds of illusion that will flourish at due time. I don$t advertise Kriya% "ut I #now what I would sayL $$ Kriya Yoga is a spiritual path "ased on good methods of concentration and Prayer. These methods had "een utilied for centuries.$$ Jot a word more. I would never show pics of people who were successful in Kriya% I didn$t either report of famous personages praising Yoga in general or Kriya Yoga ... since this gives the idea you want to sell something. I don$t appreciate that some Kriya school use sometimes &during mass initiation) rites similar to agic. They employs sym"olism% purification fire rites% to engender "elief. The greatest similarity is that "oth & Kriya and agic) re!uire to ta#e an oath of secrecy a"out the techni!ues. In religion there is discretion not secrecy. iscretion comes spontaneous to intelligent and sensitive people% ==*
secrecy is unnatural% irrational% impractical and therefore re!uires an oath. There are two tendencies in magic and therefore two ways of straying a spiritual path. The first is the mania of receiving initiation from e'ponents of an ancient lineage% the second is the mania of #nowing all the most powerful procedures in the world in order to find out the "est of the "est. A recollection of two very particular #riya"an friends ,y my first Kriya teacher% I #new a person who wasn$t there in the spasmodic search for original Kriya "ut "ecause of the illustrious line of descent of that teacher. He said that $$line of descent$$ was the most important thing to care while approaching a spiritual teacher. He was adamant in practicing Kriya with wrong modalities% ma#ing glaring mista#es. /or instance% he neglected the normal rules of health% refused% during meditation% to assume the correct position of the "ac#"one% didn$t even try to get immo"ility in the final part of his routine. It was impossi"le to correct him. He "ehaved toward me in a very cordial way "ut% when he tal#ed a"out the a"solute place to "e given to ethic rules listed "y Patan0ali% he was a"le to ma#e me feel li#e a worm. He criticied my o"session to perfect the practice of Kriya. He e'plained that the very desire to master a meditation techni!ue meant cultivating desire and this was against ,uddhist principles. The "elief that the power &,ara#a) of the great Teachers of the past% is still present in their descendants% as a non1stop chain is common enough. ,ut he was convinced that spiritual progress cannot happen e'cept through receiving this 2power2. In his life he was destined to went on receiving Kriya from those who claimed to have a valid lineage although their teachings didn$t add nothing to what he already #new. He was spell"ound "y the idea of 2transmission of power.2 He "elieved that the power received through initiation had in itself the power of redemption. He gave not so much importance to "e serious in the practice of the Kriya techni!ues - he said they were 0ust to purify oneself "efore receiving the real $$initiation$$ which for him meant $$power.$$ hat I never understood of him was that now and then he went to assist to the liturgical practices of a Catholic church only $$as a "land form of e'orcism.$$ @nfortunately% he went on paying attention to the revelations coming from a healer &a channeler (( ) to whom he went in order that the spirits reveal to him the #armic reason of a light illness that in my opinion% could "e cured easily following the usual hygienic rules. 8ater he met a group of people who practiced spiritualism and had Fardec as occult teacher. It was enough for him to hear that name to immediately feel ((
Classical spiritualism 1 characteried "y a person &medium) who enters a trance state at a des#% answers the !uestions put "y the "ystanders through a code of loud raps 1 has handed over its place to more modern methods such as those where all the participants% putting their hands on an upside1down glass to move it among the letters of the alpha"et stamped on a comforta"le fle'i"le ta"let &5ui0a "oard). any prefer the more accessi"le revelations of a channeler who lets the invo#ed entity e'press through the flood of his own elo!uence. It is interesting to see how the channeler?s "iographies trace a common scheme. All tell that once they were s#eptic of their own faculties and would not accept yielding to the higher ill who had decided to entrust to them the mission to serve as medium "etween spirits and humanity. 5nce their mission was accepted% from the same ultra mundane source came the inspiration to mi' the flow of the various revelations with the diagnosis of unli#ely illnesses% with prescription of e'pensive alternative remedies.
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part of that group who had the characteristics associated with Cultic roups. hat was lived there seemed to me a child$s play were it not for the fact that my friend supported handsomely his group. He plunged into situations of such a narrow vision that his life style appeared grotes!ue. It was a revelation for me to witness his mental fragility. It was as if% from "ehind the mas# of his face% another personality appeared% e'tremely self1confident "ut parado'ically allowing others to defraud him in the worst of the ways. His original desire to find a channel that put him in direct contact with the power and "lessings of the ancient masters ended in the worst of all prisons. He gave all his possessions% and the totality of his time% to a person who was an authentic rogue. (= He claimed to have had the privilege to communicate directly with P.7. and with 8ahiri ahasaya. It was pathetic and% to an e'tent% even amusing "eing told that his message coming directly from the hereafterL 2In this epoch% the Kriya is old1fashioned and useless. evotion is enough32. Another kriyaban friend seemed to live only for 2improving2 his Kriya "y incorporating various esoteric procedures% even those descri"ed in some esoteric "oo#s. He was convinced that only "y using certain formulas and initiatic sym"ols% was it possi"le to complete the evolutionary 0ump conducive to li"eration. After a great insistence% I accepted to read what for him was a masterpiece of initiatic literature. The "oo# surprised me for the !uantity of information it contained. hile reading it% I entered an almost hypnotic state and didn$t immediately realie that each chain of ideas therein contained had no "asis at all% "ut was only offspring of the un"ridled imagination of the author. Through an into'ication with words% the author$s imagination dared to develop free from the relationship with reality and from the rules of logic. The whole thing was only a pure mental en0oyment - compara"le to that of reading a fantasy novel. Reading Tol#ien would have "een immensely more interesting and wise. How can you thin# of e'periencing something concrete "y 0ust reading such 0un#D I counseled to my friend some good "oo#s he stated he had already read them. ,ut it was a lie - he preferred to #eep them at a distance. I came to #now that he was the spiritual guide of a small group of persons. I can$t imagine what he taught them since he never tal# to me of this activity. 5ne day he met a self1named e'pert in occult matters who purported to #now the secrets of an almost e'tinct esoteric path and% in particular% a spiritual techni!ue far more advanced than those #nown today% which was practiced centuries or millennia ago% "y few privileged "eings. This 2e'pert2 guided him sweetly "ut with the surety of a mature professional% towards a situation in which his economic "ase% essential to his living% was at ris# of "eing swept away% completely reduced to sham"les. He easily "ewitched him. 2Jow that humanity is different from "efore% such teachings are not revealed to 0ust anyone2 he started off% then after a pause and with a sigh% finally concludedL 2Today$s students would not #now how to appreciate them and% in their hands% they could "e dangerous.2 The e'pert created the impression of "eing a dreamer% "ut was not so nave as it (=
I have some grounds to "elieve that the untrustworthy soil of spiritualism is one of the "est areas to cultivate splits inside one$s personality. Apart from the automatic writing in which the one who as#s is the same person that gives the answer% the edium #nows in advance the preferences and anticipations of the person who addresses him. Therefore all "ecomes li#e a closed circuitL !uestion and answer rever"erate in an endless loop li#e the feed"ac# of a microphone set ne't to its loud spea#er. As anyone can o"serve% the messages are always agreea"le. Every adept% even of limited intelligence% receives the message that the ivine has assigned him an imortant mission I "elieve that this is% psychologically spea#ing% very dangerous.
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seemed he used an enchanting terminology similar to that of the Fa""alah &mystical teaching within :udaism) and tal#ed effortlessly a"out original Christianity also% whose te'ts &canonical and apocryphal) he was a"le to interpret in a non1conventional way. y friend tried to captivate the teacher in order to present himself as a true adept. Confiding that he was willing to accept whatever toll and deprivation% consenting to whatever "ehest% provided that this e'traordinary secret will "e revealed to him% he actually fell into the trap. After having e'pressed some reservations% our smart teacher at long last capitulated% murmuringL 25nly for you% only "ecause I feel I am guided to ma#e an e'ception2. y friend% a poor victim !uivering with emotion% lived the "est moment of his life% convinced that the meeting with the e'pert had "een decided in the higher spheres. The re!uested donation to "e given during Initiation 11 united to the promise of #eeping a"solute secrecy 11 was conspicuous% since in that way he would confirm the great value attri"uted to that event. The teacher said that the donation would "e transferred to a mon# who was helping an orphanage. &It is a real classic3 ... there is always an orphanage in these stories.) hile my friend% completely satisfied% was preparing to receive such an incompara"le gift &he received the e'planation that it was a gift and that nothing could ade!uately compensate the "enedictions that such an initiation would "ring to his life) the scoundrel distractedly decided what #ind of trash1stuff he was going to demonstrate with glaring solemnity. y friend received with indescri"a"le emotion% the new techni!ue and spent two days in sheer fervor. 8ater% imprisoned in his chimera% he witnessed the re#indling of his passion and the comedy repeated. He heard a"out other incompara"le valua"le 2revelations2. This illusion is% in effect% indomita"le. After having received his 2drug2% he continued his ine'ora"le run toward the a"yss. I cannot predict if% one day% he will realie that the techni!ues for which he paid a fortune had "een ta#en from some "oo#s and altered% so he would not to guess their origin. onclusion
e all #now that to "e entangled in esoteric% magic% occult rituals% spiritualistic practices... is an amaingly easy way of destroying% in a short time% years of genuine spiritual effort. 6tudy and understand this topic until until you feel it as a nightmare. Erase once and for all the insane idea that Kriya is the art of manipulating your karma and thus acceleration your evolution. 8et agic "e the art of manipulating aspects of reality through #nowledge of occult laws. Regard Kriya as the art of Prayer and of $$complete surrender$$ not through the mind "ut through tran!uilliing all the Prana in your "ody. /eel you are a pilgrim in this world. 6tart the practice of *aa with all your heart while your mind will 0udge it a dull activity. /rom now on% consider the state of ontinuous Prayer the shining destination of your spiritual venture. onKt occupy your thoughts with any other achievement. ,y following through with your resolution% all will "e perfect in your path.
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Appen"i 6 Impo'tn&e o* st)",in@ the R"hsomi mo+ement
hy should kriyabans give their time study the Radhasoami cultD ,ecause 6ri 7u#teswar and P. 7ogananda were part of it and "ecause the literary material produced "y this movement is very inspiring for all those who are see#ing to "e in tune with the )mkar Realty. The Kriya path is a process of refining% in successive stages% one$s attunement with )mkar . Jow% we are going to discover that Radhasoami is a monotheistic religion having the )mkar Reality as the $$single od.$$ e can say the same a"out Kriya Yoga. )mkar is the final goal of Kriya and the uni!ue essence which percolates through all its phases. Radhasoami movement teach procedures that are very similar to the techni!ues .ong Sau, )m, Kriya Pranayama and the techni!ue that P.7. calls Second Kriya1 These procedures in their entirety are called Surat Shabda Yoga &Surat means 2soul%2 Shabda means 2word2. The 2word2 is the 26ound Current2% the 2Audi"le 8ife 6tream2 or the 2Essence of the A"solute 6upreme ,eing2. ) Every kriyaban who feels a strong tie with P.7.$s teachings will surely read with shivers of surprise what comes out from Radhasoami literature. It is reasona"le to infer that some disciples of 8ahiri ahasaya "elonged to a Radhasoami group and perhaps% without even "eing fully aware of this% added to Kriya some elements of theory and practice which "elonged to this movement. is also referred to as Sant %at &Path of the 6aints). It is considered a derivation of Sikhism. (* Even if the spiritual organiation Radhasoami & Radha Swami) was formally founded in (9th century India% actually% the tradition is much more ancient and it relates to the teaching of Fa"ir and then uru Jana#.
Radhasoami
The writings of Fa"ir &(*9? ,enares 1 (44?B(494 aghar)% have deep similarities with the e'periences and thoughts of 8ahiri ahasaya. Fa"irKs concept of Shabda% which can "e translated as 2ord2 &the word of the aster)% can "e related to the )mkar teaching. According to Fa"ir this Shabda6)m dispels all dou"ts and difficulties% "ut it is vital to #eep it constantly in our consciousness as a living presence. The literature a"out Fa"ir and uru Jana# &(4+9 Jan#ana 6ahi" 1 (<*9 Fartarpur) is very inspiring. Their teachings overlapped perfectly. Fa"ir% an illiterate uslim weaver% was a great mystic% open to the vedantic and yogic influence% and an e'traordinary singer of the ivine% conceived "eyond name and form. The poems and sentences ascri"ed to him are e'pressed in a particularly effective language that remains permanently em"laoned in the reader$s memory. In the last century% Ra"indranath Tagore% the great mystic poet of Calcutta% rediscovered the relia"ility of his teachings and the power of his poetry% and made "eautiful translations of his songs into English. Fa"ir conceived Islam and (*
The Sikh religion is founded on the teachings of uru Jana# and nine successive urus it is the fifth1largest organied religion in the world. It is interesting that the #ey distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non1anthropomorphic concept of od% to the e'tent that one can interpret od as the @niverse itself.
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Hinduism to "e two roads converging toward a uni!ue goal. He was convinced of the possi"ility of overcoming the "arriers that separate these two great religions. He did not seem to "ase his teaching upon the authority of the holy writings he shunned the religious rituals. Fa"ir taught not to renounce to life and "ecome a hermit% not to cultivate any e'treme approach to the spiritual discipline% "ecause it wea#ens the "ody and increases pride. od has to "e recognied inside of one$s own soul 1 li#e a fire fed "y continuous care% "urning all the resistances% dogmas and ignorance. This is "eautifully stated in Fa"ir$sL 25ne day my mind flew as a "ird in the s#y% and entered the heavens. hen I arrived% I saw that there was no od% since He resided in the 6aints32 Hinduism gave Fa"ir the concept of reincarnation and the law of Karma Islam gave him the a"solute monotheism 1 the strength of fighting all the forms of idolatry and the caste system. I found the full meaning of the yogic practice in him. He says that there is a garden full of flowers in our "ody% the hakras% and an endless "eauty can "e contemplated if the awareness is esta"lished in the $$thousand1petal 8otus$$. 2ho is there playing upon a flute in the middle of the s#yD The flute is "eing played in tri#uti &eye"rows center)% the confluence of the anga and :amuna. The sound emanates from the north3 Cowherd girl% hear the sound of the flute and lo% they are all hypnotied "y the nada.2 2It is a music without strings which plays in the "ody. It penetrates the inner and the outer and leads you away from illusion.2 &Fa"ir).
,eloved uru Jana# gave the same teaching. He disapproved of ascetic practices and taught instead to remain inwardly detached whilst living as a householder. 2Asceticism doesn$t consist in ascetic ro"es% or in having a wal#ing staff% nor in visiting "urial places. Asceticism is not mere words asceticism is to remain pure amidst impurities32 Traditionally% release from the "ondage of the world was sought as the goal% therefore the householder$s life was considered an impediment and an entanglement. In contrast% in uru Jana#$s teaching% the whole world "ecame the arena of spiritual endeavor. He was "ewitched "y the "eauty of creation and considered the panorama of nature as the loveliest place for worship of the ivine. He e'pressed his teachings in Pun0a"i% the spo#en language of northern India. His disregard for 6ans#rit suggested that his message was without reference to the e'istent Holy 6criptures. He made a deli"erate attempt to completely cut off his disciples from all the ritualistic practices% orthodo' modes of worship% and from the priestly class. His teaching demanded an entirely new approach. hile a full understanding of od is "eyond human "eings% he descri"ed od as not wholly un#nowa"le. od must "e seen through 2the inward eye2% sought in the 2heart2. He emphasied that the revelation of this is to "e achieved through meditation. In his teachings there are hints as to the possi"ility of listening to an ineffa"le internal melody &)mkar ) and to taste the nectar & !mrit ). 2The 6ound is inside us. It is invisi"le. herever I loo# I find it.2 &uru Jana#).
