KRIYA YOGA AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDITATION

In 1861, the ancient science of Raja Yoga, which had been lost for centuries, was revived as Kriya Yoga by the Himalayan yogi-master Mahavatar Babaji. In a succession of great masters, Babaji first taught Kriya to Lahiri Mahasaya (1828–1895), instructing him to teach it to sincere seekers of truth. Lahiri’s spiritual descendent was Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855–1936), who then instructed Paramhansa Yogananda (1893–1952), author of the spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi (1946).

In 1920, Paramhansa Yogananda was one of the first teachers to bring the teachings of yoga to the West. His Kriya Yoga teachings emphasized direct inner experience of the divine, which he called “self-realization”. The idea of Kriya Yoga, which, along with Raja Yoga, is the basis for the invaluable Yoga Meditation practices in this book, is that it interiorizes the practitioner’s concentration, reversing the outward-flowing life-energy (or prana) of the senses so that it moves inward and upward through the energy centres (or chakras; see pages 34-41) in the body, magnetizing the spine with energy and encouraging divine self-awareness.

So what is meditation?

It is important to consider for a moment what is really meant by the term “meditation” within the description of Raja, or Kriya, Yoga as the “yoga of meditation”. Meditation is simply stilling the mind and liberating it from its restless emotions, thoughts, ego-feelings and desires so that a wonderful feeling of wholeness and being “at one” can be attained.

As human beings, we are a complex of body, mind and consciousness. In Western thought, mind and consciousness are sometimes used synonymously, which often causes misunderstanding to those who are new to Indian yoga philosophy. In yoga philosophy, the concepts of mind and consciousness indicate two different things: the mind exists only when there are thoughts. In the deep-sleep state no thoughts exist, and therefore there is no mind. You, on the other hand – that is to say your inner self – are consciousness itself, which is eternally present in the waking, dream and sleep states. It is only the light of the self or consciousness reflected on the mind that enables it to have powers of cognition and feeling. Yet we all too often fall into the trap of thinking that it is the mind itself that is the “knower” and the “light” in our everyday existence.

The practice of meditation allows you (your consciousness) to recognize the two entities as distinct through the act of observing your mind (your thoughts) just as you would observe an external object. In so doing, you come to recognize that you are not, in fact, the sum of your thoughts and that it is only once your thoughts quieten and your mind becomes still that you can recognize and feel at one with your true joyful self or consciousness, rather than continually associating with the ego, or external self, by which we are most often preoccupied.

Everyday benefits of Yoga Meditation

As well as its underlying spiritual goal, Yoga Meditation brings a wide range of everyday benefits, enriching your life in all manner of ways. For example, it:

•  gives you valuable time out for yourself

•  helps to ease stress and anxiety

•  increases your inner sense of calm and peace

•  boosts your coping power in life

•  strengthens your body from the inside out

•  heightens concentration and clarity

•  enhances powers of creativity

•  allows you to feel more at one with yourself and the world

•  encourages joy and happiness in every aspect of life.