You are on page 1of 238

Kriya Yoga: synthesis of a personal experience

Author: Ennio Nimis

Visit at least once in a year the Web site www.kriyayogainfo.net


to download the latest edition of the book

1
CONTENTS

Contents ii
Synopsis iii

PART I
HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA

1. Yoga Self-Taught 6
2. I Learn Kriya Yoga 17
3. The Breathless State 32
4. In Search of the Original Kriya 48
5. A Clean Mystical Path 76

PART II
SHARING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES

6. The Basic Techniques of Kriya Yoga 88


7. Further Information about the First Kriya 104
8. Higher Kriyas 127

PART III
GRADUAL LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA

9. Preliminary Remarks on the Potential Dangers of Meditation


and Kriya 153
10. Building the Best Foundation for the Kriya Yoga Path 165
11. A Turning point: the Breathless State 180
12. Kriya of Descent 188
Appendix 1: Remarks upon Kriya Yoga
as Taught by the Organizations 198
Appendix 2: Different Types of Researchers 213

Glossary 219
Bibliography 235

2
SYNOPSIS

PART I: HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA


The first part contains the story of the different phases of my spiritual search: self
teaching of Yoga; Kriya Yoga received from an organization; Kriya Yoga received from
traveling gurus; final decision of putting in a book all what I knew about Kriya Yoga
techniques.

Chapter 1 Yoga Self-Taught


My spiritual search began early in my life, after I bought an introductory book on
classical Yoga. I considered Yoga a discipline capable to produce an internal change in
my personality. I began with an exercise, to be done in Savasana, where the thinking
process was disciplined to create a state of "mental void". I decided also to extend the
mechanism of this technique to my student life in order to become acquainted with
thinking in a disciplined way, sparing my energies. Stunned about how the habits of our
social life imply a constant waste of psychic energy, I began avoiding any useless
distraction. My ego reacted significantly. I decided to reinforce my discipline through
the art of Pranayama. The first result was the experience of a vast joy springing from
the fundamentals of my being, not provoked by any external cause. After a couple of
day characterized by fear and anguish, I experienced what Yoga books call the
"awakening of Kundalini energy."

Chapter 2 I Learn Kriya Yoga


Enthusiast of Pranayama, I decided to devote my life to perfect it. I became to know of
the existence of Kriya Yoga: a four-phased Pranayama path taught in our age by the
great Lahiri Mahasaya. I would have done whatever to learn it immediately but this
clashed with the rules of the organization spreading it in the West: it was necessary to
follow a correspondence course. Meekly, I accepted to put aside my already
consolidated practice and abide only by their written teachings. A year and a half later, I
received the First Kriya set of techniques. A daily renowned problem was how to
conceive a personal Kriya routine and draw the best from it.

Chapter 3 The Breathless State


The problem with the routine became critic when I learned the so called Higher Kriyas.
In my understanding, they were not completely explained. Later, when one of the
organization's representatives refused to clarify my doubts, reluctantly, I decided to
address my search toward other sources. I had no results in this endeavor but, thanks to
some readings, the practice of Japa entered my life and, with it, the experience of the
breathless state.

Chapter 4 In Search of the Original Kriya


In order to learn the so-called "original Kriya", I followed three different traveling
teachers. Among many not very important details there was also something valuable:
the importance of listening during Kriya Pranayama to the internal sounds, the
frenulum-stretching technique (Talabya Kriya) leading one to mastery of Kechari
Mudra, the Tribhangamurari movement and the concept of Incremental Routine.

3
Chapter 5 A Clean Mystical Path
After the break off with my third teacher, I decided to have no more teachers. An
uncertain idea came also to put all my discoveries in a book. Before actuating this
project, I lived a tormented period in which I tackled the deep conditioning I had
received from my first Kriya organization: the necessity of receiving the techniques
from an "authorized" Guru and keeping any technical detail of Kriya secret. Years went
by with very long session of meditation outdoors, looking for inspiration from the
Beauty of Nature. Only the mental clarity and stamina produced by the incremental
routines helped me to erase all conditionings. I began the work of writing the book and
posted it on the Web.

PART II: SHARING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES


The second part is devoted to the description of the Kriya techniques. A theoretical
vision of Kriya Yoga is also given.

Chapter 6 The Basic Techniques of Kriya Yoga


In this chapter I want to recreate the ideal explanation for a beginner. Eight techniques
are considered components of the First Kriya -- Talabya Kriya, Om Japa, Kriya
Pranayama, Navi Kriya, mental Pranayama, Maha Mudra, Pranayama with short breath
and Yoni Mudra.

Chapter 7 Further Information about the First Kriya


Understanding Kriya Yoga is the theme of this chapter. After a theoretical digression,
each technique is seen as a tool to consciously cooperate with the work of eliminating
the four obstructions: tongue, heart, navel and coccyx. How to build a working routine
is the second main theme of this chapter. Some variations of the basic First Kriya
techniques are now given.

Chapter 8 Higher Kriyas


There are different ways of defining the Higher Kriyas. Here the technique of Second
Kriya includes: 1. Omkar Kriya; 2. Thokar Kriya (basic form of it) and 3. Thokar Kriya
(advanced level of it). The Third Kriya includes: 1. Mental Omkar Kriya and 2.Micro
Thokar. Fourth Kriya includes: 1. The procedure to achieve the state of Antar (internal)
Kevala Kumbhaka and 2. Omkar Gayatri Kriya.
Appendix: the important teaching of Tribhangamurari is here considered among
other minor variations of Thokar.

PART III: GRADUAL LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA


The third part dwells with the practical aspects of teaching Kriya Yoga. The main theme
is how to assist students to coordinate and harness their efforts in a meaningful way,
making them able to withstand the transformative process that leads to the mastery of
the different steps of Kriya Yoga.

Chapter 9 Preliminary Remarks on the Potential Dangers of Meditation and


Kriya
Kriyabans should be informed about the alleged or real "dangers of premature
Kundalini awakening". Surely there are some norms to follow in order to avoid any
problem with the practice of Kriya.

4
Chapter 10 Building the Best Foundation for the Kriya Yoga Path
After considering how to introduce the First Kriya in a gradual way, some practical
examples clarify how to utilize the formidable instrument of the Incremental Routine.

Chapter 11 A Turning Point: the Breathless State


The breathless state is a decisive result marking a turning point in one's life: it is the
true Initiation. It is achieved by adding to a correct routine containing the essence of
Kriya (Kriya Pranayama, Thokar and mental Pranayama) the practice of Japa during the
day. If this "recipe" does not blossom into the breathless state, one should intensify the
first part of the routine asking if it that were the case of changing the Mantra chosen for
Japa.

Chapter 12 Kriya of Descent


The discussion is about what could be considered the final improvement of Kriya
Pranayama. A parallel is given with the Macrocosmic orbit of internal taoist Alchemy.
The intriguing effects of this practice are here taken into account.

5
PART I: HISTORY OF MY PASSION FOR KRIYA YOGA

CHAPTER 1
YOGA SELF-TAUGHT

My spiritual search began at age 15 after I bought an introductory book on


classical Yoga. My interest in Yoga had been fueled by a certain expectation of
the effectiveness of the oriental forms of meditation, that had slowly
consolidated during my childhood and early adolescence. I don't remember the
title of the first book. Books of B.K.S. Iyengar followed, and then finally the
autobiography of an Indian saint where I found the term Kriya Yoga. But first
things first...

In primary school, unlike my peers, I borrowed esoteric books from my parents'


friends and I loved those books. I remember the first one I read from end to end
was on occultism. Knowing the book was considered unsuitable for my age, I
was proud to be able to read and understand it. I turned a deaf ear to any
persuasive advice to dedicate myself to more formative readings. I continued
these readings until I was about 11. I wasted a lot of time on worthless books and
stacks of specialized esoteric magazines with tantalizing titles and impossible
chimeras designed essentially to impress, and where it was impossible to
distinguish in advance between fact and fiction. I came into contact with the
main themes of occidental esotericism with short digressions into phenomena
like hypnosis and spiritualism... In the end, I felt I had traveled through an
indistinct chaos. Perhaps, the most precious secrets were hidden in other books I
had not been fortunate enough to find.
During this period, when I was perhaps 10 or 11, I saw the word "Yoga"
for the first time in a postal catalog of esoteric books among my father's
correspondence. I was entranced and inexplicably spellbound by the person
pictured on the cover sitting in the "lotus position." However, I couldn't
persuade my father to buy the book for me.
When I was 15 and in high school, the esoteric flame was rekindled for a
while in a particular way: Yoga as a discipline to practice -- not to read or to
fantasize about. A friend told me he had a detailed textbook containing different
Pranayama techniques, and added: "these exercises can change a person
inside...." I was deeply allured by his words: what internal change was he talking
about? Surely my friend didn't mean the attainment of a particular state of
relaxation or concentration or how to integrate the oriental vision of existence
with our lifestyle. He was surely referring to obtaining some intense experiences
that left a psychological mark, beyond the point of no return. I had no doubts that
Pranayama was something I had to learn as soon as possible. But my friend
would not lend me the book. However, a few days later at the train station
newsstand, I spotted Yoga in 20 lessons and bought it forthwith and read it in its

6
entirety. My spiritual search had begun but I was not aware of it. For me, it
seemed more an exercise of mental control.
Unfortunately, the philosophical introduction did not stir up anything spiritual.
The introduction to Yoga philosophy was neither impressive or thought
provoking (Jiva, Prakriti, Purusha...). It was there just to give the reader the
impression of serious authenticity. Even concepts like Reincarnation, Karma,
Dharma, and Maya, the understanding of which in the future would become so
important in my life, remained unfathomable, hidden in a tangle of Sanskrit
terms. Pranayama was only hinted at by explaining how to do a complete breath
-- dilating the abdomen, diaphragm, and upper chest during inhalation and
contracting the same in reverse order for a calm exhalation. That was clearly just
an introduction, nothing else. It was no difficult task to guess that the ancient art
of Pranayama was not intended to train the chest muscles, strengthening the
diaphragm or creating some peculiar conditions of blood oxygenation, but to act
on the energy present in our psychophysical system. It was clear, at least for me,
that such energy was related to disharmony and conflicts inside our disposition. I
was frustrated about the lack of information about Pranayama -- I knew it could
bring about a transformation in my personality. Nevertheless, I began trying out
yoga postures (Asanas) in a corner of our school gymnasium during physical
education classes after the teacher gave me permission to work out on my own
after the preliminary group warm-up exercises. I wasn't very good anyway in
sports despite being well-conditioned by long walks. Moreover, being able to do
something significant without having to move very far and without the inherent
risks of school sports attracted me. So, while my schoolmates would amuse
themselves with team games, I devoted myself to mastering yoga positions or
moving the abdominal muscles with the Nauli technique -- to the amazement of
my teacher who inquired about the secret of obtaining such interesting effects.
Objectively speaking, that Yoga text was not a mediocre one: it explained
the name of each posture (Asana), gave a brief note on the best mental attitude
for practicing it and how each exercise stimulated certain physiological functions
(important endocrine glands, etc.). It was taken for granted that these positions
were not to be seen as simple "stretching work-outs"; they were a means of
providing a global stimulus to all the physical organs to increase their vitality.
The satisfaction I felt at the end of a session spoke for their effectiveness.
There was an entire chapter devoted to the "Corpse Pose" (Savasana), the
last one to be practiced in the daily Asana routine. The instructions were
structured with great care in typical western style but the author did not lose his
focus in useless philosophical embellishments. He explained the purpose of the
exercise was to put to rest the mental faculties in order to recharge the whole
psychophysical system with fresh energy. I was attracted by the over-exaggerated
promise that by stopping all mental functions -- without falling into a state of
sleep -- and remaining for some time in a state of pure awareness, one could
obtain within an hour, the equivalent of five hours sleep.
I regret not having the book anymore, but I will describe the exercise
based on what I remember:

7
"Lie in the supine position with arms extended alongside the body and with eyes
covered to keep the light out. After staying still for two or three minutes,
mentally repeat -- I am relaxed, I am calm, I am not thinking of anything. Then,
to enter the state of mental void, visualize your thoughts including those with
abstract qualities and push them away one by one as if an internal hand were
moving them gently from the center of a mental screen toward its outer edge. All
thoughts, without exception, must be put aside; even the thought itself of
practicing a technique. You should never become annoyed about continuous new
thoughts but picture them as objects and shift them aside; in this way, ulterior
chains of thought are prevented from coming out. After pushing a thought away,
return your awareness to the small spot between the eyebrows (Kutastha) which
resembles a lake of peace, and relax therein. The ability to continuously push
away thoughts that knock at the door of your attention will become easier and
almost automatic.
When, on some occasions -- such as practicing immediately after a strong
emotional incident -- the mechanism does not seem to work, convert your
concentration into a small needle which constantly touches the area between the
eyebrows -- just touching, without worrying about shifting thoughts aside. At a
certain point, there is no more effort and any remaining restless emotion
subsides. The focus of consciousness is absorbed in Kutastha. The thought seeds
manifesting as indefinite images quivering at the edge of awareness cannot
disturb your mental rest. Whichever of the two methods you choose, the exercise
works perfectly and after 40 minutes you get up well-rested and recharged with
new fresh energy."

In my experience, in spite of the 40 minutes promised by the book, the final state
of relaxation lasted no more than 15 minutes and the exercise itself never more
than 25-30 minutes altogether. The technique inevitably ended in a peculiar way;
the state of deep calmness was interrupted by the thought that the exercise had
not yet begun; my reaction was always a wince and a faster heartbeat. After a
few seconds however, the confidence that the exercise had been perfectly
executed appeared.
Thanks to this technique, which became a daily habit, I realized once and
for all the difference between "mind" and "awareness". When the mental process
is eased off into perfect silence, pure awareness without content arises. Like a
luminous point duplicating itself an unlimited amount of times, it remains
unchanged for some minutes. At the end you know that you exist and that your
existence is indestructible. Pure logical thinking cannot yield you that certitude;
thoughts are in essence ephemeral and instead of revealing the final truth, they
cloud it. The Cartesian deduction: "I think, therefore I am" is indefensible. It
would be more correct to affirm: "Only in the ability of obtaining the silence of
thoughts, lies the proof and the intimate certainty of existing."

Besides the dimensions of esoteric, oriental meditative practices, there was also
the passion for poetry and literature accompanied by habit of daily seeking the
contemplation of Beauty in Nature.

8
My interest in poetry began when I was 9. I took out a book of poetry
from the school library and began copying different short poems with naturalistic
themes in my notebook. By reading them frequently I soon knew them all by
heart. By recalling them, I could intensify the pleasure I felt while contemplating
the hilly surroundings beyond the outskirts of our village. I continued this
exercise until I was 18.
As years in the high school were drawing to a close, I developed a passion
for classical music and studying Beethoven. He became my idol. Despite the
tragedy of his deafness at his creative peak, he reacted in a most honorable
manner and carried on creating works he had already composed in his heart. The
Heiligenstadt Testament, where he reveals his critical condition and states his
decision with pacific and total resolution made him almost a hero and a saint in
my eyes. He wrote to a friend: "God is nearer to me than to others. I approach
Him without fear, I have always known him. Neither am I anxious about my
music, which no adverse fate can overtake, and which will free him who
understands it from the misery which afflicts others." How could I remain
indifferent? He was drawing incomparable music out of the depths of his being,
and offering it to his brothers and to humanity. The triumph of this frail human
creature over a nonsensical fate had a tremendous impact on me. The daily rite of
retiring to my room to listen to that music consolidated my consecration to the
Ideal -- Self inquiry.
Each day for the first 3 months after high school graduation, when I
experienced a strong sentimental tie whose fulfillment seemed impossible, I
listened to Beethoven's Missa Solemnis. The more my rash emotionalism
prompted me to take steps which proved to be destructive to my affective
relationships, the more my desperate heart found refuge in its pure beauty.
During a walk in the country, sitting on a hill contemplating a far landscape
basking in the warmth of the summer evening, that music rang out again in my
memory. What my heart craved was before me; perfect and untarnished neither
by fears nor a sense of guilt. That was my first religious experience.

I majored in Mathematics at university and during the first months, I understood


that a happy chapter of my life was concluded and there would be no time for
distractions -- like studying humanities. All my attention was focused on
reasoning clearly, remaining undisturbed by distractions, and finding an effective
method of study. I decided to use the technique of mental void while resting in
the afternoon as well as to extend its dynamic to studying.
To further save my energy, I planned to think in a disciplined way during
my idle moments. One bad habit I had to conquer was the tendency to day-dream
and jump from one memory to another to extract moments of pleasure. I had
molded the unshakeable conviction that when thought becomes an uncontrollable
vice -- for many it is an utter addiction -- it constitutes not only a waste of energy
but is the primary cause of misery. The frenzied whirl of the thought process,
accompanied by alternating moods and strong emotions, create at times
unreasonable fears that hinder the decisive action that life requires. On other
occasions, it excessively fosters an optimistic imagination that unfortunately

9
pushes the person toward wretched actions. I was convinced disciplined thought
was the most valuable trait I could develop and that it would open the doors to
fruitful achievements.
My decision filled me with euphoric enthusiasm. But after breathing for
some hours the limpid, sparkling, celestial state of thought restraint, I
encountered a significant resistance. In the mirror of my introspection, I saw how
other habits were wasting my mental energy. One of these, wrapped and
unexpectedly dignified by the idea of socialization, was that of daily falling into
nerve-wracking discussions with friends. It was time to renounce it. I abruptly
avoided their company.
Certainly, mine was not an impossible sacrifice: theirs was not my world.
One day, during a short afternoon walk, I saw them from afar sitting lazily and
chatting in the usual bar. My heart gave a lurch. They were my friends and I
loved each one of them, yet seeing them together on that day, they appeared to
me like chickens cooped up in a narrow space. Mercilessly, I assumed they were
completely governed by their instincts: eating, partying, having sex, and
overindulging. Whatever tragedy happened to their mate, it didn't concern them,
they would have kept on sipping the daily pleasure of dawdling until misfortune
hit them. It was very sad and distressing. The incident put me in a gloomy mood.
A sentence from Beethoven's Heiligenstadt testament came spontaneously to
mind as an invocation to retrieve the lofty dimension I enjoyed during my high
school years:

O Providence - grant me at least but one day of pure joy - it has been so long
since real joy echoed in my heart - O when - O when, O Divine One - shall I
find it again in the temple of nature and of men? - Never? No - O that would be
too hard.

At that moment, I resolved to concentrate on my studies and passing my exams


became my sole reason for living. I perceived that period of my life as a descent
into an unfathomable night but I knew in order to shape my future the way I
desired, tough sacrifices were necessary. To see the dawn of a "day of pure joy",
I would have to endure momentarily a dark emptiness: I would savor it without a
lament and without being tempted to turn on a light for momentary solace.

I Will Die So I Can Live!

An event illuminated my life: a friend introduced me to Gustav Mahler's


Symphony No.2 "Resurrection" and invited me to a live concert of this work. I
read the information leaflet. Each part of the symphony had a precise meaning
which Mahler himself had explained in a letter to the conductor, Bruno Walter. It
was Mahler's intention to treat death as the inevitable end of all human
enterprise. The music conveyed a sense of desolation which was sweet as if
death meant drifting off into a pacific sleep. The words of the contralto
communicated a childlike innocent vision in a sorrowful voice of endless
dignity:

10
O Röschen roth! O red rose!
Der Mensch liegt in größter Noth! Man lies in direst need!
Der Mensch liegt in größter Pein! Man lies in deepest pain!
Je lieber möcht ich im Himmel sein. Oh how I would rather be in heaven.

It was like being in the countryside during a light rain. But it was spring and a
ray of sun pierced the clouds. Amid the vegetation, there was a beautiful red rose
that filled my heart with its beauty. The song then dealt with the theme of eternal
life. The music conveyed the biblical suggestion of universal judgment. Then the
choir sang some verses from Klopstock's hymn:

Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n Rise again, yes, rise again,


Wirst du, Mein Staub, will you, my dust,
Nach kurzer Ruh'! after a brief rest!
Unsterblich Leben! Unsterblich Leben Immortal life! Immortal life
wird der dich rief dir geben! will He who called you, give you.

Then Mahler's own verses were chanted: these ended with:

Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen, With wings I have gained,
In heißem Liebesstreben, in love's fierce striving,
Werd'ich entschweben I shall soar aloft
Zum Licht, zu dem kein Aug'gedrungen! to the light no eye has pierced!
Sterben werd'ich, um zu leben! I will die so I can live!
Aufersteh'n, ja aufersteh'n Rise again, yes, rise again,
wirst du, mein Herz, in einem Nu! Will you, my heart, in an instant!
Was du geschlagen What you have earned yourself,
zu Gott wird es dich tragen! shall lead you to God!

In the following days, I tried to penetrate its meaning by reading everything I


could on it and listening to it entranced and in the quietude of my room. After
many integral and enthusiastic listening sessions, the words: "Sterben werde ich,
um zu leben!" ("I will die so I can live!") resounded all day long in my mind like
a thread around which my thought crystallized.
Would have I ever be able, before barren old age, to "die in myself"? Was
it possible to cross the foggy curtain of thoughts, superficial emotions, sensations
and instinct, and emerge in that pure Dimension I had yearned for for many years
and what I felt was my sovereign good?
There was no doubt I would have perfected my self imposed discipline to
extremes, but by no means did I want to spend the rest of my life staring at the
wall of my silenced mind and waiting for something to happen. "I will seize Fate
by the throat", said Beethoven: so I too was prepared to act in a strong and
decisive way.
What I missed was the art of Pranayama -- that Pranayama which I had
dreamed so much about but had never actually practiced. B.K.S. Iyengar's

11
description in his The Illustrated Light on Yoga, which I had purchased a few
weeks before, had awakened in me an unshakeable desire to practice it
intensively.
In the last part of the book there was a prudent warning: "Pneumatic tools can cut
through the hardest rock. In Pranayama, the yogi uses his lungs as pneumatic
tools. If they are not used properly, they destroy both the tool and the person
using it. Faulty practice puts undue stress on the lungs and diaphragm. The
respiratory system suffers and the nervous system is adversely affected. The
very foundation of a healthy body and a sound mind is shaken by a faulty
practice of Pranayama."
This sentence, particularly the hint at the danger of compromising our
mental health, turned on my immoderate will to experience all its power, to the
point of "dying" in it, figuratively speaking. What would have frightened others,
encouraged me. If it provoked an authentic psychological earthquake, then I was
on the right track. Yes, some prudence was necessary: an intensive practice had
to be reached gradually and each session had to be carried out with extreme care.
The Pranayama referred to was Nadi Sodhana and Ujjayi with Bandha
and Kumbhaka -- such a practice would be a whole new experience because
these exercises were not described in my first Yoga manual. Day after day, I
could verify Pranayama's potentiality acting on my psyche.
I was certain my old school friend had told the truth -- "these exercises
can change a person inside". It had to be true! Pranayama appeared to me as the
most perfect of all arts, with no intrinsic limits. To devote myself to it, I did not
have to spend money on a piano or a violin or a canvas and color. The instrument
was already with me and within me. I couldn't understand how I had wasted so
much time before taking on this commitment seriously. To abide by it was "the
decision" of my life.

I practiced morning and evening in an "absolute" way, with ferocious


concentration, as if there were no tomorrow. I would start with stretching
exercises -- and some simple Asanas when I had more time. 1
I practiced in the half-lotus position, sitting on the edge of a pillow with
my back straight. I focused with zeal on applying the instructions flawlessly and
with a creative spirit. I concentrated keenly on the alternate feelings of coolness
and warmth produced by the air on the fingers and on the palm of the right hand
used to open and close the nostrils. The pressure, the smooth flowing of the
breath... every detail was pleasant. Becoming aware of each peculiarity of the
exercise helped me maintain a vigilant attention without becoming stressed.
I felt my perception of things had changed. I searched for the most intense
colors, fascinated by them as if they were a material substance I could touch and
consume.
Sometimes, in the first sunny days after winter, when the skies were
crystalline and as blue as they had ever been, I would sit in the open air and
contemplate the environs. In a bushy ditch covered with ivy, the sun shed its light
1
A detailed description of this routine (Nadi Sodhana; Ujjayi; Bandha and final
concentration in Kutastha) is given in chapter 10.

12
upon flowers that a few weeks before were blooming during the cold and now,
heedless of the mildest days, still lingered in their spell-binding glory. I was
deeply inspired. I would close my eyes and rely on an inner radiance. Beauty was
now vibrating inside me.

At that time, my internal life was still split between two interests which stand
before my inner judgment like ideal dimensions, radically separated one from
another. On one side there was the interest in esoteric matters which had guided
my search toward Yoga discipline. Yoga was conceived and proven efficacious in
purifying and controlling the mind. On the other side there was the aspiration
toward the ideal world of Beauty which I tried to evoke through the study of
literary work, listening to classic music... I could never have imagined that the
first dimension could possibly lead me toward the second! It was reasonable to
hope that Pranayama could give me a permanent base of mental clarity, helping
me not to spoil by a mess of thoughts the fragile miracle of a possible encounter
with Beauty. But I never could have imagined that Pranayama had the power of
multiplying the experience of the Sublime, rousing them almost from nothing.
Actually, the Bhagavad Gita says: "(The yogi) knows the joy eternal
beyond the pale of the senses which his reason cannot grasp. He abides in this
reality and moves not thence. He has found the treasure above all others. There
is nothing higher than this. He that has achieved it shall not be moved by the
greatest sorrow. This is the real meaning of Yoga - a deliverance from contact
with pain and sorrow". I often repeated this sentence to my friends and liked to
repeat it inside me because at that very instant I was holding onto that joy.
On a quiet afternoon walk among trees just before sunset, I quickly
glanced, now and then, at a comment from one of the Upanishads [ancient
Sanskrit sacred texts] that I had with me. One particular sentence awakened an
instantaneous realization: "Thou art that"! I closed the book and repeated the
words as if in a trance. Was my rational mind able to grasp the incommensurable
implication of the statement? Yes, it was: I was that unbelievably delicate green
light filtering through the leaves which was bearing witness to the spring that
brought new life. Back home, I did not even try to put down on paper the
numerous "moments of grace" I experienced, nor could I have. My only wish
was to go further and further into this new inner source of understanding and
enlightenment.

Kundalini Experience

After having bought the works of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, Gopi Krishna and
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras (a big volume with comments by I.K. Taimni), I finally
decided to buy also the autobiography of an Indian saint, whom I will indicate by
P.Y. 2. It was a book I had already seen some years before without buying it
2
The reader will understand why I am not mentioning the full name of P.Y. - it is not
difficult, however, to figure out his identity. There are many schools of Yoga spreading
his teachings according to a ‘specific legitimacy'. One of these, through its

13
since, skimming through its pages, I had observed that it didn't contain practical
instructions. My hope now was that I would be able to find useful information
such as the addresses of some good schools of Yoga. Reading this autobiography
enthralled me and originated a strong aspiration toward the mystical path: in
certain moments, I found myself almost burning from an internal fever. This
situation provided a fertile ground for the coming of an event which was
radically different than what I had experienced before. It was a kind of "intimate"
and spiritual experience. Nonetheless, since I have listened to the description of
similar events from the lips of many researchers I have decided to share it.

The premises happened when one night, immersed in the reading of P.Y.'s
autobiography, I had a shiver similar to an electric current that spread itself
throughout my whole body. The experience was insignificant in itself, but the
point is that it frightened me a lot. Knowing my own temperament, my reaction
was rather strange. The thought had flashed upon my mind that a deeper event
was going to happen soon; that it was going to be strong, very strong and I would
not be able to stop it in any way. It was as if my memory had an inexplicable
familiarity with it and my instinct knew its inescapable power.
I made up my mind to let things happen unimpeded and go ahead with the
reading. Minutes passed by and I was not able to continue reading; my
restlessness turned into anxiety. Then it became fear, an intense fear of
something unknown to me which was threatening my existence. I had certainly
never experienced such a terror. Normally, in moments of danger I would remain
paralyzed, unable to think. Now the anxiety was of a different quality: I
perceived something was approaching which was alien to the common
experience.
I felt the urgency of doing something - even though I did not know what. I
set myself in the position of meditation and waited. The anguish increased. I was
sure I was close to madness – or death. A part of me, maybe the totality of that
entity I call "myself", seemed at the point of melting away. The worst thoughts
hung over me without a clear reason. 3 The spiritual world appeared to me as a

representatives, made me realize that not only won't they tolerate the smallest of the
Copyright violations, but they won't even appreciate their beloved Teacher's name to be
mixed into discussions about Kriya on the Internet. The reason is that, in the past, some
people used His name to mislead the search of a high number of practitioners who were
trying to receive His original teachings. Moreover, my desire is to inform the reader that
in the following pages I will only summarily linger upon my understanding of His
legacy, without any pretension to give an objective account of it. An interested reader
should not renounce the privilege of turning to the original texts!
3
In those days I had finished reading Gopi Krishna's Kundalini: Path to Higher
Consciousness. Here the author described the splendid awakening experience he had
following an intense practice of concentration on the seventh Chakra, whereas –
because his body was probably unprepared – he later met serious physical and, as a
reflex, psychic problems as well. According to his description, inside of his body energy
was put in constant motion from the base of the backbone toward the brain. So strong
was that energy to force him in bed and to prevent the accomplishment of the normal

14
sorrowful and horrible nightmare, able to annihilate and destroy whoever would
imprudently approach it. Ordinary life, on the contrary, seemed the dearest and
healthiest reality. I was afraid I might not be able to get back to that condition
anymore. I was absolutely convinced that a mental illness was tearing my inner
self to pieces. The reason was that I had opened a door looking out on a reality
far more immense than I had ever foreseen.
I decided to take a break and put off the fatal moment as long as possible.
I stood up and left the room, out to the open air. It was night and there was
nobody to whom I could communicate my panic! At the center of the yard I was
burdened, choked, almost crushed by a feeling of desperation, envying all those
people who had never practiced Yoga. I felt guilty and ashamed for hurting
through harsh words a friend who had been involved in a part of my search. Like
so many others, he had shunned any practice, forgot lofty readings and engaged
in working and enjoying life. Equipped with a juvenile boldness, I had addressed
him with a tone far from being affectionate, which then started to thunder inside
of my head. I felt sorry that I had thrown unjustified cruelty at him without really
knowing what was in his mind and soul. I would have done anything to tell him
how sorry I was to have brutally violated his right to live the way that was best to
him. I thought he preferred to protect his mental health rather than become
unstable or insane through practices he was not sure about.
Because of my great passion for classical music, I hoped that listening to
it might yield the positive effect of protecting me from the anguish and help me
to get back to my usual mood. Why not try, then? It was Beethoven's Concert for
Violin and Orchestra I listened to with a pair of headphones in my room that
soothed my soul and, after half an hour, eased my sleep. The following morning I
woke up with the same fear in my mind.
Strange as it may seem, the two pivotal facts that today stir the most
intense emotions of my life - that there is a Divine Intelligence at the very basis
of everything existing and that man can practice a definite discipline in order to
attune to it - conveyed to me a feeling of horror! The sunlight poured into the
room through the chinks in the shutters. I had a whole day before me. I went out
to try and amuse myself joining other people. I met some friends but did not talk
about what I was experiencing. The afternoon was spent cracking all sorts of
jokes and behaving like the people I had always considered lazy and dull. In this
way, I succeeded in hiding my anguish. The first day went by; my mind was
totally worn out. After two days, the fear diminished and I finally felt safe.
Something had changed anyway, since I actually did not succeed in thinking
about Yoga: I went around that idea!
One week later I began, calmly and detachedly, to ponder on the meaning

bodily functions. He literally felt as if he was burned by an inner fire, which he could
not put out. Weeks later, he intuitively discovered the way to check out the
phenomenon, which became a stout experience of internal realization. As far as I am
concerned, I was afraid to have come to the threshold of the same experience but, since
I did not live in India, I was scared the people around me might not understand. The
experience would have been terrible! Nobody could make sure that, like for Gopi
Krishna, my experience would be channeled toward a positive conclusion.