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There were also a group of teachers that assumed prominence in the northern part of the Indian su"1continent from a"out the (*th century. Their teachings are distinguished theologically "y inward devotion to a divine principle% and socially "y an egalitarianism opposed to the !ualitative distinctions of the Hindu caste hierarchy and to the religious differences "etween Hindu and uslim. In the modern times the first name to signal is that of P'm Snt Shi+ D,( Sin@h i who created the Radha 6oami movement in :anuary (?+( &the same year in which 8ahiri ahasaya is reported to have received initiation into Kriya Yoga). This movement contemplate $$teaching a spiritual path which is intentionally easier than those descri"ed in the ancient scriptures as it re!uires nothing more than sitting !uietly and loo#ing and listening within.$$ They teach that there are no other means of spiritual li"eration% e'cept through the )mkar e'perience. ithout actual% conscious% participation in the internally audi"le 8ife 6tream% no one can ever escape the net of Karma and reincarnation% or ever "ecome free and happy. They e'plain that no other system leads so easily to the highest regions of mystical e'perience. The founder Param 6ant 6hiv ayal 6ingh 0i died on (?>? in Agra% India. He did not appoint a successor% resulting in a succession crisis upon his death. 6everal disciples eventually came to "e regarded as successors% which led to splits within the group. These splits led to the propagation of Radhasoami teachings to a wider audience although with slightly varied interpretations. (he main teachings and hilosohy of Radhasoami
The main features of this movement are the followingL I. Radhasoami affirms that )m is the ord referred to in the ,i"leL 2In the "eginning was the ord% and the ord was with od% and the ord was od.2 &:ohn (L() The 6ound vi"ration% the dynamic force of creative energy that was continuously "eing sent out from the 6upreme ,eing at the dawn of the universe$s manifestation throughout the ages% molding all things animate and inanimate could "e listened to through a multiphase procedure #nown as Surat Shabda Yoga1
The central techni!ue of Surat Shabda Yoga aims at uniting the essence of what we call $$ourselves$$ with the 6upreme ,eing through a procedure of inner listening. This techni!ues consists in attuning the soul to the spiritual current ever vi"rating within. od is within us "ut physical eyes cannot see Him% nor can these physical ears hear His Xoice. Jevertheless we can hear the 2divine pressure2 that hums all around us. ,y entering into the silence and closing our ears we can perfectly catch that celestial melody and therefore realie the presence of od within ourselves. It ta#es a little time to develop it and )m can "e heard "y anyone3 This is an amaing% marvelous event for each human "eing3 /rom the sacred moment when the student hears this music% he is never again alone. He en0oys the companionship of od Himself. Contact with this Primal 6ource of peace% love% and "liss% removes our fears% worries and an'ieties. ==9
Radhasoami e'plains
that from age to age% the great asters come to revive this #nowledge% after materialism has o"scured it. They give us "ac# our supreme 0oy% that who "ring us directly to our ultimate spiritual freedom. II. Radhasoami emphasies the need of a living spiritual aster or 6atguru. There is no dou"t that the concept of 5uru has a special place in Indian thought. 5ne of the main Hindu te'ts% the /haga$ad 5ita% is a dialog "etween od in the form of Krishna and the warrior prince !rjuna. Their dialog summaries the ideal relationship "etween 5uru and disciple. Radhasoami e'tols the role of the 5uru. In Radhasoami thin#ing this relationship is ela"orated in great detail e'actly in the same way I heard from my Kriya organiation "ut with an important differenceL this 5uru cannot "e dead &or% as they prefer to say% not having relin!uished his "ody through %ahasamadhi). Radhasoami is ironic a"out those people who imagine themselves followers of some dead aster. They commentL can a woman marry a dead man and live with himD Can a dead doctor give medicineD 5ne person may revere the memory of a dead master or read his writings. 5ne may feel in his heart love and veneration1for him. ,ut he can never "e a real Initiate of that aster. Coming "ac# to the real situation% namely the relationship with a living 5uru% this role is so important that there is a saying that if the devotee were presented to the 5uru and od% first he would pay respect to the 5uru% since the 5uru had "een instrumental in leading him to od. A disciple could never "rea# off the sacred connection with the 5uru under any circumstances. Initiation to Surat Shabda Yoga procedures is a very important moment. Radhasoami does not initiate everyone who as#s for it. 5ne has to "e spiritually $$ready$$ for initiation. After one has "een chosen for initiation% he is ta#en into a closed room% where the initiator e'plains the fundamental theoretical points we are dealing with. ,eside this% at the time of initiation% he is given a first1hand inner e'perience of the internal 8ight which appears in the point "etween the eye"rows. The initiator activates this 8ight stationed at the third eye of the disciple. Through it% one comes to 2#now od2. hen a soul esta"lishes contact with this 8ight% the 8ight ta#es it "ac# to the odhead% its original home. Although some sects for"id idolatry% generally the would1"e initiate "ows% #neels% or generally prostrates "efore the 5uru and worships him. They e'plain that a 5uru ta#es on himself part of the karma of the disciple% appears to them at the moment of death in order to introduce them to od. As for the meditation techni!ues% they can "e learned later from other authoried persons from the initiator and in any case the disciple ta#es a vow of secrecy. III. Radhasoami emphasies the need of wee#ly gathering for spiritual fellowship% spiritual service that can manifest in many forms and for listening to the tal#s of their living aster. 5ften such discourses revolve round the necessity of coupling meditation with a life of high moral values. &Xegetarian diet% no into'icants or recreational drugs...) at the same time carrying out their responsi"ilities to family% friends and society. Attending to these meetings is considered of paramount importance. uring them% one has e'perience of =*;
meditation under the direct guidance of his teacher . ,efore giving a summary description of the Radhasoami techni!ues% let us underline a #ey factor that Radhasoamis are very proud of. They claim that the limitation of all religions has "een their ina"ility to ma#e od real to their devotees. Actually% we can not imagine that men would live as they do% thin# and act as they do% if od were real to them% if they had actually seen Him and loved Him. od must "ecome real to the individual% not a mental concept "ut a living reality. To practically all men% od is simply an a"stract idea% a mental concept. How can one worship and love a mental conceptD hen most people say they love od% it simply means that they have a certain emotion induced "y different factors. ,ut this has not the least thing to do with od1realiation. There is "ut one method of ma#ing od real to the see#erL that is% to ma#e him see od and hear Him. hen the disciple hears the enchanting music of the internal sounds% then this process has "egun. ,ut that realiation is not complete. hen he rises "y the aid of su"tler procedures to the still higher planes% his $$spiritual "eing$$ meets with the 8ight of Kutastha% it is then that he e'periences perfect od1realiation. Jow% the sound of )m, "eing the "ridge "etween the physical and the astral world% the conscious and the unconscious% the form and the formless is the "est e'perience to increase devotion for the ivine. (echni#ues
The meditation routine is practiced daily in the comfort and convenience of one$s own home. 3% Position
The teachers of Surat Shabda Yoga encourage meditation in the !uiet of the early morning &"efore "rea#fast)% and "efore sleep. editation "egins with first rela'ing the "ody and ma#ing it still. The position is comforta"le either sitting in a chair &"oth feet flat on ground) or in a cross1legged position with spine erect% #eeping spine% head and nec# aligned naturally. It is important to gradually develop the a"ility of sitting rela'ed and without any "odily tension. 5% Pe'&ei+in@ (i@ht in K)tsth
In order to "egin the upward 0ourney% a 6adha# must learn to 2go within2 - this is accomplished "y concentration at the Third Eye Center. They e'plain that the seat of the 6pirit is at the point "etween the two eye"rows. It is on this point that the 6adha# having closed his eyes must focus his attention. Concentration moves ideally from that point% horiontally out% =;1=< centimeters from the forehead. Jo tension is put on the eyes or forehead. The gae is focused on the middle of the dar# inner screenL gradually the dar#ness will fade to lighter and lighter shades% eventually opening into the infinite space. This e'perience is deepened during the ne't practice n.*. =*(
Jote 6ome modern cults that are a derivation of Radhasoami teach this following right hand position. The eyelids are closed. The inde' finger rests lightly on the point "etween the eye"rows thum" and middle finger rest lightly on each closed eye"all% to steady and stop the eye"alls from moving. 6tart from the corner of the eye"alls% press very very slightly the eye"alls up from the "ottom. 7ou should see the light forming inside your head. 7ou get the sensation that your head is flooded with light. e must emphasie that it is not the pressure on the eye"alls that counts - the purpose of the hand position is meant simply to steady them and to allow you to focus "etter. 6% Sim'n ( K)tsth
The teacher gives the disciple a %antra@ Simran means the repetition of this %antra. It is simply a method of helping the mind to come to complete rest and remain at rest in the given center. Repeating internally the %antra in Kutastha helps one to raise the consciousness of the 6elf to higher regions. Simran is the #ey that helps transcending thought &time and space) and opens the door of the inner "eing. Radhasoamis are invited to use the 2 Panch Jaam2% the 2< James of od2L (. *otNirinjan =. )ngkar *. Rarankar 4. Sohang <. Sat Nam The disciple sits still% eyes closed% mentally repeating the %antra% gaing into the middle of the dar#ness lying in front of him. If he perceives the inner light% the concentration is on it. ,reathing is natural and free flowing. This process automatically draws the spirit1currents% normally dissipated all over the "ody% toward the spiritual center. hen the inward gae has "rought to a sharp and steady focus% one finds that the dar#ness will fade and light will emerge. Concentrate in the middle of it and continue repeating slowly your %antra. Eventually one e'periences the withdrawal of the sensory currents and a vary peculiar state sets inL li#e of $$num"ness$$. The Inner 8ight ceases flic#ering and develops into a "right spot in the central portion of the forehead. radually% this "rilliance enlightens every constituent of the "ody from within. Every cell% every tendril is seen as spar#ling with a reflection of this uni!ue glow. The divine glow ends the dar#ness of ignorance. Perfect control of the flow of the thoughts and emotions ensues. 7% N" Yo@
This techni!ue is practiced covering ears and eyes using an arm prop. 6ome com"ine the listening to the inner sounds with the attempt to taste nectar & !mrit ) "y stic#ing the tongue to the roof of the mouth. &6ee techni!ue n.+) In order to hear the $$divine sound$$% novices are as#ed to "loc# their ears with the thum"s so they cannot hear any e'ternal sounds. @sually one places the thum"s in the ears and pulling "ac# 0ust far enough not to "e listening to the "lood pounding through your ears. GXariationL each thum" is placed in the ear and each hand is twisted upwards so that the four fingers of each hand rest on the top of your head% with each thum" tip lightly "ut firmly in each ear hole% sealed with the twisting action. 5ne listens to the internal sound coming at first from the right side and =*=
ultimately from the top of the head. To some devotees this sounds li#e a "ell. At a certain moment% it "egins to fairly enchant you and to pull you up with increasing attraction and power. 7ou will find yourself listening to it with rapt attention and deep delight% completely a"sor"ed in it. 7ou will never wish to leave it. uring this practice% the %antra given in the previous techni!ue is not repeated. 9% So hm P'n,m
The nostrils in a human "ody are li#e the holes in a flute. e #now that the in and out flow of air produces typical sounds that you can listen to% concentrate upon and thus amplify especially when the "reathing process is deep and slow. The sound of the "reath is $$S o$$ during inhalation and $$ . am? $ &hung) during e'halation. These sounds are not loud and clear li#e other audi"le sounds. Jevertheless% they can "e $$perceived$$ concentrating upon each "reath in a silent am"ient. 8isten to the sound of the in and out "reath as $$So6.am$$L $$So$$ on the in1 "reath% $$ . am$$ on the out1"reath. A great help and inspiration for this practice is to consider "reath not only as a flow of air "ut as a manifestation of the cosmic )m vi"ration. A 6adha# should also attempt to feel an illuminating current of Prana entering along with the "reath it is a"sor"ed during the following pause and in0ected into the "ody during e'halation. If you are constantly aware of this% you achieve the "reathless state. Therefore this techni!ue is also referred to as Ke$ala Kumbhaka. uring it you can hear also the internal soundsL the full realiation of Jada 7oga can "e achieved. The total duration of this practice can range "etween five minutes &for "eginners) to thirty minutes &for the trained). % Ke&h'i
I have not found in Radhasoami the e'ercise of (alabya Kriya "ut only the following instruction.
$$Curl your tongue up to the roof of your mouth. et the tip to touch the uvula ma#e contact with the $$divine nectar$$ that is constantly flowing through your "ody. o further and enter the nasal passage. @sually you will e'perience the nectar only after much practice. It is claimed that this nectar is the living waterK% the "read of lifeK of which :esus spo#e. 7ou can com"ine So .am Pranayama with Kechari or you can practice Kechari alone.$$ =% Lo&te the Ch-'s in the "o's( spine The Radhasoami movement "elieves that "esides the + hakras in the physical "ody% there are + hakras in the grey matter of the "rain% and + in the white matter. The + spinal hakras are materialistic in nature% therefore they are not to "e stimulated &you don$t use specific bija %antras to activate them as you do in Kundalini Yoga) "ut they are simply astrally located. 6trange as it may sound%
long meditation upon the Cha#ras is not the right action to "e done in order to achieve $$ %ukti$$ &li"eration.) ,ut "y astrally locating them we ac!uire the a"ility to leave the human "ody at will - a practice sometimes referred to as 2dying while living2. The techni!ue consists in assuming Kechari %udra while =**
concentrating upon the physical location of each hakra until its particular luminous vi"ration "egins to appear. hen this happens you don$t dwell upon that hakra you focus on the physical location of the ne't each hakra and so on - the pause upon a hakra lasts only for the necessary time to have that su"tle perception of it. >% Hi@he' *o'm o* So Hm P'n,m
hen the physical location of the + spinal hakras is clearly esta"lished in the mind% the Kundalini energy can "e stimulated "y creating a strong mental pressure on the si' hakras along the spinal column. This is possi"le only after having practiced for a long time the previous techni!ues. 8et$s get to the pointL practice So .am Pranayama with Kechari %udraL piercing the hakras happens during inhalation. hile "reathing in slowly% with the focus of concentration upon the su"tle sound of $$so$$% try to feel the pressure of the Prana contained in the inhaled air. It surrounds% winds and tights around each hakra during its coming up. E'halation happens as in the "asic form of Soham PranayamaL do it very rela'ed listening to the sound of the "reath coming out as $$ .am$$. ,y repeating this procedure% the pressure upon each hakra increases. ?% S)bt(e phses o* me"ittion to intensi*, Om-' epe'ien&e The location of the other (= hakras in the "rain is gradually revealed "y moving the Prana in a circular &or elliptical) way inside the "rain. A very slight
"reath can "e used 0ust at the very "eginning of this procedure% then "reath is forgotten and you use only the pure strength of your will. There are plenty of such procedures adopted "y the different Radhasoami groups. Here I hint to a couple of them &which represent% in my opinion% the most effective and efficient way to merge int the )mkar dimension.) GI Awareness and Prana move upwards along the right temple% then to the left &under the s#ull vault)% downwards along the left temple and finally to the right touching %edulla and closing the ellipse. All the movement happens inside the "rain. 7ou will hear internal sound inside the right ear. Then you will hear it inside the left ear also. o ahead with the internal movement and listen to "oth tones simultaneously. hen the energy in the two is "alanced% a circle is formed% creating a force field. It may ta#e you a"out five minutes to hear "oth tones at the same time. Jow% guide the two vi"rations into the center of the cranium% where they will meet and "lend into a slightly different sound. At the ape' of this procedure you will have the revelation of the spiritual eye. A deep ,ell sound will lead you in the Samadhi state. This is the culmination of this particular practice and contemplation. GII Awareness and Prana move forward along the right part of the crown% then move "ac#wards along the left part of the crown% returning to the starting point =*4
over the occipital region. All movement happens horiontally under the s#ull vault. After completing a great num"er of rounds% the soul has sufficient force to penetrate the (?th portal &this for Radhasoamis is the most elevated hakra that is found in the white part of the "rain). This portal opens on the true% indestructi"le $$ Radhasoami$$ - the ocean of the 6pirit. This is the ultimate goal to "e achieved via meditation practices.
