Yoga And Yoga Asanas - What is Kriya Yoga?



Kriya Yoga is a kind of yoga that focuses on the breath Yoga has religious connotations, according to some, since it began with Hinduism. 

However, it is important to note that Yoga represents a significant divergence from India's overall religious system and its rites and ceremonies. 


  • The high priest is the intellect, and the temple is the human temple. 
  • The Kriyas are the ceremonies and rituals. It is true that yoga reveals man's intimate connection to an impersonal Universe. Rise, if you're religious, this is for you. 
  • Yoga will disclose one's connection with the Supreme, also known as the Atman, the Self, or God.
  •  Ethical and moral norms are the fundamental foundation of the Inner Lite, therefore a high-minded philosophy need them. 
  • Because of its unstable foundation, a home constructed on shifting sands would undoubtedly collapse. Yoga is based on these foundational moral and ethical principles. 


Yama, the five moral restrictions required to preserve the position of a human "being" rather than an Inman "doing," is the first stage in the Raja Yoga method of Ashtanga or Eight Branches. 

  • The Niyama, or five ethical observances, are embodied in the second stage. 
  • The Yamaj Niyama together form Kriya Yoga, a kind of Yoga that may lead to spiritual union, emancipation, and freedom. 


The Kriya Yoga path requires a deep understanding of one's own nature, as well as a keen awareness of internal and external action. 


The Yama and Niyama become nothing more than psychological repression, the practice of clichéd virtues that bound rather than liberate the soul, without this understanding and awareness. 


1. Ahimsa, or nonviolence, is one of the Pancha Yama, often known as the five abstinences. 

  • This nonviolence should not be misunderstood to mean just avoiding murdering other living things. 
  • In the grand scheme of things, it may be essential for a man to protect himself, his family, his loved ones, and his nation against others' violent attempts to compel him into their material state of oneness rather than the Oneness that comes from spiritual unity. 

Nonviolence in thought, speech, and action is true Ahinisa, as is the unwillingness to harm another in any manner. 



2. Understanding is required to create what Mahatma Gandhi referred to as "Satyagraha," or Soul Force, which is a requirement for living a nonviolent life. 

  • Satyagraha is a kind of positive action that the Yogi may use not just for resistance but also for constructive work. 
  • It provides the Satyagrahi, the user, with a moral equivalent to war, a powerful peaceful alternative to what would otherwise be violent action. 
  • It entails reconciliation, in which one is receptive to hearing and examining the other's point of view while maintaining an open mind, thus reducing tensions and improving personal and interpersonal understanding. 

Satya is the Sanskrit word for truth, yet it encompasses more than just expressing or revealing the truth. Rather, it is about leading a life that is guided by genuine spiritual ideals and higher considerations. 

True Truth can only be discovered via profound inner insights and spiritual experiences, in which the condition of Truth causes a change in one's character. 

  • We must always be aware of the falsity of our senses, perceptions, and beliefs. 
  • The first step toward Truth is to be aware of the correctness of our perceptions, our sensory touch with the environment, and to ensure that our mental constructs are consistent with the growth of mind to a superconscious level. 


3. The courage to confront the contradiction of our perceptions and thoughts is the first step toward this Truth. 


  • In light of the inconsistencies brought to our notice both by our own consciousness and by others, we must re-examine our beliefs, behaviors, and practices. 
  • We must have the guts to re-adjust our beliefs in order to create an integrated and consistent whole that is compatible with the greater ideal. 


4. Asteya is the Sanskrit word for "not stealing," or "not taking what is not properly yours." 

Many people think that, although we should not steal from one another, cheating in business or defrauding the government on income tax is acceptable. 

But it is he who "steals the time of the spirit," the time given here to develop into spiritual oneness, Oneness, who is the greatest thief. 

Another thief is one who "steals" the names of others or refuses to give credit when credit is due to others. 

Take just what is due and offer credit and respect to others as they deserve to prevent "spiritual robbery." 

Recognition for a job well done fulfills a fundamental desire in human nature and motivates people to work harder and achieve more. 


5. For the student, Brahmacharya may be understood as sexual celibacy or sexual purity, and for the mature seeker of spiritual purity, it can be viewed as purity of thought and conduct. 


  • Brahmacharya is forming connections of understanding and good will with others while avoiding sexual selfishness and the desire to control. 
  • When one loves, it must be pure love, such as a Brahmacharya's love for his Guru or a Bhakta's love for God. Aparigraha is the tes'raint of greed and selfishness, putting a stop to the urge to acquire "myself and 'likeness." 
  • It is the transcendence of self-centered clutching and groveling for material possessions, as well as "spiritual achievements." 


When you love someone, whether it's a person, a family, a nation, or God, you tend to turn them into a possession. 


Possessiveness, on the other hand, prevents others from responding positively. 


  • When our possessiveness becomes selfish, tensions rise both inside and outside of us, resulting in a breakdown in communication. frustration, and, more often than not, violence and hatred. 


Be resolved to help others without expecting personal benefit to conquer avarice and greed. 


  • We shall revert to our gifted state as an embodied human being if we do not make a deliberate effort to control the Vow animal nature. 


The Yama, or moral restraint, practice will bind us to our human incarnation, which may have taken thousands of lives and millions of years to accomplish. 

The fact that "devolution" is a reality may be seen in the animal-like behavior of many people and countries across the globe today.


You may also want to read more about Yoga here.

You may also want to read more about Yoga Asanas and Exercises here.