15
of what had happened. I understood the nature of my reaction to that episode: I
had cowardly run away from the experience I had pursued for such a long time!
In the depth of my soul my dignity led me to continue with my search exactly
from the point where I had quit. I was ready to accept all that was to happen and
let things follow their course, even if this process implied the loss of my
wholesomeness. I began the practice of Pranayama again, as intensely as before.
A few days went by without detecting any form of fear. Then, I experienced
something awfully beautiful. (Many readers will recognize, in the following
description, their similar experience.)
It was night. I was relaxed in Savasana when I had a pleasant sensation.
It was as if an electric wind was blowing in the external part of my body,
propagating itself quickly and with a wavy motion from my feet up to my head.
My body was so tired that I could not move, even if my mind imparted the order
to move. I had no fear. My composure was serene. The electric wind was
replaced by another feeling, comparable to an enormous strength filling into the
backbone and quickly climbing up to the brain. That experience was
characterized by an indescribable, and so far unknown, sense of bliss. The
perception of an intense brightness accompanied everything. My memory of that
moment was condensed into one expression, "a clear and euphoric certainty of
existing, like an unlimited ocean of awareness and bliss".
In his God Exists: I Have Met Him, A. Frossard tries to give an idea of his
spiritual experience. For that purpose he creates the concept of the "inverse
avalanche". An avalanche collapses, runs downhill, first slowly, then faster and
violently at the same time. Frossard suggests that we should imagine an "upside-
down avalanche" which begins strengthening at the foot of the mountain and
climbs up pushed by an increasing power; then, suddenly, it leaps up toward the
sky. I do not know how long this experience lasted. Its peak definitely held out
only a few seconds. The strangest thing is that in the very instant I had it, I found
it familiar. When it ended, I turned on my side and fell into a calm, uninterrupted
sleep.
The following day, when I woke up, I did not think of it. It only came up
some hours later, during a walk. Leaning against the trunk of a tree, for many
minutes I was literally enthralled by the reverberation of this memory upon my
soul. My rational mind tried to grasp and gain confidence over an experience
which was beyond it – an impossible task. All the things I had thought about
Yoga until then did not have any importance at all. To me, the experience was
like being struck by a bolt. I did not even have the chance to find out which
parts of me were still there and which ones had disappeared. I was not able to
really understand what had happened to me; rather, I was not sure that
"something" had really happened.

16
CHAPTER 2
I LEARN KRIYA YOGA

The simple exercise of enjoying the controlled flow of my breath changed the
course of my life. Undertaking the practice of Pranayama was like planting a
seed in the desolation of my soul: it grew into a limitless joy and matchless
internal freedom. This discipline implied much more than easing disharmonies
and conflicts inside my disposition or refining the capacity for aesthetic
enjoyment. It took care of my hopes and brought them forward.
As for the Kundalini experience, it appeared again during the following
months. When I devoted myself to study late, granting myself short resting
breaks (without falling asleep), a couple of minutes after I laid down exhausted
on my bed, it would invariably take place. A certainty of eternity, an elated
condition stretching out way over the limits of my awareness - a sort of memory
hiding in the recesses of my awareness - began to be revealed, as if a new area of
my brain had been stirred to a full awakening.
My expectations of professional opportunity changed forever. Whatever
profession I was looking at, it had to leave me all the time necessary for my
meditative practices. The prospect of a life devoted primarily to work, longing
for more freedom in old age, was faced with radical refusal.
As I became familiar with Jung, reading enthusiastically Jolande Jacobi's
The Psychology of C.G. Jung, and Memories, Dreams, Reflections by Jung, Jaffé,
et al, I believed the pure awareness I had learned to experience from my daily
exercise and from my Kundalini experience was the Self hypothesized by Jung. I
felt compelled to live without ever betraying it and to choose a profession that
would give me the opportunity of deepening this realization each day.
Since I had read that Pranayama would initiate a cleansing process of the
subconscious, I assumed it could potentially guide me along the "Individuation
Process" as described by Jung. In my dreamer heart, I fancied I would face the
archetypes of the Collective Unconscious....
One who knows Jungian thought and has a minimum experience with
depth psychology, would find the idea insane. How could a young man undertake
such a perilous venture without the guide of a trained psychologist? Anyway, the
idea infused me with a further injection of enthusiasm, vigilance, and
indomitable will to perfect my performance of Pranayama.

As regards social behavior, I met with some difficulties. In my youthful


boldness, I believed that Pranayama was precious to anyone and could help my
friends to live in a better way. Actually, their way of behaving appeared to me
imbued with the constant obsessive effort of appearing always cheerful and
optimistic. The great amount of energy they squandered in this debilitating
hysteria, was counterbalanced by periods in which they gave the impression of
"imploding". They disappeared for some time and, strange indeed, they could no
longer put up with anyone. I tried to analyze and unmask what I considered a

17
farce. This generated a violent reaction. They replied that I was unable to respect
and show human sympathy toward others. The essence of Yoga meditation which
I went on extolling unflinchingly, appeared to them as the pinnacle of egoism.
Only one friend, a "Hippie", showed me some empathy; the only
inappropriate thing to him was my excessive enthusiasm. All the other people
kept revolting against me rather bitterly. Sometimes I felt so disoriented. I had to
admit that I didn't succeed in talking with a genuine sense of respect and love.
Guilt-ridden, I convinced myself that I was actually taking advantage of my
friend's admissions and stories to just find confirmation of my theories. However,
I kept following my way, determined to improve the art of breathing.
P.Y. in his autobiography hints at Kriya Yoga, a kind of Pranayama, which
was first taught by Lahiri Mahasaya. He wrote that this technique had to be
mastered through four levels. This sparked my curiosity. Lahiri Mahasaya was
depicted as the incarnation of Yoga: surely there must have been something
unique in his "way"!
I loved Pranayama, and the idea of improving it through different steps
sounded amazingly wondrous: if the breathing exercises I had already practiced
had given me such incomparable results, it was obvious that the Kriya four-stage
system would make them greater and greater!
I went on reading the books by P.Y.. I was amazed by his personality,
with unequaled will and an unexpected practical spirit. He would not excite me
when he spoke on a purely devotional tone, but it did whenever he assumed a
more technical one, making it possible for me to get at some aspects of the subtle
art of Kriya -- I considered it an art in continuous refinement, not a religious
engagement. What I could guess was that the Pranayama taught in Kriya Yoga
consisted in a way of slow and deep breathing, while the awareness was focused
on the spine. Somehow the inner energy was made to rotate around the Chakras.
The author highlighted the evolutionary value of such an exercise, not just
including a man's spiritual side but his physical and mental sides too. He
explained that if we compare the human spinal column to a ferromagnetic
substance constituted, as taught by physics, of elementary magnets that turn
toward the same direction when they are overlapped by a magnetic field, then,
the action of Pranayama is akin to this process of magnetization. By uniformly
redirecting all the "subtle" parts of our spinal cord's physical and astral essence,
the Kriya Pranayama burns the so-called "bad seeds" of Karma. We allude to
Karma whenever we stick to the common belief that a person inherits a baggage
of latent tendencies from his previous lives and that, sooner or later, these
tendencies are to come out in actual life.
Of course Kriya is a practice with which one can experiment, without
necessarily having to accept any creeds. However, since the concept of Karma
lies at the basis of Indian thought, it is worthwhile to understand and speak freely
of it. According to this belief, Pranayama burns out the effects of the "bad seeds"
just before they manifest in our lives. It is further explained that those people
who are instinctively attracted by methods of spiritual development such as
Kriya, have already practiced something similar in a "precedent incarnation".
This is because such an action is never in vain and in actual life they get back to

18
it exactly where, in a remote past, they quit it.
I wondered if the four levels of Kriya consisted of developing a deeper
and deeper process of concentration on the spinal cord, including particular areas
in the brain. My imagination played freely and my fervor grew.
My compelling problem was whether I had to leave or not for India to
look for a teacher who would give me all the clarifications about the Kriya
practice. At that time, planning to get through my university studies quickly, I
excluded a journey to India for the near future.
One day, while again reading a text of P.Y., I came to know, with my great
amazement, that he had written a whole set of lessons on Kriya, and that these
could be received by correspondence. This would have saved me, at least for
some years, a trip to India. I quickly applied for this course. The written material
traveled by ship and the delay times were enormous. When, after four months, I
received the first lesson, I came to know that the correspondence course had to
be continued for at least one year before applying for the Kriya lessons. 4

Meanwhile, I decided to improve the exercises I had already practiced, using all
the books I could find about Yoga, regardless of what language in which they
were written. At least, now I knew what to search for: a type of Pranayama in
which the energy had to be visualized rotating, in some way, around the
Chakras. If this had to be - as stated by P.Y. - a universal process, I had good
chances of tracing it through other sources.
There laid something dormant in the corner of my memory which became
alive again. I vaguely remembered having seen, in a book about occultism, some
drawings sketching out the profile of a person and different circuits of energy all
the way throughout the body. The idea came to seek only the essential
information in the esoteric books rather than in the classic books on Yoga – like
Patanjali's Yoga Sutra, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and similar books.
I started going to a used books store; it was very well furnished, probably
because it had once been the Theosophical Society's reference bookstore. I
turned down those texts which dealt only with philosophical topics, while, in
ecstasy and not concerned by time, I kept on skimming through those which
illustrated practical exercises with clarity. Before purchasing a book I made sure
it hinted at the possibility of channeling the energy along certain internal
passages, creating thus the prerequisite for awakening the Kundalini.
Since my first visit, I had been very lucky; while reading the index of a
text which was in three volumes, introducing the esoteric thought of the
Rosicrucian Brotherhood, I was attracted by the entry: Breathing exercise for the
awakening of Kundalini. It was a variation of Nadi Sodhana; this was, according
to the authors, the secret to wake the mysterious energy! Some notes warned not
to exaggerate with the exercise, because of the risk of a premature Kundalini
awakening. This was to be avoided by all means. This was definitely not P.Y.'s
Kriya because, according to several clues, Kriya was not to be done through the
alternate-nostril breathing.
4
I can still consider myself as fortunate. Those people who lived beyond the Iron
Curtain (the nearby Yugoslavia for example) could not receive such material.

19
So, I went on haunting the bookstore; the owner was very nice to me and I
almost felt obliged (considering the cheap price and the perfect conditions of
those second-hand books) to buy at least a book per each visit. But sometimes I
was very disappointed; a lot of space was usually reserved to theories alien from
concrete life, which tried to describe what cannot be seen and what cannot be
experienced – such as the astral worlds, the subtle coverings of energy wrapping
our body.
One day, after browsing a tiresome selection of books, I went to the
storekeeper holding a book in my hand; he must have realized that I was not
convinced about buying it; so, while deciding the price, he remembered
something that might interest me. He led me to the rear, inviting me to rummage
in a messy heap of papers within a carton box. Among a consistent quantity of
miscellaneous material (complete series of the theosophical magazine issues,
scattered notes from old course on hypnosis etc.), I came upon a booklet, written
in German by a certain K. Spiesberger, which contained various esoteric
techniques, among which included the Kundalini-breathing. I did not have much
familiarity with the German language, but I immediately realized the
extraordinary importance of that technique; I would undoubtedly decipher all of
it at home, with the help of a good dictionary. 5
The description of this technique still amazes me; the author, in fact, was
not as close to Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya as to the version of Kriya Pranayama
that P.Y. brought to the west. During a deep inhalation, the air was to be
imagined flowing up the spinal column, abandoning its habitual course; the
visualization of this as an empty tube was therefore prescribed and, while
inhaling, the air was to be imagined streaming along it from its base all the way
up to the area between the eyebrows; then, exhaling, the air had to go down back
to the base, along the same route. There was also the description of two
particular sounds that the air originated in the throat.
In another book, written in English, there was an exhaustive description of
the Magic breath - more or less the same exercise, but the difference was in
visualizing/feeling the energy around the backbone, not inside it. Through the
inhalation, the energy had to go up behind the spinal column, to the center of the
head; exhaling, it had to go down along the front part of the body, just as in the
"Microcosmic Orbit" technique which is described in the Taoist Internal
Alchemy texts - the mystic tradition of ancient China.
I completely forgot about the other material. The smirk of satisfaction I
wore before the storekeeper, as if I had found a treasure of unfathomable value,
definitely caused an increase in their price. Walking home, I could not help
skimming through the pages; I was curious about some rough drawings

5
I cannot help smiling when some half-hearted people insist that they are fond of Kriya,
yet they will not study some crucial texts in English because they are afraid to
misinterpret them. I am convinced that their interests are superficial and rather emotive.
Such was my enthusiasm, that I would have studied Sanskrit or Chinese or any other
language, if that had given me the chance to understand an essential text on
Pranayama!

20
illustrating techniques which were based on the movement of energy. I read that
the Magic breath was one of the most hidden secrets of all times: this filled me
with higher enthusiasm; if practiced constantly, accompanied by the strength of
visualization, it would produce a sort of internal substance allowing for the
spiritual eye's vision.
I convinced myself that the Magic breath technique was Lahiri
Mahasaya's Kriya. I incorporated it in my daily routine: it replaced the practice
of Ujjayi Pranayama. I was very satisfied although in the next few weeks I did
not perceive any substantial changes in my mood and perceptions.

I Meet Other Kriyabans

A letter from the organization informed me about the existence of other people,
living not far from my place, who were practicing Kriya and had formed a
meditation group. I was enthusiastic about this and quivered with cheerful
anticipation to meet them. That night I hardly succeeded in falling asleep.
I had the first contact with them through the kriyaban (one who practices
Kriya) who organized their meetings. With great enthusiasm and a sort of
euphoria, I approached him, hoping, among other things, to receive more details
about the Kriya technique. "Too bright were our heavens, too far away, too frail
their ethereal stuff", wrote Sri Aurobindo: I would never have thought that those
words could be applied to the consequences of that meeting of mine! With a sort
of sour irony, I would dare say that up to that moment, my existence had been
too happy for it to last that long. Life is made of short moments of calm and
balance, in an alternation of vicissitudes; during them, people experience
problems, limitations and deformations caused by the human mind. Approaching
this guy with a total sincerity, I could not have imagined what kind of a hard
shock I was about to receive.
He welcomed me with visible enthusiasm, sincerely eager to meet a
person with whom he could share the fire of his passion. Since the very first
moment of our meeting, standing on his house's doorstep, I told him how
fascinated I was by the practice of Kriya! He asked me right away when I had
been initiated in this practice, taking for granted that I had received the teaching
from the same organization he was a member of. When he figured out the way
how I had learned the technique, he was petrified, showing a bitter smile of
disappointment. It was as if I had declared that I was the criminal mastermind
behind one of the greatest crimes of all time.
He emphasized that Kriya cannot be learned through books. He began the
tale - which, later on, I had the opportunity to hear plenty of times - of the
Tibetan yogi Milarepa who, getting no positive results from the painstaking
practice of his fraudulently-learned techniques, received the very same
instructions kneeling at the feet of and with the benediction of his Guru - so that
this time the results came out easily.
We all know how the human mind is more conditioned by an anecdote
than by a logical inference! An anecdote - even if it is totally fanciful with

21
fictional purpose - is endowed with a sort of internal "brightness" that conditions
a person's common sense; stimulating emotions and feelings, it is able to cloud
people's judgment in order for them to easily accept conclusions that are absurd.
This story made me speechless; I just did not know what to reply.
There was only one way of learning Kriya: being initiated by a "Minister"
authorized by the direction of his own organization! According to his words, no
other person was allowed to teach that technique. He, and all the other devotees
of his group, had received the technique, submitting a precise and solemn
promise of "secrecy". Secrecy!
How odd this word sounded to me, what a strange appeal, what a
mysterious fascination it exerted upon my being! Until then, I had always
believed that it did not matter at all how a certain teaching was received, or what
book had been read or studied in order to learn it; I thought that the only
important thing was to practice it correctly, accompanied by the desire to go
deeper and deeper into it. The idea began to enter my mind that it was fine to
protect a precious lore from indiscreet eyes. (Later, during an arc of many years,
I changed my opinion because I witnessed an innumerable series of absurdities
originating from this behest; dramatically, I had the evidence that it brought
miserable repercussions into the lives of thousands of people.)
Staring right into my eyes, with an enormous emotive impact, he went on
saying that a practice learned from any other source was "worth nothing, it will
not be effective in matters of spiritual purpose", and a possible effect might be "a
dangerous illusion in which the ego remains trapped for a long time".
Inflamed by an absolute faith, he launched himself into a wide digression
upon the value of the "Guru" - spiritual Teacher - a puzzling concept to me
because it was attributed to a person that he had not known directly. In his
opinion, having been initiated to Kriya through the legitimated channels, P.Y.
was real and present in his life: was his Guru. The same thing was true for the
people who belonged to that group. Their Guru was a special aid sent by God
Himself, therefore such an event was "the greatest luck a human being can ever
have". The logical consequence - underlined with overflowing emphasis - was
that, abandoning such form of aid or looking for a different spiritual path
amounted to "a hateful rejection of the Divine hand, stretched out in
benediction".
He smiled, led me into his room and asked me to demonstrate for him my
book-learned Kriya technique. He was naturally intrigued by curiosity and, I
suppose, by the expectation to verify a well-rooted prejudice that the technique,
received through illegitimate channels, could not - because of a particular
spiritual law - be anything but corrupted. He felt relieved, intimately "reassured"
when he saw me breathing through the nose instead of through the mouth (as he
was told to) that therefore my practice was evidently wrong to him. He asked me
to explain more deeply what I was visualizing during my breathing and, while I
was telling him, I saw an inner satisfaction spreading all over his face.
The reader might remember that, according to the books I had read, the
way of transporting the energy while breathing could be done through a route
around the Chakras or inside of the backbone. I tried both ways but, since P.Y.

22
wrote that it was correct to move the energy "around" the Chakras, I mainly
settled on the first one; therefore, this was the version I explained. Besides,
having read in another book that during Kriya Pranayama the practitioner was
supposed to sing Om mentally in the Chakras, I added this detail as well. I could
not imagine that P.Y. had decided to simplify the instructions and taught in the
west the other variation with no mental singing of Om. While I was talking, my
friend did not recognized his Kriya. The "secret" he was apparently bound to had
not been broken by any of the authors of my esoteric books!
Thus, a bizarre situation was taking place: I was describing for him what
by all accounts was indeed the original Pranayama taught by Lahiri Mahasaya
while he was sarcastically simpering, one hundred per cent sure that I was
talking nonsense! Pretending to feel sorry for my consequent disappointment, he
informed me in an official tone that my technique had "nothing to do with Kriya
Pranayama"!
Since my position was totally incompatible with his basic tenets, he
recommended for me to send a written account to the direction of the
organization, describing the details of my vicissitudes, hoping that they would
accept me as a disciple. Only then could I legitimately be one of the great Kriya
family and practice safely under their surveillance.
I was somewhat stunned by the tones to which our dialog was progressing.
In order to re-establish the initial agreeability of our meeting, I tried to reassure
him about the positive effects that I had gained from my practice. My statement
actually had the effect of worsening the whole matter, giving him the chance of a
second scolding, which was not totally unfair but, undoubtedly, out of place. He
made clear that I should never look for any tangible effects in the practice of
Kriya; much less should I display them, because in this way I would "lose them".
That clever guy had gotten straight into an obvious contradiction without even
realizing it; he was saying that the results were too important to risk losing them
by telling others, and a few seconds before he had underlined that they were of
no value whatsoever.
Realizing he had given too much of his time to me, a strange
metamorphosis took place in his demeanor. It was as if all of a sudden he had
been invested with a sacred role: he promised that he would pray for me! For
that day, at least, I had lost the "fight". I told my friend that I would follow his
advice. In effects, from that moment I abandoned Pranayama entirely. My
practice was restricted to simply centering my attention between the eyebrows
(Kutastha) -- just as he suggested to me.

Acting the Part of a Devotee

As a habit, the group practicing Kriya would meet twice a week to practice the
techniques together. The room devoted to meditation was bare but pleasant. Each
member paid part of the rental, so that its fruition would not depend on the
owner's whims and it was consecrated to an exclusively spiritual use.
My attendance began in a period that I remember nostalgically; listening to

23
Indian songs translated and harmonized for westerners and, above all, meditating
together was a true joy! Everything seemed paradisiac to me, even though little
time was given to the practice - no more than 20 minutes - often, scantly 15
minutes. A particularly inspiring session of collective practice took place on
Christmas Eve; it was enriched by devotional songs and it lasted many hours. At
the end of each meditation we were required to depart in silence, thus I began to
know my new kriyaban friends more closely only during the monthly meetings.
Actually, once a month we had a "social" lunch. It was a beautiful chance to
spend some time talking together and enjoying each other's company. Since
many of us did not have their family approval and - much less - support to the
practice of Yoga, the only occasion we had to spend time among people with the
same ideas and interests had to be an experience of great serenity and relaxation.
Unfortunately, a distinct embarrassment in our behavior spoiled the
pleasantry of our meetings. The reason was that those who directed the school
from a distance, had requested us not to talk about other spiritual paths or deal
with specific details about Kriya. Authorized people only, could cover such a
role; no one in our group could. During our gatherings, since our conversations
were strictly kept on well-defined tracks, we were not able to find a topic for our
conversations which would be interesting and, at the same time, respected the
given rules. It was not the right place for worldly gossips, unsuitable for a
spiritual group discussion. So one single topic was left: the beauty of our
spiritual path and our great fortune in having discovered it!
No wonder that, after some meetings of mutual "exaltation", an almost
frightening boredom started to reign in the group. As a last resort, some risked
entering the realm of jokes; they were not mean or insulting jokes, but a light and
innocent use of some sense of humor. Unfortunately, this also had to live up to
the devotional attitude kept by many of the members and eventually succumbed
to their cold attitude, unable to show a single inch of true joviality. I cannot say
that people were depressed, rather they seemed divinely happy, but when you
tried to be agreeable you got a look and a hint of a smile that left you frozen for
the rest of the day.
As a matter of course, the group underwent a great recycling process;
many members who had joined in with enthusiasm decided to quit after a few
months and then, oddly and without deep reasons, scraped the whole experience
off their consciousness.
My open temperament allowed me to become close to one person and
establish a bond which later became true friendship. However, it was not so easy
to find what could be called a free spiritual seeker: many were emotionally
charged "devotees" wearing blinders. Even trying to do my best in order to
convince myself that I was among individuals akin to me – in other words
enthusiastic about Kriya - I had to admit that the reality was different! Some of
them reacted to my enthusiasm with annoyance: they could not believe that I had
no doubts or uncertainties with respect to the Kriya path. They considered my
euphoria being typical of an immature beginner.
With a barely concealed impatience of receiving some elucidation about
the technique of Kriya, I tried on different occasions to discuss what had been

24
my book-learned practice of it. I hoped that someone, making some remark about
it, would ... let the cat out of the bag. No "courting" could extract from them even
a crumb of information. Each one repeated that he was "not authorized to give
out any explanations": this rule was strictly respected.
An old kriyaban told me: "When you receive Kriya, you will be
disappointed". Still today I don't know what he meant.
While I was continuously receiving unasked lessons of devotion, humility
and loyalty, my interest for Kriya became a real craving, a burning fever. I could
not understand the reason for which I had to wait for it for such a long time: my
great anticipation turned, sometimes, into a fruitless anguish. A kriyaban making
fun of me with an unconcealed cruelty, told me: "They won't give you the Kriya
at all; a devotee should not desire a technique with such intensity: that's neither
good nor wise. God is to be mostly found through devotion and surrender". I
tried to be good; I waited and dreamed.
By studying the correspondence course, I learned different ways of
creating healthy habits and how to behave in order not to disturb, rather to foster
the blossoming of my spiritual experiences. I tried my utmost to embrace the
school's peculiar Hindu-Christian religious vision. It was easy for me to admire
and cherish the figure of Krishna, imagining Him as the quintessence of every
beauty; more difficult to become acquainted with that of the Divine Mother also,
who was not the Madonna, but a sweetening of the idea of the goddess Kali. So
much I did that I estranged me from myself.
What I was doing was to act a really pathetic part: that of the humble
devotee. I don't know how I didn't cry with desperation. Yet I liked P.Y.'s
writings. Sometimes I considered a particular thought of P.Y. so appealing and
stunning that I would write it down on a sheet of paper and hold it on my desk.

Preliminary Techniques to Kriya

I received also the two techniques Hong so and Om. The first one (called Hong-
So because of the employed Mantra) eases off the breath and the whole
psychophysical system; the second one concerns itself with the listening to
internal (astral) sounds melting into the Om sound. I didn't receive these
instructions at one time, but after an interval -- the latter two months after the
first one. In this way I had the unique and splendid opportunity to concentrate on
the first technique for many weeks; only then would the combination of the two
techniques come, the first in the morning and a total immersion in the second at
night. Thus, I could experiment with the meaning and beauty of each one. (I will
further comment on these techniques in the third part of the book.)
I went to an elderly lady who had corresponded with P.Y. himself. Thanks
to her earnestness, sincerity and long-time loyal discipleship, she had been
authorized to check or to explain these techniques. Her temperament was very
sweet and more inclined to understanding rather than to censorship. She helped
me and a small group of persons to practice correctly these techniques and
checked my performance of the so-called "Recharging Exercises" which I had

25
already learned from the written lessons. These were physical exercises similar
to isometric stretches and were practiced standing. The strength of the
concentration directed the Prana in all the parts of the body.
Then she reviewed the Hong So technique which all of us had already
learned and practiced. Foreseeing the thought rising in someone's mind, that lady
went on clarifying that the Hong So technique was not easy at all, in spite of its
apparent simplicity! She said that if the results had been disappointing, the cause
would be some subtle mistakes in the practice. She remained rather vague but,
encouraging us with a smile, she concluded: "The technique contains all you
need to come into contact with the Divine Essence".
Mostly, she dwelled on the Om technique. She explained that P.Y. had
tried to explain the teaching of the Trinity in a new way. Om is the "Amen" of the
Bible - the "Holy Ghost", the "witness", a sound; a proof of the vibration of
energy sustaining the universe. This Om technique I was going to learn,
discovered by the mystics long ago, makes it possible to detect this vibration.
Thanks to it, it is also possible to be guided toward the experience of the "Son" -
the Divine awareness that is present inside the above-mentioned energetic
vibration. At the end of one's spiritual journey, one can reach the highest reality,
the "Father" -- the Divine awareness beyond every existing thing in the
universe. 6
The lady's explanation was characterized by such a sacred flavor that it
accompanied me for the following weeks, helping me overcome the beginning of
the practice, where it seems impossible that the sounds will manifest.
I remember nostalgically my time in that slightly illuminated room, where
I confined myself like a hermit. After three weeks of zealous practice, one day,
having just begun the exercises for ten minutes, I realized I could hear an inner
sound. It did not happen abruptly, but I felt as if I had been hearing it for some
minutes. I was in a state of deep relaxation, that sound reminded me of the
humming of a mosquito, then it became a bell, heard from a distance, which was
like an embrace of sweetness. It was a really ecstatic experience and it occurred
so strangely that it enchanted me.
Listening to the Om internal sound meant touching Beauty itself. I cannot
imagine something similar making a person feel so fine. For the first time in my
life I found that the concept of "devotion" had a meaning.
I learned the hard way that you should never detach yourself voluntarily
from that contact. One day, while I was relaxing and enjoying life, I decided to
interrupt this state of grace, as if it were a drawback to being fully sociable. I
didn't realize that this seemingly innocuous and instinctive "betrayal" would
make me unable to tune with the Omkar reality for a very long time. I felt
hopelessly extraneous to that reality: I had to recreate a giant piece of my entire

6
This technique does not belong to those included in the original Kriya Yoga, where the
internal sounds perception happens without closing the ears. It is not an invention by
P.Y.. It had been plainly described in the books of classical Yoga, called Nada Yoga -
"the Yoga of the sound." It is a good preparation for Kriya since instead of putting the
accent on "to do", it teaches the attitude of "perceiving."