=*<
onclusion
e were taught that 8ahiri ahasaya learned Kriya Yoga in (?+( from ahavatar ,a"a0i. e have discovered that he learned also from other sources and "rought ahead during his life a continuously process of e'perimentation. e assume that the hypothesis that he learned also from Radhasoami, &either traditional Radhasoami or something lin#ed with that tradition) is reasona"le. ,ut we have no dou"t that Radhasoami too can learn from him% "ecause 8ahiri ahasaya is the new Fa"ir the new uru Jana# and he has enriched the Surat Shabda Yoga path tremendously. 8ahiri ahasaya goes "eyond traditional Radhasoami "ecause he too# from other traditions li#e Sufi and integrates everything perfectly. Radhasoami teaches that )m is to "e heard "y closing the ears% 8ahiri insists that )m is to "e heard without closing the ears &and this feat which is relatively difficult while trying to master Kriya Pranayama "ecomes possi"le with (hokar and Kechari %udra). Radhasoami teaches that the spiritual goal is to reach the higher centers in the "rain and "e lost in that 8ight 8ahiri ahasaya emphasies that the turning point is to discover the 8ight in the heart center and "e lost thereL 2E'ternally oriented air from a"ove has to "e made internally oriented. Through (hokar % this air opens the door of the temple of !nahata hakra. Then deep engrossment occurs.2 (hokar creates a great stimulus in the fourth hakra guiding you to meet the white starlet &the true /indu) whose contemplation opens the door of the Sushumna. The great effect of the (hokar is to $$initiate$$ you to the )mkar dimension not only as 6ound "ut also as 6piritual 8ight. ,ut you must insist with this over every measure. /urther procedures open you to the )mkar dimension in the aspect of movement swinging sensation which is the most su"tle and mysterious perception in which it is said resides the #ey to go "elying time and space. 8ahiri ahasaya although #nowing that many need a cult% a structure in which move their first steps% respects the dignity of the human person and was against any cult founded upon his Kriya Yoga. Although #nowing that his e'ample was important in the first phase of the student$s Kriya path didn$t want to play the part of a traditional 5uru "ecause he #new that in the long run this pretense was detrimental to the final emancipation of the person.
=*+
Appen"i 7 Hi""en t'es)'es in P%Y%s K'i, Yo@
This appendi' is devoted to those students who are conversant with the Kriya techni!ues as they are given "y the organiations that spread P.7.$s teachings. Those techni!ues are only hinted at in the following te't% not fully descri"ed. The sym"ols F(% F=% F* and F4 are utilied to denote the four Kriyas as they were given "y P.7.% and the preliminary techni!ues are called their full names% $$ .ong Sau2 and 2)m techni#ue1$$ Therefore% when in the following te't you read 2F42% remem"er that we are not referring to the techni!ue of the "ourth Kriya as it is descri"ed in Chapter >% "ut as it is descri"ed "y P.7. After my "oo# appeared on the e"% I had intense email e'changes with various researchers. Among them there was a large group of people who had received the Kriya techni!ues from P.7.$s organiation. They had "rowsed my "oo# 0ust for curiosity. Having seen the similarity "etween their e'periences and mine% they e'pressed some of their technical dou"ts. The purpose of this appendi' is to summarie and recommend the "est employment of some of P.7.$s techni!ues. It is a fact that those who came from P.7.$s school prove to "e the most 2serious2 and #ind people. 6ome of them would have greatly appreciated a 6eminar on the .igher Kriyas techni!ues where not only the technical details are demonstrated "ut also a theoretical scheme is given providing them with resources to conceive - and su"se!uently modify - their routine according to the various stages of their development. /or many kriyabans the crisis with their school "egan when their re!uest to have a 6eminar on the .igher Kriyas techni!ues received an incomprehensi"le% anachronistic $$J5$$. GRecently some of the organiations "ased upon P.7.$s legacy seem to now understand that it doesn$t pay to "ehave in such a way. The ideas e'pressed here come from my direct e'perience and from a personal meeting with a kriyaban who struc# me with his e'traordinary commitment to the regular practice of Kriya. Although unsatisfied with his understanding of the su"tle mechanism underlying those procedures and tormented "y many dou"ts% he never dismissed the practice. eeting such an ardent devotee meant for me finding again% reflected in his eyes% the gold that once lighted my life when for the first time I s#immed through the pages of the famous P.7.$s auto"iography. He said he was following the Kriya path for one reason onlyL to surpass the "oundaries of his mind and merge with the Ineffa"le% not to worship any human "eing. He would not dream of mi'ing P.7.$s Kriya Yoga with any other teaching. Apart from the techni!ue of Kechari %udra% he didn$t feel the necessity of adding any other techni!ue to the original 8ahiri ahasaya$s Kriya. 5ur meeting was an e'traordinary event. hile we were e'changing opinions and e'periences% &at different moments of our lives we had studied the same "oo#s a"out Yoga) I felt that the "itterness% mi'ed with curiosity and trust% that I had perceived in his mind a few minutes "efore when he had summaried the ups and downs of his Kriya path% was dissolving. =*>
Kechari %udra and Kriya Pranayama Routine
The first point of discussion was Kechari %udra 0 how to achieve it and how to introduce it into the practice of Kriya Pranayama. (4 Xery wisely he practiced mouth1 Kriya6Pranayama followed "y nose1 Kriya6Pranayama. He was not victim to the illusion that mouth1 Pranayama is superior to nose1 Pranayama1 There was a long thread of discussion some years ago on a Kriya forum !uestioning someone$s conviction that practicing Kriya Pranayama with mouth open ma#es 2 Prana flow into Sushumna.2 This idea is a "aseless speculation. e all #now that only the "reathless state succeeds in letting energy and awareness flow into the su"tle channel of Sushumna. ,oth forms of Kriya Pranayama &mouth or nose1 Pranayama) are effective to prepare for this event. 6tudents who have learned Kriya through the organiation and want to improve their performance of Kriya Pranayama should grant themselves the pleasure of practicing it "oth through the mouth and through the nose. outh6Pranayama has the remar#a"le power of granting a clear coldBwarm sensation of Prana moving along the spinal column - there is no reason to drop it after achieving Kechari %udra. It is clear that if you practice Kechari proper or simply #eep the tip of the tongue touching the middle of the upper palate you cannot "reathe through your mouth since the tongue "loc#s the flow of air through the mouth. To those who are not satisfied with their e'ecution or who feel that they are far from perceiving the movement of Prana along the spine% I counsel adding Nadi Sodhana Pranayama at the very "eginning of their routine. any kriyabans have made this e'ercise an integral part of their daily routine. It goes without saying that moderate e'ercises for the spine% adding to the forward "endings of %aha %udra some form of lateral "ending and torsion% represent the "est thing you can do. o not slur over the preliminary e'ercise of drawing air in and out through the tu"e created "y the loosely clenched fists. I don$t "elieve at all that this e'ercise was conceived as a didactic tool to "e utilied only during Kriya initiation. It is a smart variation of Sitali Pranayama1 (< I counsel to add it% and also to practice it with a fragmented "reath. ividing the "reath in small fragments while you are intensely concentrating on the spine% feeling a power that rises millimeter after millimeter &and li#ewise descends during fragmented e'halation) is a very effective action. I don$t #now if it is also "ecause the pulsing movements of the navel stimulate the 3antian region% "ut this e'ercise is e'traordinarily effective. After it% the practice of fourteen consecutive Kriya (4
6ometimes the discussion focuses on the detail of chanting )m in the hakras and on the first version of P7$s Kriya written instructions where the higher part of the head was crossed "y the e'halation current.
(<
2Curl comforta"ly your tongue and protrude it slightly past the lips to form a tu"e. Inhale deeply and smoothly through the tongue and mouth 11 a cooling sensation is felt over the tongue and into the throat. E'hale through the nose ideally directing the fresh "reath in all the parts of your "ody.2 This is a common way of practicing Sitali Pranayama.
=*?
"reaths grants a #een sensation of presence in the spine. (+ After these "reaths% I counsel closing the mouth% putting the tongue in Kechari %udra &no pro"lem if a student can only turn the tip of his tongue upward to touch the roof of the mouth - soft palate) and then practice Kriya Pranayama in two partsL first avoiding the mental chanting of )m in the hakras and then chanting )m in each hakra. Each one of the two parts of Kriya Pranayama has a precise roleL The *i'st p't is devoted to coming near to the most perfect throat1and1nasal1 pharyn' sound. 5ne should remain attuned to the same sounds which occur when the techni!ue is practiced with mouth open. Even if the sound of the "reath is not loud and clear% one day it will "e flute1li#e. This will "e a great event the hidden power% encapsulated in it% will lead one to the pea# e'perience of the Kriya path. The energy in %uladhara will awa#en and rise li#e a missile through Sushumna into the "rain. The oceanic )m sound will "e audi"le and the 0oy e'perienced will "e overwhelming. ,ut this happens only when the spine is clean% li#e the hollow tu"e you visualie during Kriya Pranayama. The se&on" p't with chanting of )m in each hakra, is devoted to feeling the reality of the hakras and listening to their internal astral sounds% without closing the ears. @nfortunately for many kriyabans, the last part of their routine means remaining immo"ile waiting for the strong energetic charge that the spine dispels ... li#e one who is awaiting the a"sorption of the drug introduced in the "ody "y an intramuscular in0ection. In my opinion% Kriya meditation means carrying on an active concentration on the hakras% moving the awareness up and down the spine% and pausing in each hakra for (;1=; seconds. hen this effort has granted the e'perience of listening to internal sounds% then meditation means going on listening to these "lissful sounds for some minutes. It fits into Kriya$s theoretical scheme to practice *yoti %udra at the end of the routine - optionally preceded "y a repetition of %aha %udra. Note2
8et us try to imagine what can result% what tangi"le effects can "e generated "y the decision to complete %0&'( )riya Pranayamas second part - either (44 each day for (44 days or >= each day for =?? days3 All the effort should "e directed to listening to the internal sounds% hence to contact and merge with the )mkar dimension. The commitment of one$s own will to "ring forth a continuous attention to the internal sounds improves the sensitivity to them. This perception happens after repeated% soulful effort employed during many sessions of Kriya. A very wise choice is to utilie also the antra )m Na %o /ha .... A general rule is to use your common sense and let the process itself guide you.
(+
6ome kriyabans practice with visi"ly open mouth &as some direct disciples of P.7. teach)% others with half open mouth with the central part of the lips touching &as other direct disciples have taught).
