Kriya Yoga is a spiritual practice rooted in ancient Indian traditions, primarily popularized in the West by Paramahansa Yogananda through his seminal work, Autobiography of a Yogi (1946). Kriya Yoga is a form of meditation and spiritual discipline that focuses on the control of life energy (prana) through specific techniques of breath control (pranayama), meditation, and ethical living. The practice is designed to accelerate spiritual growth by purifying the mind and body, leading to a deeper experience of inner peace and union with the Divine.
Kriya Yoga traces its origins to the teachings of the legendary sage Patanjali, who described the core principles of yoga in the Yoga Sutras, and to other ancient texts like The Bhagavad Gita. The practice was revived in modern times by Mahavatar Babaji, a mystical figure in Hindu tradition, and passed down through a lineage of spiritual masters including Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yukteswar, and ultimately Paramahansa Yogananda.
The central practice of Kriya Yoga involves a specific technique of breath control that is said to speed up the spiritual evolution of the practitioner by quieting the mind and directing the life force inward and upward along the spine, harmonizing the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the individual. It emphasizes the importance of daily meditation, self-discipline, and devotion to God, with the ultimate goal of achieving self-realization and liberation (moksha).
Kriya Yoga is often considered a non-sectarian spiritual path, open to people of all faiths, and it has attracted a global following. It is taught through direct transmission from a qualified teacher and requires a commitment to regular practice. The Kriya Yoga tradition is now preserved and disseminated by organizations such as the Self-Realization Fellowship and the Yogoda Satsanga Society of India, both founded by Yogananda, which continue to teach these transformative practices worldwide.