26
life. Incredulous, I had to work to rediscover the motivations that lead me to the
spiritual path. Like one who has landed in another continent, I had to find again
my living spring of enthusiasm.

Recollections of the Kriya Initiation Ceremony

Eventually, the moment came to file the application form to receive the Kriya
instructions by mail. About four months passed by, every day I hoped to receive
the coveted material, finally, an envelope arrived. I opened it with an expectation
that I would not be able to describe: I remained deeply disappointed because it
contained ulterior introduction material. From the first index page of the
material, I understood it was the first of a weekly series, whereas the proper
complete technique would be sent within five weeks. So, for another month, I
would have to study just the usual nursery rhymes I already knew by heart.
It happened that in the meantime a Minister of that organization visited
our country and I could take part in the ceremony of initiation. After waiting for
months, it was high time that I came "to make an eternal pact with the Guru, to
be taught the Kriya techniques in the only legitimate way, together with his
benediction". Those who, like me, were ready to be initiated were about one
hundred in number.
A beautiful room had been rented for the ceremony at a very high price
and embellished for the occasion with lots of flowers, such as I have never seen
in my life, even at the most extravagant weddings. The introduction to the
ceremony happened in a magnificent way: about thirty people wearing a sober
uniform entered the room, lining up with a solemn attitude and their hands joined
in prayer. It was explained to me that those people belonged to the local group
whose leader was a stylist who had prepared the choreography of that triumphant
entrance. The two teachers, who had just arrived from abroad, walked meekly
and bewildered behind them. Then the ceremony began.
I accepted without objections their demand of swearing everlasting
devotion not only to the Guru P.Y. but also to a six-master chain; of this chain
Lahiri Mahasaya was an intermediary link while P.Y. was the so-called Guru-
preceptor, namely the one who would partially bear the burden of our Karma.
It would have been really strange if no one had doubts about this; I
remember a lady wondering if P.Y. - definitely unable to give any confirmation,
now being a long-time resident in the astral world - had really accepted her as a
"disciple" and, consequently, to be laden with her Karma.
We had been assured that Christ was part of this chain because He had
once appeared to Babaji (Lahiri Mahasaya's Guru) asking Him to send some
emissaries to the West to spread the Kriya lore. This story caused me no
perplexity at all: perhaps I had no time to think about it. I was anxious to listen to
the explanation of the technique that would have happened in a short time. On
the other end, to consider the whole mission of Kriya diffusion as originated
from Christ himself was a pleasant idea.
The Kriya technique embodied God's most effective blessing toward His

27
privileged creature, the humans, which exclusively possessed an inner body with
seven Chakras. The mystic seven-step ladder of the Chakras was the real
highway to salvation, the fastest and safest way.
My mind was in great expectation for something I had so strongly desired and
for which I had seriously been preparing myself for months. It was not what
might be called a "sacrament" that I was submitting to, in order to safeguard a
family tradition; it was the crowning of a definitive choice! My heart was
immensely happy at the thought of the inner joy that I would gain through the
practice of Kriya.
Finally, being taught the Kriya Pranayama, I found out that I already
knew it: it was the Kundalini-breathing technique, which I had found a long time
ago in my esoteric readings and which prescribes that the energetic current flows
all the way inside the spinal column. I have already explained that I had not
taken into serious consideration that procedure, owing to the fact that in P.Y.'s
writings, which were the basis for my first glimpses of the mechanism of Kriya
Pranayama, it was written that the energy had to be rotated "around the Chakras,
along an elliptical circuit".
I was not disappointed. Rather, the technique appeared perfect to me. The
explanation of the techniques Maha Mudra and Jyoti Mudra (they never used the
more common term Yoni) concluded the technical instructions. Each technique's
detail was explained in such a way that it would not allow for the smallest
variation and, in addition, a specific routine was warmly recommended. It was
taken for granted that if the least amount of doubt on the correctness of a certain
detail had arisen during the practice, nobody was encouraged – even vaguely – to
conduct an experiment and come to a conclusion by himself. The only "correct"
action that was fair to do was to contact the management of the school, tell them
the problem and receive further guidelines.
This, in effect, was what I always did. I learned to interact with the
"authorized" individuals only; I would instinctively look for their advice as if it
were given by perfect beings that could never be wrong. I believed they were
"channels" through which the blessings of the Guru flowed. Besides, I was
quietly confident that - even if they would not admit it out of humility - they had
already reached the highest level of spiritual realization.

Problems with the Routine

I spent beautiful years practicing daily, morning and evening, the received
techniques (Recharging Exercises, Hong-so and Om techniques, three-part Kriya
Yoga procedure. I had some problems which I am going now to discuss. These
problems could have been easily resolved if I had used common sense.
The first exercise to be practiced was the observation of the breath (the
Hong-So technique) and this had to last ten to fifteen minutes. The breathing was
supposed to become more relaxed and create a good state of concentration. Then,
after putting the forearms on a support, the listening to the internal sounds began
-- this would require about the same time. Then there would follow another

28
interruption because of the Maha Mudra. Eventually, setting back in a still and
stiff position to restore the feeling of sacredness, the Kriya Pranayama began
with rigorous respect to all the instructions. After Jyoti Mudra, the Kriya routine
would be concluded with a full ten-minute concentration on the Kutastha, to
absorb the results of the whole endeavor.
In my practical experience, the two preliminary techniques did not receive
the attention they deserved, while the time devoted to the final concentration was
too short. During the Hong-So technique, the thought that I should soon interrupt
it to start the Om technique brought about a disturbing feeling, hampering my
whole surrender to its beauty. The same happened with the procedure of the
second technique, interrupting it in order to practice the Maha Mudra and
Pranayama. The technique of listening to Om was a complete "universe" in itself
and led to the mystic experience: that is why its interruption was something
worse than a simple disturbance.
It was illogical; as if, recognizing a friend with joyous surprise among a
crowd, one begins talking with him and suddenly goes away with the hope to
meet, quite by chance, that friend again and get back to where the conversation
had previously ended. The sound of Om was the mystic experience itself, the
goal I sought, why should I interrupt that sublime attunement to regain it through
another technique? Perhaps because Kriya Pranayama was a higher procedure?
Higher? What on earth does that mean? It is complete nonsense!
I forced myself into such absurdity for an extremely long period. I am
embarrassed to confess that it lasted no less than three years. I went on without
changing the prescribed routine, hoping for a hypothetical future evolution of an
unclear situation. I must acknowledge that unfortunately I had become like one
of those animals that, fed by man, tend to forget how to be self-sufficient. At that
time, the idea of using my brain seemed to me an act of stupid arrogance. Such
was the power of that insanity that in our group was called "loyalty".
When I tried to discuss this problems with other kriyabans, I realized how
hard it was for them to talk about such things. Sometimes I noticed an enormous
and unreasonable resistance toward such a discussion. There were those who
were not satisfied with their practice but planned to try it again in the future (at
that time they would postpone listening to my reasoning), while others were not
able to understand what I was saying.
Talking with a lady who was a friend of our family for many years, she
pretended to listen attentively to me; in the end, she brutally declared she already
had a Guru and did not feel the need of another one. Her remark cut me deeply,
since it was not my intention to teach her anything: my purpose was to have a
rational talk which could be inspiring for both. Apart from this, what sort of
friendship can exist between two persons when one uses that mode of
expression?
To pass by such episodes one after the other confirmed the idea that not
being encouraged to trust the limpidity of self observation, many of my friends
went on mechanically performing what many times had become an empty ritual;
which would appease their conscience.
With the exception of one person (who harbored really strange ideas about the

29
spiritual path, to the point that it crossed my mind that he was mentally unstable),
these new kriyaban friends seemed to censor my excessive interest in techniques,
claiming that devotion was much more important. Often they referred to a
concept that I could hardly link to the practice of Yoga: the paramount
importance of loyalty toward P.Y. and his organization.
While their effort in practicing the meditation techniques in a deep way
was not remarkable, they tried with any external means (readings, devotional
chanting, convocations...) to extract from the depths of their psyche any trace of
religious attitude, any scrap of spiritual aspiration. They impregnated it with the
natural heart's affection for their Guru - even if they had known him only from
photos - obtaining thus the resolution of a lifelong commitment. They called the
solidity of their surrender to such ideal: "Bhakti" – devotion. Looking back to
those times, I wonder what those people's opinion about my impatient attitude
might have been, much too different from their quietness. In my sensibility, I
could not conceive the idea of leaning passively upon the protection of a saint
who solved all one's problems. This fact, together with others I had experienced
in that school, was a cause of real conflict. My approach to the spiritual path was
really different from theirs and there was no hope of reaching a point of contact,
a common ground.

Appendix. The Predilection of an Old Friend

I became acquainted with an elderly kriyaban, worthy of the maximum respect


and admiration, who began the Kriya path many years before. We saw each other
in the last years of his life. There were moments in which, knowing the total
loneliness in which he lived, it broke my heart to remain months without seeing
him. For various reasons this was inevitable; I always met him for short and
transient afternoons, walking and quietly speaking.
I was witness to an inexorable process that brought him to the point of
living only on the warm rays coming from the memory of a glance and a simple
nod once received from the person who was head of the Kriya organization and
the spiritual successor of P.Y.. His supreme dream was always to create a
friendly tie with that divine being, whom he felt as the epitome of his ideal of
perfection.
I tried to convince him that to slip into an uncritical personality cult, into
the deification process of this however inspiring figure, could constitutes the
death of his spiritual adventure. But my companion seemed irremediably
spellbound by the idea of "transmission of power". He explained that in all great
mystical traditions the strength of the great Teachers of the past, their subtle
vibration, is still present in their descendants -- not because of consanguinity, but
through the transmission of their "power", as a non-stop chain. He was
convinced that spiritual progress cannot happen except through receiving this
"power".
It was normal that he felt the highest respect for that human channel who
was officially invested by the mission for transmitting their particular

30
"benediction". It was reasonable then that he had tried to achieve a place of
importance in their heart. The problem was that perhaps this attainment had
become more important than meditation.
He expressed something that years before he would not have even dared to think:
the presumed evolution of the individual, achieved through Kriya, was
undeniable, but so slow to be practically negligible. Strange to say, the idea of an
automatic evolution determined by iron mathematic laws remained in him as an
instinctive reflex and he would continue to repeat it while addressing people
inquiring about Kriya. Nevertheless, the Kriya techniques were, for him, like a
religious ritual which had to be performed scrupulously just to give proof of
loyalty.
Unfortunately, this axiom was the frame-work upon which he had been
interweaving his thought. He had given his full approval to the idea that on this
planet there were special people, "Self realized", and irreparably common
people. In a dimension of utter authenticity, one day he vented all of his gloom.
Looking at how superficially -- so he said -- he had practiced the techniques of
meditation, he had no doubts that, in this life, he had certainly missed the
"target". He was already dreaming of future incarnations in which he could
practice with great engagement. To this he was sweetly resigned. I felt a giant
wave of inexplicable nostalgia which was ready to overwhelm me, but it
remained curbed, as if suspended around us.
Now that he lives no more, I wonder if the intuition of the transforming
power of Kriya was not strongly hindered or made even impossible by
emphasizing through constant barrage of anecdotes the greatness of certain
persons who are "impudently" saintly, perfect, majestic. How wretched it had
been for my friend, the belief that his supreme good depended on a human loving
glance coming from the person he felt as divine! He had made the unfortunate
mistake to believe that the eternal spiritual source in the center of his being
would dry out when he was far from the blessings of the one person toward
whom he had directed the warm aspiration of his heart.

31
CHAPTER 3
THE BREATHLESS STATE

P.Y. wrote that the Second Kriya Yoga enables the yogi to leave his body
consciously at will. To be instructed in such a delicate mechanism was one of my
dreams. I was sure that practicing with such a procedure would have a strong
effect on my spiritual evolution. When I received the last lesson of the
correspondence course, I could finally apply for receiving that instruction.
Unfortunately, many written details were ambiguous and no direct initiations
were ever given. I was doubtful about how Kechari Mudra had to be obtained
(P.Y. wrote that it was an important technique, to be practiced regularly in order
to awaken Kundalini), hesitant about how to perform the technique of Second
Kriya and other instruction as well.
My interviewer was that elderly lady who taught me the preliminary
techniques and was officially invested as a "Meditation Counselor". She had
learned the Higher Kriyas years ago and only in written form, just as I did.
Strange to say - in my opinion, an unforgivable negligence - she had never had
them checked by direct disciples of P.Y., having had plenty of opportunities to do
so. (Since I knew she had spent much time talking with direct disciples of P.Y., I
wondered what more important matters they had to discuss.) Subsequently, she
lost such written material and never asked a copy of it. In plain English, perhaps
she knew less than me about that subject. She was unable to clarify my technical
doubts.
Among the kriyabans in the meditation group, there was a lady, who
received Kriya initiation many years ago and had once lived by our school's
general offices. I asked if she had received the Second Kriya. She didn't seem to
understand my question. So, with astonishment, I reminded her that Lahiri
Mahasaya's disciple, Swami Pranabananda, accompanied the moment of his
death with the practice of the Second Kriya. She became visibly nervous, saying
that the quotation clearly referred to the technique of Pranayama: one breath,
then a second one, and this had to be, in her opinion, the "Second Kriya"!
I looked at her with a meek and piercing look; I felt my legs give way. I
had the impression that the idea itself of a further technique to be added in time
to the too many already received and practiced daily, upset her. It was as if she
felt she had made so great an effort in setting the habit of a daily practice of the
First Kriya, that she could not bring forth a more engaging dedication. I know
that, up to this day, she has remained fixed in her conviction.
I had still not recovered from the "shock", that an aristocratic-looking lady
revealed to me that, a long time ago, she had received the initiation in the so-
called Higher Kriyas. Full of enthusiasm, my eyes opened widely. She said she
had felt so unworthy that she had put them aside and, after some time, she had
forgotten them entirely. This last abomination was inconceivable to me:
unintentionally she had revealed to me the lowest place in which she had pushed
what P.Y. had written. Her self-satisfied ignorance passed off for humbleness,
crossed the bounds of decency. When I expressed my objection that her behavior
seemed an exhibition of indifference toward the higher teachings taught by her

32
Guru, she looked at me in bewilderment as if my impertinence had violated an
implicit law: do not impudently enter the intimate dimension of her Sadhana.
She replied saying that what she had was enough; then briskly cut off discussion
from that topic.

Difficulties with the Printed Material Related to the Higher Kriyas

After one year I received the lessons about the Third and the Fourth Kriya. I
didn't even attempt to clarify my doubts by addressing to old kriyabans. I wrote
to the school management to schedule an appointment with one of its
representatives, a Minister who would soon come to our country. I hoped to
clarify everything on that occasion and was looking forward to that appointment
with great anticipation. When the Minister arrived I was introduced to him. He
said he would clarify my doubts as soon as possible. I was tranquil and waited. I
was left in dismay when I figured out that the Minister kept on postponing our
meeting without valid reasons at all. Since I decided not to give up, we finally
met. I went through something truly unpleasant. I was convinced that hypocrisy,
bureaucracy, formality, hidden falsity and subtle violence to one's honesty were
totally alien to one who devoted his life to practicing and teaching Kriya. Yet, the
sensation I had was akin to meeting a business man, who had more important
affairs in mind and who was very irritable. He was emphatic not to talk about
Kechari Mudra and with regard to the head movements of Thokar, he advised me
brutally to restrict my practice to the First Kriya. I replied I would surely keep in
consideration his advice; in spite of that I wanted to see how to move my head
correctly in order to practice that technique in a hypothetical future. He declared
that I was overexcited and this was not a good mark for a kriyaban (... I was only
in a desperate and deeply disappointed mood); annoyed, he recommended me to
write my questions to the school's head. In vain I replied that the movements of
the head could not be shown through a letter: I was in front of a "wall" and the
refusal was absolute.
I had trusted and respected the school; I had studied the whole reference
literature as if preparing for a university exam. I was now consternated to bear
witness to the senseless whims of a man on power. After the interview with that
ill-disposed figure, I was in an atrocious mental and emotional state. Those who
saw me immediately after this meeting were shocked: they said I was
unrecognizable. A devotee with a honeyed voice suggested that I got an
important earful from Gurudeva. I had to learn to be content with the basic
teachings. I could not accept any invitation to calm myself and drop the whole
matter.
There are childish thoughts that emerge in difficult moments: I was afraid
that this man, communicating back to the management of the school, might
speak unfavorably of me, saying something that might have reduced the
probability for me to obtain that coveted information in the future. I feared I
could no longer rely on the heavenly relationship with that Kriya organization,
which, for so many years, had represented my horizon.

33
Another part of myself, which the group's rules had not been able to stifle
entirely, knew that this destructive experience would be turned into something
crucial both for me and for other people's spiritual improvement. The self-
learned enthusiast of Pranayama, awakened from too long a sleep by means of a
healthy "kick in the butt", was intimately relishing the whole situation.
The lady "Meditation Counselor" who was in another city blamed me for
having made the interview with the Minister a troublesome event. She finally
said firmly, however in her sweet way, that the Minister's advice embodied God's
will. When we met, I tried to reason with her about my right and duty to explore
all the possible sources. I discussed the project of leaving for India in order to
improve my Kriya. She mumbled something about India, about so many people
that according to her were disappointed or found just drugs or lost the grace of
their Guru-disciple relationship. I didn't understand. She mentioned the fact that
some students found in a well known Kriya Ashram a teacher who gave them
Kriya initiation without any authorization and who gave techniques that had
nothing to do with Kriya. It slipped out of my mouth a very strong sentence of
which I was then surprised: "Should I receive a Kriya teaching from the worse
criminal in the world, I would be able to turn it into gold. Should it be polluted, I
would have the intuition to separate the wheat from the chaff". She was
astonished that her many words and scolding proved useless. She said with a sigh
that my logic was originated from a wounded ego.
I shifted my attention to a particular photograph of P.Y. taken on the day
of his death. It was framed nicely, some flowers and packets of incense were put
before it. In those moments of silence, I had the sensation that some tears were
going to form in his blissful eyes (it was not a bizarre feeling, other people told
me they had the same impression). I related my impressions to her, in response to
which she became so serious and, with her eyes pointed far off toward an
indefinite spot, she soberly uttered: "You have to consider it a warning: the Guru
is not content with you"! There was not the least doubt that she was not joking at
all. At that time I realized how P.Y. was a "presence" in her life, although she
never met him in person!
She spoke at length, uninterruptedly, for about an hour. She went on
explaining that the intelligence is a double-edged weapon: it can be used to
eliminate the swelling of ignorance and also to cut off abruptly the lifeblood that
sustains the spiritual path. Then she spoke about a disciple of P.Y., who had been
formerly part of the direction of the organization, then had branched out on his
own opening another Kriya school: a "traitor" to her. She compared him to the
angel Lucifer, beautiful and intelligent. Then she lost herself talking about
discipline, loyalty...
I remember particularly an anecdote that wanted to illustrate that
everything the organization through its representatives asked me came directly
from God. She told me what happened when one of his disciples decided to leave
P.Y.'s Ashram. The Guru, aware of this, got in the disciple's way to stop him,
when he heard an inner voice - "the voice of God", she specified - ordering him
not to interfere with the disciple's freedom. The Guru obeyed and in a flash of
intuition foresaw all the disciple's future incarnations, those in which he would

34
be lost, in which he would keep on seeking – amid innumerable sufferings,
jumping from one error to another – the path he was then relinquishing. Then, in
the end, the disciple would return to the same path. The lady said that her Guru
had been really accurate on the number of incarnations that the whole
discouraging trip would have taken to be over – about thirty! The moral of this
story was clear, something from which one could not escape: I just had to follow
what I had been advised and not to look elsewhere "because that was God's will".
If I had not done so, I would lose myself in a labyrinth of enormous sufferings
and who knows when I would be able to get back to the correct path.
Although she admired the earnestness with which I was making progress –
unlike so many other tepid and half-hearted people who would go to her only to
be reloaded with the motivation they could not find in themselves - she was
dismayed, because her devotion toward the Guru was totally alien to me. By
telling me of one or other episodes of P.Y.'s life, she tried to let me share her
experiences. I am very thankful to her for all her sincere efforts and time spent
with me, but how could she thwart my inner nature? She did only what was in
her power: she could not relieve my immense thirst for knowledge of the art of
Kriya. Looking into her beautiful but sad eyes, I had the clear impression that she
was permanently expecting me to act in a somewhat "disloyal" way.
That monk at least on one point was right: I was not calm at all, rather I
would never be calm any more. Although remaining faithful to my Kriya
organization, I didn't accept vetoes. I didn't follow her suggestions. I was
determined to know Kriya inside out and nobody could stop me with any
motivation.
For a long time I hoped to find in some book clues which could help me to
clarify my doubts concerning the practice of the Higher Kriyas - one was the
praxis of Kechari Mudra, the second what were the psychophysical blows with
which P.Y. assured it was possible to awaken the Chakras. My search took a
particular route: she herself told me three names of some direct disciples of P.Y.
who had a clash with the school's board of directors and set up on their own.
Without saying anything to her, I purchased all their published material, taped
lectures and all. I was expecting that in order to show how they had become
proficient with Kriya, they would come out with intriguing sentences, deeper
than the material provided by the main school. A faint expectation lingered in me
that they gave the reader (who neglected the principal source to listen to their
voice of dissent) the present of a more accurate didactic material.
The first disciple seemed an expert in idle chatter and was reluctant with
giving practical instructions; the second one was undoubtedly more professional,
pedagogically gifted, but from of all his literature and tapes only one of his
sentences shed a faint light upon one of the Higher Kriyas; in the literature of the
third disciple - surprising and valuable since, having met the tragedy of mental
illness, he recounted exhaustively his anguish - I found (save for an illumining
sentence upon the role of Kechari Mudra) only a devastating banality. The
secrets, if they had some, were well guarded!
Months later, the meditation counselor came to know that I had read the
"forbidden" books. I had no doubt that in the third millennium a person can read

35
whatever he considers more convenient and so I did; one of those books,
although clarifying almost nothing, was interesting: I made a present of it to
some friends. After some months, a friend of mine showed me a letter in which
she had called me "a man who stabs his Guru's back, handing out daggers to
other people as well, so that they can do the same"! Her reaction had been so
emphatic that I wasn't hurt at all; I felt a sort of tenderness toward her. I could
sense that her actions were driven by waves of emotions and decades of steadfast
conditioning, affecting irretrievably her common sense. Seeing her own
expectations regarding my behavior coming true, I am sure that while
typewriting that letter and pouring into it lots of other considerations to free all
the accumulated tension, her countenance was at last tranquil and serene as if
tasting a delicious, intimate satisfaction.

Overcoming a certain reluctance, I began reading some books written by Lahiri


Mahasaya's disciples, who did not have any connection with P.Y.. My hesitation
in dropping the literature linked with P.Y. resulted from the fact that, in my
opinion, he was unique and I was confident that I would use only his teaching for
the rest of my life. I used to get annoyed at those people hinting about Kriya
secrets to be gained outside P.Y.'s legacy.
The books written by Lahiri Mahasaya's direct disciples (or by their
disciples) were few: mainly commentaries on spiritual classics. (At that time
certain interesting books like Puran Purush had not yet been published.) They
disappointed me and made me miss the clarity of P.Y.'s writing. They were but
blank, meaningless words, with an endless number of repetitions in addition to
continuous changes of topic, which I considered unbearable. The practical notes,
presented as essential, were but scattered notes copied from classical books on
Yoga. The lack of care in them made me suppose that the author had not bothered
checking the original texts he had quoted. He most probably took those
quotations from books which were also quoting from other reference books,
continuing a chain where each author would add something to mark his personal
contribution.
I decided to study again all the material furnished by the organization and
to delve deeper into it. I used to meet some kriyaban friends on Sundays, read
crucial passages from those lessons and dwell on them during a walk. Everyone
embarked in a personal study of which those talks represented the peak. I
shudder at the thought of how fruitless our effort was -- like drawing blood from
a stone -- yet it's the way things went for about two years.
Then a profound crisis uprooted any previously acquired scheme and
dogma. It originated from the obstinate decision of coping with the problems
arising from a delicate relationship in the yogic way. I chose, among all P.Y.'s
writings, a sentence that matched those plans of behavior toward which my blind
instinct drove me. I deceived myself by repeating it internally like a Mantra
while acting in a way contrary to ordinary common sense. I could not see that
this lethal approach prevented me from exerting watchfulness and
discrimination. I was acting as supported from "above", imagining that the
benedictions and the strength of the Guru were with me. The failure came about

36
and it was desolating and shameful. In a first moment, I could not accept it. I
refused to believe that I had acted wrongly. I was convinced that the other person
was unable to live up to the standards of my actions. I believed that mine was an
apparent failure and that one day everything would resolve in my favor. Then my
illusory dream began to disintegrate, slowly but inexorably.

Inspiration from the Works of Mère and Sri Aurobindo

For some months I wasn't able to track down the thread of a single coherent
thought, then I read Mother, or the Divine Materialism, a book about the Mother
(Mère) written by her beloved disciple: Satprem.
For two years I had been introduced to the thought of Sri Aurobindo. His
Aphorisms and his epic poem Savitri had deeply impressed me. After Sri
Aurobindo's death, in 1951, the Mother was the one continuing his research and
giving ground to his dream that the Divine - the intelligent and evolutive force at
the base of any existing thing - could come to a perfect manifestation on this
planet! "The world is not an unfortunate accident: it is a miracle moving toward
its full expression"; "In matter, the Divine becomes perfect…" she wrote. From
1958 to her death in 1973, the Mother tried to find the passage to the next
species, to discover a new mode of life in matter and narrated her extraordinary
exploration to Satprem. Their talks are written out it Mother's Agenda. 7
By approaching the writings of Mère, I was prepared to read the usual
things, but I really cannot describe the explosion of joy and the feeling of
freedom I felt reading her comment to one of Sri Aurobindo's aphorisms. The
aphorism (n.70) was: "Examine thyself without pity, then thou wilt be more
charitable and pitiful to others." Annotating it, she wrote:

"The need to be virtuous is the great obstacle to true self-giving. This is the
origin of Falsehood and even more the very source of hypocrisy -- the refusal to
accept to take upon oneself one's own share of the burden of difficulties. Do not
try to appear virtuous. See how much you are united, one with everything that is
anti-divine. Take your share of the burden, accept yourselves to be impure and
false and in that way you will be able to take up the Shadow and offer it. And in
so far as you are capable of taking it and offering it, then things will change. Do
not try to be among the pure. Accept to be with those who are in darkness and
give it all with total love."

By saying on another occasion: "Morality is the great obstacle on the spiritual


path", she stressed the value of not trying to become pure in other people's eyes,
but to behave according to the truth of one's being. To her, one should
acknowledge one's dark side: in the depths of our being it stirs the same
substance which, in a few, has developed into a way of living which is shunned

7
This huge document — 6000 pages in 13 volumes — is the account of twenty-
two years of Mother's discoveries.

37
by society.
Mère did not behave like a traditional Guru, even though she tried to extract
from those disciples looking for inspiration at her feet all their hidden potential.
According to her teaching, people become true individuals only when, in a
constant pursuit of a greater beauty, harmony, power and knowledge, they are
perfectly and in a compact manner unified around their divine center.
I was very impressed with how she dealt with the theme of Japa. She
recounted how during the screening of a film she heard the Sanskrit Mantra: OM
NAMO BHAGAVATEH. She wondered what would happen if she repeated that
Mantra during her daily meditation. She did this and the result was
extraordinary. She reported that: "It (the Mantra) coagulates something: all the
cellular life becomes one solid, compact mass, in a tremendous concentration –
with a single vibration. Instead of all the usual vibrations of the body, there is
now only one single vibration. It becomes as hard as a diamond, a single massive
concentration, as if all the cells of the body had ... I became stiff from it. I was
so stiff that I was one single mass." [This quotation, as well as the next ones, are
drawn from Mother's Agenda.] Her practice of Japa consolidated into a life-long
habit. When she sat for meditation, she always began with the repetition of the
Mantra and there was a response in the cells of her body: they all started
vibrating as "seized with an intensity of aspiration" and that vibration went on
expanding. It is not the place here to dwell upon the subtle phases of her work in
the body: she used the Mantra to hasten it. What was important for me was the
fact that she dared to challenge Sri Aurobindo's authority. Actually, she said to
Satprem: "Sri Aurobindo gave none [Mantra]; he said that one should be able to
do all the work without having to resort to external means. Had he reached the
point where we are now, he would have seen that the purely psychological
method is inadequate and that a Japa is necessary, because only Japa has a direct
action on the body. So I had to find the method all alone, to find my Mantra by
myself. But now that things are ready, I have done ten years of work in a few
months." In many passages of Mother's Agenda they discussed how the Mantra
calms the persons in surrounding areas by creating an atmosphere of such an
intensity that disharmonies cease to exist. Furthermore: "Mantra has a great
action: it can prevent an accident. It simply springs forth in a flash, all of a
sudden" but "It has to spring up without thinking, without calling: it should issue
forth from the being spontaneously, like a reflex, exactly like a reflex." But the
Mantra is also the sweetest of all the things: "On the days when I have no special
preoccupations or difficulties (days I could call normal, when I am normal),
everything I do, all the movements of this body, all, all the words I utter, all the
gestures I make, are accompanied and upheld by or lined, as it were, with this
mantra: OM NAMO BHAGAVATEH ... OM NAMO BHAGAVATEH ... all, all
the time, all the time, all the time." A last amazing remark I quote is that she was
able to notice the difference between those who have a Mantra and those who
don't. "With those who have no Mantra, even if they have a strong habit of
meditation or concentration, something around them remains hazy and vague,
whereas Japa imparts to those who practice it with a kind of precision, a kind of
solidity: an armature. They become galvanized, as it were".