=*9
Remarks about KD and KG
hen you receive F* and F4% you are not a"le to resist the temptation of trying F4 on the spot - 2if it leads to Samadhi% why not try it now2D After a"out (< 1 =; rotations% Kumbhaka "ecomes stressful. Instead of giving up% you repeat the same attempt a couple of times% while discomfort increases and a feeling of nausea or diiness goes on launching its alarm signals. Eventually you stop% defeated. The gain is ero% less than ero3 Jot only have you not o"tained the slightest trace of Samadhi, "ut you have lost the initial tran!uil state. 8et us try to set these procedures within a well1ad0usted routine. In my opinion a very good idea is to distinguish in the teaching of F* two different teachingsL F* without head movements - this procedure could "e reasona"ly called $$)mkar Kriya$$ - and F* with head movements - this procedure is called $$"asic form of (hokar $$. _ A"out F* without head movements. E'ert practicing the F* instructions in immo"ility% without movements of the head. Inhale% placing the sylla"les where prescri"ed intensify the awareness at the point "etween the eye"rows. Remem"er to apply the mental pressure at the "ase of the spinal column. E'halation "egins immediately after the concentration at the point "etween the eye"rowsL it guides the current into the prescri"ed centers1 hile vi"rating the sylla"les in the correct places% there could "e a micro pause in each one of them however% the flow of the "reath should not lose its !uality of smoothness and the inhaling and e'haling sound remains continuous. It has "een e'plained that this practice in immo"ility isL $$the art of astral diving through the spinal tunnel.2 The gist of the practice lies in the constant effort of raising your awareness along the spinal column millimeter after millimeter with a continuous mental pressure. 5ne must have trained the power of his concentration to the point of "eing a"le to maintain this pressure with uninterrupted continuity. It is li#e s!ueeing with the thum" an almost empty tu"e of toothpaste &from its "ase up to its opening) to get the last little "it out. Kechari %udra is e'traordinary in creating the necessary 2mental pressure.2 The e'halation is more tran!uilL the energy glides downwards as a cascade of light coming from a"ove. ,y applying this teaching again and again% you will have "lissful e'periences in the spine. _ A"out F* with head movements Those who em"ar# on this venture should learn to perform the head movements in a very delicate way. Jo one should allow the weight of one$s head to push the chin toward the chestL in this condition% the physical movement is definitely too powerful and harmful for the nec#. Hence% mindful physical effort is re!uired while stri#ing the chest "ut at the same time resisting the force of gravity. 6ome define this last movement of the head as a 2"low2 or a 2stro#e.2 Perhaps it is much more correct to define it as a 2tap2% or a 2slight 0olt.2 2:olt2 means that the chin comes down% touches the chest "ut does not remain glued there - after an instant it comes up immediately. The point is to produce an intense effect within =4;
the fourth hakra. 8et us consider the speed of the movements. @sually they happen without altering that rhythm with which the sylla"les are mentally chanted during inhalation. ,ut you can go slower. 6ince 3e, 4a, Ya are chanted in a slower way in order to accompany a full e'halation% you can also chant (e, 4a, Su with the same rhythm as 3e, 4a, Ya. In this way% there is plenty of time for concentrating deeper on each "low. To "e more clearL if inhalation and e'halation happen in ? ^ ? seconds% the movements of the head with (e, 4a, Su happen in a time that varies from 4 to ? seconds. _ A"out F4 The difficulty in practicing this techni!ue lies in trying to hold the "reath without having first calmed the Prana in the "ody and raised the energy & !ana) residing under the "elt into the higher part of the thora'. To increase the num"er of rotations of the head up to =;;% without "reathing% seems a mere illusion. 5n the contrary% this "ecomes feasi"le when a kriyaban has completed the right preparation. ,ut what could "efittingly "e called a right preparation for F4D The decisive procedure - endowed with a shattering psychological cleaning power - is to complete to in&'ement( 'o)tines regarding the two afore1hinted aspects of the F* techni!ue. G6ee chapter 9 for a definition of Incremental Routine. a) The first Incremental Routine concerns F* without the movements of the head. Tradition envisages "eginning with (= repetitions and adding one repetition a day until you reach =;; repetitions. This is to "e done once a day% during the main routine. &After this practice , forget the "reath and remain immo"ile% practicing the "est form of mental Pranayama.) If you have a secondary session% the same techni!ue can "e resumed for (=1*+ times. Instead of adding one repetition a day% you can adopt a simpler planL practice =< repetitions a day for two wee#s. Then practice <; repetitions a day for another two wee#s. Then practice >< repetitions a day for another two wee#s ...then (;;... ...(=<... and so on until you practice =;; repetitions a day for two wee#s. Completing this incremental routine is a challenging% "ut not particularly difficult% underta#ing time goes "y without much notice and what could seem to "e an e'hausting tas# &doing more than (;; repetitions) turns out to "e as easy as a moment of rest. ") The second Incremental Routine concerns F* with head movements. The plan of incremental increase is the same as the previous Incremental Routine &a). The crucial detail whose importance cannot "e over emphasied is that during each movement of the head% while the "reath is held% you do not lose the perception of the current reaching and piercing each hakra +%edulla, cervical and heart hakra-1 =4(
At the completion of "oth procedures &a year or more is re!uired) the student is a"le to direct a tremendous amount of energy into the heart hakra and is ready to reach high levels of perfection with F4. Prudence with KG is highly recommended
A wise way of tac#ling the F4 techni!ue is here descri"ed. 5urs is not a commonly accepted method "ut it can help those who are stuc# in an unsatisfactory practice of F4. 8et us suppose that while holding your "reath in a non1forced way% you are a"le to practice the movements of F4 for a precise amount n of times let us also suppose that the day after the practice% you don$t feel pain in the cervical verte"rae or in the nec# muscles. ell% presuma"ly you are in the condition of practicing n^+ rotations. In order to feel comforta"le% a"ide "y the following technical detailL uring the last part of your inhalation% don$t ma#e the act of sealing the lungs &closing the trachea - as when you are diving into water) "ut #eep them as if you are going to "egin a new inhalation. /eel an increase of Prana in the upper part of the lungs. 7ou will have the sensation that the "reath is annihilated and you can complete your tas# easily. &5f course that depends on months and months of conscientious practice of F*.) hen n^+ movements are completed% e'hale comforta"ly and don$t repeat the procedure till the ne't day. /or one wee# don$t try to increase "eyond this new n^+ 2record2. If there are pro"lems with the cervical verte"rae% you can wisely practice on alternative days. If everything goes in the "est of the ways% increase "y si' rotations a wee#. However% as you can easily presume% you won$t "e a"le to increase the num"er of rotations indefinitely. At a certain point you will come up against a threshold that seems impossi"le to trespass. on$t worry if this threshold is small% even inferior to <;1+; rounds. hen will you effortlessly reach the =;; rotations as 8ahiri ahasaya prescri"edD JeverD on$t thin# so. Read carefully the following instructions and test them. Feeping your chest e'panded and the a"dominal muscles and diaphragm perfectly immo"ile% allow that a minimal &almost impercepti"le) sip of air can go out whenever your chin is lowered toward the chest and an impercepti"le sip of air can enter whenever the chin is "rought up. 8et us "e clearL don$t ma#e the intentional act of inhaling and e'haling your role is limited to letting the afore descri"ed phenomenon happen freely% not impeded. hat is important is that you don$t lose the sensation that the physical "reath doesn$t e'ist and all the Prana is immo"ile in the upper part of the lungs. Increase until it is comforta"le - therefore don$t set the o"0ective of achieving the =;; rotations. o you thin# that this method is wrong% nothing "ut a deceitful tric#D ay"e it is% "ut through this way of proceeding% something "eautiful is approaching. 5ne day you realie that during your practice the previously hinted =4=
little sips of "reath don$t happen. An increase of energy in the fourth hakra is stri#ingly perceived. 7ou realie you are rotating your head while #eeping a perfect effortless Kumbhaka. A wonderful sensation of freedom from "reath happens. A simple e'planation of this event is "ased on the consideration that the adopted procedure has a soothing effect on the ganglia tied with the "reathing process. In this condition% you will "e a"le to reach the =;; rotations. Information about K;
any are convinced that F= as taught "y P.7. is incorrectly named 2 Second Kriya2. Indeed% it is !uite different from the Second Kriya as taught "y various schools which corresponds to F*. I have #nown students who felt deceived 0ust for this reason and had dropped it. However the techni!ue is decidedly valua"le. The story that P.7. received this instruction from 6wami Fe"alananda is plausi"le. I "elieve that a similar techni!ue is hinted at in heranda 6amhitaL 2... close ears% eyes% .... meditate on the si' hakras one "y one.2 The techni!ue F= is an advanced and e'tremely difficult teaching which is somehow related to the "ourth Kriya level. It is "ased on a procedure which is not restricted to 2physically locating the centers2% "ut whose purpose is definitely higher. 7ou focus mind and Prana on each one of them until their essence is revealed. The $$essence$$ of each one is the (attwa related to it. e have already touched upon the theme of (attwas% the five elements &earth% water% fire% air% ether - see Chapter >). F= leads you to perceive not only their colors "ut something moreL the static Prana related to their vi"rational rate. Actually% there are some writings in which P.7. e'plains in a very clear way the physical changes that happen when your awareness attunes to the different (attwas1 Each kriyaban runs into these writings "y studying the correspondence course. It$s odd that those writings are not specifically lin#ed to those of Second Kriya. P.7. e'plains how your "reath flows through your nostrils and descri"es the different flavors you perceive in your mouth when you attune to each (attwa. And finally% last "ut not least% we must point out that in the group of the writings accompanying the F= instruction% two other e'tremely important techni!ues are descri"ed. They are given without a specific nameL the first% very clearly e'plained% is a delicate techni!ue conceived to help you to perceive the astral spine% the other could "e called the art of 2 %otionless (hokar 2. 3% Te&hni8)e to Pe'&ei+e the Ast'( Spine
The techni!ue to perceive the astral spine is e'plained after P.7. has e'patiated on Kundalini and given a clear hint at the necessity of Kechari %udra1 At a certain point% P.7. e'plains how% once sta"le in the meditation !sana% a kriyaban gently sways the spine% left and right in order to feel the astral spine as separate from the "ody. The core of the teaching is then e'perienced in immo"ility "y traveling up and down the spine% mentally chanting )m in the location of the
=4*
hakras.
(>
It is a very simple teaching and yet it is great3 The result can leave you astonished3 I don$t comment on it further% since P.7.$s few lines a"out it are e'haustive. 5% Te&hni8)e o* motion(ess Tho-' The procedure of 2 %otionless (hokar 2
is hinted at in a not1easy1to1understand sentence a"out the 2psycho1physical "lows given at the different locations of the hakras12 Jo further practical e'planation is given. The information I have received is that the 2psycho1physical "lows$$ are o"tained "y a particular way of mentally placing the sylla"les of a %antra at each hakra$s location. A slight contraction of the muscles around each hakra accompanies this action "ut as the procedure "egins to produce its sweet effect% you enter physical immo"ility. (hokar &F* and F4) affects the higher hakras & %edulla% cervical and heart hakras1) This 2 %otionless (hokar 2% a procedure apt to e'tend (hokar to all the hakras, is thus characteried "y a drastic diminution of the dynamic of the movements of the head or "y perfect physical immo"ility. @nfortunately what I have received is only one personal opinion. /or other interpretations of the sentenceL 2psycho1physical "lows given at the different locations of the hakras2 consider the followingL G( 6tudy the particular procedure that I gave in chapter ? under the la"el G(.+. G= The "reath is forgotten. entally repeat in each hakra the antraL )m Na %o /ha 5a /a (e 4a Su 3e 4a Ya1 8et me e'plain how% through the help of this %antra, we give four psycho1physical "lows to each hakra. e divide the %antra in four partsL )m Na %J == /ha 5a / == (e 4a SL == 3e 4a Y1 /our taps &soft "lows) happen when we thin# the accented sylla"les %J, /, SL and Y1 e start "y placing our awareness in %uladhara hakra1 e loo# 2down2 at it as if it were a horiontal dis# li#e a coin% we mentally chant 2 )m2 at the left of its center% 2 Na2 at the right and 2 %J2% with a soft tap% in the center of it. The oscillation perceived during this internal action is a matter of millimeters. A light oscillatory movement of the spine can accompany and strengthen the internal movement. Always remaining in %uladhara, we repeat the same procedure with /ha 5a /, thus giving a second psycho1physical "low at %uladhara. Then we vi"rate (e 4a SL and eventually 3e 4a Y1 e repeat the same procedure with all the other hakras. The order is the same that P.7. utiliesL first% second% third% fourth% fifth hakra% then %edulla% point "etween the eye"rows% %edulla% fifth% fourth% third% second and first hakra. Then we repeat the whole round trying to "e more internalied. This time we try to #eep the spine immo"ile. The ideal would "e to "e a"le to complete from three to si' rounds. (>
There is a direct disciple of P7 who teaches Second Kriya e'actly in this way. 7ou mentally chant )m at each hakra$s location% from %uladhara to the point "etween the eye"rows% then in Sahasrara% cervical% heart hakra .... This cycle is to "e repeated for + to (= times% and the practice is concluded "y a final rising into Sahasrara.
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G* The "reath is forgotten. entally repeat many times in each hakra only one sylla"le of the %antra1 Having focused your awareness in %uladhara hakra, loo# 2down2 at it and mentally chant 2)m, )m, )m, )m, )m, )mM1 2 for a"out two minutes. The rhythm is fastL a"out two chants per second. Repeat the same procedure with all the other hakras. In the second hakra chant mentallyL 2 Na, Na, Na,Na, Na, Na M12. In the third hakra L 2 %o, %o, %o, %o, %o, %o M12 and so on. The order isL first% second% third% fourth & /ha)% fifth hakra &5a)% point "etween the eye"rows & /a)% %edulla &(ee)% fifth & /a)% fourth &Su)% third & 3e)% second &4a) and first hakra &Ya). The ideal would "e to repeat some more rounds% up to + or (= rounds. Note2
It goes without saying that the main proceduresL (echni#ue to Percei$e the !stral Sine and (echni#ue of %otionless (hokar, although complete in themselves and conductive to deep meditative e'periences% are the "est thing to prepare your psycho1physical system for the practice of F=. A sho't "i@'ession bo)t the B'eth(ess Stte
e have stated that the techni!ue F= is an advanced teaching somehow related to the "ourth Kriya level. Actually F= "ecomes 8ahiri ahasaya$s "ourth Kriya level (? if practiced in the "reathless state. any kriyabans are una"le to conceive of the "reathless state to the point that it doesn$t occur to them. ell% when a Kriya student has faithfully practiced Kriya for at least three to four years% this is the right time to ma#e a further effort and achieve the "reathless state. Therefore% in meeting a kriyaban who is no longer a novice% it is necessary to understand if they are ready to ma#e a greater effort and achieve the "reathless state. Convince them to practice a ton of *aa and there you are3 7ou will never "e a"le to find anything li#e *aa to improve your Kriya and achieve the "reathless state. A Kriya routine is helped - and thus "rought to perfection - "y mental silence during your daily life. /or this purpose I counsel *aaL it acts also on the su"conscious mind. 7ou cannot practice Kriya "y the sheer strength of your will alone% you have to live a spiritual life% namely one in which the mind relin!uishes the chaotic life% enters the devotional life and thus enters the %ental Silence state. I thin# that it is a mista#e that the Kriya schools don$t officially give the teaching of *aa. Perhaps the pride and arrogance of some kriyabans estranged them from a practice that they consider much too simple. 7et% some great disciples of P.7. actually hinted at this teaching. &/or further discussion read Chapter ((.)
(?
Actually it "ecomes one of the different variations of 8ahiri ahasaya$s /ourth Friya level.
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Ho to epe'ien&e the K5 p'o&e")'e insi"e the B'eth(ess Stte
Having reached the "reathless state% and having possi"ly "ut not necessarily put their tongue in Kechari %udra% kriyabans ta#e a long inhalation. They e'pand the ri" cage and #eep it e'panded while completely forgetting the "reath. They do not e'hale. Their "reath remains immo"ile in the upper part of the lungs. They concentrate on %uladhara% then clim" up the spine with their awareness% slowly% without "reathing% millimeter after millimeter. hen they reach the heart hakra they have a remar#a"le "lissful sensation. They will have here the assurance that they can go further holding their "reath. At this point% without e'haling% they apply the instructions of F= to %uladhara &contraction of the muscles near the hakra% rotation of the fingers% concentration on the changing of color....). They may also accomplish the internal act of ideally raising that hakra into the point "etween the eye"rows this happens without using the physical "reath. Then they rela' the contraction of the muscles and move to the ne't hakra. If they feel that their "ody needs "reath% they "reathe. There is no place for tension and discomfort. If they are not a"le to restore the "reathless state% if they feel that Prana has glided down "elow the chest% they may stop here for this first day. A day will come when they will "e a"le not only to re1esta"lish the "reathless state "ut they won$t feel the need to "reathe "etween one rising and the ne't. They will raise each hakra into the light of Kutastha, always remaining without "reath% #eeping Prana immo"ile in the upper part of the lungs. In this successful situation% the practice of F= consists of achieving the state of !ntar Ke$ala Kumbhaka &effortless holding the "reath after inhalation) closing the ears% moving the awareness from hakra to hakra perceiving their own )mkar vi"ration &their own 2rhythm2). That$s all. 6impleD Try it% and you will see what comes of it. Some Remarks about the Preliminary (echni#ues
The routine recommended "y the organiations that spread the teachings of P7 isL Recharging e'ercises Hong 6au 5m techni!ue aha udra Friya proper :yoti udra /inal concentration in the spine and in the Futastha. hen the Higher Friyas are added% they are practiced after Friya proper or after :yoti udra. In time% there comes a tendency to simplify. any eliminate entirely the preliminary techni!ues .ong Sau and )m some practice only one or "oth after Kriya roer % at the place of the final concentration in Kutastha. Those who have read my "oo# and% remaining faithful to the received teachings% set themselves the goal of achieving Kechari %udra% start their routine with (alabya Kriya. y thought on the su"0ect is the followingL ,oth techni!ues are e'cellent if practiced after Kriya proper. They give their "est effect if en0oyed alone without any hurry.
