Over the years, yoga has transitioned into different styles. Whether you want to lose weight, develop muscle strength, or get rid of migraine, there is a yoga style for all. There is Hatha, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, Kundalini, and Power yoga. One yoga style that stands out from the rest is the Kriya yoga style.
Yoga experts have come up with a complete guide to help you understand this yoga style.
The word Kriya in Sanskrit comes from two different worlds. The first word Kri means Karma or action. The second word Ya means soul. Thus, Kriya yoga translates to “union through the action of the soul”.
The concept of Karma in Kriya yoga refers to purification to clear obstacles in the way of yoga practice. It purifies your physical, mental, and spiritual systems. This yoga style cleanses these systems to help you realize the ultimate truth. The other name for this yoga style is “yoga of action”.
These practices help purify the various internal systems of your body. These enable you to receive higher knowledge.
Kriya yoga includes asanas, pranayama, and spirituality. This yoga style has a purpose that goes deeper than just toning your body. It focuses more on the mental and spiritual benefits of yoga practice.
There is a lot of confusion between Hatha and Kriya style. Hatha yoga implies force and improves your strength and stamina. But, Kriya includes careful and steady exercises to help you commit to the path of yoga.
This devotion makes many yoga practitioners associate it with religion. But, it is the practice of spiritual awakening in a yogi. This involves contemplation, meditation, and surrendering your ego.
Another confusion is that many think of Kriya and Kundalini as the same. But Kundalini is a physical and mental practice to purify your body and mind. Kriya yoga works towards your spiritual growth.
To experience what Kriya yoga is, you must know about its different stages and techniques.
The practice of Kriya yoga is divided into six different stages.
The first stage includes the Kriya Pranayama. In this stage, you combine the energies of Prana and Apana. The flow of Prana in your body is blocked by the Ida and Pingala Nadis. The Pranayama technique helps in the smooth movement of Prana to the Sushumna Nadi.
This stage of Kriya yoga is where you work on all the Chakras present in your subtle body. You pay special attention to the Heart chakra. It is the stage of activating every chakra and transcending them. The pressure of Prana in every chakra is stronger. You should join a certified yoga school to learn more about this stage.
In this stage, there is a strong emphasis on the Heart chakra. The heart chakra is where your immortal self resides. If you focus on this long enough then the need for other stages becomes less.
The fourth stage in Kriya yoga is vital. After activating the Heart Chakra, you now focus on other chakras. Yoga experts recommend you focus on the Muladhara chakra to expand your awareness. It is also where you internalize breathing and it feels like a breathless state.
In this stage, you shift attention towards the energy flowing towards Muladhara chakra but it remains outside the spine. It is an experiential stage that is of a world beyond words and common expression.
This is the stage that occurs in the opening of the spinal cord. Yogis consider this stage as equal to the transcendental phase where they realize the true reality. In this stage of Kriya yoga, you do not have a sense of time and space.
The ancient religious text of Bhagwad Gita defines this yoga style differently.
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The style of Kriya yoga has been spoken of at great lengths by Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita.
He says, “offering the inhaling breath to exhaling and offering the exhaling breath to inhaling breath, a yogi balances his breath and releases Prana to bring all bodily systems under control to act in harmony”.
Lord Krisha also says “When a yogi withdraws himself from all external happenings and fixes his focus between the eyebrows and regulates his sense of mind and intellect, becomes free of all bondage”.
Conclusion
Want to learn a yoga style that helps you with spiritual and mental growth? Join a certified yoga school to learn it under the guidance of experienced yoga teachers.
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