38
And yet in that period, Japa didn't enter my life. I experimented with Mother's -
Om Namo Bhagavate - but it did not worked for me. I tried to live in a more
conscious way (continuously attentive of any perception, inner and outward). I
tried to carry out the well-known instruction to resolutely maintain a impartial
attitude toward both pleasant and unpleasant events, being like a detached
"witness". (This discipline is recommended in almost all the books dealing with
oriental meditative practices.) After three days, I felt myself under unbearable
stress as if it all was a pretense, an illusion. Meanwhile, my mind was devoured
by the illusion of adopting more advanced tools of "evolution". It tried to
diminish the value of Japa; after some months I ceased to practice either Japa or
the discipline or being a detached "witness" and forgot the matter.
Reading The Divine Materialism (it conveyed all the power of the
Agenda) I was astonished by the beauty of what she wrote and the memory of
that past period returned in full. What now exerted a great impact upon me was
that she reasoned like a westerner and treated the themes of India's spirituality
with a western language which was both lyrical and rational, at the highest
degree of excellence. She was able to express, in a euphorically vivid way, my
own innermost convictions for which I had no means to express nor clarify even
to myself.
She would flawlessly express an enlightening and comforting truth: both
the contemplation of the beauty in nature and the emotion arising from listening
to classic music were considered a bridge to the spiritual experience.
Sometimes, while I was reading, I had the impression that I had a fever. In
her aspiration for a full manifestation of the Divine in the atoms of inert matter,
there was a fragrance which excited and moved me. A revolution, a reversal of
values, was slowly but inevitably happening in me. Spellbound, I was
contemplating the shimmering splendor of a new way of looking at the spiritual
path. Two seemingly opposite worlds -- that of a rarefied paradisiac atmosphere
(which I imagine is enjoyed by the ascetic souls) and that of the full enjoyment
of the earthly beauty (so dear to artists) -- could unify in each kriyaban's
consciousness.
Mère's thought began to open my eyes on the actual situation of my way
of practicing Kriya Yoga and revealed the complexity of my self-deception.
Entering a Kriya-founded organization meant to be ensnared and bewildered by
many fairy tales. I was convinced that finding Kriya was like a stroke of luck, a
gift from the Divine, thanks to a certain merit of which I was unaware. I began to
look at people who belonged to the same path as shrewd persons who knew how
to take the best from life. Consequently, I regarded those who refused it, or in
spite of much talking were still uncertain if they should take a decisive step and
begin with it, as idiots who didn't know what they were losing.
My desire to abide by the values instilled in me by my culture (a rational
attitude open to the value of artistic creation) was gradually twisted. It was as if a
large portion of my brain withdrew, while another one, which did its utmost in
believing what was convenient to believe, tried to usurp its function. In the very
beginning, my "spiritually-oriented" brain didn't know how to answer back to

39
any censure from other persons and reacted by running away or reciprocating
violently. Subsequently, it became so cunning that I started to behave "normally"
in social life; people began to look at me as a man who chose a simple life trend,
marked by lofty principles - not revealing how my fairness of judgment was
impaired, and practically inexistent.
My first efforts in exploring my book-learned Pranayama were
accompanied by intelligence and by a bit of courage too: I could only rely on my
intuition. The Pranayama discipline was for me an art to be perfected with the
greatest concentration. While practicing, I dreamt about its unthinkable
progression and was quietly excited during each instant of it. This disclosed a
real heaven for me!
With regard to the way I tackled the preliminary techniques of Hong So
and Om, I was stirred up by the idea (which proved false) that they were not
effective like Kriya Pranayama. As a consequence I expressed a never-again-to-
be-found commitment: the result of which rewarded me immensely.
Afterwards, having received Kriya, the idea of practicing "the fastest
technique in the field of spiritual evolution" made the intensity of my effort lose
its edge. My Kriya Pranayama, practiced with enthusiasm for some months,
became a tranquil good habit. Apart from other foolish thoughts, I had
swallowed the childish idea that each Kriya breath could produce "the equivalent
of a solar year of spiritual evolution" and that through a million of these breaths I
would infallibly reach Cosmic Consciousness. I tried just to perform the greatest
possible number of Pranayama in order to complete quickly the above-
mentioned number.
The iron will of my discipline was softened by the hypnotic atmosphere of
the "Guru's Blessings". I didn't realize into what situation I had relentlessly
slipped and therefore I felt no shame or remorse. I felt myself a privileged being
to whom an unexpected advantage had been granted.
"Aren't you glad of having found a true Guru?" -- for years I heard this
refrain from the organization -- "Aren't you enthusiastic that He has been chosen
for you by God Himself?" "Oh yeess we are happy" we replied with tears of joy.
This idea, more than any other factor, had lethal effects on me: it was the cradle
in which my ego was fed and strengthened. To remind myself that I entered the
Kriya organization only to perfect my already good practice of Pranayama
created a thorny pain.
It was imperative to recreate the spirit of an authentic search. I had to stop
behaving like a man who had found a treasure, hides and sleeps satisfied upon it;
it was necessary from now on, if Pranayama was really a treasure, as I was
convinced, to use my intelligence to perfect it.

Two Important Decisions

What I am about to describe was the most rewarding period of my life. I look at
it as a sun and I hope I will never forget its lesson. After reading Sri Aurobindo
and Mère, I found the courage to be again a self-taught person. During the season

40
of my first interest in esoteric matters and oriental practice of meditation I found
easy-to-follow instructions in an unassuming book. The instructions were simple:
I put my passion in them, especially the wish to pursue, through Yoga, my idea of
Beauty. Day after day, when other distractions and doubts came, when the initial
enthusiasm diminished, I carried on tenaciously my ideals and my discipline. The
result was the Kundalini experience.
Now, about 12 years later, I found myself in the same situation. I was
ready to carry on tenaciously, despite criticisms and doubts, two basic ideas: 1. I
had to throw away the Kriya routine recommended by my organization and apply
Patanjali's principles. 2. I had to achieve the state of mental silence by using
Japa, Mère's wonderful instrument, during the day. I adhered to my decision and
the result was the breathless state. Let me clarify each point.

1. Kriya Routine Abiding by Patanjali's Principles

In the mystical path (Yoga), Patanjali pinpoints eight steps: Yama, Niyama,
Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi. 8 There are
different ways of translating these Sanskrit terms. Yama: self-control (non-
violence, avoid lies, avoid stealing, avoid being lustful and seek non-attachment).
Niyama: religious observances (cleanliness, contentment, discipline, study of the
Self and surrender to the Supreme God). As for Asana (position of the body),
Patanjali explains that it must be stable and comfortable.
There is nothing remarkable up to this point. The first interesting concept
is Pranayama, defined as regulation of the Prana by repetition of particular
breathing patterns. Therefore there is no hint about particular preliminary
exercises of concentration and much less of meditation. From Pranayama a state
of calmness and poise is created which becomes the foundation of the subsequent
step: Pratyahara where the awareness is disconnected from external reality; all
our five senses have thus been turned inward. You understand that the techniques
which require movement should be completed before this phase: the breath and
the heart should have all the necessary time to slow down. The so called Higher
Kriyas (each one of them required movement) had to be ideally practiced inside
the Pranayama phase. To them a long phase of internalization of consciousness
and energy in perfect immobility should follow.
What comes after Pratyahara? Patanjali goes on explaining that, after the
8
Patanjali was a pioneer in the art of rationally handling the mystical path, aiming at
individualizing a universal, physiological direction of the inner events that explained
why a certain phenomenon, inherent to the spiritual path, should be preceded and
necessarily followed by other ones. His extreme synthesis may be criticized or, because
of its temporal distance, may be hard to understand; however, his work is of
extraordinary importance. Many authors of Kriya Yoga say that the theory expressed by
Patanjali is the same as Kriya Yoga, that Patanjali and Lahiri Mahasaya substantially
dealt with the same practice. I believe that this is partly true. Patanjali's is far from
clarifying all the aspects of Kriya and there is a remarkable difference between the final
steps of his Yoga (especially Dharana and Dhyana) and the related phases of Kriya
Yoga.

41
breath's disappearance, a yogi should look for a physical or abstract object onto
which he might turn his concentration and practice in a sort of contemplative
meditation in such a way as to lose himself in it. Dharana is concentration
(focusing the mind on it). Dhyana is the persistence of a focusing action --
meditation or contemplation as a steady, uninterrupted flow of awareness, which
fully explores all aspects of the chosen object). Samadhi is perfect spiritual
absorption (deep contemplation in which the object of meditation becomes
inseparable from the meditator himself).
From many years' experience and from some readings, I had no doubt that
these suggestions had to be understood as concentration on the Chakras.
Dharana is the act of focusing our attention; Dharana spontaneously becomes
Dhyana, the borders between the two being indistinguishable in practice: you
begin to concentrate on each Chakras and forget yourself. Samadhi is the
sudden burning with joy that sometimes appears. This was my basic
understanding in those days. In a few days, after an intense practice of Japa, I
would have realized that Dhyana is not only self oblivion but achieving the
breathless state as well; Samadhi is not only boundless joy but also the slowing
down of the cardiac heartbeat while the body appears like dead.

From that moment onwards, I began my routine with Maha Mudra, then I moved
to the Pranayama phase which consisted of three sub-phases: Kriya Pranayama
(12-24), Third Kriya (12) and Kriya Pranayama with the Mantra Om, Na, Mo...
(6-12). The Third Kriya was the technique with movements of the head that I
received from my Kriya school. Kriya Pranayama with Mantra Om, Na,
Mo...was Pranayama enriched by placing the syllables of the Mantra in the
respective Chakras, with no physical movements -- it had the purpose of
preparing the Pratyahara phase. Pratyahara began with a procedure that up till
today I call "mental Pranayama".
My awareness paused on each Chakra about ten seconds - as a bee drawn
to the nectar in flowers, hovering upon each in great delight - slightly "touching"
their nucleus along an anticlockwise (as viewed from above) path. I was
absorbed by a great delight where I lost my space and time references. The
concentration on the third eye - that "inward eye" which Wordsworth with
appropriate words defines as "the bliss of solitude" - happened spontaneously.

2. Mental Silence and Japa

Recalling my past failures with Japa, I decided to try again but with another
Mantra and choose the Mantra of Swami Ramdas whose biography I had
acquired and read in those days. 9 He moved far and wide all over India

9
In Quest of God by Swami Ramdas. Swami Ramdas was born in 1884 at Hosdrug,
Kerala, India, and named Vittal Rao. He lived a normal life until he was thirty-six and
experienced the usual ups and downs of a householder's life. Often he inquired about
the true meaning of life and felt the necessity of pursuing the spiritual path in order to
get the real "Peace." At the right moment, his father initiated him into the Ram Mantra,

42
unceasingly repeating the Mantra: Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Om. To meet
the simplicity of his life and the greatness of his experience was very inspiring:
his photo - the almost childish simplicity of his smile - kindled my intuition and
led me to try his Mantra.
Helped by a mala (rosary beads), I started to practice Japa aloud during a
walk for 108 times and then to continue it mentally during the remaining part of
that walk and during my daily chores. Even though the oriental traditions
recommend to do Japa mentally, I was confident that it should be done aloud - at
least for an initial set of a hundred repetitions.
The sound of that Mantra, which I had already heard in a spiritual song
recording, was very pleasant. I loved to caress its vibration, prolong it on my
lips, make it vibrate in my chest and invest it with my heart's aspiration. My
attitude was not that of a supplicating and sobbing devotee, but that of a man one
step away from his goal. Even if sometimes I felt a bit dazed, I maintained the
determination never to discard the practice. Since I observed, while doing it, an
irresistible impulse to put everything in order, I thought that the Mantra could
work in a similar way by cleaning my mental stuff and putting my
"psychological furniture" in order.

Breathless State

An event arose from this decision, which still remains in my heart as a peak
experience. I practiced Japa every day in the morning and Kriya at noon in the
open countryside. One day, during mental Pranayama, while I was climbing up
and down the Chakras, I distinctly perceived a fresh energy sustaining my body
from inside. The more I relaxed, the more I became simultaneously aware both
of the Chakras and of the body as a whole. The breath, which in the meantime
had became very short, eventually came to immobility, like a pendulum gently
reaching the equilibrium point. The mind also settled down. This condition
lasted some minutes, without any feeling of uneasiness: there was neither the
least quiver of surprise, or the thought: "Finally I have it!". The event was
enjoyable beyond words: in a blue-painted profundity, I was implacably crushed

assuring him that by repeating it unceasingly he would, in due time, achieved the divine
happiness he was aspiring to. It was then that he renounced the secular life and went
forth in quest of God as a mendicant Sadhu. The first years of his newly found life are
described in his aforesaid autobiography. The Mantra "Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai
Ram" was ever on his lips. Besides the practice of Japa, he adopted the discipline of
looking upon other people as forms of Ram – God - and of accepting every happening
as coming from the will of God. In a short time the Mantra disappeared from his lips
and entered his heart. He beheld a small circular light in the spot between his eyebrows,
which yielded him thrills of delight. Then the dazzling light permeated and absorbed
him. Lost in this inexpressible bliss he would sit for hours. The world appeared to him
as a dim shadow. A stage was soon reached when this dwelling in the spirit became a
permanent and unvarying experience. Ramdas attained Mahasamadhi in 1963.

43
by the beauty of nature and, at the same time, situated above the whole world.
In the following days the same events happened again. Before starting my
Kriya practice, I looked at the surrounding panorama wondering if I would
experience that state once again: after about 35-40 minutes I had already
completed the active part – the last breaths of Pranayama – and then, after no
more than two or three minutes, during mental Pranayama, the miracle
happened.

Cohabitation with Continuous Prayer

I verified a perfect association between the practice of Japa and the attainment of
the breathless state. I was astonished that Japa, one of the simplest techniques in
the world, could bring such a valuable result! Where my best intentions failed, it
produced a miracle! I saw that neglecting Japa by one who is practicing Kriya
Yoga means to relinquish a most formidable instrument. In my opinion, Japa
annihilates the mental background noise, of which presence you are aware only
when you sit for Kriya -- how many times you feel desperate since this noise
blocks any attempt at concentration! There are some thoughts which you can
visualize, identify and block, but a diffuse persistent background noise nullifies
all your efforts. This is won when we practice Japa!
A new period began: I was able to put a consistent amount of creativeness
and sensibility in my Kriya routine. I felt that my subconscious mind was
cooperating with my efforts; it was natural to listen to the suggestions of
intuition. I felt a greater respect for the the simplest Kriya techniques, being able
to find in them innumerable ways of application. With enthusiasm I plunged into
Japa literature and studied the subject of Mantra and prayer in different mystical
paths.
Some author gave an eloquent example of how it is possible to write a
book about nothing. Many suggestions about the practice of Japa would amount
to a heap of banalities -- the mala that you use for Japa should be made or this or
that material; it should not be seen by others. The Sumeru bead should never be
passed: if you will do the mala twice, you should turn it and make the last bead
become the first bead of the second round -- how stupid, how devastatingly
deprived of any passion!

A soul stirring ardent feeling and sincerity was to be found in the literary
material relating to the experience of Saint Teresa of Avila, to the Hesychasm and
to the Sufi mystical path.

In the writings of Saint Teresa of Avila (and of Saint John of the Cross also) I
saw clearly that perfection in the spiritual life can be reached only by expanding
the limit in the practice of Internal Oration. There is no need to clarify that we
are referring to a prayer which goes beyond supplication, beyond words
themselves -- a "Prayer of the heart".
Saint Teresa of Avila described nine levels of prayer. I think that few

44
catholics are aware of this richness. Over the centuries, a great deal of
incomprehension and misunderstanding has arisen relative to the practice of
Oration. For many devotees prayer had - with rare exceptions - the meaning of a
plea to God with the only purpose of obtaining personal favors or blessings on a
suffering humanity. The concept of Internal Oration risked an almost total
eclipse.

Hesychasm is a Christian orthodox movement considering inner peace to be a


necessity for every human being. They interpret Christ's injunction in the Gospel
of Matthew which says to "go into your closet to pray", to mean that their first
duty is to withdraw inward. They affirm that the first step is that their body is to
be held immovable for a long time. Then they engage in mental asceticism,
namely the rejection of tempting thoughts. After restricting their external
activities, striving to the best of their abilities to ignore the physical senses, they
try to experience quietness and perceive the "Uncreated Light" which is
considered the highest of the mystical achievements. The discipline is tough:
they watch their thoughts and courageously fight them. Much of their literature is
occupied with the psychological analysis of such tempting thoughts. A great
emphasis is placed on humility: disaster will befall if one proceeds with pride,
arrogance or conceit. The Prayer is said "with the heart" - with meaning, with
intent. Such Prayer involves the entire human being - soul, mind and body.
The essence of this mystical movement is to be found in the book The
Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way. (Anonymous) The origin
of this spiritual classic is in many ways a mystery. The story is that of a pilgrim,
coming back from the Holy Sepulcher, who stopped at Mount Athos and told
about his lifelong search for the teaching on how "to pray continually" - the way
Saint Paul had recommended - to a monk. No one knows for certain if it is a true
story about a particular pilgrim or a spiritual fiction created to propagate the
mystical side of the Orthodox Christian faith. Some, on the basis of other
witnesses, identify the author as Russian Orthodox monk Archimandrite Mikhail
Kozlov.
The main reason for the work's attraction is the presentation of a
wandering hermit's life as the model existence for those who would truly lead a
spiritual life. I was stricken by the opening words: "By the grace of God I am a
Christian man, by my actions a great sinner, and by calling a homeless wanderer
of the humblest birth who roams from place to place. My worldly goods are a
knapsack with some dried bread in it on my back, and in my breast pocket a
Bible. And that is all." It is a simple, edifying book, of universal spiritual appeal.
It is imminently practical in its advice to not dither in starting the Jesus Prayer.
The pilgrim was resolute about covering an infinite distance across the
steppes, if he had to, in order to find a spiritual guide that would reveal to him
the secret of praying that way. One day, his ardor was awarded; he found a
spiritual teacher who accepted him as a disciple and gradually clarified to him
every detail of the practice of the "continuous prayer".
In order to realize the ideal of "praying ceaselessly", the pilgrim is first
instructed to repeat the Jesus Prayer 6000 times a day, then increase to 12000.

45
Then he finds the Prayer at his lips and in his mind every waking hour, as
spontaneous and effortless as the breath itself. In this wonderful condition he
comes to experience the effulgence of the divine light, the innermost "secret of
the heart." In order to give an idea of what, from now onwards, his life has
become, the pilgrim quotes the Gospel passage of the birds of the air and the
lilies of the field - identifying himself with them as completely dependent on
God: whatever happens, it cannot separate him from God. Like a person enjoying
the beauty of a chilly winter near the fireside, one who practices continuous
prayer contemplates either the sad or the joyous spectacle of life having found
the infinity of the skies residing in their heart! Prayer is a marvelous gem whose
glitter warms up life. Its magic spreads into each facet of life, like walking out of
a dark room into fresh air and sunlight.

I began reading the Philokalia, which is often used by the Hesychasts. It is a


collection of texts on prayer and asceticism written from the 4th to the 15th
Centuries [first published in the Greek language in 1782]. In my opinion this is a
tedious text showing the attitude of the mind, obsessed by sin and temptations, to
complicate the simplest things. Here and there, some pearls are disseminated.
I was struck by the fact that many instructions had astonishing similarities
with the Kriya Yoga path. I discovered that the hesychastic practice involved a
breathing exercise with a tongue position akin to that of Kechari Mudra. The
chanting of the Prayer was synchronized with one's breathing. Hesychast
tradition wrote: "Let the remembrance of Jesus be present with each breath, and
then you will know the value of the Hesychia."
I was stunned by the fact that a Christian tradition, methodical and
precise, similar to Kriya Yoga, existed. Years later, having received Lahiri
Mahasaya's Navi Kriya, I remained astonished by the fact that one is encouraged
to be tenacious in praying with the focus of concentration on the navel: "...in this
way it is possible to find a joyless and lightless obscurity but, persisting, a
limitless happiness will be reached". Once one gets over the obstacle of the
navel, a whole path unfolds, leading to the heart center.
The comparison with the Navi Kriya technique is impressive. St. Symeon
writes: "Sit down in a quiet cell, in a corner by yourself, and do what I tell you:
close the door, and withdraw your intellect from everything worthless and
transient. Rest your beard on your chest, and focus your physical gaze, together
with the whole of your intellect, upon the center of your belly or your navel.
Restrain the drawing-in of breath through your nostrils, so as not to breathe
easily, and search inside yourself with your intellect so as to find the place of the
heart, where all the powers of the soul reside. To start with, you will find there a
darkness and an impenetrable density. Later, when you persist and practice this
task day and night, you will find, as though miraculously, an unceasing joy. For
as soon as the intellect attains the place of the heart, at once it sees things of
which it previously knew nothing. It sees the open space within the heart and it
beholds itself entirely luminous and full of discrimination." Pseudo-Simeon,
"The Three Methods of Prayer," in: The Philokalia (5 vols.; tr. G.E.H. Palmer, P.
Sherrard, and K. Ware; London: Faber and Faber, 1995) 4.72-3.

46
I didn't find a description of the practice of Thokar (as I found later in the
Sufi literature) but the description of the prayer entering the heart was
unforgettable; the greatest effect was obtained by blending the perception of the
throbs of the heart with the syllables of the prayer. The consciousness slips then
into it and contemplates the "Uncreated Light". The most secret part is what
happens in the space within the heart. The person is led through darkness and "an
impenetrable density" to the depth of his heart. This descent is quite literally
taken and is not at all considered to be a metaphorical expression. This is an
advanced stage of the spiritual practice and attempting to accomplish it
prematurely can cause very serious emotional harm. The instruction is to feel
one’s head moving to the chest and dwelling therein, then to "open" his eyes
there and look at the world from his chest. The world is perceived in a totally
different way: not as rough and hostile, but as delicate, warm and responsive to
the emotions of love! The heart is filled with the most loving and subtle Bliss! In
this state one becomes "entirely" luminous. The illumination comes from inside,
proceeding from the open space within the heart. The Hesychast, when he has
been granted such an experience, returns wholly transformed to normal life. The
"inner dialog", which prevents the meditation, is under control: one can live
permanently in a state called "the guard of the mind". It is the most sound and
natural state of the mind. One’s consciousness is no longer encumbered by the
spontaneous inception of images - this unencumbered state is the main attribute
of a religious life.
All these instructions can be a great inspiration for a kriyaban to
reconsider the technique of Japa and of Thokar from a new perspective. When
you study and consider all this, what can you answer to those kriyabans who
object that none of the Kriya Gurus recommend the practice of Japa? They have
missed the point: Kriya Yoga is a particular way of treading the Hesychast path,
where Prayer has a pivotal importance.

I read also something about the Sufi path where the art of prayer (Dhikr) was
developed in an astonishing way. In their literature, most inspiring instruction
was given to avoid distraction, in such a way that the heart is occupied with
neither "family" nor "money". One begins the practice by uttering the Mantra
aloud – this is the Dhikr of the tongue. One continues until a great absorption
makes it impossible to go on in this way. "The rust upon the heart is burnt, the
darkness turns into day and the candle of the mind is put out by the sun of the
divine light (Qur'an)". The heart is continually applied to the Dhikr. One
perseveres assiduously, until the syllables are effaced from the heart and only the
meaning of the words remains present: a touch of divine recollection drives the
mind crazy – the most intoxicating of joys begins to expand within.

Inspiration from this literature pushed me to achieve the condition of


"uninterrupted, continuous prayer". I felt a wave of attraction for the wandering
hermit's life. I was inspired by his courageous way of living and by the central
idea of starting with a set number of Mantra repetitions and then increasing it
until it becomes automatic. Of course, I went on resolutely using my chosen

47
Mantra. I lived it as a bright, dazzling Prayer. Its Divine Magic spread in each
facet of my life. It was like walking out of a dark room into the fresh air, into the
sunlight. As when I am in the fresh air, I don't concentrate upon it but I breathe it,
in the same way my path became an experience of pure enjoyment. That
remarkable effort created a paradisaical condition in my life, which lasted about
three months.
However there were days when I had the impression of using a pneumatic
hammer tearing asunder the concrete of my mind's perplexities. The inner
resistance was colossal. My being protested as if I was doing the stupidest thing
in the world. I melted away any doubt by walking as much as possible and
repeating my Mantra in a passionate way. I took all the necessary time to cross
innumerable mental swamps and reach a condition where Japa went on
effortlessly. This created a moral strength which turned into a calm euphoria: the
certainty of edging closer to something stable and immutable within the
evanescent flux of my existence. By looking at the past, many beautiful
experiences during my meditation routines seemed to have the consistency of an
infinite sequence of reflexes upon the water. Now all my efforts seemed to
compact around an intoxicating merger with a celestial state of bliss. The
mental substance was perceived clear like a spotless mirror. This condition
reminded me of what Sri Aurobindo wrote about the moment he first stepped on
Indian soil, after his long periods of study in England. He discussed the manner
in which the Peace, the Silence, the freedom in Infinity descended, surrounded
him and remained with him for months afterwards. I felt I had reached something
solid. I felt perfectly at ease, still, without any desire to fulfill. I interrupted the
mental chanting of the Mantra only when talking to others, but I was able to
maintain the state of mental silence: the secret was not being involved in the
images arising from the words, remaining centered on the feeling of
unchangeable calmness.
I thought: "I must not forget this experience ever, I want to have it every
day of my life, because it is the most real thing which has ever been
experienced"! It seemed impossible to lose it. It lasted a few months, then I lost
it. The world of the "traveling Gurus" was getting closer to my life and I could
not avoid meeting a couple of them. Many years had to pass before a similar
celestial condition could materialize again in my life.

48
CHAPTER 4
IN SEARCH OF THE ORIGINAL KRIYA

During a trip to Vienna (Austria), I found a book written by an Indian Swami,


claiming he was teaching the original Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya - P.Y.'s was
mentioned as a slightly modified form of it. Obviously that book, like
innumerable others which I would read in the future, had to serve as bait; to
make people interested in the Kriya school founded by that Swami and it would
never include practical explanations. I was positively excited when I read that the
practice of Pranayama should be considered inaccurate and wrong if, settling
down after fair number of breaths, the practitioner - without closing his ears -
had not listened to the internal sound of Om. The statement was worthy to be
taken into consideration; it was surely from a very deep practice of Pranayama.
Reading that book, I had the sensation that its author knew the whole process of
Kriya Yoga far better than many other teachers. I had no idea of when and where
I could have the opportunity to encounter this teacher, but I could almost touch
the marvelous possibility of deepening my Pranayama, clarifying my doubts
regarding Kechari Mudra and Higher Kriyas as well.

One of those friends to whom I passed on my obsession with finding out all the
mechanics of Kriya, especially the Higher Kriyas, brought me important
information. During a "Convocation", he talked with a Minister and inquired
about a sentence by P.Y. according to which: "The Chakras can be awakened by
psycho-physical blows given at their different locations." The Brother reassured
him about its meaning: no other hypothetical technique, besides what was fully
described in the written material, was hinted at. It referred to the use of a Mantra
coupled with breath. He explained that if a syllable is mentally chanted in a
Chakra's location with real intensity, while inhaling or exhaling, it creates a
"psycho-physical blow". About Kechari Mudra, he said it comes with time,
especially by insisting in touching the uvula with the tip of the tongue.
He heard also about a Kriya Ashram in Europe where allegedly lived a
Swami who taught original Kriya. After some months he was there, only to learn
that this Swami was very old, next to relinquishing his body, and the person who
hosted him had not received Kriya from him, never talked with him about
techniques.
He heard of another a group of kriyabans in Europe who had invited a
person from India to their group. There was no news about the identity of him. At
his arrival, after skimming through the written material published by our Kriya
organization, he pretended not to be able to link it with the Kriya Yoga he had
been practicing for some time. He advocated the necessity of starting all over
again, from initiation into First Kriya. Many did not accept creating with him a
bond of formal "discipleship", as he requested; thus he lost two thirds of the
students on the spot. Those who accepted his conditions received initiation.
Incidentally, the absolute confidentiality was broken and precious information
(Talabya Kriya, Navi Kriya...) leaked out. Later, the group received part of the

49
Higher Kriyas, probably only the technique of the Second Kriya. Some of those
kriyabans followed that Indian master and disappeared as if sucked into a black
hole; others, tired of a practice characterized by a lot of dissatisfaction, returned
to the comfortable abode of our organization.
At that time, something wonderful, so sweet, happened. What I hoped so
ardently in the past and was brutally refused to me, materialized so easily. I had a
private talk with another Minister of my Kriya school. All my doubts were
clarified: the person seemed intelligent and not dogmatic. I could also talk about
how to build a good routine, and we even extolled the value of Japa. We were in
perfect tune about everything.
It would have sufficed to consider the search concluded, return to the
simplicity of the afore described routine, wait for Kechari to be obtained in time,
and a paradise would have been opened to me. All chaos, hysteria, confusion
would have ended forever. But the door that I opened could not be closed.
Devoured by the demon of finding the original Kriya, chased by my suspicion
that P.Y. taught a "slightly modified form of Kriya", I decided to go on with my
search.
The book written by the Indian Swami, whom I will refer to as S.H.,
stimulated my interest to guess the principle underlying the promised deepening
of the Kriya Pranayama technique. While reading and rereading his book, I was
excited like a child receiving the most beautiful of all gifts. Recalling a phrase
escaped from the lips of the lady meditation counselor about a variation of Kriya
Pranayama taught to some disciples by P.Y., I convinced myself that the key
technical addition consisted in mentally chanting Om in the Chakras while
exerting all the possible attention to the internal sounds. With the hope of
restoring that very period of my life where I received the deepest satisfaction
from the "Om technique" (received from my school) I gave my soul to that
practice.
I can't remember how many of these breaths I used to practice each day:
surely, I never went over 48-60 breaths. Since from my Kriya school I had
learned to practice Kriya Pranayama with open or half closed mouth, this I did.
After these pleasing breaths I went on listening inwardly. The inner sound
appeared after just four days of painstaking practice. I lived for some days in the
sweetest reality. The strange part was that I did not know the teacher yet; I had
just read his book: it was the intensity of my practice that was extreme! I had a
clear perception that a state of inconceivable sweetness was mine, that I could
taste it every day; during the practice and in every moment when I rested, free
from work. Omkar became the unique focus of my concentration, a "contact" to
be preserved with the utmost care during the day.