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.ong Sau
/acing the issue of the .ong Sau techni!ue% we agree that this is not a techni!ue that gives you the a"ility of concentration. hoever decides to practice it seriously must "e endowed with the a"ility to maintain a high level of concentration. The procedure% as designed "y P.7.% starts with some deep "reaths. 8iterature e'plains that they o'ygenate the "lood and calm the system actually% they put into motion the essential mechanism of Kriya Pranayama 0 mi'ing and "alancing Prana and !ana. As for the .ong6sau %antra (9 there$s not much to say a"out it it should not "e ta#en as a 2magical formula2. It must merge with your "reath% of which you must "e constantly aware. If you rela' your #een awareness of it and remain there as if hypnotied "y the pleasing sound of the two sylla"les .ong and Sau% you shall "e disappointed. 7our mind will not "e prone to "eing internalied and it won$t surrender to the meditative state. If you respect two fundamental principles% in a matter of two three minutes you shall find yourself in a fantastic state. The *i'st p'in&ip(e &which sounds strange to many students) is to never esta"lish a rhythm in the mental chanting of .ong Sau . The mental chant of this %antra% repeated over and over% can easily and naturally conform to a hard1to1 change rhythm. If your "reath follows this rhythm% it is clear as the sun that it will never settle down3 5nce the rhythm has sta"ilied itself% even if the "ody 2could2 physiologically stay off1"reath for some instants% the "reathing process will continue implaca"ly. I am sure that many students don$t realie they are in the condition of living the e'perience of the "reathless state. The fact is that many have practiced this techni!ue for years and cannot dou"t the correctness of their practice. hen students understand that a rhythm was almost always present in their practice% then the pro"lem is nearly cured. ,ut sometimes one must ta#e a significant amount of time to dwell upon the concept of rhythm. After inhalation or after e'halation% a student must always wait for the impulse to "reathe to appear. hen there are the physiological conditions that a pause could naturally appear% kriyabans should not accept that the implaca"le rhythm created in their mind &hong1sau1hong1sau...) prevents it. The pause should "e e'perienced% no matter if it lasts 0ust a couple of instants3 6tudents who a"ide "y this principle will soon verify how this small detail is sufficient to ease the "reath off% in a very drastic way. The se&on" p'in&ip(e consists of considering another factor that conspires to annihilate the pause after inhalation and in contrasting it. A #riya"an must "ecome conscious of the movement of the ri" cage. uring inhalation% the chest swells out and gets into an elastic tension. This elastic force tries to "e released (9
This techni!ues is also taught with Sau during inhalation and .ong during e'halation. 7ou discover that the effect is same.
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immediately after inhalation. The pause of the "reath after inhalation is 0eopardied not only "y the rhythm of the mental chanting of .ong Sau "ut also "y the chest elasticity. hen you get over the pro"lem of the rhythm% then there is only this second detail to "e o"served. 6tudents must "e aware of this elastic strength and should "loc# the instinct to release it. The pause after the inhalation should e'ist freely. Again% a student must always wait for the impulse to "reathe to appear. Putting all this into practice% a 2virtuous circle2 "etween this growing calmness and the reduced necessity of o'ygen is realied. 4ariation of the .ong Sau techni#ue
After Kriya proper% remain conscious of the "reath and go on visualiing the spinal channel. /eel the "reath coming up with .oooong and going down with Soooo. The "reath is natural% short 1 ,eing aware of the spine calms it further. hen it su"sides and "ecomes so short that the procedure is on the verge of evaporating into nothing% try to feel this micro "reath happening in each hakra. 5ne short% almost invisi"le "reath happens in %uladhara and it is "lended with the soothing chant of $$ .ong $$ and of $$ Sau$$1 The same happens in the second hakra% then in the third ... and so on ... until there is no more "reath% only .ong Sau in each hakra. )m (echni#ue
6trange as it may sound% even kriyabans are not a"le to reply !uic#ly and with certainty a"out the o"0ect of their meditation. 2editation upon whatD$$ as# people. @sually people thin# that 2meditation2 consists of the ela"oration of lofty thoughts supported "y fervid imagination. Jo% all the thoughts are destined to calm down. A sweet comfort% internal 0oy% ine'plica"le elation ensues. Is perhaps Kriya meditation the awareness of inner "lissD This is only the starting pointL Kriya meditation is remaining a"sor"ed in the astral sounds originating from the hakras until they "ecome the )m sound. The highest way of living the e'perience of Kriya meditation is to listen to internal sounds as deeply and as long as possi"le. /or this reason% it is auspicious that a kriyaban practices the )m techni!ue at least for *; minutes. ,y concentrating actively on the internal sounds% one is lost in them and finally meets the ecstatic state. espite apparently fruitless attempts% after days or wee#s% a remar#a"le e'perience of Kundalini awa#ening will very li#ely happen. It can happen only in a state of deep rela'ation for many it happens when they are sleeping in the supine position.
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GLOSSARY
This glossary has "een added for those who already #now the meaning of the most common terms used in Friya "ut do not wish to retain uncertainties a"out the way they are utilied in this "oo#. A(&hem, Gtaoist
internal 11 Jei an The Taoist Internal Alchemy is the mystical tradition of ancient China. It reminds us of the techni!ues of /irst Friya with such precision that we have all the reasons to assume that it consists of the same process. Apana is one of the five forms of energy in the "ody. Associated with the lower a"dominal region% it is responsi"le for all the "odily functions &elimination for e'ample) that ta#e place there. Friya Pranayama% in its initial phase% is essentially the movement of Prana &the particular form of energy present in the upper part of the trun# - lungs and heart) into Apana and the movement of Apana into Prana. hen we inhale% the energy from outside the "ody is "rought within and meets Apana in the lower a"domen during e'halation% the Apana moves from its seat up and mingles with Prana. The continuous repetition of this event generates an increase of heat in the navel regionL this calms the "reath and #indles the light of the 6piritual Eye. Apn
Physical postures fit for meditation. According to Patan0ali% the yogi$s posture must "e steady and pleasant. The most part of the #riya"ans are comforta"le with the so1called .alf6lotus GseeL this% indeed% avoids some physical pro"lems. /or the average #riya"an% Siddhasana Gsee is considered superior to any other Asana. If we ta#e finally into account those #riya"ans who are e'pert of Hatha17oga% who have "ecome very fle'i"le% the perfect position is undou"tedly Padmasana Gsee. Asn
2Ashwa2 means 2horse2 2Aswini udra2 means 2udra of the female horse2 "ecause the anal contraction resem"les the movement a horse ma#es with its sphincter immediately after evacuation of the "owels. There may "e slightly different definitions of it and% sometimes% it is confused with ula ,andha Gsee. The "asic definition is to repeatedly contract the muscles at the "ase of the spine &sphincter) with the rhythm of a"out two contractions per second. This udra is a direct way of getting in touch with the loc#ed and stagnant energy at the "ase of the spine and to pump it up. Asini .Ashini/ $)"'
In 7oga no practice of Pranayama is considered complete without the ,andhas. They are energy valves as much as they are loc#s% not simple muscle contractions% which prevent the energy from "eing dissipated and redirect it inside the spine. G6ee :alandhara ,andha% @ddiyana ,andha and ula ,andha In the very "eginning of the Friya path% a yogi has only an appro'imate understanding of the ,andhas% later one will come to a complete command and will "e a"le to use them% with slight adaptations% in most of the Friya techni!ues. The three ,andhas% applied simultaneously% create an almost ecstatic inner shiver% a feeling of energy current moving up the spine. 6ushumna Awa#ening is sustained. Bn"h
A spiritual center located in the occipital region where the hairline twists into a #ind of vorte'. @ntil the energy% scattered in the "ody% reaches the ,indu% a sort of shroud prevents the yogi from contemplating the 6piritual Eye. ,ringing all one$s force Bin")
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there% in that tiny place% is not an easy tas# "ecause the deeper roots of the Ego are to "e found right there they must "e faced and eradicated. It is e'perienced after years of Friya practice. It has nothing to do with holding the "reath forcefully. It does not simply mean that the "reath "ecomes more and more !uiet. It is the state where the "reath is entirely non1e'istent% with the su"se!uent dissolution of the mind. any #riya"ans are not a"le to conceive such a state. There is a halo of mystery that surrounds its description people thin# it is impossi"le and that any affirmation a"out its occurrence is false. Jevertheless% it is possi"le% even if it is e'perienced only after years of Friya practice. hen it manifests% a #riya"an does not feel the need to ta#e in any "reath at all or one ta#es in a very short "reath "ut doesn$t feel the need to e'hale for a very long time. &8onger than the time which medical science considers possi"le.) The "reath "ecomes so calm that the practitioner has the factual perception that one is not "reathing at all one feels a fresh energy in the "ody% sustaining its life from inside% without the necessity of o'ygen. According to the Friya theory% this state is the result of having completed the wor# of cutting of the heart #not. B'eth(ess stte
The region "etween the eye"rows% lin#ed with A0na Cha#ra and with the vision of the third eye &Futastha). Bh')m"h,
The word Cha#ra comes from the 6ans#rit ca#ra meaning 2wheel2 or 2circle2. The Cha#ras are the 2wheels2 of our spiritual life they are descri"ed in the tantric te'ts as emanations from the 6pirit% whose essence gradually has e'panded in more and more gross levels of manifestation% reaching eventually the dimension of the "ase Cha#ra% the uladhara% em"odying the physical world. The descended energy1 consciousness lies coiled and sleeping at the "ase of the spine and is called Fundalini 1 she who is coiled. e human "eings consider only the physical world as realL it is only when our Fundalini awa#ens that we regain the full memory of the reality of the su"tle dimension of the @niverse. Jo author has ever 2proven2 the e'istence of the Cha#ras - as no man has ever proven the e'istence of the soul. It is difficult to descri"e themL we cannot "ring them onto a ta"le in a la"oratory. In any 7oga "oo# we find descriptions which rest on a translation of two Indian te'ts% the 6at1Ca#ra1Jirupana% and the Pada#a1Panca#a% "y 6ir :ohn oodroffe% alias Arthur Avalon% in a "oo# entitled The 6erpent Power. The matter depicted there seems to "e unnaturally complicated% almost impossi"le to "e utilied. These concepts had "een further polluted "y theosophy and similar esoteric literature. The controversial C. . 8ead"eater "oo# 2The Cha#ras%2 is in large part the result of the mental ela"oration of his own e'periences. Through the practice of Friya% we can have an e'perience of the Cha#ras. 8ocated over the anus at the very "ase of the spinal column% in the lower part of the coccy'% we encounter the root Cha#ra 1 named $)("h' in 6ans#rit% a center which distri"utes energy to the legs% to the lowest part of the pelvis% irradiating especially the onads &testes in men% ovaries in women). uladhara sym"olies the o"0ective consciousness% the awareness of the physical universe. It is related to instinct% security% to our a"ility to ground ourselves in the physical world% to the desire for material goods and also the "uilding of a good self1image. If this Cha#ra is in a harmonious state% we are centered and have a strong will to live. The second% or sacral Cha#ra 1 S"histhn 1 is placed inside the spine "etween the last lum"ar verte"rae and the "eginning of the sacrum. It is said that its Ch-'
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energetic pro0ection is the area of the se'ual organs 1 in part it intersects the region of uladhara$s influence. 6ince it is related to "ase emotion% se'uality vitality% creativity% and to the deepest part of the su"conscious realms% a deep stimulus of it produces deep involving dreams its action may "e perceived as a feeling of living a fa"le% whose nature is sweet and alluring. The $nip)' 1 navel center or solar ple'us 1 is placed in the spine at the level of the navel% near the end of the dorsal verte"rae and the "eginning of the lum"ar verta"rae. It is said to influence the pancreas and the adrenal glands on top of the #idneys. This connection gives fuel to the idea that this Cha#ra has the same role played "y those glandsL higher emotion and energy 1 0ust li#e the role played "y adrenalin. It is said that it fosters a sense of personal power% secure feeling of 2I Am.2. rounded and comforta"le with our place in the universe% we are a"le to affirm with determination the purpose of our life. The Anht 1 heart center% located in the spine at the height of the middle part of the dorsal verte"rae 1 is said to influence the thymus% which is part of the immune system. There is a universal agreement that it is related to higher emotion% compassion% love and intuitiveness. hen a person concentrates on it% feelings of profound tenderness and compassion will start to develop. A healthy and fully open heart Cha#ra means to "e a"le to see the inner "eauty in othersin spite of their apparent faults. 5ne is a"le to love everyone% even the strangers we meet on the street. There is a progression from the instinctual 2gut emotions2 of the lower Cha#ras to the higher emotions and feelings of the heart Cha#ra. hat is of great interest for us% is that opening this center means to see life in a more neutral manner and see what others cannot see. It ends the predisposition to "eing influenced "y other people% "y churches and "y organiations in general. 4ish)""h 1 throat center% e'actly amid the last cervical verte"rae and the first dorsal verte"rae 1 is said to influence thyroid and parathyroid. 6ince it controls the activity of the vocal cords as well% it is said that it has something to do with the capacity to e'press our ideas in the world. It seems to "e related with the capacity for communication and with ta#ing personal responsi"ility for our actions. The person with a healthy throat Cha#ra no longer thin#s to "lame others for his or her pro"lems and can carry on with life with full responsi"ility. any authors state it awa#ens artistic inspiration% the a"ility to develop superior aesthetic perception. An 1 the third eye Cha#ra% located in the central part of the "rain 1 influences the pituitary gland Ghypophysis and the small "rain. The hypophysis has a vital role in organism% in the sense that together with the hypothalamus it acts as a command system of all other endocrine glands. In 6ans#rit% 2A0na2 translates to 2command%2 which means it has the command or control of our livesL through controlled action% it "rings to reality the fruit of our desires. Conse!uently% it is said that A0na Cha#ra has a vital role in the spiritual awa#ening of a person. It is the seat of the intuition. The supreme Cha#ra is the Shs'' 1 crown Cha#ra 1 right a"ove the top of the head. It is said that it influences% or is "ound with% the pineal gland. It allows detachment from illusion and is related to one$s overall e'pansion of awareness and degree of attunement with the ivine Reality. It is a superior reality and we can e'perience it only in the state of "reathlessness. It is possi"le to 2tune2 into it "y utiliing the Bin") as a doorway. Teachings pertaining to the 2 F'ont( Ch-'s2 are to "e found "y some #riya"ans coming from 6ri 7u#teswar$s disciple lineage. The perineum is the first one% the genitals region is the second one% the navel is the third% the central part of the sternum region is the fourth% the Adam$s apple is the fifth and the point "etween the =<(
