WELCOME TO KRIYA YOGA

THE PATH THAT IS DIRECTED BY THE REALIZED

The sincere spiritual seeker who follows the path of Kriya Yoga with desire for spiritual growth, love, and devotion can attain Self-realization — even within one lifetime. This powerful yoga stems from many yogas described in the Bhagavad Gita; but, primarily, from:

Karma Yoga — actions of the soul which means both outer actions in the world and, more importantly, inner actions of the mind and detachment from the fruits of these actions

Jnana Yoga — intellect discipline which leads to wisdom gained from the experience of spiritual knowledge that gives freedom and inner detachment from the fruits of actions

Bhakti Yoga — unconditional love, awakened by gratitude and joy experienced from oneness with all creation and cosmic consciousness

Kriya Yoga is non-sectarian. Its simplified techniques cause no hardships or austerities and were developed for aspiring householders as well as for monks. From Karma Yoga, Kriya Yoga teaches any action, ‘kri’, is done by ‘ya’, the indwelling soul; work is worship. Constant awareness of the power of the indwelling soul inhaling leads to mind control and liberation.

The Kriya technique highlights the relationship between breath and mind. Breath influences mind and vice-versa. Their mutual relationship has revealed the mystery of how to control the mind. Breath control is self-control. Breath mastery is self mastery. Breathlessness stage is deathlessness stage that brings the state of samadhi, the realization of the Absolute.

During initiation, the aspirant’s body fields are purified and the triple Divine qualities of sound, light, and vibration are experienced. As meditation deepens, the aspirant goes beyond body sense and beyond mind; true meditation begins, and the ego-sense that ‘I am the doer’ is replaced by the experience of the indwelling soul as sole doer. Life’s goal — variously known as liberation, enlightenment or Self-realization — grows closer.

Kriya Yoga is a golden opportunity to reach higher states of consciousness and change your life, gaining all-round development of body, mind, and soul. It is a quick and easy path. Kriya Yoga techniques are passed down from guru to disciple, master to aspirant, teacher to student.

There is no written record of when the ancient tradition of Kriya Yoga began. It is a spiritual technique which has been practiced by saints, seers, and sages from time immemorial. The rishis (seers) of the Upanishads, Shri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras, and many other masters of yoga, practiced and taught this scientific method through the ages. Kriya Yoga is a powerful tool to be used by those of all religions in order to hasten their own spiritual development. Adi Shankara in the Viveka Chudamani wrote three things are very rare in the world: to get a human birth, to have desire for liberation, and to get the company of a great soul and realized master.

In modern times, an elusive and mysterious master, Mahavatar Babaji, in 1861 brought the Kriya technique to the general public through his able disciple, Shri Shyamacharan Lahiri, a pious householder. Lahiri Mahasaya, as he was popularly known, had many realized disciples. Foremost among them were Swami Shriyukteshwar, who was well versed in the scriptures of both the East and West and attained the highest stage of realization, and Shrimat Bhupendranath Sanyal Mahasaya, a householder yogi most noted for his metaphorical interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita in the light of Kriya Yoga. Among the many disciples of Shriyukteshwar were Paramahamsa Yogananda, author of “Autobiography of a Yogi”, and Swami Satyananda Giri, who until 1971 was the president of Karar Ashram founded by Shriyukteshwar in 1903. Paramahamsa Hariharananda, who became the head of the Kriya Yoga Institute USA as well as the international organizations, was also a direct disciple of Swami Shriyukteshwar. Both Paramahamsa Yogananda and Paramahamsa Hariharananda were not only Self-realized, but became instrumental in spreading the teachings of Kriya Yoga around the world.

Until the time of his mortal transition into spirit, December 3, 2002, at the age of 95 (1907-2002), Paramahamsa Hariharananda — lovingly called ‘Baba’ by his thousands of disciples and students around the world — oversaw each one’s spiritual development. His divine love and compassion remain unparalleled.

Today, Paramahamsa Prajnanananda, the realized disciple and successor of Paramahamsa Hariharananda, travels the world as a powerful spiritual master, loving teacher, prolific author, and speaker on world religions. Under his loving direction, the Kriya Yoga international organization, supported by its monks, yogacharyas and devotees, continues to thrive.