First Teacher outside the Organization

Being about to undergo surgery in the United States, the author of the book was
going to make a stop in Europe; I worked very hard to meet him and receive his
Kriya initiation on that occasion. That moment came up at last! The introductory

50
conference was for me of great emotional impact. He had a majestic and noble
aspect, he was "handsomely" wrapped in his ocher clothes, his old age, long hair
and beard marked the features of the typical sage. I took glimpses of him while
he spoke, hidden by the front rows; I heard him talk of Lahiri Mahasaya's legacy
according to his personal experience.
The theoretical concepts he introduced were absolutely new for me and
created a beautiful consistent frame for a Kriya praxis conceived as a unique
progressive process of tuning with the Omkar reality. Like a thread passing
through all the pearls of a necklace, Omkar was coursing through all the different
phases of Kriya. Maha Mudra was not separated from his peculiar form of
Pranayama which was not separated from mental Pranayama. Furthermore, the
Omkar reality had to be perceived not only in the aspect of sound and light but
also in the aspect of a "swinging sensation" (some other time he spoke about a
feeling of pressure).
His stupendous, appealing words were for me a revelation but, at certain
moments, the inquisitiveness in learning the new technical details made me
unable to give due attention to what he was saying; I therefore did not grasp at
once all the implication of those concepts. My obsession was: "What kind of
throat sounds are to be produced in this original Kriya, to which center does the
energy rise in the spine?"
To make the students understand the proper aspect of the movement of
Omkar, he touched some of them (their head and chest) making his hand vibrate,
trying to transmit this quivering to their body. He was leading the auditorium into
a wondrous dimension, he gave himself completely to us so that we could feel
the flavor of that experience.
The initiation into the First Kriya thrilled and disappointed me at the same
time: the forward bendings that preceded the Maha Mudra were really precious
and so was the final meditation (improperly called Paravastha) but the Kriya
Pranayama seemed to have disappeared and reduced to a short, purely mental
process. Unfortunately that Swami too, during the course of the years, had
simplified the original technique. He didn't teach Kriya Pranayama proper with
the long breath anymore.
Among the people who attended his seminars for a long time, there was
no mystery about the many technical details of Kriya Yoga he kept on changing,
year after year. One of his intimate disciples confirmed to me that in past he had
been taught Kriya Pranayama with long breath and mental chanting of Om in
each Chakra. Returning home, I didn't succeed in practicing even one Kriya
session exactly in the way he explained. I decided in fact to add to my routine
(after Maha Mudra and before his form of Pranayama) "my" Kriya Pranayama
with a long breath.
It was winter and I had a three week vacation. I spent every morning
wrapped in the warmth of my home, practicing as much as possible. Since in his
book it was written that if you want to make remarkable spiritual progress, you
should engage yourselves in being aware of at least 1728 breaths a day, I had the
opportunity to realize this. The best thing was to remain aware of the breath (a
calm short breath, almost imperceptible and on the verge of disappearing),

51
linking each breath with a different Chakra.
I experienced a total contentment and ease, as if my Kriya path had come to its
fulfillment. By day, everything seemed surrounded by a 'padded coating',
reducing all dissonances. Everything was as if it were transfigured; it was like
living in a perfect reality and the whole world was smiling ecstatically at me -
every pain took flight, gone from my sight.
I also spent some days in a beautiful location equipped for winter sport.
Here I could wander the snow-white countryside aimlessly. While I was lazily
getting about, the sun set early, painting the landscape with breathtaking colors;
the small village, sunk in the snow, started to radiate all the colors of the
spectrum of light. My memory will always hold it as the splendid symbol of my
contact with the Omkar experience.
The winter vacation ended and I got back to my job. During my spare
time, I would think about what a precious jewel the Kriya technique was;
visualizing the possibility of a future deepening, with such a commitment to the
Higher Kriyas also.
One day, still at work, I was in a room from which I could glimpse the
distant mountains through a window pane, and contemplate the pure celestial sky
above them. I was in ecstasy! That distant sky was the mirror of my future years,
wholly dedicated to my Kriya Yoga. For the first time, the prospect of retiring
and living with a minimal income, maintaining this state for the rest of my days,
started to take real shape.
This swami taught also a simplified form of Second Kriya, which I learned
months later. As for receiving the complete form of it or other advanced
techniques, he expressed himself adamantly: the request of being initiated in
them implied a lack of engagement in the basic techniques.
Being aware that the original Kriya spirit had been lost in other schools,
he focused only in passing on its nucleus. He had tried all Lahiri Mahasaya's
techniques, concluding that some of them were not essential, while others were
rather too delicate and difficult to be learned. Attempts made by inexperienced
students - in order to effectively use these techniques - could result in a useless
distraction for the students and a waste of time for him as a teacher.
What he said made definite sense, but contributed to his isolation. He did
not take into consideration how the human mind really works, through insatiable
curiosity and the total rejection of any veto.
His unlucky decision of leaving out some of the techniques Lahiri
Mahasaya had passed on (not only some parts of the Higher Kriyas, but also
some of the basic techniques such as Kechari Mudra and Navi Kriya) triggered
an inexorable mechanism which pushed away the people who were most
indispensable to him. Literally devoured by the thirst for obtaining the complete
teachings, they started to turn to the search for other teachers. Disappointed by
their defection, he stubbornly focused even more on the essence of teaching and
further simplifying of the First Kriya techniques. Those who tried to get this
absurdity across to him and prevent it, found themselves facing a wall that would
never break.
He really had all the necessary tools to attract the western world. The book he

52
had written had been a smart strategic action which made him popular in the
west, saving for him a place of crucial importance in the domain of Kriya.
Moreover, his Indian-sage figure impressed the people. Hundreds of scholars
were enthusiastic about him, they were ready to back his mission and treat him
like a "divinity", being willing to show the same respect to possible collaborators
and successors.
Yet the soil he plowed and was cultivating began to become sterile. I saw
the sense of his isolation when, one day, on a Kriya reviewing lesson, he told his
public that the real Kriya Pranayama could only take place in a state of calm
breath -- contrary to the one marked by a long deep breath (which many knew
was the characteristic of Lahiri Mahasaya's legacy), which could be "good only
for kindergarten children"! He closed his nostrils with his fingers and kept that
position for some time. He hinted in this way that he had mastered the breathless
state; it seemed he wanted to point out that the public was neither able to
understand nor practice Kriya. I thought to myself how many disappointments
must have convinced him to make such a peculiar demonstration. Perhaps he had
only met people who had not been able to adopt the discipline of a regular
meditation practice and therefore did not gain any benefit; but they did have the
curiosity for 'other secrets' of Kriya.
Many acknowledged this as a nasty comment to the fact that he was
giving his explanations only out of kindness, but the audience was not able to
understand the deep meaning of what he was demonstrating. The students staring
at him were completely at a loss; he must have been bizarre and peculiar to them.
The result was that the beginners could only sense too big a distance to be
bridged between them and the Master. Those who already had a good mastering
of Kriya had the final confirmation that what he had taught up to that moment
was a simple introduction to Kriya and did not provide the key to obtain the
experiential acme.
It is true that a lot of people were contented with his Kriya, but they would
never do something like organize a seminar for their teacher. Frankly speaking,
the faithfulness of the many was not enough to avoid the worst end. His
commendable effort, all the marvelous subtleties by which he had enriched our
Kriya, making this practice by far more beautiful, was not enough to prevent a
shipwreck of his mission – at least here in Europe.
Using the same fliers and changing only the Master's name and photo,
many of those people, who formerly organized his seminars, invited another
teacher from India because they knew he was well-disposed to explain Kriya in
its complete form. This invitation was very strange and was perhaps made more
out of desperation than that of conviction, because those who had already met
him in India knew that his spiritual realization was almost non-existent. It took
two years before he could succeeded in overcoming the problems with his visa
and could finally land in Europe; when he arrived he found practically all the
afore described teacher's disciples ready to welcome him as a God-sent
messenger.

53
Readings

In that happy period of my life I tried tracking down in spiritual literature any
movement or eminent figure who had a link with the subject: "Omkar". The
sound of Om (Omkar) is referred to in literature also as "Pranava", "Shabda",
"Nada Brahman".
I read again what, many years before, was taught to me by my first Kriya
organization. According to this teaching, the Divine essence sustains this
universe through the Om vibration. God is not the universe but the universe is
part of Him. Whatever is manifest in the physical, astral or causal worlds,
animate or inanimate, it is made and sustained by God's vibration. "In the
beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God"
(St. John's Gospel); "And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a
furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters" (Revelation 1:15).
There is no doubt that Saint John of the cross heard the typical rushing
waters sound of the Om vibration. He gave a splendid description of his meeting
with the "resounding rivers", the "silent music", the "sounding solitude". Teresa
of Avila in her book "The Interior Castle" wrote: "It roars like many big rivers
with waterfalls, there are flutes, and a host of little birds seem to be whistling,
not in the ears, but in the upper part of the head, where the soul is said to have its
special seat."
While reading some extracts from Sufi literature, I felt nostalgic of my
first experiences with the "music of God". "Seek the Sound that never ceases,
seek the sun that never sets", wrote the great mystic Rumi. Om sound is the
"unstruck" sound (Anahata) - not made as a result of two or more objects striking
one another. It is, in fact, a sound not coming to the human ear from outside of
the body but, rather, from within. Sound plays a vital role in all the mystical
traditions, since it is the bridge between the physical and the astral world, the
conscious and the unconscious, the form and the formless.
"The universe was manifested out of the Divine Sound; from It came into
being the Light." (Shams-i Tabrizī). "Who is there playing upon a flute in the
middle of the sky? The flute is being played in trikuti (eyebrows centre), the
confluence of the Ganga and Jamuna. The sound emanates from the north!
Cowherd girl, hear the sound of the flute and lo, they are all hypnotized by the
nada." "It is a music without strings which plays in the body. It penetrates the
inner and the outer and leads you away from illusion." (Kabir). "The Sound is
inside us. It is invisible. Wherever I look I find it." (Guru Nanak).

I read something about Kabir (1398 Benares - 1448/1494 Maghar) and Guru
Nanak (1469 Nankana Sahib - 1539 Kartarpur). There were deep similarities
with the experiences and thought of Lahiri Mahasaya. Their teachings
overlapped perfectly.
Kabir, an illiterate weaver, Muslim of origin, was a great mystic, open to
the vedantic and yogic influence; an extraordinary singer of the Divine,

54
conceived beyond name and form. The poems and sentences ascribed to him are
expressed in a particularly effective language that remains permanently
emblazoned in the reader's memory. In the last century, Rabindranath Tagore, the
great mystic poet of Calcutta, rediscovered the reliability of his teachings, the
power of his poetry and made beautiful translations of his songs into English.
Kabir conceived Islam and Hinduism as two roads converging toward a
unique goal: he was always convinced of the possibility of overcoming the
barriers that separate these two great religions. He did not seem to base his
teaching upon the authority of the holy writings; he shunned the religious rituals.
Kabir taught not to renounce to life and become a hermit, not to cultivate any
extreme approach to the spiritual discipline, because it weakens the body and
increases pride.
That God has to be recognized inside of one's own soul - like a fire fed by
continuous care, burning all the resistances, dogmas and ignorance - this
beautifully appears in Kabir's saying: "One day my mind flew as a bird in the
sky, and entered the heavens. When I arrived, I saw that there was no God, since
He resided in the Saints!" Hinduism gave Kabir the concept of reincarnation and
the law of Karma; Islam gave him the absolute monotheism - the strength of
fighting all the forms of idolatry and the caste system. I found the full meaning
of the yogic practice in him; he says that there is a garden full of flowers in our
body, the Chakras, and an endless beauty can be contemplated if the awareness is
established into the ''thousand-petal Lotus''. Regarding his concept of Shabda,
which can be translated as "Word" (the word of the Master), I thought I could
relate this to the Omkar teaching. According to him this Shabda-Om dispels all
doubts and difficulties, but it is vital to keep it constantly in our consciousness as
a living presence. Om, the divine call present in each man's body, born in the
silence of introspection, is the compass needle. By following it, Kutastha is
revealed to us.

Beloved Guru Nanak gave the same teaching. He disapproved ascetic practices
and taught instead to remain inwardly detached whilst living as a householder.
"Asceticism doesn't consist in ascetic robes, or in having a walking staff, nor in
visiting burial places. Asceticism is not mere words; asceticism is to remain pure
amidst impurities!" Traditionally, release from the bondage of the world was
sought as the goal, therefore the householder's life was considered an
impediment and an entanglement. In contrast, in Guru Nanak's teaching, the
world became the arena of spiritual endeavor. He was bewitched by the beauty of
creation and considered the panorama of nature as the loveliest scene for worship
of the Divine.
He expressed his teachings in Punjabi, the spoken language of northern
India. His disregard for Sanskrit suggested that his message was without
reference to the existent Holy scriptures. He made a deliberate attempt to cut off
his disciples completely from all the ritualistic practices, orthodox modes of
worship and from the priestly class. His teaching demanded an entirely new
approach. While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings, he
described God as not wholly unknowable. God must be seen through "the inward

55
eye", sought in the "heart": he emphasized the revelation of this to be achieved
through meditation. In his teachings there are hints on the possibility of listening
to an ineffable internal melody (Omkar) and to taste the nectar (Amrit). One has
the impression he gave a unique meaning to the concept of monotheism.

On calm reflection, at the conclusion of all my readings, I conceived the Kriya


path as a process of refining, in successive stages, our attunement with Omkar.
Kriya Yoga is the faith of Kabir and Guru Nanak: a monotheistic religion where
the ''single God'' is substituted by Omkar! All the other names given to the Last
Reality (also used by Lahiri Mahasaya in his diaries) are entirely useless words,
ephemeral wraps imposed by the human mind. Omkar is the final goal of Kriya
and the unique essence which percolates through all its phases.

A monotheistic religion having the Omkar Reality as the ''single God'' existed,
was well known and was the Radhasoami faith, considered a derivation of
Sikhism. 10 It is also referred to as Sant Mat (Path of the Saints). I studied it
enthusiastically because everything I read reminded me of the writings of P.Y.!
With the same words of P.Y.'s organization, they affirmed that this Shabda was
the Word referred to in the Bible: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1) The Sound vibration, the
dynamic force of creative energy that was continuously being sent out from the
Supreme Being at the dawn of the universe's manifestation throughout the ages,
molding all things animate and inanimate; could be listened to through Surat
Shabda Yoga. This is a practical teaching of how to listen to the inner sound of
Omkar -- it was exactly the same teaching, with the same words that I received
from my first Kriya organization! Surat means "soul," Shabda means "word".
The "word" is the "Sound Current", the "Audible Life Stream" or the "Essence of
the Absolute Supreme Being". The Om technique is practiced by Radhasoami
groups covering their ears and eyes, either using the classic squatting position,
resting their elbows on the knees or using an arm prop. Some combine the
listening to the inner sounds with the attempt to taste nectar (Amrit) by sticking
the tongue to the roof of the mouth. Before listening to the sound and seeing the
light, some groups move Prana up and down the spine... I was reading with
shivers of surprise what had essentially been my life, my deeper convictions. It
was the same Omkar experience I had always heard about. In some Kriya
literature it was written that P.Y. had belonged to this movement. If this is true,
then for all intents and purposes, I had been part of a Radhasoami group without
being aware of that. I had practiced a couple of techniques (the good techniques
of Hong So and Om) which embodied both the principles of Radhasoami and of
Kriya Yoga.
I could claim that, as a matter of fact, my Kriya organization and my first
teacher after it (S.H.) had given me light and sound initiation, just as

10
The Sikh religion is founded on the teachings of Guru Nanak and nine successive
Gurus; it is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world. It is interesting that the key
distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent
that one can interpret God as the Universe itself.

56
Radhasoami groups do. I remember that in S.H.'s conception, Kriya was divided
into six levels which were six progressive steps of tuning in to the Omkar
dimension as sound, light and swinging sensation. He explained that this melting
of the last trace of our ego in the Omkar ocean would take place in the hollow
cavity of the brain called "the cave of Brahma". In the frontal part of this region
there is the pituitary gland (hypophysis), behind it we have the pineal gland: the
seats of the sixth and of the seventh Chakras respectively. An emission of light,
similar to a voltaic arc, would happen between the two "poles" and shed light in
that area. This process was described as a "mystic union". The whole explanation
was accompanied by a helpful sketch, which had the psychological effect to
eliminate all uncertainties on the validity and universality of this theory.
Now, the same theory was given in some particular (perhaps non-
orthodox) Radhasoami literature. Emphasis was given to the role of the pineal
gland, plus some additional Chakras were identified in the brain! How many
times I wondered about the origin of certain variations of Kriya! Now I have no
doubts that some disciples of Lahiri Mahasaya, in their youth belonged to a
Radhasoami group and perhaps, without even being fully aware of this, added to
Kriya some elements of theory and practice which belong to Radhasoami
thinking.
I ran through pages where the role of the Guru was extolled. There is no
doubt that the concept of Guru has a special place in Indian thought. One of the
main Hindu texts, the Bhagavad Gita, is a dialog between God in the form of
Krishna and the warrior prince Arjuna. Their dialog summarizes the ideal
relationship between Guru and disciple. In Radhasoami thinking this relationship
is elaborated in great detail -- exactly in the same way I heard from my Kriya
organization. It was explained that during initiation, the living Satguru (Sat -
true, Guru - teacher) activates this Shabda which becomes the inner Satguru
stationed at the third eye of the disciple. Through its inner Light one comes to
"know God". A Guru takes on himself part of the karma of the disciple, appears
to them at the moment of death in order to introduce them to God. This role is so
important that there is a saying that if the devotee were presented to the Guru
and God, first he would pay respect to the Guru, since the Guru had been
instrumental in leading him to God. A disciple could never break off the sacred
connection with the Guru under any circumstances.
In the Radhasoami literature, the concept of Guru-Parampara is
emphasized. The spiritual power of a Guru is transmitted after his
Mahasamadhi by an uninterrupted series of authorized representatives. In this
way, the transmission of mystical power (Diksha) happens just like the Guru
were physically present. A formal recognition of this fact includes the
Gurudakshina, a valuable sign of gratitude to his Guru, which is given to the
authorized representative leading the structured initiation ceremony.

57
Second Teacher outside the Organization

During a trip in France, I found a strange book on Babaji's Kriya Yoga. I came in
contact with a Kriya school which was standing totally apart from all the others.
It was originated by an Indian personage who claimed he was a direct disciple of
Babaji. In this school the main technique was called Kriya Kundalini
Pranayama. Kriya Hatha Yoga, Kriya Dhyana Yoga, Kriya Mantra Yoga rotated
around that breathing technique, extending its sphere of action on all the aspects
of human life. The idea of having found a source from which to learn everything
about Kriya, excited me tremendously. Although some illustrations in the book
gave me the impression of reading a fairy book for children, I was confident. I
didn't notice that in the book there was not even a hint to techniques like Talabya
Kriya, Kechari Mudra, Navi Kriya, Omkar Pranayama, Thokar....
This school gave three levels of Kriya easy to obtain in about three years if you
showed enough commitment.
The first level didn't actually disappoint me, yet left me a bit perplexed.
The teacher was obsessed by the precept of not holding one's breath: in this way
the technique of Yoni Mudra, which is fundamental for Lahiri, was considered
dangerous and thus banned. Kriya Kundalini Pranayama seemed a beautiful
technique. The most annoying thing was that once you had completed 16 Kriya
breaths, the process you had put in motion had to be suddenly relinquished and
you had to practice Dhyana Kriya, a meditation which had nothing to do with
spine, Chakras etc.
Before receiving instruction from this school, mixing what I had learned
from the organization with S.H.'s teaching, I had conceived a very sweet routine,
whose final part (concentration on the Chakras), was a real delight. Practicing
seriously this new routine, there grew within me a marked nostalgia for what I
had relinquished. Changing every day the technique of meditation (there were
seven different techniques, one for each different day of the week) I had the
heavy sensation of living a chaotic period of my life, giving rise to nothing
substantial.
The central point of his Second Level was initiation into Mantras. This
subject was more congenial to me than that strange form of Dhyana Kriya. The
Bija Mantras of the Chakras were similar but not exactly identical to the classic
ones: Lam, Vam, Ram... Unfortunately we had to repeat this course two or three
times in order to receive the complete set of the Chakra Mantras. The odd thing
was that the teacher gave the impression of being lost in the New Age dimension
and didn't realize of how badly his teaching was organized. He gave his wife the
role to pontificate about many topics (macrobiotics, how to see aura, how to
make Ayurveda diagnosis and other amenities). He made a fool of himself by
explaining the technique of "dispersing the clouds": fixing a cloud in the sky
with the purpose of dissolving it!
I endured everything since I put all my hope in the third level. This was an
atrocious delusion, beyond my the worse expectations. There were no Higher

58
Kriyas but common Yoga, of a genre you can find in all books -- rather the
explanation you find in the books is far more better laid down.
The Samadhi techniques, given at the conclusion of that enervating and
boring course, were a new reading of Hong So technique, 11 three fairly common
techniques of visualization, the classic instruction of continuous awareness
during the day and a variation of the same Om technique I had once received
from my organization.
For many of us who had yearlong experience with the preliminary-to-
Kriya techniques offered by the organization and who had invested our time,
emotions and money in this course, being taught those techniques again,
somehow disguised and passed off as Samadhi techniques, was actually a cold
shower.
Some of us dared to ask the teacher's opinion about Lahiri Mahasaya's
Kriya. At first, he was reticent and did not seem glad of our interest in the matter,
then he took courage and shared his views. He believed that Lahiri Mahasaya
had not practiced with total commitment all the teachings he received from
Babaji, therefore he ... died. Astounded, we realized that since Lahiri Mahasaya
did not obtain immortality (as, in his opinion, should happen to those who give
their all to apply Kriya integrally), our teacher was dismissive of him. I think that
the reader doesn't need other data to understand how, within a short time, I
abandoned this teacher.

Intermezzo: New-Age-Polluted Kriya Yoga

The mentality developed following such a school led me to meet persons and
groups where Kriya Yoga was polluted with "New-Age" themes. I am reminded
of this period of my life when I listen to the tape recordings of some devotional
chants which I had bought at that time. In that period I was very happy: I fell in
love with an Indian bhajan and I sang it within of me the whole blessed day. For
me it had much the nature of food; rather I really had the impression of eating
that music since after some days of singing I realized I had exhausted it and was
looking for another song to plunge into as if it were the only one worthy of
singing.
Coming across different groups of people who practiced Kriya I had the
feeling of meeting my vast family. Swimming in my state of elation, I didn't
understand anything of other people and it seemed to me that they lived a very
beautiful life, did very beautiful jobs and I dreamed to live like them forever.
Bound to a very oriental lifestyle, they particularly loved an atmosphere, a way
of behaving, characterized by specific sensations that they would cultivate with
care and, above all, with innocent frenzies.
I learned to relate to each of them - for example, to those who would host
me whenever a seminar was held in a distant city - the way an explorer deals
11
Actually more idiotic than Hong So technique since, while Hong So is a universal
Mantra whose syllables were specifically chosen for their power of calming the breath,
with whom they have a vibratory connection, it was replaced by: "Om Babaji".

59
with unknown animals, waiting for any eccentric revelation. At times I would
react to their oddness ironically; it was something I just could not help, it came
out so spontaneously.
With regard to Kriya proper, I received various initiations by different
teachers. Conflicts and polemics exploded whether some teacher who once had
been some illustrious Guru's right-hand man, had then become independent by
their own choice or because the latter disowned them.
Although I felt that atmosphere to be extraneous to me, I accepted it as an
inevitable drawback to succeed in acquiring the information I searched for with
so much passion. Bringing flowers was recommended, some fruit and a donation
was required too -- usually a precise sum of money was set. Generally speaking,
after attending many different rituals, the explanations were always quick and
shallow; a destructive criticism was often raised against information coming
from other sources. I would finish all those initiations repeating to myself how
satisfied I was, making up my mind about abandoning all other practices for the
one I had just received. I shunned the awareness that the new initiation had only
added something insignificant to that which I already knew; that it was confining
myself to what would soon become a "cage" from which I would sooner or later
feel an unbearable suffocation - from which I would eventually have to break
loose.
To many among us, those initiations were a true vice. We had the tendency
of stocking up on techniques like food for a famine. This habit created some
conflicts in us. Just to give an example, at almost all those initiation seminars a
solemn pledge of secrecy was the password to be accepted. Every one
devotionally took this pledge and, as soon as the meeting was over, they shared,
by cell-phone, the coveted news with other students who, in turn, would take part
in other initiations and would reciprocate the favor.
Inside the group tied to my first organization, I met people whose
enthusiasm toward Kriya was very moderate, and it seemed they practiced the
few techniques they knew as if making a sacrifice to atone for the "guilt" of
existence. In this new ambiance, I met a lot of people who were yet "too
passionate" for Kriya and anything which had to do with personal development.
Stressing the cathartic potential of oriental meditative practices, many
focused their attention only on secondary aspects of the mystical path and had
lost sight of their goal. In their meditation room, filled with multicolored posters
and cushions, decorations, crystals and other objects, they were satisfied by the
established beautiful atmosphere. There existed no other reality to be sought.
Research on alternative medicines, group therapies directed by eccentric
individuals devoid of academic formation, were expensive distractions to be
added to Kriya.
I was struck by the tendency to spend lots of money on training
workshops focused on strange therapeutic methods like aromatherapy, crystal
therapy, color therapy… This harmless distractions aroused great enthusiasm,
seemed to intensify their experience of Kriya. They worked for some time,
afterwards they were forsaken.
To clean away their internal conflicts, one group of kriyabans was under

60
the influence of a cunning fellow who, in accordance with the situation, assumed
the role of the psychotherapist, the spiritual teacher, the alternative physician
who -- with a pendulum in his hand -- was able to diagnose everything, from the
slightest indispositions to the most serious illnesses, as well as to suggest
remedies. His methods gave great importance to revealing one's childhood
traumas in group discussions. Sitting on the ground in a circle, they formed work
groups and, overcoming inner resistances, shared, sometimes with acute
suffering, experiences that they had never told before. From the legal point of
view, this alternative psychotherapy had to be camouflaged as a cultural or
religious activity.
A few were ensnared by the claim that the classical meditative practices -
the sober methods adopted through the ages by the mystics of various religions -
were no longer valid for our time. They were all right up to 50 years ago, but
with the new era, man had evolved and should employ faster tools; and were
effectively seduced by the temptation of applying faster means. These group
participants became enthusiastic of "expensive techniques" shared over the
weekend, which in 20 minutes a day would result in the regeneration of their
DNA, greater expansion of consciousness than could ever be achieved via other
means, final liberation etc....
There were also those who tried to find, through hypnotic regression, their
past lives in order to revive and then understand the deeper traumas. It seemed –
the idea did not appear so bad - that this process of removing the internal blocks
could help improve the energy flow inside the body during Kriya. This process,
in turn, becoming more intense could give decisive help in the most delicate
phases in the process of full-body cleaning. The idea to keep this virtuous circle
in motion fascinated them without limit, unfortunately some strayed further away
from Kriya up to the point of losing it entirely.

As for me, I began to realize that I was going adrift -- losing some essential
attainments like the breathless state, the listening to the Om sound.... I had
forgotten everything, it was like I had been hypnotized. This colossal waste of
time had been like preparing one's house for a distinguished guest; endlessly
polishing and decorating it, delighted by entranced awareness of the different
comforts their house allows - meanwhile, after having repeatedly rung the bell,
the guest was sitting neglected on the doormat…
I realized also -- and perhaps this is the most important thing -- that my
criterion to judge the excellence of a new technique of meditation (or of some
confuse mix of new age cathartic methods of self healing) by a vague sense of
well-being perceived during the practice itself meant having made my ego the
compass needle of my spiritual journey.
It had never entered my mind this dangerous and potentially destructive
mania to explore unceasingly the mysteries inherent to the "human potential".
Some were lured to invest in expensive seminars where their energy channels
would be opened and they would learn the secret of how to make use of the
Universal Energy. All this cost a lot, in no small part because the seminars were
not given nearby but abroad, in expensive residences.