eye"rows may "e considered as the si'th. The core of the Friya teaching regarding them% is that when these points are touched with concentration% the energy around the correspondent Cha#ra in the spine is revived. According to Patan0ali% harana is the concentration on a physical or a"stract o"0ect. In Friya% harana consist in directing the focus of our attention toward the revelation of 6piritL 5m#ar$s inner sound% light% and movement sensation. This happens 0ust after having calmed the "reath. Dh'n
According to Patan0ali% hyana ensues from contemplating the essential nature of the chosen o"0ect as a steady% uninterrupted flow of consciousness. In Friya% the awareness% dwelling upon the 5m#ar reality% is soon lost in 6amadhi. Dh,n
&during Friya Pranayama) uring the e'halation of Friya Pranayama% a slight hiss is produced in the throat when a #riya"an succeeds in assuming the position of Fechari udra% then the !uality of that sound increases. It has "een li#ened to the 2flute of Frishna2. 8ahiri ahasaya descri"es itL 2as if someone "lew through a #eyhole2. This highly en0oya"le sound cuts to pieces any distraction% increases mental calmness and transparency and helps to prolong effortlessly the practice of Friya Pranayama. 5ne day the flute sound turns into the 5m sound. In other words% it gives rise to the 5m sound% whose vi"ration will "e so strong as to overwhelm the flute sound. uring this event% a strong movement of energy clim"s up the spine. F()te so)n"
ranthi Gsee #not The importance of finding a uru &teacher) who supervises the spiritual training of the disciple is one of the tenets of many spiritual paths. A uru is a teacher% a guide and much more. The scriptures declare that the uru is od and od is the uru. e are accustomed to e'plaining the term 2uru2 on a metaphorical interplay "etween dar#ness and light% in which the uru is seen as the dispeller of dar#nessL 2u2 stands for dar#ness and 2Ru2 for one who removes it. 6ome scholars dismiss that etymology according to them 2u2 stands for 2"eyond the !ualities2 and 2Ru2 for 2devoid of form2. In order to gain all the "enefits from the contact with the uru% a disciple has to "e hum"le% sincere% pure in "ody and mind and ready to surrender to his uru$s will and instructions. @sually% during initiation &i#sha) urus "estow the esoteric #nowledge upon their disciples% through which they will progress along the path to 6elf realiation. The internal phenomenon of 6ha#tipat happensL the dormant spiritual realiation within the disciple is awa#ened. Friya organiations don$t insist upon the concept of 6ha#tipat "ut accept all the rest% rather they are founded upon the afore summaried tenets. 5n the contrary% 8ahiri ahasaya$s ideas seem to go in a significantly different direction. 5nce he saidL 2I am not the uru% I don$t maintain a "arrier "etween the true uru &the ivine) and the disciple2. He added that he wanted to "e considered a 2mirror2. In other words% each #riya"an should loo# at him not as an unreacha"le ideal% "ut as the personification of all the wisdom and spiritual realiation which% in due time% the Friya practice will "e a"le to produce. Jow the !uestion isL do the Friya techni!ues wor# outside the uru1disciple relationshipD There is of course no scientifically proven answer. In this matter we can use either faith or reason. any #riya"ans are confident they are a"le to transform the no1matter1how1received instruction into 2gold2. They thin#L 2,eyond either reasona"le G)')
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or impro"a"le e'pectations of finding a Friya e'pert at my disposal% let me roll my sleeves up and move on32 This asana has "een used for meditation since time immemorial "ecause it provides a comforta"le% very easily o"tained% sitting position. The left leg is "ent at the #nee% "rought toward the "ody and the sole of the left foot is made to rest against the inside of the right thigh. The heel of the left foot should is drawn in as far as possi"le. The right leg is "ent at the #nee and the right foot is placed over the fold of the left leg where the thigh meets to hip. The right #nee is dropped as far as possi"le toward the floor. The hands rest on the #nees. The secret is to maintain an erect spineL this can "e o"tained only "y sitting on a cushion% thic# enough% with the "uttoc#s toward the front half of the cushion. In this way the "uttoc#s are slightly raised% while the #nees are resting on the floor. hen the legs grow tired% the position is prolonged "y reversing the legs. In certain delicate situations% it may "e providential to do it on a chair% provided it has no arms and is large enough. In this way% one leg at a time can "e lowered and the #nee articulation rela'ed3 6ome 7oga teachers e'plain that the pressure of a tennis "all &or of a folded towel) on the perineum can give the "enefits of the 6iddhasana position. H(*(ot)s
The word Hesychasm derives from the ree# word 2hesychia2 meaning inner !uietness% tran!uility and stillness. 5utside this condition% meditation is not possi"le. It is a discipline integrating the continual repetition of the :esus Prayer &28ord :esus Christ% 6on of od% have mercy on me% a sinner2). It was already used "y the early Church /athers in the 4th and
% Hesychasm attracted the attention of a learned mem"er of the 5rthodo' Church% ,arlaam of 6eminara% a Cala"rian mon# who held the office of a""ot in a onastery of Constantinople and who visited ount Athos. There he encountered the hesychasts and heard the descriptions of their practices. ,arlaam% trained in estern 6cholastic theology% was scandalied and "egan to com"at it "oth orally and in his writings. He called the hesychasts 2omphalopsychoi2 1 people having their souls in their navels &owing to the long time they spent concentrating on the navel region). ,arlaam propounded a more intellectual approach to the #nowledge of od than the one taught "y the hesychastsL he asserted that the spiritual #nowledge could "e only a wor# of in!uiry% "rought ahead "y one$s mind and translated in discrimination "etween truth and untruth. He held that no part of od% whatsoever% could "e viewed "y humans. The practice of the hesychasts was defended "y 6t. regory Palamas. He was well educated in ree# philosophy and defended Hesychasm in the (*4; at three different synods in Constantinople% and he also wrote a num"er of wor#s in its defense. He used a Hes,&hsm
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distinction% already articulated in the 4th Century in the wor#s of the Cappadocian /athers% "etween the energies or operations of od and the essence of odL while the essence of od can never "e #nown "y his creatures% His energies or operations can "e #nown "oth in this life and in the ne't they convey to the Hesychast the truest spiritual #nowledge of od. In Palamite theology% it is the uncreated energy of od which illuminates the Hesychast who has "een vouchsafed an e'perience of the @ncreated 8ight. In (*4( the dispute was settledL ,arlaam was condemned and returned to Cala"ria% afterwards "ecoming "ishop in the Roman Catholic Church. 8ater% Hesychast doctrine was esta"lished as the doctrine of the 5rthodo' Church. @p to this day% the Roman Catholic Church has never fully accepted HesychasmL the essence of od can "e #nown% "ut only in the ne't life there can "e no distinction "etween the energies and the essence of od. Today ount Athos is the well1#nown center of the practice of Hesychasm. Ida Gsee Jadi In :alandhara ,andha the nec# and the throat are slightly contracted% while the chin is pressed against the "reast. 1(n"h' Bn"h
:apa G6ee prayer This udra is carried in one of the two following waysL (. ,y placing the tongue in contact with the uvula at the "ac# of the soft palate. =. ,y slipping the tongue into the nasal pharyn' touching% if possi"le% the nasal septum. According to 8ahiri ahasaya a #riya"an should achieve it not "y cutting the tongue /raenulum "ut "y means of Tala"ya Friya Gsee. Fechari is literally translated as 2the state of those who fly in the s#y2% in the 2inner space2. Fechari is compared to an electrical "ypass of the mind$s energetic system. It changes the path of Prana flow causing the life force to "e withdrawn from the thin#ing process. Instead of allowing the thoughts to 0ump li#e frogs here and there% it causes the mind to "e !uiet and allows focusing it on the goal of meditation. e do not realie the !uantity of energy we s!uander away when we get lost in our thoughts% in our plans. Fechari turns this pernicious way of e'hausting all of our vitality into its opposite. The mind "egins to lose its despotic roleL the 2inner activity2 happens no more "y the thin#ing process "ut "y the effortless development of the intuition. Coupled with Friya it is a su"stantial aid in clarify one$s complicated psychological structures. A more elusive claim is the e'perience of the eli'ir of life% 2Amrita%2 the 2Jectar.2 This is a fluid with sweet taste perceived "y the #riya"an when the tip of his tongue touches either the uvula or the "one protrusion in the roof of the palate under the hypophysis. The 7oga tradition e'plains that there is a Jadi going through the center of the tongue energy radiates through its tip and when it touches that "one protrusion% this radiation reaches and stimulates the A0na Cha#ra in the center of the "rain. Ke&h'i $)"'
Fevala Fum"ha#a Gsee ,reathless state The traditional definition of the ranthis identifies three #notsL the ,rahma ranthi at the uladhara Cha#ra the Xishnu ranthi at the heart Cha#ra and the point "etween the eye"rows. Those are the places where Ida% Pingala and 6ushumna Jadi meet. Knot
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&located in uladhara) is the first #not. It is related to our physical "odyL it preserves the ignorance of our infinite nature and is the first o"stacle in the spiritual search% since it o"structs the Fundalini$s path as she "egins to move toward the higher centers. The world of names and forms creates restlessness and prevents the mind from "ecoming one pointed. Am"itions and desires trap the mind. @ntil one unties this #not% one cannot meditate effectively. 4ishn) G'nthi is located in the area of the heart Cha#ra &Anahata)% and is related to the astral "ody and to the world of emotions. 8ord Xishnu is the lord of preservation. This #not creates the desire to preserve ancient #nowledge% traditions% institutions% and religious orders. It produces 2compassion2% a #een desire to help suffering humanity. iscriminating #nowledge com"ined with 7oga effort can unfasten the Fnot of Xishnu and o"tain deliverance from the traditional "onds% deeply rooted in our genetic code. R)"' G'nthi is related to the causal "ody and to the world of ideas% visions% and intuitions. At a point "etween the eye"rows% the Ida and Pingala Jadis cross over and then come down in the left and right nostrils% respectively. Ida and Pingala are time "ound after piercing the Rudra #not% the time "ound consciousness dissolves 1 the yogi esta"lishes himself in the supreme Atman whose seat is 6ahasrara Cha#ra. Perfect emancipation is achieved. 8ahiri ahasaya underlines the importance of overcoming two other o"staclesL tongue and navel which are unfastened "y Fechari udra and "y Javi Friya% respectively. The #not of the tongue% cuts us off from the reservoir of energy in the 6ahasrara region. The #not of the navel originates from the trauma of cutting the um"ilical cord. B'hm G'nthi
The four phases of Friya 7oga are e'perienced "y unfastening all the afore mentioned #nots% in the following orderL I. Fnot of the tongue II. Fnot of Xishnu &heart Cha#ra) III. Fnot of the navel IX. Fnot of ,rahma &uladhara) ] #not of Rudra &point "etween the eye"rows) As we can see% in 8ahiri ahasaya$s vision% two secondary #nots &tongue and navel) have "ecome of primary importance and two main #nots &,rahma and Rudra) are considered a two1phased event that characteries the fourth and last stage of Friya. Gsee chapter > for further discussion. It has "een e'plained that there is a strong connection "etween ,rahma and Rudra #nots. Actually% having already unfastened the #nots of tongue% heart and navel% as soon as you cross the door of 6ushumna &in uladhara)% you come up instantaneously% unimpeded% to the 2door of the infinite2 in the point "etween your eye"rows. If we want to understand the essence of Friya 7oga it is necessary to put aside some definitions found on the we". 2Friya 7oga is the science of controlling life energy GPrana.2 2Friya 7oga is a techni!ue that activates the astral cere"rospinal centers.2 2Friya 7oga hastens the practitioner$s spiritual development and helps to "ring a"out a profound state of tran!uility and od1communion.2 2Friya 7oga "rings a"out the stilling of sensory input.2 I don$t want to contest them% "ut I thin# that Friya is "roader than what is implied. There are definitions which say nothingL they ma#e a misleading synthesis of its methods and list its effects in the same way one would descri"e Hatha 7oga or Ra0a K'i, Yo@
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7oga practice. Patan0ali refers once to Friya 7ogaL 2Friya consists of "ody discipline% mental control% and meditating on Iswara.2 G7oga sutras IIL( This is definitely correct% "ut "y following the further evolution of his thought% we are led astray. Although he states that "y constantly remem"ering the inner sound of 5m we can achieve the removal of all the o"stacles that "loc# our spiritual evolution% he does not develop this method. He is far from descri"ing the same spiritual discipline taught "y 8ahiri ahasaya. Friya 7oga is a 2mystic path2 utiliing the "est tools used "y the mystics of all religions. It consists of control of "reath GFriya Pranayama% prayer G:apa% antra and pure effort of attuning with the 5m#ar Reality. The soothing process of calming the "reath% followed "y the Tho#ar procedure% guides the "odily energy into the heart Cha#ra% holding thus% as in a grip of calmness% the unceasing refle' originating the "reath. hen a perfect stillness is esta"lished% when all the inner and outer movements cease% the #riya"an perceives a radiation of fresh energy sustaining each cell from inside then the "reathless state settles in. hen the physical "reath is totally transcended and a circulation of energy happens in the "ody - the "reath is said to have "ecome 2Internal2 - a feeling of infinite safety% solidity and reliance originates. It is li#e having crossed a "arrier and moved into a measureless spaceL Friya yoga is a miracle of "eauty. Fum"ha#a means holding the "reath. It is such an important phase in Pranayama that some 7oga teachers dou"t whether a modified way of "reathing which does not include any Fum"ha#a can "e called Pranayama at all. It is o"served that when we are a"out to do something which re!uires our total attention% our "reath is automatically held. e are not deli"erately doing Pranayama% "ut our "reath is suspended of its own accord this demonstrates how natural this fact is. In Pranayama the inhalation is called Pura#a% which literally means 2the act of filling2 the e'halation is called Recha#a% meaning 2the act of emptying2. Retention of "reath is called Fum"ha#a% meaning 2holding2. Fum"ha is a potL 0ust as a water pot holds water when it is filled with it% so in Fum"ha#a the "reath and the Prana is held in the "ody. In the classic 7oga literature there are descri"ed four types of Fum"ha#a. I. e "reathe out deeply and hold the "reath for a few seconds. This is #nown as 2 ,ahir Fum"ha#a2 &E'ternal Fum"ha#a). II. The second% 2 Antar Fum"ha#a2 &Internal Fum"ha#a)% is holding the "reath after a deep inhalation. @sually this #ind of Fum"ha#a is accompanied "y the use of the ,andhas. III. The third type is that practiced "y alternate "reathing 1 "reathing in deeply through the left nostril% then holding the "reath and then e'haling through the right It is considered the easiest form of Fum"ha#a. IX. The fourth type is the most important of all% the pea# of Pranayama. It is called Fevala Fum"ha#a or automatic suspension of "reathL it is the "reathless state where there is no inhalation or e'halation% and not even the slightest desire to "reathe. In the Friya pra'is% the underlying principle of I. is present in some variations of Javi Friya and in all those procedures involving a series of very long and calm e'halations which seem to end in a sweet nothing. Internal Fum"ha#a II. happens in different Friya techni!ues particularly in 7oni udra% aha udra and Tho#ar. aha udra% with its "alancing action on the right and on the left side of the spine% contains also - in a "roader sense 1 the principles of III.L alternating "reathing. A turning point in Friya is the achievement of IX. Fevala Fum"ha#a. In Friya we distinguish "etween 2,ahir2 &e'ternal) and 2Antar2 &internal) Fevala Fum"ha#a. K)mbh-
