 | Kriya yoga: Encyclopedia - Kriya yoga
Kriya yoga
Kriya yoga is a system of Indian yoga that was first popularized in the West by Paramahansa Yogananda. The system consists of a number of yogic techniques that purportedly hasten the practitioner's spiritual evolution and help to bring about a profound state of tranquility and god-communion within one's own self.
Kriya yoga - History
According to Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi, kriya yoga was well-known in ancient India, but was eventually lost. In 1861 however, the book continues, the immortal yogi Mahavatar Babaji initiated Lahiri Mahasaya into Kriya Yoga. Lahiri Mahasaya then revived the practice, and it soon spread throughout India. Paramhansa Yogananda, a disciple of Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri who was himself a disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, then brought Kriya Yoga to the United States and Europe during the 20th century. Since that time it has spread throughout the world through various lineages, most of which claim descent from Lahiri Mahasaya.
Kriya yoga - Other lineages
There are several organizations that teach kriya yoga as taught by Yogananda. A few are: Self-Realization Fellowship, founded by Yogananda; Ananda, founded by Swami Kriyananda (a direct disciple of Yogananda); Center for Spiritual Awareness, founded by Roy Eugene Davis (also a direct disciple of Yogananda); and the Song of the Morning Retreat Center founded by one of Yogananda's chief disciples, Yogacharya Oliver Black. The lineage of Lahiri Mahasaya also continues in the person of Shibendu Lahiri, the great-grandson of Lahiri Mahasaya. He is based in Benares but travels around the world, initiatiing people into the yogic science of Kriya.
All Kriya Yoga lineages however have the same root within the guru param-para; i.e. Mahavatar Babaji, who gave the technique to Lahiri Mahasaya through personal initiation and instruction to teach Kriya Yoga to other "worthy" humans. Lahiri Mahasaya's most famous disciples were Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, Swami Pranabananda, Swami Kebalananda, Swami Keshabananda, and Bhupendranath Sanyal (Sanyal Mahasaya).
Kriya yoga - External link
- The Science of Kriya Yoga from the First Edition of Autobiography of a Yogi written by Paramahansa Yogananda in 1946
- Learn Kriya Yoga Includes information about learning Kriya from Ananda, and testimonials from Kriya Yogis
- The Most Dynamic Kriya Yoga Website Kriya Yoga Q&A's and other inspirational articles from Filipino Kriya Yoga master Noel Daryl Pahimna
Category: Yoga
| Yogas: |
Agni Yoga - Anahata Yoga - Anusara Yoga - Arhatic Yoga - Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) - Bikram Yoga - Hatha yoga - Integral yoga - Iyengar Yoga - Kriya yoga - Kundalini yoga - Natya Yoga - Sahaj Marg - Sahaja Yoga - Siddha Yoga - Six yogas of Naropa (Tumo) - Surat Shabd Yoga - Viniyoga - Yoga in Daily Life - Yoga Nidra |
| Texts: |
Hatha Yoga Pradipika - Yoga Sutra |
| Hinduism paths: |
Bhakti yoga - Karma Yoga - Jnana Yoga - Raja Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga) |
| Raja Yoga limbs: |
Yama - Niyama - Asana - Pranayama - Pratyahara - Dharana - Dhyana - Samadhi |
| Lists: |
Yoga schools and their gurus - Hatha yoga postures |
| Related topics: |
Ayurveda - Chakra - Tantra - Vedanta - Yoga as exercise |
Other related archives1861, 20th century, Europe, Filipino, India, Kriya Yoga, Lahiri Mahasaya, Mahavatar Babaji, Paramahansa Yogananda, Paramhansa Yogananda, Self-Realization Fellowship, Sri Yukteswar, Sri Yukteswar Giri, Swami, Swami Kriyananda, United States, Yoga, guru
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Kriya yoga", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