61
When I dared to call into question the validity of the whole thing, a lady, feeling
annoyed, rebuked that there was no reason to be perplexed about those practices,
without having tried them. They would comment: "It is our Karma that is giving
us the best of all the opportunities to grow in all the planes". "We are expected to
answer in a positive way. We don't have to stay jammed against this beneficial
current -- otherwise we could have … to die and be born again just to live those
experiences that we are now shunning!" "The Kriya technique -- she added -- is
practiced with the energy present in the body. Now, if this energy is recharged by
the flow of the Universal Energy, what appears as a long journey will become
like a stroll".
Later on, I had different occasions to meet and to approach more
intimately those who organized these meetings. They gave the impression of
being honest researchers and always guaranteed that no nonsense would ever slip
out of their mouths. I was surprised when one of them, beyond simple
exhibitionism, quoted by heart some lines from a work by P.Y.; the same,
prophetic lines which had once been the source of so many uncertainties. He read
and re-read through those texts several times trying to figure them out; he really
strained in studying those texts. I felt that those researchers were my real family;
I learned to listen to them respectfully and silently whenever they would correct
some of my fancy interpretations of Kriya Yoga. Our relationship was based on
real affection and it never came to disagreement, bitterness or formality. They
were always generous toward me and respectful of my personality. Never did
they try to force something into my mind, passionately sharing everything they
had learned, no matter if it cost them a great deal of time, effort and money.
We agreed that our teachers were mostly mediocre persons, sometimes
impolite and unethical. This was strongly contrasting with the personality
expected of people who called themselves "spiritual guides".
We were not able to find even one of them who would prove to possess
that mastery of Kriya which is so crucial in such a delicate pedagogic work as
they were attempting to do. Some trifling episodes confirmed our first
impression of instability, improvisation and, in one case, even of mental
instability. They knew little about Kriya Yoga and they taught it in an even more
superficial way. How was it possible that we kept enduring these situations? The
fact that they claimed they were authorized to initiate, blinded us. We were
subjugated by the myth that Kriya is to be received from an "authorized" teacher.
It is strange to think that it was this deep rooted suggestion received from P.Y.'s
school that supported our deferential and tolerant attitude toward people whom
were actually abusing our trust and confidence.

Some friends of ours, coming back from India, showed on their face the
excitement for having seen such an extraordinary land. At the same time, their
disappointment for all the things they had not been able to learn started to
emerge. A couple happened to meet a boaster assuring them he knew Kriya Yoga
and could initiate them. This could only happen as long as they had kept it a total
secret without establishing any contact with other teachers. In this manner, the
boaster made sure that they would not realize that it was not Kriya Yoga they

62
were being taught. I could realize this only when, overcoming their inner
opposition, I had this technique explained to me as well; it was nothing more
than the mere repetition of a Mantra! What made me feel sorry about it was not
so much the great advantage gained by those braggers (the Gurudakshina --
donation -- they received meant a real fortune at my friends' expense) as for our
friends missing the opportunity of learning Kriya from other sources, in other
places.
Something different happened to a friend of mine who met a descendant
of Lahiri Mahasaya. This was one of the master's nephews, a man with a great
academic background and with a deep knowledge of Kriya, but my friend was
not able to learn anything from him. I was taken aback when he told me
"something bizarre". He told me that in Benares, and probably throughout rest of
India, Kriya Yoga was not practiced any longer. I kept enough control not to
interrupt or to challenge him, then by posing him apparently incidental questions,
I tried to understand what had happened. My friend, as he usually did, began
their discussion with trivialities like asking some information on Indian habits,
an Ashram's address where he had planned to go, then almost at the end of the
interview – he must have suddenly remembered he was in Lahiri Mahasaya's
house – he asked if any of the disciples of Lahiri were still practicing Kriya...
His demeanor must have frozen the eminent listener, because his answer resulted
in a sarcastically sour, negative response; in other words: "Definitely not, it is not
practiced any longer. I dare say it is not practiced throughout the whole Indian
peninsula. Rather, you surely must be the only one still practicing it!".
At the end of his explanations, my friend's eyes were looking at me
surprisingly. I am still not sure whether he was hoping to convince me or whether
he was just absorbed in bitter frustration. I did not pry into it. In my opinion, he
did not realize how foolish his discussion had been with that noble person. A
certain blow came for him one month later: he came to know that a man from his
same town had recently been initiated into Kriya Yoga from the very personage
he had met in Benares. He was so irritated by that news that he planned to go
back to India to raise a protest to that Kriya Acharya. Unfortunately, this is
something he did not have the chance to do; a serious disease killed him. In spite
of our huge character difference, I will always be grateful to this friend for all the
things that he shared with me concerning his spiritual path.

Another friend of mine remained for some days at an Ashram in the hope he
might receive initiation into Kriya Yoga. The leader of the Ashram was away, and
my friend received the initiation into Kriya Yoga from one of his disciples. In the
end, he acquired a large volume summarizing the techniques. At the end of his
trip, visibly content, he showed me that book; the techniques did not differ that
much from those I already knew, but there were many more details. However,
there was nothing contained in that book that could remove all my doubts; not a
single hint about how to obtain Kechari Mudra, nothing on Thokar either. On the
contrary, I can remember a very complicated technique based on the
visualization of the Chakras like they are described in Tantric texts. Each
technique was preceded by a theoretic introduction with quotations from ancient

63
books and an illustration which eliminated any possible doubt. In the last part of
the book a precise gradual routine was given. Of course, there was a note
guaranteeing that all the mentioned techniques constituted Kriya Yoga as taught
by Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya's mythical Guru.
Since that material was very interesting, I would have liked to yield to the
illusion that my quest had finally ended, since those notes contained what I was
asking for. I simply had to convince myself that Babaji had but made a synthesis
of Tantrism to obtain His Kriya Yoga. It was impudent to think that Thokar could
be considered no more than a variation of the Jalandhara Bandha! If the
instructions for Kechari Mudra were not there, never mind, it probably just
meant that … Kechari was not really so important! With a bit of good will and
application I could have closed the circle. Chance made me listen to the
recording of a conference of the author Swami S. S.. He discussed how he had
found those techniques in some tantric texts which he had translated; he then
made an accurate selection from them to form a coherent system which
constituted his system of Kriya. How was it possible, then, to have a note saying
that those teachings came directly from Babaji? Simple - as is the case with the
majority of Indian masters, he had the book written by his disciples; they had the
brilliant idea of making it more interesting by hinting that the techniques were
derived from the mythical Babaji. The teacher, reflecting another classic Indian
habit, never checked that material – he was taken aback later on, coming to know
about those "supplementary notes". He then tried to defend his disciples' work
stating that after all …. " Babaji's Kriya had Tantric origins".

Third Teacher outside the Organization

When the moment came to meet the long awaited teacher from India - the one, I
hoped, who was going to explain Kriya in its complete form - I was not in the
best mood. From some clues, I knew I was going to reckon with a radically new
approach. I was afraid that this could upset the simple and adequately profitable
routine into which I had settled. The magical realm of Omkar, into which my
previous teacher had immersed me in a passionate way, could be neither left
aside nor forgotten. I did not even dream about putting other principles in place
as a foundation for my spiritual path. This is why I approached my new teacher
with the idea of rejecting him if, somehow, he appeared to be trying to guide me
away from such a reality.
I met him in a Yoga center where he had been invited by some disciples.
The synthesis of his introductory speech was that Kriya didn't mean to inflate the
mind and the ego moving toward a hypothetical superior mind, but a journey
beyond the mind, into an uncontaminated territory. From certain answers to
people's questions, I came to know that he knew my former teacher and was
aware of his choice not to teach the whole body of the Kriya techniques. He
clearly communicated to us that the reason for his tour to the West was to re-
establish the original teachings. This was enough to overcome my initial
wariness.

64
During the following initiation seminar, I indulgently observed some
inadequacies in his behavior which shocked other students. He was hot-
tempered. He exploded with rage whenever he was addressed questions, even if
they were legitimate; he would always sense, underneath the words, a veiled
opposition - an intention of challenging his authority.
But I focused all my attention on the learning his form of Kriya and ignore
his patent faults. The technical explanation was reasonably clear but, in part,
unusually synthetic. For instance, his instructions on Pranayama - formally
correct - could be understood only by those who had already been practicing
Kriya Yoga for a long time.

Kechari Mudra

After three months of Talabya Kriya I achieved Kechari. One day, using my
fingers to push the base of the tongue inward, its tip remain "trapped" in the
nasal pharynx. I had some discomfort owing to an increase in salivation and a
sense of irritation. For some days I experienced a feeling of "dizziness" and my
mental faculties seemed to be fogged up. Then all this ceased and my Kriya flew
high. When I went out for a walk, if I met somebody and stopped to listen to
him, no matter what he said, a sudden joy would expand in my chest and rise to
my eyes to the point that I could barely hold back my tears. Looking at the
distant mountains or at other details of the landscape, I would try to direct my
feeling toward them in order to turn my paralyzing joy into aesthetic rapture;
only this could keep back the joy clutching my being, only this could hide it.
The best thing was to witness an increase of the Omkar experience. I was
overjoyed because I felt I had finally found the First Kriya complete set of
techniques. How come my first school didn't teach such a simple technique like
Talabya Kriya, preferring to endure endless polemics and speculations that
continue up to our present day? I wrote my reasons to the organization and left it
forever.

Navi Kriya and Internal Alchemy

While trying to explore the meaning of Navi Kriya I discovered the importance
of studying the Taoist Internal Alchemy. My first reference book was: Taoist
Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality by Charles Luk& Lu Kuan. My attention was
considerably stirred up; I remember how I photocopied many pages of the book,
cut out the most important pieces, put them in order and glued them on four
sheets of paper highlighting the four phases of Taoist Internal Alchemy. The
similarity with Kriya Yoga was really impressive.

The first stage is the basis of the whole process. It consists in activating the
Microcosmic Orbit. Awareness and energy (Qi) are raised during inhalation along
the Governor channel at the back of the spine and let flow down along the

65
Functional channel during exhalation. The purpose of this action is "to bring
Three to Two, Two to One". Let us see what this means. The three are Jing
(sexual energy), Qi (love energy) and Shen (spiritual energy). These energies are
blended, mixed together. They were originated by a fracture, a split at one's birth.
The first aim of activating the Microcosmic Orbit is to create harmony among
them and thus exert a permanent healing action upon the personality. This
procedure is very similar to Kriya Pranayama. Various metaphors used to
explain its mechanism (bagpipe turned upside-down, flute with no holes...) bring
back to our mind, with surprising similarity, some weird explanation about Kriya
Pranayama and Kriya in general -- which we have received from different Indian
sources.
In the second stage the energy stored in the head is conveyed into the
Dantian, behind the navel, in the lower abdomen. From the Dantian it ascends
spontaneously into the heart region. The description of this stage exemplify
clearly the principle of Navi Kriya.
In the third stage, Prana is increased in the thrusting channel. This
channel runs like a tube from the perineum to the Fontanelle through the center
of the body, in the front of the spine. In the fourth stage the energy reaches the
region between the eyebrows and a spontaneous phenomenon of circulation of
energy in the body, (the Macrocosmic Orbit) happens.

Kriya Yoga turns out to be a discipline which can be described through the
symbols of two different cultures. The idea comes that Kriya Yoga is the Taoist
Internal Alchemy, taught within an Indian context. It is not a weird idea that the
mythical Babaji was/is one of the "immortals" of the Taoist tradition. I studied
every title I could find on the subject (Taoism included). My enthusiastic
response derived from the intuition that Kriya Yoga and Taoist Internal Alchemy
shared a common foundation and by studying the latter, I could understand more
clearly the working of some Kriya techniques. There were two key ideas that
excited my interest in particular.

a. Sexual energy is the fuel of the spiritual energy


Very interesting to understand the vital action of Kriya Pranayama is what
Internal Alchemy explains about the three energies: Jing (sexual energy), Qi
(love energy) and Shen (spiritual energy). Kriya Pranayama creates harmony
among them and this is not clearly described in Kriya Yoga books. Through
Kriya Pranayama the sexual energy turns into pure love and this in spiritual
aspiration: this event implies a permanent healing action upon all one's
personality. Kriya Pranayama sets one person free from all bondages.
Sexual energy is not only what this name implies but also the agent that
makes us rejoice in the sensory perceptions, and that which gives us the strength
and the determination to fight the battle of life and to achieve all the things we
need (unfortunately, another reason why we fight is to achieve things which are
superfluous to our living, but this is another problem...!). The energy of love is a
deep feeling toward another person, living creatures, life in general and also the
joy felt beholding a work of art. It is the fuel of fair-minded actions born out of

66
inner, noble instincts and ethical laws. The spiritual energy vibrates during the
highest peaks of aesthetic contemplation, where the vast prophetic visions may
manifest. It has been explained that these energies derive from one unique realty,
their division being originated at our birth and reinforced by education and social
living. Many religious paths teach to maintain, rather to cultivate as a virtue, the
division between matter and spirit - and sexuality is repressed as unholy. We
know that this point is the main cause of nerve-wracking conflicts in spiritually
minded people. During Kriya Pranayama, breath after breath, the sexual
thoughts (which seem to be reinforced) will turn into love thoughts. The energy
of love acquires strength, the determination not to succumb to any obstacle; it is
then raised into the head where it mixes with the energy of the Spirit. Any split in
our personality will disappear: our many-sided life begins to flow naturally,
unimpeded toward Spirit.
Now, in order that this happens, the energy has to come up to the head and
then flow down into the body passing through the tongue. Some kriyabans, -
especially if they don't practice Kechari Mudra - during the initial deep breaths
of their Kriya Pranayama, develop sexual thoughts - it is not unusual they
become sexually aroused. This event should not result in disappointment and
loss of self-esteem! It is comfortable to be reassured that this is a normal
phenomenon. They should assume Kechari Mudra, either proper or a simplified
form of it, and concentrate, during exhalation, on the flow of Prana coming down
from the top of the brain, passing through the tip of the tongue into the throat and
into the body, each part of the body, as a beatific, healing rain restoring life in the
body. They will immediately experience how sexual thoughts disappear and
become pure love. This great energy of love will gradually turn into pure
aspiration for the spiritual goal.

b. The Macrocosmic Orbit embodies the perfection of Kriya Pranayama


When the three energies (sexual, love and spiritual) are mixed harmoniously,
they create the elixir of immortality. It trickles down into the body and feeds
every cell. This happens in a state called "prenatal breathing" which is a
movement of internal energy that gives perceptions similar to those obtained
through the Microcosmic Orbit but is now experienced in the breathless state
(Kevala Kumbhaka). This refined experience makes the spiritual path complete:
the Divine is infused into our body. The spiritual path does not end with a flight
out of the body toward the rarefied dimensions of the Spirit. The Macrocosmic
Orbit discloses undreamed of sceneries. It appears as an experience of perfect
Beauty.

When I had enough confidence to communicate my discovery to my third


teacher, he reacted annoyed claiming that Navi Kriya was pure Yoga and was
quoted by Patanjali too. Patanjali (Sutra III/29) simply states: "nābhicakre
kāyavyūhajñānamḥ" which is translated: "by concentration on the navel, the
seeker obtains knowledge about the different organs of the body and their
location". In my own small way, I saw that this Sutra had nothing to do with

67
Navi Kriya's aim.

I had long, passionate talks with people who had studied and followed that path
for decades. It was of great help to read some articles and essays written by
Michael Winn. This researcher studied Kundalini Yoga in the late 70's and Kriya
Yoga afterwards with a renowned teacher. He observed that while through
Kundalini Yoga one is just trying to climb up to the crown of their head to
experience there divine ecstasy, in the Taoist Internal Alchemy one utilizes that
state to reach the body, nurture and transform it. He noticed that, although Kriya
Yoga has many parallels with the Taoist Internal Alchemy, it is substantially a
"fire" path, a path of "ascent". But any energy movement upward has to be
balanced by a movement downward, until one settles in the still point of no
movement. In our body that point is the Dan Tian, the doorway to reach the
prenatal state of blissful breathlessness. Michael Winn was wholly devoted to
Taoist Internal Alchemy and Qigong (Chi Kung). According to him no tradition
respects the whole mystery of human nature as deeply as the Taoist Internal
Alchemy. One who wants to follow the spiritual path could avoid a wide range of
problems by listening to the practical wisdom it embodies. He took the binding
appointment of teaching only from direct personal experience. In his opinion,
oral or written teachings may become traps: only the living experience promotes
the true self-inquiry which leads to Self realization. One should take the
teachings received by the tradition into consideration, try them with a lot of
respect and take also the courage to solve the problems that might arise alone. He
reports that, in the many years of his own practice, he has evolved toward
simplicity -- he is confident that somebody will take his refinements and improve
on them.
Among the very interesting information that I found in his writings, I was
surprised to learn that the annoying problem of secrecy concerns also the Taoist
Internal Alchemy. As usual it was claimed that secrecy was meant to protect the
purity of the lineage and prevent corruption by selfish people who might abuse
the spiritual power gained... The author maintains that these are pretexts, not
sincere and not sufficiently thought over. Actually, a taoist said to him: "We don't
know why the ancients kept it so secret. We just imitate them". Michael Winn's
noble definitive position is that if one feels spiritually attracted to some particular
teaching and feels worthy to receive it, then he has the right to learn it without
groveling at anyone's feet. No human being should be denied the opportunity of
achieving true spiritual independence!

The Teaching of Krishnamurti

Since the works of Sri Krishnamurti (Krishnaji for those who loved him) were
the source from which my third teacher drew to full hands for his discourses
about the damages caused by the vices of the human mind, I put my heart and
my soul into a systematic study of them.
The first line I read was: "... thought is cunning, with infinite possibilities

68
of self-deception." How true! The odd thing was that Krishnaji's thought
contained the crucial and conclusive boost that would assist me, after many years
of controversial but loyal discipleship, to break any dependence toward my third
teacher. Krishnamurti said what was then difficult to fully agree with: "What is
the need of a Guru? [...] You have to walk by yourself, you have to take the
journey alone, and on that journey you have to be your own teacher and pupil."
While I was reading these lines, I felt undoubtedly they expressed a deep truth
but my logic suggested peremptorily: "This is a sophism: even Krishnaji acted as
a Guru and acts upon me just now through his writings". The time was not
mature yet to actualize his words: fear held me back. Many mistakes had to be
conceived, carry out and digested.
For the present moment, the concept that entered my mind was that Kriya
Yoga (Krishnaji referred in general to "meditation") leads to a territory that
cannot be grasped by reasonings, by the many fantasies of the human mind. He
hinted at something immense: a stream of truth that has no beginning and no end.
I studied many books by this author but I was literally overcome by the beauty of
The only revolution. I walked in the country looking at all things with my senses
fully awake, but without a single thought in my mind. How difficult it was! But it
was not impossible. How right was Krishnaji when he said: "life begins where
thought ends." I had a great necessity of recreating silence around me, of
returning to simplicity, of finding the time to contemplate again Beauty. Walking
with this attitude became pure and constant Bliss! During recent years Beauty
was always around me but I didn't noticed it because I was lost in my mental
constructions based on New Age fantasies, on pseudo spiritual literature which
was actually trash. I was not able to see that Beauty for I was lost -- as Krishnaji
would say -- in the "Beauty of my own making." The more I read Krishnaji, the
more I felt I had recently crossed a hell. The obsession for finding the techniques
of the "Original Kriya" didn't emanate from a heightened form of spirituality but
was no different to the desire for material things. Actually, it was with this poor
attitude that, partially unaware, I was living my hectic search. It was distracting,
preventing me from enjoying what I already had, and impoverished me, draining
me of the flow of genuine aspiration toward the Divine.
The effort to create mental silence brought me at the very beginning of my
spiritual path. I remember how I decided to conquer the tendency to day-dream
and jump from one memory to another during my idle moments. At that time, I
knew perfectly that unbridled thought was a real addiction, a vice, giving
moments of pleasure but being the primary cause of many misery. It was to
discipline myself that I considered studying the art of Pranayama and discovered
Kriya Yoga.
I saw it was time to put a definitive end to my relationship with the New
Age world, avoiding those people who seemed irremediably lost in it.

A pranotherapeut got into the habit of coming unrequested into my life to rob me
of my time and peace -- she wanted to teach me "to live with the heart". Since
years she was putting stress on me criticizing my rationality and excessive
commitment to Kriya Yoga. Undoubtedly she thought I was cold-hearted. But I

69
had a compassionate heart suffering of losing my time with her. It was with my
all heart that I gave her the right to swim in her mental swamps and estranged
forever myself from her presence.

In that period I read also Puran Purush by Ashoke Kumar Chatterjee). Although
it does not seem to respect a logical order in the topics and contains an endless
number of repetitions and rhetorical sentences, I think that studying it can help
more than any other books to understand Lahiri Mahasaya's personality -- thus,
the core of Kriya may be reached as fast as an arrow. Puran Purush is based on
Lahiri Mahasaya's diaries. It came out in Bengali (then in French and in English),
thanks to one of Lahiri Mahasaya's nephews, Satya Charan Lahiri (1902-1978),
who had material access to those diaries. Helped by his main disciple Ashoke
Kumar Chatterjee, he decided to make a selection of the main thoughts which
might be useful to those who practiced Kriya. Remarkable is the great
importance he gave to Pranayama, Thokar and Yoni Mudra. It shows his skill in
communicating complicated abstract concepts when he affirms that the whole
course of Kriya is a great adventure beginning with a dynamic Prana and ending
with a static Prana. One feels a thrill of delight by reading sentences which have
light in themselves: "Kutastha is God, he is the supreme Brahma".
During summer I used to have this book with me in the countryside; many
times, after reading a part of it, I would raise my eyes to the distant mountaintops
and repeat inside of me "At long last…!". I looked at the photograph of Lahiri
Mahasaya on the front cover; who knows what a state of bliss he was in while
being photographed! I saw some horizontal lines on his forehead, his eyebrows
raised like in the Shambhavi Mudra, where awareness is set upon the head; a
slight tension of his chin seemed to reveal he was practicing Kechari Mudra.
During those days, his figure, with that blissful smile, was a sun in my heart; he
was the symbol of the perfection I yearned after.

I also read the commentaries on some sacred writings attributed to Lahiri Mahasaya. In
these commentaries, he explained the meaning of the sacred texts. Later, his disciple P.
Bhattacharya printed these interpretations. These books were little known for a long
time, as they were written in Bengali. They were later translated into English. A lot of
people studied that material with enthusiasm, hoping to find there some useful
information, yet they were disappointed. We are not able to extract anything useful from
them. I dare not say they are adulterated but I think that their value - from an exegetic
point of view - is almost null. It seems to me almost impossible that they came really
from Lahiri Mahasaya: I don't find the same practical wisdom and tremendous
realization expressed in his diaries. I find rather a mind with an almost maniacal
tendency to interpret each thing in the light of Kriya, as if centuries before, the authors
of those spiritual works knew exactly one by one all the Kriya techniques. According to
my discernment, it is possible to hypothesize that, reading the verses of those texts,
Lahiri Mahasaya was transported from the force of his insight, forgot completely the
starting point and, entranced, talked extensively and freely about the subtleties of Kriya.
What he said on that occasion could have been taken as a specific comment to that text.
Furthermore, it is possible that, in order to publish those hard-to-understand notes, the
editor had them completed with parts of his own comprehension.

70
Higher Kriyas and Incremental Routines

It was in that period that I became familiar with the concept of Incremental
Routine which I immediately considered heaven-sent. When we think of the
Kriya practice we imagine the classic unvarying scheme which consists in a daily
practice of the same set of techniques, changing neither their order of practice
nor the number of their repetitions. An Incremental Routine is a particular feature
of Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya. It consists in once a week, for a certain number of
weeks (20 – 24 – 36 …), putting the usual routine aside and using only one
technique, whose number of repetitions is gradually increased up to a certain
amount that the tradition has handed down as optimal. This is the most
remunerative Kriya praxis because it leads to the mastery (unimaginable with
any other scheme of practice) of the techniques which are utilized for such
procedure; it has also a positive effect on one's personality, releasing it from
many inner obstacles. This procedure can be applied to each Kriya technique, in
particular to Navi Kriya, Kriya Pranayama and to all the Higher Kriyas.

These routines soon revealed their great heuristic value. The essential core of
each technique, deprived of any embellishment, appeared as something fixed,
definite, inevitable - something that could not be but that way. If a certain
variation of a Kriya technique was redundant or ineffective, it would fall away
by itself. What remained was just the simplest logical translation of Lahiri
Mahasaya's words into practice.
During the long sessions of the incremental routines of Navi Kriya and of
Kriya Pranayama, often an invincible drowsiness overpowered all my best
efforts. On the inner screen of my awareness was displaying a lot of images like
dreamlike visions. No help came from changing the position of the legs,
practicing Maha Mudra several times, or interrupting for a short pause the
practice. Many times I wondered what benefit, if any, could be received from
what seemed to be a voyage into the unconscious world of dreams. Yet I didn't
abandon my project and went on increasing the length of my sessions. From a
certain moment onwards, especially by adopting Kechari Mudra, the drowsiness
changed into an extraordinary condition of relaxation. I couldn't understand how
I dwelt now in the most complete tranquility having practiced hundreds of such
breaths, while once, after 60 repetitions of Pranayama, I developed so much
nervousness that I couldn't remain sitting.
The period in which I plunged head-first into the incremental routine of
Thokar was really a magic one: I would lie if I do not affirm that I have an
endless nostalgia for those days. I believe I had really overworked it by using too
much this incomparable tool. I started this routine at the beginning of March on
a near perfect day under a flawless blue sky, where the crisp pure air invited me
to practice outside in its beauty. The Mantra's syllables, which I would carefully
place into each Chakra, would warm me up, the way the sun warms up the land
around. When in the late afternoon the practice neared the end, I was more keen

71
on enjoying the vibration of each syllable. After each syllable, I created a short
pause, enough to perceive the sweet irradiation springing out from each center.
This amplified the experience of joy - limitlessly. One evening, a sound of tolling
bells came from a distant village - it was like a cascade of light! So unexpected
was it! A part of my mind went on repeating: "A human being has never been
granted so much joy!"

All went on in the best of ways. I was living a magnificent period. One day I had
a visit from the couple that organized the master's tours in Germany. I had
become acquainted with those kind friends during the seminars of my previous
teacher S.H.. Meeting again and considering the actual situation we rejoiced
together. Talking, we underlined the necessity of making a particular proposal to
our teacher: to organize, at the end of his future Kriya initiation seminars, a
guided group practice which served as a review both for the new initiates and for
those who were already practicing. I occupied myself with making this proposal
reach the teacher through a friend who went to India. I gave him a letter to
deliver to the teacher with my regards and a warm embrace. Master's reaction
was inexplicable. As a reply, he crossed me off his list of disciples. His decision
was transmitted to the Italian coordinator, who did not even inform me. Some
months went by and probably my experience with that teacher would have ended
that way, had I not went to welcome him back to Europe. We exchange hugs as
nothing had happened. He probably interpreted my presence there as a move of
repentance. (Actually, he had interpreted my letter as an oblique criticism.) When
his collaborator, with a slight indecipherable hint of embarrassment, explained
me what happened behind the scenes, I was appalled and disoriented. In order
not to disturb the peace of all the persons who were with me to receive initiation
in the Higher Kriyas, I decided to pretend nothing happened, keep on
collaborating with him and to drop the theme of my letter. But I deliberately
began to control myself and took the resolution not to give him any unsolicited
advice in the future.
In order to explain the definitive crack in our relationship, it is necessary
to refer again to the haste and shallowness with which he explained the Kriya
techniques. The introductory lecture to the Kriya (which was usually held the
evening before initiation) and a big part of the seminar of initiation was devoted
to a pure philosophical talk which didn't touch the bases of Kriya Yoga but was a
summing up of Krishnamurti's strong points, mainly the theme of no-mind,
which he improperly called Swadhyaya. There was no part of it that could be
criticized, all he said was correct, but many students, being uncomfortable sitting
on the floor, with aching back and knees, waited just for the explanation of the
techniques, enduring its length as a giant bummer.
The traditional offerings (he required also a coconut, which in our place
was very difficult to find, forcing the students to desperately look for it store
after store) laid heaped up disorderly before a scruffy altar. Since he usually
arrived with great delay relative to the agreed time, those who came from other
cities saw all their plans for the return journey falling through and were very
anxious.

72
When, just in time to catch the last train, someone had already left the
room, despite it being late and people being tired, he loved to linger on
Patanjali's Yama and Niyama, taking all the necessary time to ask the audience to
take a solemn vow: that, from now onwards, the male students would look at
women (except their wife) as mothers and, correspondingly, women would look
at men (except their husband) as fathers. The public listened to his vain words
with a sigh of ill-concealed nuisance. Everyone gave an assent with a nod, just to
stop his ravings. 12
Only then he switched to a hurried explanation of the basic techniques.
One day I decided to time him: the explanation of the fundamental technique of
Pranayama was offered in no more than two minutes! He demonstrated
Pranayama by means of an excessively loud vibratory sound. He knew that this
sound was not correct, but he continued using it in order to be heard by the last
rows of students too, sparing himself the annoyance of getting up and walking
among them, as Kriya teachers usually do. In any case, he would not bother to
say that the sound had to be smooth rather than vibrating. I know that many of
the students, believing that this was the "secret" he had brought from India, tried
to reproduce the same noise. He carried on that way for years, in spite of his
close collaborators' polite complaints.
As for Higher Kriyas the situation was the same. It happened that from
one year to another he demonstrated Thokar in a visibly different way. When one
among the listeners asked him about the reason for the changes, he argued he had
not changed anything and that, in the past seminars, a problem of translation
might have occurred. People remembered very well the head movements they
had formerly seen: his lie was too evident. Although I spent weeks with him, it
was not possible that we discussed this technical detail together. Months later,
during another tour, when we were alone and he was seeking something in a
room, I found the courage to drop a hint about a technical issue, which set one
Kriya school against another. He suddenly turned toward me with his eyes
showing such a hate as if he was in the act of killing me; he shouted that my
practice was not his business. This, according to what I'm able to remember, was
the sole technical "discourse" I had with him in the course of my six years with
him.
Confronted with other minor changes from one year to another, I had the
impression that I was cooperating with an archaeologist who was deliberately
altering certain findings in order to justify them to the public in the theoretical
12
I respect of course Yama-Niyama (the what-is-correct and the what-is-not-correct)
but, in my opinion, requiring people who are anxious for learning Kriya Yoga
techniques to take an oath to obey them is only a farce and a waste of time. My
teacher's request in particular was impossible, an oath that no one would ever respect.
Why not put confidence in the transforming power of Kriya? Why thinking that without
oaths, a kriyaban's life would be licentious? The necessity of accepting definite ways of
behavior, is something that appears spontaneously after having tasted the honey of the
spiritual experience. Perhaps in the beginning the best thing is not to cry shame because
of a problematic student's behavior. To put it simply, it has been seen that people living
a morally questionable life were successful in Kriya, coming spontaneously to the so-
called virtuous life, while a lot of conformists failed.