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2,ahir &e'ternal) Fevala Fum"ha#a2 &the development and clima' of I.) appears during mental Pranayama &or during any procedure lin#ed with the Third Friya) after having rela'ed and thus emptied the ri" cage. 2Antar &internal) Fevala Fum"ha#a2 &the development and clima' of II.) appears during the highest refining of 7oni udra% aha udra and Tho#ar &or during any procedure lin#ed with the /ourth Friya) after having completed a long inhalation% with the ri" cage moderately full of air1Prana. The concept of Fundalini and% particularly% of its awa#ening% provides a framewor# which is convenient for e'pressing what is happening along the spiritual path. ost of the spiritual traditions have some awareness of Fundalini not all are e!ually open in e'posing the practical details of the process. Fundalini is 6ans#rit for 2coiled2L it is conceived as a particular energy coiled li#e a serpent in the root Cha#ra &uladhara). The representation of "eing coiled li#e a spring conveys the idea of untapped potential energy. It sleeps in our "ody and underneath the layers of our consciousness% waiting to "e aroused either "y spiritual discipline or "y other means 1 li#e particular e'periences of life. It is depicted as rising from the uladhara up through the 6ushumna% activating each Cha#ra when it arrives at the crown Cha#ra &6ahasrara)% it "estows infinite "liss% mystical illumination etc. It is only through repeatedly raising of the Fundalini% that the yogi succeeds in o"taining 6elf realiation. Its rising is not a mild sense of energy flowing inside the spine. Its movement is li#e having a $$volcano erupting$$ inside% a $$roc#et missile$$ shot through the spine3 Its nature is "eneficial there is an evident resistance in trusting the reports of Fundalini awa#ening accompanied "y trou"les such as patently distur"ed "reathing patterns% distortion of thought processes% unusual or e'treme strengthening of emotions e are rather inclined to thin# that a dormant malady% "rought to open manifestation "y thoughtless practice of violent e'ercises or drugs is the cause of those phenomena. Insomnia% hypersensitivity to environment may indeed follow the authentic e'perience. In a $$true awa#ening%$$ the force of Fundalini eclipses the ego altogether and the individual feels disoriented for some time. All is a"sor"ed in a short time% without pro"lems. Alas% the search for a repetition of the episode may lead to disorderly and careless practice of strange techni!ues% without ever esta"lishing a minimal foundation of mental silence. Each "oo# warns against the ris# of a premature awa#ening of Fundalini and asserts that the "ody must "e prepared for the event. Almost any yogi thin#s he or she is capa"le of sustaining this premature awa#ening and the warning e'cites them more than everL the pro"lem is that many do not have &or have lost) a genuine spiritual approach and nourish a fairly egotistical condition. In the Friya theoretical framewor# we consider Fundalini to "e the same energy that e'ists throughout the "ody and not specifically residing in the uladhara Cha#ra. e seldom use the term 2Fundalini awa#ening2 and try to avoid what could give the impression that such an e'perience has an alien natureL Fundalini is our own energy it is the purest layer of our consciousness. K)n"(ini
Futastha% the 2third eye2 or 2spiritual eye2 is the organ of inner vision &the unified astral counterpart of the two physical eyes)% the place in our "ody where the spiritual 8ight manifests. ,y concentrating "etween the eye"rows% a formless dar#ness is first perceived% then a small crepuscular light% then other lights eventually we have the e'perience of a golden ring surrounding a dar# stain with a "laing tiny white point inside. There is a connection "etween Futastha and uladharaL what we are o"serving in the space "etween the eye"rows is nothing "ut the opening of the spinal door% which K)tsth
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is located at the root Cha#ra. 6ome Friya teachers affirm that the condition for entering the last and the highest Friya stage is that the vision of the spiritual eye has "ecome constant others identify it with the condition in which the energy is perfectly calm at the "ase of the spine. Therefore "oth affirmations are one and the same. aha udra is a particular stretching position of the "ody. The importance of this techni!ue "ecomes clear as soon as we o"serve how it incorporates the three main ,andhas of Hatha 7oga. There are indeed a thousand and one reasons to practice aha udra with firmness. There is a ratio "etween the num"er of its repetitions and the num"er of the "reathsL it is recommended that for each (= Friya Pranayama% one should perform one aha udra. $h $)"'
ahasamadhi Gsee 6econd Friya antra G6ee prayer In mental Pranayama a #riya"an controls the energy in his "ody "y forgetting the "reathing process and focusing only upon Prana in the Cha#ras and in the "ody. His awareness dwells on "oth the inner and the e'ternal component of each Cha#ra until he feels a radiation of fresh energy vitaliing each part of the "ody and sustaining it from inside. This action is mar#ed "y the end of all the physical movements% "y a perfect physical and mental stillness. At times% the "reath "ecomes so calm that the practitioner has the a"solute perception they are not "reathing at all. $ent( P'n,m
In ula ,andha the perinea muscles 1 "etween the anus and the genital organs 1 are slightly contracted while a mental pressure is e'erted on the lower part of the spine. &ifferently from Aswini udra% one does not simply tighten the sphincter muscles in ula ,andha the perineum seems to fold upward as the pelvic diaphragm is drawn upward through the motion of the pu"ic "one.) ,y contracting this muscle group% the current of Apana which normally gravitates downward is pulled upwards% gradually uniting with Prana at the navel. ula ,andha has thus the effect of causing Prana to flow into 6ushumna channel% rather than along Ida and Pingala. $)( Bn"h
Jada 7oga is the path of union with the ivine through listening to inner sounds. 6urat16ha"da17oga is another name for Jada 7oga. Jada 7oga is an e'periential meditation. It has its "asis in the fact that one who follows the mystical path infalli"ly meets this manifestation of 6pirit 1 whatever may "e their preparation and their convictions. It is a highly en0oya"le form of meditation anyone can "e involved in this even without having fully understood it. 7ou may use a particular position of the "ody a s!uatting position with the el"ows resting on the #nees% 0ust to give an e'ampleto plug "oth the ears. Remaining !uietly seated% you simply focus all your attention on su"tle sounds that come from within% rather than the audi"le sounds from outside. It is recommended to repeat mentally% unremittingly% your favorite antra. Awareness of inner sound must happen% sooner or later your listening s#ills will improve and you will "ecome more sensitive. There are different levels of development in the e'perience of inner soundsL you will hear a "um"le"ee% the drum% the lute% the flute% the harp% the clapping of thunder or a hum li#e an electrical transformer. 6ome of these sounds are actually 0ust the sounds of your "ody% especially the "lood pumping. 5ther sounds are actually the 2sounds "ehind the audi"le sound2. It is into this deeper realm that% while over time gently easing the mind N" Yo@
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into rela'ed concentration% your awareness is drawn. After some wee#s of dedicated practice you will tune in with a sound deeper than all the a"ove1!uoted astral sounds. This is the cosmic sound of 5m. The sound is perceived in different variations 8ahiri ahasaya descri"es it as 2produced "y a lot of people who #eep on stri#ing the dis# of a "ell2. It is continuous 2as the oil that flows out of a container2. 6u"tle channels through which life energy flows throughout the "ody. The most important are Ida% which flows vertically along the left side of the spinal column &it is said to "e of female nature)% and Pingala &of masculine nature) which flows parallel to Ida on the right side 6ushumna flows in the middle and represents the e'perience that is "eyond duality. N"i
Alternate nostril "reathing e'ercise% it is not a part of Friya 7oga proper. 7et% "ecause its effects of appeasing and cheering up the mind &especially if it is practiced in the morning) are unmatched% some #riya"ans ma#e it a regular part of their routine. N"i So"hn
The essence of this techni!ue is to dissolve inhalation and e'halation at the state of e!uili"rium in the navel% the seat of the 6amana current. It is coupled in various ways with the practice of Friya Pranayama. 6ome schools which do not specifically teach it provide some su"stitutes for it. N+i K'i,
The New !ge sensi"ility is mar#ed "y the perception of something 2planetary2 at wor#. 6ince distinguished men of science have contri"uted to the New !ge sensi"ility% there is no need to dwell on the affirmation% irrelevant for our understanding% according to which such a progress coincided with the entry of the solar system in the sign of A!uarius 1 from this "elief it derived the term 2Age of A!uarius2 or 2 New !ge2. The essential thing is that people realied that the discoveries of Physics% of Alternative edicine% the developments of the epth Psychology% all converged toward one and the same understandingL the su"stantial interdependence among the universe% "ody% psyche and spiritual dimension of human "eings. The esoteric1initiation societies% overcoming for a long time the differences of culture and religious vision% had already recognied this truth% which now% has "ecome common heritage. uring the twentieth century% human thought has made a strong step forward in a healthy direction. There are many grounds to "elieve that% in the future% such an epoch will "e studied with the same respect with which nowadays Humanism% Renaissance and Enlightenment ages are studied. The New !ge thought deserves a deep respect for many reasons. If I hint at some 2frenies2 I refer to the e'cessive use of alternative remedies for any type of real or imaginary trou"les and to even more dangerous theories "orrowed with a lot of superficiality from various esoteric currents% rather than to a depth progress in the understanding% in the e'pansion of the awareness out of the narrow fences of the small ego tied up o"sessively to the maintenance of its petty conveniences. Ne A@e
Ni'bi-(p Sm"hi Gsee Paravastha
5m#ar is 5m% the ivine Reality sustaining the universe% whose nature is vi"ration with specific aspects of sound% light and inner movement. The term 25m#ar2 or 25m#ar Friya2 is also utilied to indicate any procedure fostering the 5m#ar Om-'
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e'perience 11 it may "e a variation of Friya Pranayama utiliing the antra 5m Ja o ,ha...% it may include the practice of Tho#ar. In this asana the right foot is placed on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh with the soles of the feet turned up. The name means the 2posture in which the lotuses &the Cha#ras) are seen.2 It is e'plained that% com"ined with Fechari and 6ham"havi udra% this Asana creates an energetic condition in the "ody% suita"le to producing the e'perience of the internal light coming from each Cha#ra. Personally% I do not counsel anyone to perform this difficult posture. There are yogis who had to have cartilage removed from their #nees after years of forcing themselves into Padmasana. In Friya 7oga% at least for those living in the west and not used to assuming it since infancy% it is much wiser% healthier and comforta"le to practice either the Half lotus or the 6iddhasana posture. P"msn
This concept is lin#ed with that of 26thir Tattwa &Tran!uility)2. Jamed "y 8ahiri ahasaya% Paravastha designates the state that comes "y holding onto the after1effect of Friya. It is not 0ust 0oy and peace "ut something deeper% vital for us as a healing. /rom our initial efforts directed at mastering the techni!ues% we perceive moments of deep peace and harmony with the rest of the world% which e'tend during the day. Paravastha comes after years of discipline% when the "reathless state is familiarL the tran!uility state lasts forever% it is no longer to "e sought with care. /lashes of the ending state of freedom comfort the mind while coping with life$s "attles. P'+sth
Pin@( Gsee Jadi
The energy inside our psychophysical system. Prana is divided into Prana% Apana% 6amana% @dana and Xi0ana% which have their location respectively in the chest% in the low a"domen% in the region of the "elt% in the head and in the remaining part of the "ody 1 arms and legs. That the term Prana is interpreted in two ways should not create confusion - provided that one considers the conte't in which the word is used. In the initial phases of Friya Pranayama we are mainly interested in Prana% Apana and 6amana. hen we use 6ham"havi udra and during mental Pranayama we contact @dana. Through many techni!ues &li#e aha udra) and "y the e'perience of Friya Pranayama with Internal ,reath we e'perience the fresh vitaliing nature of Xi0ana. P'n
The term Pranayama is comprised of two rootsL Prana is the first Ayama &e'pansion) or 7ama &control) is the second. Thus% the word Pranayama can "e understood either as the 2E'pansion of Prana2 or as the 2Control of Prana2. I would prefer the first "ut I thin# that the correct one is the second. In other words% Pranayama is the control of the energy in the whole psychophysical system "y using the "reathing process with the purpose to receive a "eneficial effect or to prepare the e'perience of meditation. The common Pranayama e'ercises 1 although they may not involve the perception of any energetic current 1 can create a remar#a"le e'perience of energy rising in the spine. This is not negligi"le since this e'perience causes the s#eptical practitioner the discovery of the spiritual dimension and pushes him or her to see# something deeper. In K'i, P'n,m the "reathing process is coordinated with the attention of the mind up and down along the spinal column. hile the "reathing is deep and slow% with the tongue either flat or turned "ac#% the awareness accompanies the movement of the energy around the si' Cha#ras. ,y deepening the process% the current flows in the P'n,m
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deepest channel in the spineL 6ushumna. hen "y a long practice a su"tle form of energy circulates &in a clearly perceiva"le way) inside the "ody while the physical "reath is totally settled down% the #riya"an has an e'perience of unthin#a"le "eauty. Prayer is an act of communion with the Higher Reality that allows a person to ma#e a reverent plead% to see# guidance% to offer praise or simply to e'press their thoughts and emotions. The se!uence of words used in a prayer may either "e a set formula or a spontaneous e'pression in the praying person$s own words. hatever "e the appeal to od% this act presupposes a "elief in the ivine ill to interfere in our life. 2As#% and ye shall receive2 &att. >L>% ? =(L==). Prayer is a su"0ect of wide range and scope here I will restrict it to the repetitive prayer. In India% the repetition of the Jame of the ivine is #nown as :apa. This word :apa is derived from the root :ap 1 meaningL 2to utter in a low voice% repeat internally2. :apa is also the repetition of any antra% which is a "roader term than prayer. antra can "e a name of the ivine "ut also a pure sound without a meaning. A certain num"er of sounds were chosen "y ancient yogis who sensed their power and used them e'tensively. &6ome "elieve that the repetition of a antra has the mysterious power of "ringing a"out the manifestation of the ivinity 20ust as the splitting of an atom manifests the tremendous forces latent in it2). The term antra derives from the words 2anas2 &mind) and 2Tra2 &protection)L we protect our mind "y repeating unrelentingly the same healthy vi"ration. @sually a antra is repeated ver"ally for some time% then in a whisper and then mentally for some time. In most forms of :apa% the repetitions are counted using a string of "eads #nown as a &:apa) ala. The num"er of "eads is generally (;? or (;;. The ala is used so that the devotee is free to en0oy the practice without "eing preoccupied with counting the repetitions. It may "e performed whilst sitting in a meditation posture or while performing other activities% such as wal#ing. P',e' 01p $nt'2
The seventh Cha#ra e'tends from the crown of the head up to the /ontanelle and over it. It cannot "e considered of the same nature as the other Cha#ras% "ut a superior reality% which can "e e'perienced only in the "reathless state. It is not easy therefore to concentrate upon it as we do with the other Cha#ras. 5nly after a deep practice of Friya Pranayama% when the "reath is very calm% is the attunement with it possi"le a particular pressure over the head may "e felt. Shs''