73
framework to which he was accustomed. I saw that so many things were not
going in the right direction. My subconscious mind was beginning to rebel. I can
vividly remember a dream in which I was swimming in manure. I felt that this
man, whose every small whim I tried to satisfy as if I was doing a sacred deed,
did not love Kriya. He used it, instead, only to conduct a more beautiful life here
in the West compared to the wretched life in India -- which he had often
described to me. I helped to organize his tours in a way so that he could spread
Kriya in his rushed, superficial manner: behind my mask of fake delight hid a
dry agony. There were moments in which, thinking of my meek beginning in the
practice of Yoga, my heart felt an indefinite nostalgia for that period which was
waiting for nothing but consistency and honesty on my side to rise again and
blossom unimpeded. Often I repeated like a Mantra these verses from a poem
(Journey's End) of Sri Aurobindo:

Now the wasteland, now the silence;


A blank dark wall, and behind it heaven.

Turning Point

For reasons that I don't want to explore here, one day he asked me to teach Kriya
to those who were interested and who couldn't meet him in his tours. I rejoiced at
this opportunity because I dreamed I could finally explain Kriya in a complete
and exhaustive way. I wanted no student to feel the pain of seeing a legitimate
question unconsidered.
After some months -- about a dozen people had received Kriya -- I sensed
I was doing a virtually useless work. I gave Kriya initiation following the fixed
protocol by which he bid me to abide. After introducing the theme of no-mind, I
switched to the explanation of the basic techniques. I took leave of those
students, by counseling a minimal routine, well knowing that they would practice
for some weeks, then most of them would leave everything and pursue other
esoteric interests. One or two among the most tenacious students made up some
questions and called me just to have the illusion of carrying on, from a distance,
a relationship with a real person. I answered kindly but succinctly and invited
them to the next seminar where my teacher would be present.
Usually, they didn't "survive" such a meeting. Observing in my teacher the
most total lack of human understanding, they entered a deep crisis. They doubted
that Kriya worked and that they had made the right choice in receiving initiation
in it.
Another year went by. As an answer to some friends abroad, I went on
behalf of my teacher to their group to teach them Kriya Yoga. There I met a very
serious student who was already familiar with my teacher's behavior and was
taking part in the initiation ceremony only as a revision. He asked me a lot of
pertinent questions, always getting accurate answers. That was the point when he
asked me: "From whom have you learned all these details?". He knew well that
my teacher was a total disaster from a didactic point of view. He perceived that I
had learned many details from other sources. How could I ever give Kriya
initiation using a knowledge that did not originate from my teacher?

74
He could understand my predicament but was surprised that, since I was
authorized to teach Kriya, I had never found the chance to talk freely with him
about the Kriya details! It was logical and befitting for me to settle the matter as
soon as possible. Knowing how irascible the disposition of my teacher was, I
hesitated a lot, but there was no other way out. Through a friend, I sent him a fax
where I mentioned the matter at hand and prayed him to arrange his schedule in a
way that we could discuss it after his arrival in my group during his next tour. He
was in Australia, but within one week at the latest I would have received his
answer.
My subconscious mind was ready for the cataclysm, in anticipation of an
event I intuitively knew would come. The most probable situation was that my
teacher would have become very angry and would have flown into a fury. If the
whole situation slipped out of my hands and, as a result of our break, he would
stop coming to our group, those people who loved him would suffer. Few people,
in fact, would be able to comprehend the reason for my action. I would have
been the one who had disturbed an imperfect, yet comfortable, situation. My
friends liked him; his annual visit was a powerful stimulus to their effort; they
got themselves up for his visit with an intense practice of Kriya.
A harsh reply from my third teacher came just a few days later. In a
disdainful way, he did not address it directly to me but pretended to answer back
to the 'persona' that had materially sent my letter via fax. He wrote that my
excessive attachment to the techniques would never let me out of the fences of
my mind -- I was like S. Thomas, too desirous to touch with my hand and verify
the goodness of his teachings. He added that he would have satisfied my request
but only for gratifying my ego.
Reading the term "gratification," I saw he had understood nothing. We should
have talked to each other long before it came to this! I wondered why he had
never let me express my concerns. I didn't want to contest him, I didn't want to
destroy him; the necessity that brought me to write to him was to establish once
and for all what I was supposed to communicate and what not to communicate to
the kriyabans during initiation. Why did he always evade me?
I decided to behave in a candid way as if I had not perceived his tone: I
had the desire to see what he was capable of doing. I neither apologized nor
answered in a resentful tone. I wrote that, since I taught Kriya on his behalf, a
mutual talk about some Kriya details was necessary. I added that at such an event
the other three people in Europe, authorized by him to impart the Kriya
initiation, could also be present. I thus made him understand that he would have
not wasted his time and breath only for me. I did not receive, neither then nor
later, any answer. Some weeks later I was shown that on his Internet site the plan
of his visit to Italy had changed and the name of my town had been taken off; my
second letter had brought about a definitive split. The nightmare was over!
I took a one day vacation and had a long walk; I roamed a lot, tensely,
imagining a hypothetical talk with him. All of a sudden I found myself crying
with joy. It was too beautiful: I was free, I had been too many years with him,
and now all that really ended!

75
CHAPTER 5
A CLEAN MYSTICAL PATH

The years that followed the break-up with my last teacher were completely
different from the previously described years. Having dismissed that rascal from
my life, an enervating situation was over. I didn't have to go here and there to
organize Kriya seminars; while replying to those who called me to ask
information about him, I was relieved of any constraint of wearing a mask of
hypocrisy.
This split of my relationship with that teacher was perceived with
bewilderment by those friends who felt they were his disciples. In time they
understood the deep-seated motives of my breakup and expressed solidarity with
me. Like a domino effect, other coordinators in Europe, who had hardly been
tolerating his bad manners, took advantage of that episode to also break any
contact with him. They were fed up with the dullness of his philosophical
discourses followed by scanty technical explanations, which didn't quench their
thirst for a thoroughly understanding of Kriya.
I had not even a faint idea of what our group was to become without a
teacher joining us in the near future. The sense of all the time wasted -- of all the
silly things which had been carried out thoughtlessly -- was weighing me down.
My first organization of Kriya and the other teachers that I followed for so many
years had disappointed me for one reason. None of them taught Kriya in a
serious way. Better said: when it came to teach simple and banal things that even
kindergarten children could understood, there was a great profusion of words, the
concepts were repeated ad nauseam; when they came near the core issues and
when among the public there was one who politely but with determination asked
a precise explanation, they seemed to come out of an hypnotic state and, visibly
vexed, tried to humiliate the scrupulous student and silence him.
Some months later the wheel of good fortune seemed to be turning again;
there was the possibility of inviting a new Kriya Acharya to Europe. As he was
well qualified for his role, I accepted to cooperate with this project, bearing part
of its cost. An intimate kriyaban friend went to India to meet this teacher for a
private interview.

Musings upon the Guru-disciple Relationship

It was Winter. One day I went to the nearby mountains to ski with a couple of
friends. All went magnificently. During a break in the afternoon, I manage to
remain alone. I found myself looking at the mountains marking out the
boundaries of the distant horizon in all directions. In less than half an hour the
sun would paint them pink – of an intense hue on their eastern side and tinged
with blue on the western side. I imagined India to be right behind them, the
Himalayas being their continuation. My thought went to all the Kriya enthusiasts
who found, as I did, insurmountable obstacles in the understanding of that
beloved discipline. All those obstacles seemed to me an absurdity that wore the

76
clothes of a nightmare -- I felt an infinite rebellion.
I visualized a book on Kriya explaining every technique in great detail.
How often have I wondered what would have happened if Lahiri Mahasaya or
one of his disciples had written it! My imagination led me to fantasize about its
cover, to skim its few pages – sober, yet very rich in content. If this book existed,
we would have a reliable manual of Kriya that would have restrained the many
small or large variations made up by various teachers. Perhaps some annotator
would try to force its meaning into his own theories. Nay, I'm sure that some
pseudo-guru would say that the techniques described in it were for beginners
only, while there were much more complicated techniques which could only be
passed on by an authorized teacher to chosen disciples. Some people would
swallow that bait, contact the author and pay good money to be introduced to the
rubbish that, either through fancy or borrowed from some esoteric book, he had
assembled. This happens, this is part of our human nature. However, sincere
researchers would surely be able to recognize the strength and self-sufficient
intrinsic evidence of the original text....
The problem consisted in the fact that mine was only a day dream! I let
my thoughts stray toward what could have happened if I had written it. For the
first time I dared to contemplate this prospect. It was hard, yet possible, to
summarize the totality of my knowledge of Kriya into a book -- welding together
techniques and theories through a clean, rational vision. The intention was
definitely not to celebrate myself or lay the foundations for yet another new
school of Kriya. If I was describing my experiences, this would only be with the
purpose of clarifying theoretic and technical explanations. No more rhetorical
claims of legitimacy and riddle-like sentences to allow the reader to guess at
some technical details and, at the same time, creating further doubts! I was day
dreaming of a book which would prove its validity by attempting to reproduce
Lahiri Mahasaya's thought, in the simplest and most logical way, in a complete,
harmonious set of techniques! It came to my mind the book: Hatha Yoga: The
Report of a Personal Experience by Theos Bernard. 13 A similar book on Kriya
would be a real blessing for scholars and researchers. My book could not be a
threat to any honest Kriya Acharya's activity, especially if they had accepted to
teach the entire Kriya properly - gradually, of course, with the required care -
without keeping anything for themselves. Good teachers are and will always be
needed, in any field, when a skill is to be transmitted. But how could one
highlight this to them, without being at odds with the deeply-rooted conditioning
of their "cerebral chemistry"? Of course, some teachers of Kriya - those who get
by on donations received during rituals of initiation and who exert power over
people thanks to the pledge of secrecy - would consider my book as a real threat.
Maybe what was virtually eternal for them (living like a lord, surrounded by

13
This extraordinary handbook, better than all the others, clarifies the teachings
contained in the three fundamental texts of Tantrism: Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda
Samhita and Shiva Samhita. In spite of having been published many years ago and of
the several texts of Hatha Yoga appearing recently, that book is still one of the best.
Old, 'dusty' techniques once again became relevant, feasible, comprehensible in front of
the eyes of our intuition.

77
people who have to meet all their needs with the hope of getting the crumbs of
their "secrets") might change, and they would be fearful of that. They would try
to destroy its credibility by means of a pitiless censorship. I anticipated their
scornful comments uttered while skimming its pages: "It contains only stories
that have nothing to do with Babaji's and Lahiri Mahasaya's teachings. It spreads
a false teaching!" Other people for different reasons could not like the book,
either because they are taken aback by the barrenness of an exposition deprived
of frills, which hurts their convictions, or because their refined sensibility does
not manage to catch that 'vibration' which should characterize the authenticity of
the author's experience. Only those who love Kriya more than their whims
would feel an enormous relief in finding it in an esoteric library. I was already
living in their happiness. Thanks to them, the book would continue to circulate,
and who knows how many times it would get back to the teacher who had
decreed its unforgivable flaws. At times he would have to pretend not to notice
that a student was browsing through its pages during his seminars, thus missing a
part of the conference…
By staring into the blue of the sky above the gilded mountain brims, I saw
that bizarre situation as poignantly real. Each part of my dream had developed in
the space of a few seconds, invaded my consciousness as a swollen torrent, as if
every part of it had already been rehearsed and cherished innumerable times.

But when I returned to my life, I got choked up by my doubts. How could I find
the courage to violate the vow of secrecy, coarsely challenging the sacredness of
the Guru-disciple relationship as the unique way to be instructed in Kriya? For
sure, an innumerable amount of times I had thought: "Such a rule is the cause of
disastrous effects, of excruciating conflicts and sufferings; they say it is sacred,
but it cannot be: it is human, the outcome of petty calculations".
In my experience, secrecy was a blind dogma, insensitive to the suffering
of many researchers. I recalled what happened many, many times when some
friends of mine who didn't understand English, asked to receive initiation into the
Higher Kriyas -- such instruction was given only in written form to those who
had completed the study of the complete set of lessons which existed only in
English, German and Spanish. The answer was always an inflexible no. I
perceived this as a cruel form of discrimination.
I remembered a couple of cases in which the rigid injunction had been
broken by common sense. People who were otherwise faithful to the
organization had, under exceptional conditions, broken that rule. A kriyaban
explained the dynamics of Kriya Pranayama to his invalid, but willing and
capable to practice it, mother. In another case that really made me uneasy, a
Catholic priest sincerely desired to learn Kriya but could not receive it from the
right channels because of an issue of conscience in the act of signing the
application form of the lessons; he found a kriyaban who explained to him the
technique and shared with him his lessons -- that was an action he was strictly
forbidden to do.
However, it was clear that writing a book was all another thing: this very
idea created a painful grip in my breast along with a general sense of uneasiness

78
and unreality. I understood that in order to be at peace with myself, I had first to
analyze in depth the concept of Guru. If the Guru-disciple relationship is an
illusion that one day will dissolve, how should it be considered, how should we
relate to it, during that long phase of the path in which the illusion appears to us
at all effects as reality?
Certainly the Guru cannot be considered identical to God. Lahiri
Mahasaya refused to be worshiped as a God. This is a point that some among His
followers seem to have forgotten. Actually he said: "I am not the Guru, I don't
maintain a barrier between the true Guru (the Divine) and the disciple". He
added that he wanted to be considered like "a mirror". In other words, each
kriyaban should look at him not as an unreachable ideal, but as the
personification of all the wisdom and spiritual realization which, in due time, the
Kriya practice will be able to produce. When kriyabans realize that their Guru is
the personification of what resides potentially inside themselves, of what one day
they will become, then that mirror must be "thrown away". 14
Some years before, I was perplexed when representatives of my first
organization suggested that Guru and God were one and the same reality. A chief
of the most important Italian branch of my school had once instructed me: "Don't
you understand that P.Y. is the Divine Mother Herself"? Only now I was able to
see how extraneous this teaching was from my sensitivity. From the idea that
Guru and God are the same reality, there comes the idea that the organization is
the materialization of God's will. Now, if there were no request of secrecy, the
Guru-God would belong to everyone, would inevitably become more "human".
The organization would become just an institution devoted to publishing the
works of the Master. Only through the dogma of secrecy could they hope to
maintain that a kriyaban cannot approach God, if not through that Guru and that
organization. The myth of secrecy allows the myths of the irreplaceable role of
the organization to be kept alive.
Other justifications for this myth appear fragile. They claim that secrecy
helps "to maintain the purity of the teachings". Knowing some minor but
however important alterations in the practice of Kriya supported by
organizations, it would be better to affirm: "to maintain the purity of the
modifications!" I might be wrong, but I feel that the unique benefit of secrecy
for an individual is to have one's pleasure of possessing something exclusive
reach a fever pitch. 15 I am aware that this individual may truly feel that the
14
Whether one likes it or not, that is exactly what He wrote: thrown away. People who
have been raised with the usual dogmas about the Guru-disciple relationship are
prevented from fully understanding the impact of these words, otherwise they would
face a strong conflict within themselves. To face the truth, it takes courage and an
intelligent, discriminating approach to abandon one's own illusions, especially those
that are nice and gratifying. Besides courage, it takes also a good brain capable of
overcoming the tendency to be easily swayed.
15
It is strange to remark that only in the world of initiatic magic a method is deprived of
its value if it is learned in non-conventional ways. The threat of possible calamities that
would happen to whom infringes the dogma of secrecy clashes with everything we read
in the biographies of the saints; it instead perfectly suits those of the esoteric-magic
dimension of certain societies – rather, secrecy is essential to their preservation.

79
spiritual vibrations received through formal Initiation brought his practice to a
"higher octave". I won't dare to contradict him. But if one day he will dismiss the
practice, rejecting all the Kriya matter as an overcome obsession, no one will
deprive me the pleasure of asking where have all those spiritual vibrations gone
and ... what "octave" is he now attuned to.
Again my thought had turned onto a minor point. The weird thing was that
the word Guru was attributed to a person whom the disciples had not known
directly. Students were required to swear their everlasting devotion not only to
one person but also to a chain of Masters, even if only one of them was to be
regarded as the Guru-preceptor. It is the Guru-preceptor that introduces you to
God. There is no other way to achieve Self realization. Once the students were
initiated into a spiritual discipline by the "legitimate channels" (authorized
disciples), the departed Guru was said to be real and present in their life. They
were taught that their Guru would burn somehow a part of their Karma and
protect them evermore; he was a special aid chosen by God Himself even before
they began to seek the spiritual path. Looking for a different spiritual teaching
amounted to "a hateful rejection of the Divine’s hand, stretched out to offer
benediction". A spiritual researcher with a balanced rational-devotional approach
has good reason to be baffled by this.

My thoughts began to revolve again around the situation of the diffusion of


Kriya. It was very difficult for me to put all the crucial points in a logic order. I
tried to think sequentially but either the mental and physical fatigue was
impairing my reasoning ability or different conditionings carved in my brain
acted as entities which had a life of their own. Each time I tried to organize my
vision in a well-integrated and coherent whole, this, for one reason or another,
appeared to me as a monstrosity.
One evening, while I practiced Pranayama with the awareness totally
centered in Sahasrara and the tongue in Kechari Mudra, I had the inner vision of
three beautiful mountains. The central mountain, the highest, was black; its form
reminded me of the point of an arrow made of obsidian. My heart exulted, I was
madly enamored of that image; I found myself crying for joy. I remained as calm
as possible to feel that particular strength and pressure that increased tightening
the whole region of my chest with its grip of beatitude. That image was strong,
tremendously vivid in my inner vision. There could be nothing more beautiful: it
made me mad with love. I had the impression of having cast a glance toward the
misty sources from which my current trend of life originated. It was as if an inner
thread linked all my past actions to that image, receiving meaning and
significance from it.
That mountain was the symbol of the universal spiritual path. It talked to
my intuition: "A Guru might be very important to your spiritual development,
but your personal effort when you remain alone is far more important. In any
Guru-disciple relationship there comes a moment when you remain alone and
you awaken to the realization that your path is a solitary flight between you and
your indwelling Self. The Guru-disciple relationship is an illusion -- useful and
comfortable -- appearing real until you are not overcome by what surpasses your

80
mind."
That glaring intuition faded away after a couple of days. One evening,
after a long walk, subdued by a sudden tiredness, I dragged myself back home.
Worn-out by my thoughts, the problem of the Guru-disciple relationship
emerged, obscurely, more as a wound than as a theory unfolding its myths. In my
room, I set the record player on "repeat", playing Beethoven's second movement
of the Emperor Concerto... Did anybody, after having haunted all the possible
ceremonies of Initiation given by the "legitimate" channels, being stuffed with all
the possible Guru's blessings, ever practice Kriya with the same dignity and
courage with which Beethoven challenged his fate?
I turned down the lights and watched the sun go down behind some trees
on the top of a hill. The shape of a cypress covered a part of that great, blood-red
circle. That was the eternal beauty! That was the norm by which I would be
inspired. I closed my eyes for various minutes and tried to have a dispassionate,
unemotional discernment of the situation. A strange image captured my attention
- that of Vivekananda's "investiture" by his Guru Ramakrishna. I read that one
day, toward the end of his life, Ramakrishna entered Samadhi while his disciple
was near him. Vivekananda started to feel a strong current before fainting.
Having returned to consciousness, his Guru, crying, whispered: "O my Naren
(Vivekananda), everything I had I gave to you, today. I have become a poor fakir,
I do not have anything; with these powers you will do the world an immense
good". Later, Ramakrishna explained that the powers he passed onto him could
not be used for his own spiritual fulfillment, one had to get to that by himself; on
the contrary, they would help him in his mission as a spiritual teacher. I think my
subconscious came up with such a flash as a warning not to yield to the
temptation of throwing something valid and precious away. Now, if we say that
Ramakrishna was Vivekananda's Guru, we are saying something true and
unquestionable.
It came to me spontaneously to again read the memorable, impressive
discourse by Dostoevsky about the role of elders in Russian monasteries in his
The Brothers Karamazov:

"What was such an elder? An elder was one who took your soul, your will, into
his soul and his will. When you choose an elder, you renounce your own will
and yield it to him in complete submission, complete self-abnegation. This
novitiate, this terrible school of abnegation, is undertaken voluntarily, in the
hope of self-conquest, of self-mastery, in order, after a life of obedience, to
attain perfect freedom, that is, from self; to escape the lot of those who have
lived their whole life without finding their true selves in themselves. "
(Translated by Constance Garnett)

Eventually the awareness dawned upon me that Vivekananda' story and


Dostoevsky's extract depicted situations which were intrinsically, exceedingly
different from mine. The organization made me believe that I had a Guru --
whereas in fact I was light years away from having one. While the great
examples of Guru-disciple relationship were based on a real physical meeting
between two persons, my relationship was purely ideal. There was no other Guru

81
in which I could mirror myself but the mystic fire burning in my heart.
Should I accept the idea of a marked separation of spiritual researchers
into two classes? On one side there are those who have a Guru and follow him
humbly; on the other side, there are those without a Guru who can follow only
their intuition and reasoning. How many times have I heard the acid remark that
those who have no Guru have their Ego as their Guru! Organizations in
particular emphasize that. I felt that there is not such a sharp division, that the
situation is simple.
Visualize a net: each individual is a junction from which a lot of other
links fan out, like the network of our brain's neurons. When single individuals
take an action -- a significant one of course, like starting on a mystic path and
making good progress on it -- they touches the surrounding threads of the net.
Serious practitioners are never isolated: they will be helped by other people's
positive response and vice versa they will be slowed down by their indolence and
apathy. In my opinion, each person is part of this net: there is no division. Those
who follow the spiritual path carry other people's evolution ahead. This net
connecting every one of us is the Collective Unconscious. 16 My musings
arrived just to that point and there they stopped -- for months.

A Fruitful Shock

That kriyaban friend who went to India for a long vacation to meet the teacher
we were planning to invite in Europe called me: he had the opportunity to have a
private interview with him and had good news. Some hours later, we were sitting
in my room. I was all ears. He was enthusiastic. They had talked about the
deplorable situation of the diffusion of Kriya here in the West: the teacher was
sorry for that and manifested his willingness to help us. My friend had his
Pranayama reviewed. Hence, he asked me to practice Pranayama in front of
him. He remarked that there was a fault in my practice. I asked him what it was
and his reply literally froze me: he could not tell me, since he promised the
teacher he would not reveal anything. 17 He clarified that, in relation to our
group, he had indeed asked for his teacher's permission to correct eventual
mistakes in our practice: the answer had been negative and the teacher swore him
to secrecy. Was this teacher – who had manifested the intention to help us -
16
To Freud the Unconscious was similar to a depot full of old, "removed" things that we
cannot recall to consciousness - refused by a nearly automatic act of the will. Jung
discovered a deeper level of it: the Collective Unconscious which links all human
beings by the deepest layers of their psyche. The Collective Unconscious is "inherited
with our cerebral structure" and consists of "the human systems of reacting" to the most
intense events that can happen in one's lifetime: the birth of a child, marriage, death of a
loved one, serious illness, family crisis, true love, natural disasters, war...
17
Considering the episode later, I realized what this incorrect detail was: I had not made
the abdominal breath in a particularly visible way. I am sure of this fact because it was
the only thing my friend was able to see – we did not talk about inner details of the
practice.

82
concerned that we would not find any need to invite him to Europe, or visit him,
after our mistake had been corrected? Was he really so petty and unkind? I did
not put pressure on my friend to disclose any other detail about his talk with that
teacher. I could not, and would not, enter the privacy of his experience - but how
could he just let me and our group go on with a wrong practice? The shattering
fact was to see that friend with whom I had shared everything of my spiritual
path, accompanying me in my ventures with both the teachers and suffering the
same woes on himself, satisfied with having noticed our mistake, as if this
justified his travel in India, the money and the time he spent in this venture. I
didn't retaliate but reacted very badly and refused to see and to talk with that
friend again.
Some days later, contacted by the teacher's secretary, she handled the
financial side of the tour in a coarse way, added conditions that seemed
unacceptable to me. I declined the offer. Actually I was not in the mood of
undertaking another work of organization. As for the idea of my visit to his
place, he would have required the customary oath secrecy. We had reached this
absurd situation: if the friends of my group had to receive one more crumb of
information regarding the Kriya practice, they had to be put on an airplane and
sent to India. Otherwise, they will die without this information. Each year, an
innumerable series of charter flights should transport all those interested in Kriya
- no matter if old or ill - to a remote Indian village, like a pilgrimage to Lourdes
or Fatima! This farce could not be even worthy of being considered.
With my thinking faculties almost paralyzed by this sudden turning of the
events, I improved the compilation of my notes about the different Kriya
techniques, jotted down during different seminaries, and pass them on to those
friends who had already received initiation but not in all the levels of Kriya.
I taught Kriya to a couple of earnest persons who could not receive Kriya
after this changing of planes. The responsibility of choosing a didactic plan was
mine: in order to envisage it, I used my past experiences as a starting point. I was
sure that the Kriya techniques worked outside the Guru-disciple relationship. I
followed their progress: they gave me the evidence they were improving in a
way worthy of admiration. A few months before I would shake my head that it
was not possible to practice Kriya without begging and obtaining it from an
organization or from a living Guru. One of the first things I was taught was that
if Kriya is not received from the right channel it doesn't have any value. It is
ineffective. Now, the contrary had been proved.
In my opinion the future of Kriya diffusion belongs also to those seekers
whose earnestness is so great that they are able to transform the no-matter-how-
received instruction into "gold". I have trust in those who think: "Beyond either
reasonable or improbable expectations of finding a Kriya expert at my disposal,
let me roll my sleeves up and move on!"

83
The First Draft of the Book

I purchased a computer and, like a voluntary prisoner, I reduced my social life to


an absolute minimum in order to give my all to writing the book. It was not easy
to extract from my huge heaps of notes, collected during years with different
teachers, the essential core of Kriya Yoga. There was the feeling of working on a
difficult puzzle, without having a preview of what was to be obtained in the end.
I didn't know if, in the final completed picture, four, six or more levels of Kriya
had to be expected. In fact, I was not entirely sure how to define these levels. I
wondered if these had to be put in some kind of one-to-one correspondence with
the process of unfastening the internal knots mentioned in Yoga tradition
(Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva located in the first, fourth and sixth Chakra
respectively) to which two secondary knots (tongue, navel) were added by Lahiri
Mahasaya. In the first draft, the description of the Higher Kriyas was given as a
chain of techniques (eleven), each one ideally preparatory the next one. After
second thoughts, I decided to describe all the techniques in the scheme of four
Kriyas (whose meaning will be described in chapter 7). I wrote all I knew about
the Kriya techniques. There remain some variations in my shorthand notebooks,
ready to be added to the book, but only in case I receive other information
corroborating them, showing their intrinsic value in the light of Lahiri
Mahasaya's legacy.

At the same time I decided to resume the practice of the so-called Incremental
Routines with the maximum amount of conscientiousness. 18 It was perhaps
because I lived them more in the open air and more in summer than in any other
season that I associate them with long sunsets, with evenings that seemed to have
no end. I felt the necessity to dedicate a more constant attention to what, years
before, had been embarked on in a superficial manner. Now I could retrieve my
initial enthusiasm and bring new life to my Kriya path. Unfortunately, in the past,
the major impulse which led me to finish the prescribed number of repetitions of
each Higher Kriya as soon as possible was also the anxiety of obtaining the next
initiation from my teacher. The ardent desire of "squeezing out" anything he
could teach me, was fed by a strange fear; as if, for some unfathomable reasons, I
would not have been able to contact him in the future.
I practiced again the three parts of the technique of the Second Kriya that I
received from my third teacher and that I rectified and perfected through
precious informations I received from other sources of the same school
(Tribhangamurari school as it will be explained in chapter 8.)
It is said that this Second Kriya serves to cut the heart knot. I could not
avoid that this procedure brought to the surface deeply rooted old wounds.
Lahiri Mahasaya wrote that a kriyaban is deeply transformed by it and learns to
see "what others cannot or do not actually want to see".
I took part in a pilgrimage with a group of people and walked a full night
in order to reach a beautiful sanctuary the following morning. I moved around as
18
The accurate details of how different incremental routines are structured is to be
found in the third part of the book.

84
if my heart bore a brazier within. I perceived that the center of my personality
was not in the brain, but in my heart. Walking on, I would murmur the syllables
Om, Na, Mo ... (which are typical of the Thokar practice) trying to put each one
in the correspondent center. I was perfectly aware that mine was not a commonly
established way of practicing, but I could not help it.
Something started to be perceived in my heart, a sort of tension of
tenderness; then I realized that my mates' lives were wrapped up in love. I
understood that the reality of love was the most intense force of life, corrupted
only by the pollution of mind. Thinking of humanity as a single thing, I felt that a
man cannot by instinct avoid loving or taking care of somebody - like his own
children; as a consequence, he cannot avoid painful experiences. I had a feeling
that even the most egotistical person is able to give his life away for his children;
even he can find in himself the power for great and incredible actions. But the
same person that you admire as noble and fearless, is not able to maintain that
attitude when Religion is concerned. Noticing how many illusions are
propagated by religions and cults, I felt sorry for all those people who - in the
abyss of their tragedy – were not able to voice their sharp loud cry to God facing
Him in protest but kept on imploring God, not with a spirit of devotion and
surrender, but with such a beseeching attitude as if they feared even worse
calamities. The sentiment of this ineluctable reality was experienced as a painful
grip tearing my chest apart. As the sun rose over our path and the sanctuary
appeared over a hill, something thawed and it came to such an intensity of love
that the same experience turned into a "blissful" pain.