According to Patan0ali$s Ashtanga &eight steps) 7oga% 6amadhi is the state of deep contemplation in which the o"0ect of meditation "ecomes insepara"le from the meditator himselfL it results naturally from harana and hyana. In my opinion% 6amadhi does not mean 2union with od.2 e ta#e so many things for granted. 5ur language is strongly hamperedL magnilo!uent words ris# meaning nothing. To "ecome one and the same thing with od is different from to awa#en to the realiation that we are a part of That 5neD ords deceive our comprehension and #indle egoist e'pectations. 5ne is thrilled "y words such asL a"solute% eternal% infinite% supreme% everlasting% celestial% divine. I have half a mind to suggest a so"er definition of 6amadhi% which may stimulate a reflection upon the meaning of the spiritual path. 8et me therefore define 6amadhi as independent from any accident% "eatific% near death e'perience &JE). The descriptions of 6amadhi and of JE follow the same patternL actually the nature of the phenomenon which ta#es place in the "ody is almost the same. This opinion may disappoint those who smell a restrictive and limiting shade of meaning in it however I prefer to thin# in this way and . discover much more during the actual 6amadhi Sm"hi
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e'perience than to thrive in rhetoric. Even if 6amadhi were no more than a JE e'perience% however it would have a superlative value. In "oth the e'periences% the awareness can provide a glimpse of the Eternity "eyond mind then &this happens to the trained yogi) that lofty awareness "lends% integrates with the customary life% which is totally transformed for the "etter. To those who wonder if it is fair to diminish the worth of the Friya ecstatic state "y reducing it to a process of contacting for some time the after life dimension% we could reply that this genuine e'perience is unmatched in fostering in a clean way the Friya 7oga ideals of a "alanced spiritual life. A udra in which the ocular "ul"s and the eye"rows are upturned as much as possi"le often the inferior eyelids rela' and a "ystander can o"serve the white of the cornea under the iris. All the visual force of the ocular nerves is gathered on the top of the head. 8ahiri ahasaya in his well #nown portrait is showing this udra. Shmbh+i $)"'
It has "een reported that "y using the 6econd Friya techni!ue% 6wami Prana"ananda% an eminent disciple of 8ahiri ahasaya% left his "ody consciously &this feat is called ahasamadhi 1 the conscious e'it out of the "ody% at death). There was no violence to the "ody the feat happened only at the most proper moment 1 according to a Farmic point of view when the moment was right. Jow the de"ate isL what procedure did he ma#e use ofD a any claim it was the techni!ue of Tho#ar. It is possi"le that he arrested the movement of the heart and therefore left his "ody. He might have done one single Tho#ar and stopped his heart this means he put so much mental strength in this act as to "loc# the energy which #ept his heart thro""ing. " 6ome "elieve that this supreme calming of the heart was achieved only "y a mental action of immersion in the point "etween the eye"rows% entering the light of Futastha. The reports say that those who were around him did not notice any head movement. 6imilarly when other great ones left their "ody there was no movement. c In my opinion% ahasamadhi is not a 2shrewd esoteric tric#2 to master the mechanics of a painless suicide. 6urely each great master relies upon his already "uilt a"ility to enter 6amadhi. ,y creating a total peace in his "eing% the soul$s natural desire to regain union with the Infinite 6ource puts in action a natural mechanism of appeasing the cardiac ple'us. Se&on" K'i,
The 6ans#rit name means 2Perfect Pose2. In this Asana% the sole of the left foot is placed against the right thigh so that the heel presses on the perineum. The right heel is placed against the pu"ic "one. This position of the legs% com"ined with Fechari udra% closes the pranic circuit and ma#es Friya Pranayama easy and profita"le. Si""hsn
S)sh)mn Gsee Jadi
It is a stretching e'ercise of the muscles of the tongue% and particularly of the /raenulum. The purpose is to attain Fechari udra Gsee. This practice creates a distinct calming effect on the thoughts and% for this reason% it is never put aside% even after Fechari udra is achieved. T(b, K'i,
A Friya techni!ue "ased on directing the calm Prana 1 collected in the head through Friya Pranayama 1 toward the location of one &usually the 4th) or more Tho-'
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Cha#ras% "y a particular &0er#ing) movement of the head. uiding Prana into the Anahata Cha#ra% a light grows in the region "etween the eye"rows. This fosters the "reathless state. ,y increasing the concentration on the spiritual light% the lights of all the other Cha#ras are revealed. The practice of Tho#ar is to "e deepened throughout the years in order to get the a"ility to enter the state of 6amadhi with 0ust one stro#e. 6tudying the practices of the 6ufis% &see the studies conducted "y ardet and . . Anawati% esp. ardet in Revue Thomiste &(9<=1*))% we discover that Tho#ar is a variant of the 6ufi$s hi#r. hi#r is the practice of the 2memory2 of the ivine% which is "rought a"out "y repeating a particular short prayer during the day and "y guiding it% during moments of seclusion or group devotional practice% into particular centers of the "ody through specific head movements. It might have happened that 8ahiri #new this techni!ue since youth. 6ome forms of prayer he saw were mild forms of Tho#ar. It was His genius to develop it to the utmost perfection. 6ome Friya Acharya teaches the practice of Tho#ar in a very particular way. The central teaching is guiding your awareness along a three1curved path called Tri"hangamurari &Tri1"hanga1murari M three1"end1form). This path "egins in ,indu% "ending to the left% it descends into the seat of the Rudra #not &the region from edulla o"longata to ,hrumadhya "etween the eye"rows)% goes across it and continues toward the right side of the "ody. Then it reverses direction cutting the Xishnu #not whose seat is in the heart Cha#ra. Then it reverses again its direction pointing toward the seat of the ,rahma #not in the coccy' region% which is also crossed "y entering the spine and coming up toward ,indu. These teachers e'plain that in the last part of His life% 8ahiri ahasaya drew with e'treme precision the three1"ends form which is perceived "y deepening the after1 Friya1Pranayama meditation. T'ibhn@m)''i
A"dominal loc#L it is usually practiced with "reath out "ut in Friya it is also utilied with "reath in especially during the practice of the main Friya udrasL aha udra% Javi Friya and 7oni udra. To practice it with "reath out% utilie% at least partly% :alandhara ,andha. Ta#e a false inhale &perform the same action of an inhale without actually pulling any air into the "ody.) raw the "elly up as much as possi"le. Hold your the "reath out. To practice it with "reath in% contract slightly the a"dominal muscles until you intensify the perception of the energy in the spinal column in the region of anipura Cha#ra. U""i,n Bn"h
7ama is 6elf1controlL non1violence% avoiding lies% avoiding stealing% avoiding "eing lustful% and non1attachment. Jiyama is religious o"servancesL cleanliness% contentment% discipline% study of the 6elf and surrender to the 6upreme od &,rahman). hile in most Friya schools these rules are put as premises to "e respected in order to receive initiation% a discriminating researcher understands that they are to "e considered really as the conse!uences of a correct 7oga practice. A "eginner cannot to much depth understand what 26tudy of the 6elf2 means. 6ome teacher repeats% parrot fashion% the necessity of o"serving those rules and% after having given a"surd clarifications of some of the a"ove points &in particular which mental tric# to utilie in order to avoid "eing lustful)% passes on to e'plain the techni!ues. hy utter empty wordsD hom is he trying to foolD The mystic path% when followed honestly% cannot compromise itself with any rhetoric. hen an affirmation is made% it is that. 7ama and Jiyama are a good topic to study% an ideal to "ear in mind% "ut not a vow. 5nly through practice is it possi"le to understand their real meaning and% conse!uently% see them Ym Ni,m
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flourish in one$s life.
The 7oga 6utras are an e'tremely influential te't on 7oga philosophy and practiceL over fifty different English translations are the testimony of its importance. Although we are not sure of the e'act time when their author Patan0ali lived% we can set it "etween =;; ,.C. and =;; A.. The 7oga 6utras are made up "y a collection of (9< aphorisms dealing with the philosophical aspects of mind and awareness% thus esta"lishing a sound theoretical "asis of Ra0a 7oga 1 the 7oga of self discipline and meditation. 7oga is descri"ed as an eight stage &Ashtanga) path which are 7ama% Jiyama% Asana% Pranayama% Pratyahara% harana% hyana% and 6amadhi. The first five steps "uild the psycho1physical foundation for having a true spiritual e'perience the last three are concerned with disciplining the mind up to its dissolution in the ecstatic e'perience. The 6utras define also some esoteric concepts% common to all the traditions of the Indian thought% such as Farma. Although% at times% Patan0ali is called 2the father of 7oga2% his wor# is actually a compendium of pre1e'isting oral 7oga traditions% an inhomogeneous whole of practices "etraying an indistinct and contradictory theoretical "ac#ground. However% the importance of Patan0ali$s wor# is "eyond discussionL he clarified what others had taught what was a"stract he made practical3 He was a genial thin#er% not 0ust a compiler of rules. His e!uili"rium "etween theism and atheism is very apprecia"le. e do not find the least suggestion of worshiping idols% deities% gurus% or sacred "oo#s 1 at the same time we do not find any atheistic doctrine either. e #now that 27oga%2 "esides "eing a rigorous system of meditation practice% implies devotion to the Eternal Intelligence or 6elf. Patan0ali affirms the importance of directing our heart$s aspiration toward 5m. Yo@ S)t' .b, Ptn(i/
The potential of this techni!ue includes% in all effects% the final realiation of the Friya path. Futastha 1 "etween the eye"rows 1 is the place where the individual soul had its originL the delusive Ego needs to "e dissolved there. The core component of this udra is to "ring all the energy into the point "etween the eye"rows and hinder its scattering "y closing the head openings - the "reath is !uieted in the region from throat to the point "etween the eye"rows. If a deep rela'ation state is esta"lished in the "ody% this practice succeeds in generating a very intense ecstatic state% which spreads throughout one$s "eing. A"out its practical implementation% there are minor differences among the schoolsL some give a greater importance to the vision of the 8ight and less to the dissolution of "reath and mind. Among the first% there are those who teach% while #eeping more or less the same position of the fingers% to focus upon each Cha#ra and to perceive their different colors. 5ne satisfactory remar#% found in the traditional 7oga literature% is that this techni!ue gets its name 27oni2% meaning 2uterus2% "ecause li#e the "a"y in the uterus% the practitioner has no contact with the e'ternal world% and therefore% no e'ternaliation of consciousness. Yoni $)"'
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,I,8I5RAPH7 Anonymous% R.. /rench% trs. (he 8ay of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim ontinues .is 8ay. Jew 7or#L HarperCollins Pu"lishers% (99(. Arnold% 6ir Edwin. (he Song elestial or /haga$ad65ita +"rom the %ahabharata- . iddlese'L Echo 8i"rary% =;;?. . (he 9ight of !sia or the 5reat Renunciation . ear"orn% IL @niversity of ichigan 8i"rary% =;;9. Auro"indo% 6ri. ollected Poems. PondicherryL 6ri Auro"indo Ashram% (9>=. . (houghts and !horisms . Twin 8a#es% IL 8otus Press% (9?=. . Sa$itri2 ! 9egend and a Symbol . Twin 8a#es% IL 8otus Press% (99<. ,ernard% Theos. .atha Yoga2 (he Reort of a Personal &'erience . Edin"urghL Harmony Pu"lishing% =;;>. hillon% Harish. (he "irst Sikh Siritual %aster2 (imeless 8isdom from the 9ife and (echni#ues of 5uru Nanak . oodstoc#% XTL 6#ylight Paths Pu"lishing% =;;+. ostoyevs#y% /yodor. (he /rothers KaramaAo$. ineola% J7L over Pu"lications% =;;9. Chatter0ee% Asho#e Fumar. Purana Purusha Yogiraj Sri Shama hurn 9ahiree . Xedic"oo#s.net% =;;;. Easwaran% E#nath. (he Uanishads . Tomales% CAL Jilgiri Press% =;;>. Ec#hart% eister. (he &ssential Sermons, ommentaries, (reatises and 3efense +lassics of 8estern Sirituality-. ahwah% J:L Paulist Press% (9?(. /eild% Reshad. (he In$isible 8ay2 ! (ime to 9o$e, ! (ime to 3ie . ,ostonL Element ,oo#s% (994. . Stes to "reedom2 3iscourses on the &ssential Knowledge of the .eart . ecatur% AL Chalice uild% (99?. . (he 9ast /arrier2 ! *ourney into the &ssence of Sufi (eachings. 8indisfarne ,oo#s% =;;=. /euerstein% eorg. &ncycloedic 3ictionary of Yoga. Jew 7or#L Paragon House% (99;. /rossard% AndrN. 5od &'ists2 I .a$e %et .im . 8ondonL Collins% (9>;. oel ,. 6. Psycho6!nalysis and %editation, 4ol1II1 Haryana% India L Third Eye /oundation of India% (9?9
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oleman% aniel and Richard :. avidson. onsciousness2 /rain, States of !wareness and %ysticism. Jew 7or#L Harper and Row Pu"lishers% (9>9. Iyengar% ,.F.6. 9ight on Yoga. Jew 7or#L 6choc#en ,oo#s% (99<. . 9ight on Pranayama2 (he Yogic !rt of /reathing . Jew 7or#L Crossroad Pu"lishing Co.% (99?. :aco"i% :olande. (he Psychology of 1 51 *ung . Jew Haven% CTL 7ale @niversity Press% (9>*. :ohari% Harish. hakras2 &nergy enters of (ransformation . RochesterL estiny ,oo#s% (9?>. :ohn of the Cross% 6t. 3ark Night of the Soul . Jew 7or#L Image ,oo#s% ou"leday and Company% Inc.% (99;. :ohnson% :ulian. (he Path of the %asters2 (he Science of Surat Shabda Yoga . Pun0a"L Radha 6oami 6atsang ,eas% (9>=. :ung% Carl ustav. Synchronicity2 !n !causal onnecting Princile . R./.C. Hull% trs. Princeton% J:L Princeton @niversity Press% (9>*. . %emories, 3reams, Reflections. &rev. ed.). Aniela :affN% ed. R. inston and C. inston% trs. Jew 7or#L Xintage ,oo#s% (9?9. F$uan 7% 8u &Charles 8u#). (aoist Yoga2 !lchemy and Immortality. Jew 7or#L 6amuel eiser Inc.% (999. Fa"ir% Songs of Kabr2 ! C:th entury Sufi 9iterary lassic . Ra"indranath Tagore% trs. ,ostonL iser ,oo#s% =;;=. Frishna% opi. Kundalini2 (he &$olutionary &nergy in %an . ,ostonL 6ham"hala Pu"lications% (99>. Frishna% opi. Kundalini2 (he Secret of Yoga. Jew 7or#L Harper and Row% (9>=. 8eser18asario% ,enno a'. 9ehrbuch der )riginal65ebOrden6!tmung . einhausenL 8e"ens1weiser1Xerlag% (9*(. allinson% :ames. (he 5heranda Samhita . oodstoc#% J7L 7oga Xidya% =;;4. . (he Shi$a Samhita . oodstoc#% J7L 7oga Xidya% =;;>. ann% urinder 6ingh. Sikhism. @pper 6addle River% J:L Prentice Hall% =;;4. oody Raymond. 9ife beyond 9ife. 8ondonL Harper5ne &=;;() otoyama% Hiroshi. (heories of the hakras2 /ridge to .igher onsciousness. heaton% I8L Zuest ,oo#s% (9?=. =++
u#tananda% 6wami. Play of onsciousness2 ! Siritual !utobiograhy. 6iddha 7oga Pu"lications% =;;;. 5s"orne% Arthur. Ramana %aharshi and the Path of Self6Knowledge . Hillsdale% J7L 6ophia Perennis ,oo#s% =;;+. Rama% 6wami. Path of "ire and 9ight 4ol1 I and II . Honesdale% PennsylvaniaL Himalayan Institute Press% =;;4. Ramdas% 6wami. In the 4ision of 5od . 6an iego% CAL ,lue ove Press% (99<. . In uest of 5od . 6an iego% CAL ,lue ove Press% =;;=. Rumi% aulana :alal$al1din% Coleman ,ar#s% trs. (he Soul of Rumi2 ! New ollection of &cstatic Poems. Jew 7or#L HarperCollins Pu"lishers% =;;=. % Coleman ,ar#s% trs. (he /ook of 9o$e2 Poems of &cstasy and 9onging . Jew 7or#L HarperCollins Pu"lishers% =;;<. 6adhananda iri% 6wami. Kriya Yoga2 Its %ystery and Performing !rt . Howrah% est ,engalL :u0ersa 7ogashram% (99?. 6atprem. %other?s !genda. Jew 7or#L Institute for Evolutionary Research% (9>9. . Sri !urobindo, or the !d$enture of onsciousness. ysoreL ira Aditi Centre% =;;;. . %other, or the 3i$ine %aterialism. ysoreL ira Aditi Centre% =;;*. 6ailendra ,e0oy asgupta% 6ri. 9ight of Kriya Yoga1 8ondonL 7oga Ji#etan% =;;?. 6atyananda iri% 6wami. Kriya uotes from Swami Satyananda1 8ondonL 7oga Ji#etan% =;;4. 6atyananda 6araswati% 6wami. ! Systematic ourse in the !ncient (antric (echni#ues of Yoga and Kriya . ungerL ,ihar 6chool of 7oga% =;;4. . !sana, Pranayama, %udra and /andha . ungerL ,ihar 6chool of 7oga% =;;*. . Kundalini (antra. ungerL ,ihar 6chool of 7oga% =;;?. 6harma% Ishwar C. &H.H. anav ayal). Surat6Shabda Yoga +(he Yoga of 9ight and Sound BInstructions for SeekersB-. Jew elhiL iamond Poc#et ,oo#s% (99(. 6ivananda Radha% 6wami. Kundalini2 Yoga for the 8est . 6po#ane% AL Timeless ,oo#s% =;;4. . .atha Yoga2 (he .idden 9anguage, Symbols, Secrets and =+>