During this Incremental Routine, now and then I consulted a couple of Forums
for devotees of Kriya Yoga. My desire was to see if any other kriyaban had my
same problems. Many were seeking information about Kechari Mudra. If I had
their email, I would have sent immediately this instruction to them.
I was struck with the pedantic and conceited tone of some that abused the
genuine and honest curiosity of other people. With factious tenderness, betraying
the lowest form of consideration, they go on labeling the seekers' desire for
deepening the Kriya praxis as a "dangerous mania". They had the audacity of
hush the humble student by counseling to improve the depth of what they already
had received. They talked with the same tone used by my old "ministers", old
fogeys, bearing witness to an era which I believed much more distant in time
than it was in reality. I wondered how could they dare to enter (uninvited) a
person's life and personal space, about whom they know nothing, treating that
person as an incompetent and superficial beginner! Would it be so difficult to
simply answer truthfully: "I don't have that information"?
I remember a discussion with one who claimed he have had access to
original Kriya. Unfortunately, that person was very secretive and exclusive. He
said there were a number of true Kriya teachers around today, but was unwilling
to share any names or addresses. I found this very stupid. In a rush of anger, I
imagined that the petty idea of possessing a secret knowledge, not conveyable to
others, was the only thing keeping together the pieces of his scattered mind,
camouflaging with a semblance of spiritual advancement the nothingness that he

85
was from an human point of view. Why should Kriya belong to him? Kriya was a
collection of introspective tools taken from different traditions. It was absurd to
claim they belonged to one person, especially such a nasty one.

I was lucky that pension age came early in my life. After some months of
freedom, I received the proposal of beginning a new job which was more
engaging than the previous one. I had waited for years and ravenously desired to
face the "impossible" doses of the final incremental routine of the micro
movement Tribhangamurari; there was no other job for me! I have always loved
that technique: even a little practice was always a miracle of sweetness.
The period in which I was absorbed in this process occurs in my memory
as enveloped by a dreamy aura; it is actually very difficult for me to refer to
specific details regarding it. I spent a lot of time in the open. I used to carry along
a seat made of a plastic and a wool layer, something to drink and a thirty-six-
grain rosary. I would sit down, breathe deeply and proceeded with the Mantra
and the consequent Micro movement. At the end of each cycle, I would move an
object, a little stone, from one side of my body to the other to keep track of the
approximate number of 36 cycles. Often I was caught by a strong, overpowering
sleepiness. After interrupting the practice to get some rest, I found out, however,
that such did not solve my problem: this sleepiness came back as soon as I
resumed the practice. There was no way (coffee, a lot of rest…) to find some
relief from it; there was nothing else to do but to accept this situation. More than
once I found my back slightly bent forward; I learned not to straighten it with a
sudden movement, because that would interrupt the condition of absorption and
quiet. After many hours of practice, at the end of my day, occasionally, I was
caught by such a euphoria that I felt the irresistible instinct to swing the body. It
was like dancing from a sitting stance, accompanying the dance with a subtle
form of Thokar. Whenever I pronounced the seventh syllable, my trunk swung
left, thinking of the following one it swung right... and then left again. When I
thought the last syllable, my trunk quivered a little giving such a profusion of
bliss!
I learned to practice without finding any disturbance in what was around:
in this way, the technique embarked into my life and blended with it. One day I
was in a cliffy place not far from a beach, where a small number of people used
to go for a walk and stop for a little rest in the surroundings. During daytime I
would take shelter from the sun under a tree; at dusk I would go to the beach,
lean my back against a rock and stay there, pretending to stare at a distant object.
I practiced keeping my eyes open; the sky was an indestructible crystal of
infinite transparency, the waves were continually changing their color, having in
itself an almost unbearable charm. I was trying to hide my tears behind the black
lenses of my sunglasses. I cannot describe what I felt, unless in poetic form.
There is an Indian song (in the final part of the movie Mahabharata)
whose lyrics are taken from the Svetasvatara Upanishad - "I have met this Great
Spirit, as radiant as the sun, transcending any material conception of obscurity.
Only the one who knows Him can transcend the limits of birth and death. There
is no other way to reach liberation but meeting this Great Spirit". When I listened

86
to the beautiful voice of the Indian singer repeating "There is no other way", my
heart was inflamed. Nothing would have the power to keep me away from this
state and this terrifically beautiful practice, which I would enjoy for the rest of
my life.
Concerning the effects, something peculiar took place. Many
psychological fetters -- conditioning that seemed immovable -- started to
crumble. There was the tendency of going deeper, inexorably, up to touching the
unpolluted truth. My thinking became compact, of a solidity that other people's
suggestions were not capable to undermine. I could not tolerate the least
deformation of truth. I tried to go inexorably and all the way into any problem,
until I was able to find the truth. But truth is total truth: it touched the reality of
life and zeroed my diplomatic mask. Unfortunately the difficulty in bearing
other's superficial behavior became the cause of some break-ups. Nature hates a
vacuum, so other people came into my life to keep the flame of friendship alive.

I had disappeared from the world, but not forgotten the project of the book. The
time employed in this activity had been much longer than expected. My friends
said that I'll never put the last word to the enterprise. I had not felt any urgency, I
enjoyed that quiet moment of my life, experiencing the calmness and
contentedness that comes to those who devote all their efforts to one single
purpose. At long last, one day the book was ready and I posted it on the Web.
After a couple of months there came the reaction of him who had been my
third teacher. During one seminar he explained my actions as those of one who
wants to make a business with Kriya. He defined me an "intellectual prostitute".
My reaction was strange: I was amused and satisfied. But that night I could not
sleep. Only then, I began to realize that the Thing was done and the book was
really accessible to everyone.

Was entstanden ist, das muß vergehen! What was created, must perish!
Was vergangen, auferstehen! What perished, must rise again!
Hör auf zu beben! Cease from trembling!
Bereite dich zu leben! Prepare yourself to live!
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)

87
PART II: SHARING THE KRIYA YOGA TECHNIQUES

CHAPTER 6
THE BASIC TECHNIQUES OF KRIYA YOGA

Disclaimer of Responsibility

The techniques described herein are exposed for study purposes only and should serve
as a comparison with the works of other researchers. The author hopes this work will
inspire intelligent feedback. Any remarks, criticism, corrections, and/or additions are
welcome. Before you begin posing all kinds of questions to yourself, read through Part
II and Part III of this book so you have a thorough understanding of the matter. You'll
find that as you go through it many questions will be answered later on.
I wish to make clear that this book is not a Kriya Yoga manual! I may write one
in the future and face the problem of dividing it into different lessons and giving all the
necessary instructions for each level. However, certain techniques cannot be learned
from a manual. There are delicate ones such as Maha Mudra, Kriya Pranayama,
Thokar, and Yoni Mudra, which cannot reasonably be learned without the help of an
expert to check their execution. Each person is different so it is not possible to predict
what effects an intensive practice might have on a particular individual.
The author disclaims any responsibility in case of negative results, especially if
one decides to practice the techniques without having their execution checked first by
an expert. Those who intend to carry on with this practice should do so with a due
sense of sacredness and awareness of the wealth it can bring to their life. Although you
should have the right and the duty to control your own destiny, securing expert counsel
or guidance is indispensable.

N.B. When you go to an expert, please advise him if you have physical problems, such
as high blood pressure, lung problems, or signs of hyperventilation …. If you have a
particular physical problem an expert can lead you through a very mild form of Kriya
Pranayama and the corresponding Mudras – and if necessary may recommend that you
practice them only mentally.

Visit at least once in a year the Web site www.kriyayogainfo.net


to download the latest edition of the book

88
Introduction to the Localization of the Chakras

The Chakras are subtle astral organs inside the spinal cord; ideal steps on a
mystic ladder guiding one safely to the deepest ecstatic experience. Many believe
they can apply what they have found in books on Yoga to Kriya but this won't
work. Such books are usually filled with useless, misguiding representations.
While wasting time in visualizing all of it, a kriyaban runs the risk of losing the
real meaning of the Kriya techniques or part of their riches.
Kriya is a natural process leading to beneficial results and it should not be
distorted by the power of so called "creative" visualization, especially if it goes
against the physiology of the body -- Kriya is not based on creating an artificial
condition in it.
When certain particular conditions are established - mental silence,
relaxation, an intense desire of the soul - the Spiritual Reality manifests in a
captivating way, absorbing all one's attention. Then, subtle movements of energy
in the body - or a particular centering of the energy in some parts of the body -
reveal the essence of the Chakras.
Those who practice Kriya Yoga (we will use the term kriyaban) start their
practice of the basic technique of Kriya Pranayama by visualizing the spine as a
hollow tube extending from its bottom to the brain. With further practice, they
try to locate the seven Chakras.

Figure 1. The perception of the Chakras

First Five Chakras

The first Chakra, Muladhara, is located at the base of the spinal column just
above the coccygeal (tailbone) region; the second Chakra, Swadhisthana, is in
the sacrum region halfway between Muladhara and Manipura; the third Chakra,
Manipura, is in the lumbar region, at the same level as the navel. The fourth

89
Chakra, Anahata, is in the dorsal region; its location can be felt by bringing the
shoulder blades closer and concentrating on the tense muscles in the area
between them. The fifth Chakra, Vishuddha, is located where the neck joins the
shoulders, at collarbones' level. The location of the fifth Chakra can be detected
by swaying your head from side to side, holding one's bust immobile,
concentrating on the point where you perceive a particular "cracking" sound.
The physical localization of the Chakras is accompanied by some kind of
visualization. The simplest visualization fostering the dynamics of Kriya
Pranayama is the following -- when the awareness travels up the spine, the
Chakras are perceived as tiny "lights" illuminating the "hollow tube" which is
visualized at the place of the spinal cord. When the awareness comes down, they
are internally perceived as organs distributing energy (coming from above) into
the body. Luminous rays depart from their locations, enlivening that part of the
body which is in front of them. To take the trouble to abide by such elementary
visualization, avoiding those suggested by New Age or tantric books, is the best
guarantee that you are carrying on a profitable work.
Even if it might seem now as premature, it is useful to remark that the true
location of the Chakras can happen only in the astral dimension -- as they are not
a physical reality. This is achieved when Kriya Pranayama takes, so to say, the
"inward route", and you are listening to the inner sounds emanating from each
Chakra's physical location. As soon as the mind is sufficiently calm (during a
deep and long session of Kriya Pranayama) you will be able to listen to those
astral sounds and locate astrally each Chakra.
There are different levels of development of this ability: Kechari Mudra
brings about a great internalization process which fosters the experience
especially when the "wind" of the breath subsides. What is the importance of
locating astrally the Chakras? It is tied with the ability of traveling along the
spinal tunnel, which in its turn is the basis of a higher achievement: to realize
that the first five Chakras are five different states of consciousness. Kriya
tradition puts them in relation with the five Tattwas: earth, water, fire, air and
ether. Offering each Tattwa individually to the light of the "spiritual eye"
gathering and intensifying in the region between the eyebrows, is the highest
action ever conceived to destroy the last shell of illusion. We are going to
introduce all these aspects of the Kriya practice in the next chapter; our
anticipation is intended only to discourage kriyabans from being maniacally
precise about the location of the Chakras: the practice of the different levels of
Kriya Yoga will refine such perception.

Ajna (Medulla Oblongata, Bhrumadhya, Kutastha)

According to tradition, the location of the sixth Chakra, Ajna, is in the central
part of the head. Some identify it with the hypophysis, others with the pineal
gland, others with the third ventricle of the brain. It is preferable to abide by the
following two-step procedure.
1. First detect the seat of the medulla oblongata (on top of the spinal

90
cord). Raise your chin tensing the muscles of the neck at the base of the occipital
bone; concentrate on the small hollow under the back of the head and come
ideally inside a couple of centimeters; maintaining the contraction of the muscles
of the neck swing your head sideways (about a couple of centimeters left and
right); relax the muscles of the neck and keep your concentration on medulla
oblongata for one minute: you will notice how any restlessness disappears. (It
might be interesting to add that the tradition recommends to visualize medulla
oblongata as shaped like the back of a little turtle.)
2. Remaining centered in medulla oblongata, converge your inner gaze at
Bhrumadhya, the point between the eyebrows, and observe the internal light in
that region. Your perception can be vague but if you go on looking internally
being satisfied with whatever luminous perception comes, such light will
intensify. If you come backwards about eight centimeters from the place where
the light appears, you have found the seat of the sixth Chakra, Ajna. Meditating
with your awareness focused on it will prepare you for the experience of
Kutastha (also known as "third eye" or "spiritual eye"): a luminous point in the
middle of an infinite spherical radiance. In this region, one day, you will
experience the radiance of a million suns, having the coolness of a million
moons.
Ajna Chakra is the royal door to experience that part of the Divine
Consciousness which is immanent in our physical universe. You will feel the
entire universe as your own body. Such experience is also called "Kutastha
Chaitanya," "Christ consciousness," or "Krishna consciousness."

Sahasrara (Bindu, Fontanelle)

According to tradition, the location of the seventh Chakra, Sahasrara, is the top
of the head. It is visualized as having the form of a horizontal disk about 12
centimeters in diameter, lying immediately beneath the upper part of the
cranium. In phase 3 of Kriya Pranayama, when we raise our awareness from the
sixth to the seventh Chakra, such visualization is enough to get ecstatic
absorption. But in Kriya Yoga there is always room for improvement. The most
reliable Kriya schools (being careful not to cause difficult-to-sustain effects), are
those that teach a gradual approach to concentration on Sahasrara. They counsel
to place the awareness in Bindu and from there to become aware of the
fontanelle. Bindu is located in the occipital region, where the hairline twists in a
kind of vortex (where some Hindus with shaved heads wear a lock of hair).
During the first part of Kriya Pranayama the consciousness touches Bindu
briefly, at the end of each inhalation. In the higher phases of Kriya Pranayama,
when our awareness finds Tranquility in Bindu, we become aware of the anterior
fontanelle. The correct name of that region in an adult person is Bregma; it is
located at the junction, on the skull, of the coronal and sagittal sutures. It is
recommended not to override the previous stage of localization of the sixth
Chakra (Ajna) and to practice concentration on fontanelle only when this is
explicitly required by your teacher -- do not use your own initiative.

91
A Suitable Position for Meditation

One should sit facing East. According to Patanjali, the yogi's posture (Asana)
must be steady and pleasant. Most kriyabans are comfortable with the so-called
Half-lotus. This position has been used for meditation since time immemorial
because it provides a comfortable and easily managed sitting position. The key is
to maintain an erect spine by sitting on the edge of a thick cushion so the
buttocks are slightly raised. Sit cross-legged with the knees resting on the floor.
Lift the left foot and bring it toward the body so the sole is resting against the
inside of the right thigh. Draw the heel of the left foot in toward the groin as
much as possible. The right leg is bent at the knee and the right foot is
comfortably placed over the left thigh or calf or both. Let the right knee drop as
far as possible toward the floor. The best hand position is with fingers
interlocked as in the well known photo of Lahiri Mahasaya. This balances the
energy from the right hand to the left and vice versa. The shoulders are in a
natural position. The head, neck, chest, and spine are in a straight line as if they
were linked. When the legs get tired, reverse them to prolong the position. For
certain health or physical conditions, it may be beneficial to practice the half
lotus on an armless chair provided it is large enough. In this way, one leg at a
time can be lowered and the knee joint relaxed! Siddhasana (Perfect Pose) is of
medium difficulty: the sole of the left foot is placed against the right thigh while
the heel presses on the perineum. The right heel is against the pubic bone. This
leg position combined with Kechari Mudra closes the pranic circuit and makes
Kriya Pranayama easy and beneficial. It is said the position helps one to become
aware of the movement of Prana. In the difficult Padmasana position, the right
foot is placed on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh with the soles of
the feet turned up. It is explained that when this Asana is combined with Kechari
and Shambhavi Mudra, it results in an energetic condition that produces the
experience of the internal light coming from each Chakra. It helps keep the body
from bending or falling over as it tends to do when deep Pratyahara is practiced.
Sitting in Padmasana (lotus position) is uncomfortable for a beginner because
the knees and the ankles become extremely painful. I would not advise anyone to
perform this difficult posture. There are yogis who have had to have knee
cartilage removed after years of forcing themselves into the Padmasana.

THE BASIC TECHNIQUES OF KRIYA YOGA

The techniques related to the first initiation of Kriya Yoga are eight: Talabya
Kriya, Om Japa, Kriya Pranayama (often called simply Pranayama), Navi
Kriya, mental Pranayama, Maha Mudra, Pranayama with short breath and Yoni
Mudra. In the technique of Kriya Pranayama we shall distinguish three phases.
The first two are explained in this chapter; since the third one is not suitable for
beginners and is especially facilitated by achieving Kechari Mudra, it will be

92
introduced in the next chapter.
Let us anticipate a theoretical scheme, a map that can be appreciated by
those students who love having a complete picture of all the phases of Kriya
Yoga as they are conceived in this book. (A more in-depth discussion will be
resumed in chapter 7).

The Kriya path is divided in four phases

Phase 1: Jihuah (Jiwha) Granthi Bheda -- Raising the tongue.


Phase 2: Hridaya Granthi Bheda -- Piercing the heart knot.
Phase 3: Navi Granthi Bheda-- Piercing the navel's knot.
Phase 4: Muladhara Granthi Bheda -- Piercing the last obstruction that blocks
the full merging into the "spiritual eye".

I. The technique of Talabya Kriya, the practice of Kriya Pranayama (in three
parts), the achievement of Kechari Mudra embodies phase 1 of Kriya Yoga.

II. The second part of Kriya Pranayama is related to phase 2 of Kriya Yoga. The
appearing of the internal sounds -- especially the sound of a bell -- begin to melt
any obstacle tied with the transit of the energy from the higher Chakras to the
lower part of the spine and vice versa.

III. Navi Kriya and mental Pranayama embody phase 3 of Kriya Yoga where the
breath begins to calm down completely.

IV. Maha Mudra, Pranayama with short breath, and Yoni Mudra are the tools to
approach the last phase of Kriya Yoga. This phase is the most delicate work. The
Kundalini energy is awakened and raised (Maha Mudra); it is patiently guided
through all Chakras and made to circulate (Pranayama with short breath) and
finally, by unfastening the knot located at Muladhara and at the eyebrows (Yoni
Mudra), liberation attained.

1. Talabya Kriya
Starting with the tongue in a relaxed position, and with the tip of the tongue
touching the back of the upper teeth, the kriyaban presses the body of the tongue
against the upper palate to create a suction cup effect. While pressing the tongue
against the roof of the mouth, the bottom jaw is lowered to stretch the frenulum
(the small fold of tissue under the tongue that attaches it to the base of the
mouth). This stretching effect should be felt clearly (see figure 2). The tongue
which has been pressed against the upper palate releases itself with a clicking
sound and moves down into its natural position. The tongue is then stuck out of
the mouth and pointed toward the chin. At the beginning, do it no more than 10
times a day to avoid straining the frenulum! Eventually, you want to be able to
do 50 repetitions. The entire procedure of 50 repetitions takes about 2 minutes
(110-120 seconds) to complete. Many practice Talabya Kriya incorrectly by
instinctively turning their tongue backwards (or keeping it vertical) but this

93
cancels the whole effect. It is very important to have the tongue tip touching the
back of the upper teeth before pressing it against the upper palate. 1

Figure 2. Talabya Kriya

After some months of practicing Talabya Kriya regularly, it should be possible to


insert the tongue into the nasal pharynx cavity: this is called Kechari Mudra (see
figure 4 in the next chapter). Let a beginner not ask too many question about it. It
will be described in detail in the next chapter. Because Talabya Kriya creates a
perceivable relaxing effect on the thinking process, it should continue to be
practiced even after you are able to do Kechari Mudra. It is not known why this
stretching of the frenulum reduces thought production. However, anyone
practicing this technique can readily verify this.

2. Om Japa
Don't pay any attention to the breath. Starting with Muladhara (first Chakra),
chant the Mantra "Om" while concentrating on it; then do the same with the
second Chakra and so on up to the cervical Chakra (Vishuddha) and Bindu.
During this ascent of awareness, do your best to intuitively touch the inner core
of each Chakra. Then chant "Om" in the medulla, then in the cervical Chakra
and so on, all the way back down to Muladhara. During this descent of
awareness, try to perceive the subtle radiation of each Chakra. One ascent
(Chakras 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and Bindu) and one descent (medulla, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)
represent one cycle that lasts about 30 seconds. Six to 12 cycles are performed. It
is fine to chant the Mantra aloud during the first three cycles. In the remaining
cycles, it can be chanted either aloud or mentally. This exercise, performed with
concentration, helps "generate" the best form of Kriya Pranayama.

1
In Hatha Yoga books there are different suggestions for lengthening the Fraenulum.
One which is well known one is wrapping a piece of cloth around the tongue and, with
the help of the hands, gently pulling (relaxing and repeating different times) the cloth
both horizontally and also up, toward the tip of the nose. Lahiri Mahasaya was
absolutely against cutting the Fraenulum to obtain faster and easier results.

94
3. Kriya Pranayama (Spinal Breathing)
Kriya Pranayama is the most important technique of Kriya Yoga. It acts directly
on the energy (Prana) present in the body. Kriya Acharyas have different
didactic strategies to introduce it. We are going to explain its key details, though
it is not easy to show how they are integrated into a harmonious whole.

First Part of Kriya Pranayama: Mixing Prana and Apana


Kechari Mudra is applied for those who can do it -- if not, the tongue tip is
turned back to touch the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard
palate becomes soft. The mouth is closed. The eyes are closed and relaxed but
focused on the region between the eyebrows. The awareness is in medulla
oblongata.

One Kriya breath happens in the following way


1. A deep inhalation through the nose, producing an unvoiced sound in the
throat, acts like a hydraulic pump to raise the energy (Prana) from the base of
the spinal column up to the medulla oblongata and to Bindu (occipital region).
2. The movement of the air is suspended briefly, helping the activity of the
mind to be suspended as well: a state of stability appears. This should be a short
pause (2-3-seconds).
3. An unhurried exhalation of the same length as the inhalation,
accompanies the movement of the energy back to the base of the spinal column.
During the last part of the exhalation, there is a clear perception of the navel
moving in toward the spine. By refining this experience, along with the
awareness the movement of the navel toward the inside, one feels the action of
the diaphragm muscles and becomes aware of a heat increasing in the navel.
This heat seems to rise from the lower part of the abdomen.
4. Here another 2-3-second pause is repeated and intimately lived as a
moment of comfortable peace. The dynamic mind becomes static and is
appeased.

Reference literature says perfect Kriya Pranayama is 80 breaths per hour --


about 45 seconds per breath. Kriyabans can only reach this rhythm during long
sessions. Beginners should set a rhythm of about 18-20 seconds per Kriya breath
and complete 12 breaths in a natural and unhurried way (about 4 minutes).

Remarks
a. The path taken by the energy gradually reveals itself during practice. No
difficult visualization is required. You are centered in medulla oblongata
location, your inner gaze is turned toward Bhrumadhya between the eyebrows.
The awareness rises from the Muladhara along the spinal column toward the
second Chakra, the third, the fourth, the fifth Chakra, the medulla oblongata
and, if possible, up to Bindu. During the pause, the radiance of Kutastha appears
as a blurred light or glow permeating the frontal part of the brain and that of
Sahasrara as a slight sensation of crepuscular light permeating the upper part of
the head. In this initial phase of Kriya Pranayama the energy cannot reach either

95
the region between the eyebrows nor Sahasrara; this will happen in higher
stages.
b. The breathing we use during Kriya Pranayama is not a free breathing
but a restricted breathing creating a clearly heard sound in the throat. The sound
in the throat while inhaling is like a quiet schhhh /ʃ/. The sound is similar to the
amplified background noise of a loudspeaker; there is only a slight hiss during
exhalation.
Unfortunately you cannot refer to the many examples of Ujjayi
Pranayama sound to be found on the web. There are plenty of video clips of
yogis who make an horrible sound during Ujjayi. They are using their vocal
chords: this is not correct -- it might be correct for some form of Ujjayi but not
for Kriya Pranayama. To be certain that your sound is correct, concentrate only
on increasing the friction of the air flowing through your throat. A muffled sound
will originate. Increase its frequency. If the environment is perfectly noiseless, a
person will be able to hear it within 4-5 meter radius -- by no means outside it.
However we do not expect sound perfection now. When Kechari Mudra is being
done correctly, the exhaling sound will be flute-like: Sheee Sheee /ʃiː/. We are
going to discuss the meaning and the implications of this sound in the next
chapter.
c. The inhaling air is felt as moderately cool whereas the exhaling air is
felt as moderately warm; as a consequence the rising energy is felt as moderately
cool whereas the descending energy is felt as moderately warm.
d. During inhalation, the abdomen expands and during exhalation the
abdomen is drawn in. The breathing is mainly abdominal; during inhalation, the
upper part of the lungs is filled two thirds full. It is incorrect raising the rib cage
and shoulders.
e. As for the value of the pauses, the more you became aware of these
states of stability, the more your practice becomes deeper.
f. During the first breaths of Kriya Pranayama avoid chanting Om or
another Mantra in each Chakra. Do not disturb the employment of a great mental
intensity during the inhalation to obtain the raising of the energy.

Second Part of Kriya Pranayama: Om Japa in each Chakra


While during the first part the awareness was in medulla oblongata, now it tries
to expand in all of the occipital region up to Bindu. We keep a fixed purpose: to
succeed in listening to the internal sounds (variations of Omkar sound), without
closing our ears. During inhalation, Om is mentally chanted (or more accurately
"mentally placed") in each of the first five Chakras. During the pause, Om is
chanted in the medulla, in the point between the eyebrows, and again in the
medulla. During exhalation, Om is mentally chanted in each Chakra as you
return to Muladhara. While coming down, each Chakra is gently "touched" from
the back. The energy is thus visualized flowing down along the back of the spinal
column. What is essential is bringing forth a continuous will of internal listening.
Focus all your attention on subtle sounds that come from within, rather than the
audible sounds from outside. Awareness of inner sound must happen, sooner or
later. Your listening skills will improve and you will become more sensitive.

96
Each chanting of the syllable Om should be accompanied by an unswerving will
of tracking down the echo of that vibration you are internally producing. Repeat
the procedure at least 24 times.

The internal sounds reveal the activity of the Chakras. They grab a kriyaban's
awareness and lead it in depth without any danger of it getting lost. They are not
physical sounds; they have nothing to do with the typical sounds of Kriya
Pranayama produced by the air that passes down the back of the throat into the
trachea and vice versa. They appear in different forms: bumblebee, flute, harp,
drum, hum like an electrical transformer, bell....
The event of perceiving them is not produced by the intensity of a unique
moment of deep concentration, but by the accumulation of effort manifested
during the daily sessions of Kriya (the effort is the meticulous attention to any
internal sound, no matter how feeble it may be). Those who are not able to hear
any internal sound, should not conclude something is wrong. Maybe they have
done an enormous effort whose fruits will be enjoyed during the next day's
practice. A sign one is heading in the right direction is a sense of mild pressure,
like a sensation of a liquid peace above or around the head. Often a certain
humming accompanies this pressure; it serves no purpose to wonder if this is the
real Om sound or not. Probably, it is just a signal that the real experience is
approaching. Patience and constancy are required. One day, one awakens to the
realization of being actually listening to a sound of "running water".
Om sound is similar to the sound of running water or to that of waves
breaking over the cliffs. The only task of a kriyaban is being absorbed in the
comforting sound of Omkar. Lahiri Mahasaya describes this sound as "produced
by a lot of people who keep on striking the disk of a bell". He adds that it is
continuous "as the oil that flows out of a container".

Third Part of Kriya Pranayama


During the first part of Kriya Pranayama the awareness is in medulla oblongata,
during the second part it is focused in the occipital region. Let us learn how to
move the awareness in the upper part of the head. Only when you have reached
the daily number of 48 Kriya breaths, possibly when Kechari Mudra is achieved,
phase 3 of Kriya Pranayama can be approached. Always begin your practice
with phase 1 for at least 12 breaths, then skip to the second until you have
completed 48 Kriya breaths.
Shambhavi Mudra is usually defined as the act of concentrating on
Bhrumadhya, the space between the eyebrows, bringing the two eyebrows
toward the center with a slight wrinkling of the forehead. Let us consider now a
higher form of Shambhavi Mudra. Although the eyelids are closed or half-closed,
the eyes look upward as much as possible, as if looking at the ceiling but without
any head movement. The light tension that is perceived in the muscles of the
eyeballs gradually disappears and the position can be maintained rather easily. A
bystander can observe the white of the cornea under the iris because very often
the inferior eyelids relax. (Lahiri Mahasaya in his well known portrait is showing
this Mudra.) Through this form of Shambhavi Mudra, all one's being is at the top

97
of the head. Go on practicing the instructions given in the second part of Kriya
Pranayama (chanting of Om in the prescribed places) save the center of
awareness which is now in the upper part of the head. Go on with it until you
have completed the prearranged number of repetitions (60, 72, and so on). This
practice is a real jewel, it represents the quintessence of beauty; while
experiencing it, time goes by without much notice and what could seem to be an
exhausting task -- like reaching 108 or 144 repetitions -- turns out to be as easy
as a moment of rest. You will remark how the breath is rather slow. You will
enjoy the beautiful feeling of the fresh air that seems to come up through the
spine and piercing each Chakra, and that of the warm exhaled air permeating
each zone of the body from top to bottom. You will perceive this; you will not
produce this sensation through your imagination! Your attitude is apparently
passive, in actual fact sensitive, and therefore active in an intelligent way. The
sound of the breath is smooth and unbroken like the continuous pouring of oil
from a bottle. The practice reaches its maximum power and seems to have a life
of its own. You will eventually have the impression of crossing a mental state
which is like falling asleep then suddenly returning to full awareness realizing
you are basking in a spiritual light. It's like a plane emerging from the clouds into
a clear transparent sky.

4. Navi Kriya
Using the same method described in Om Japa and without attempting to control
the breath, one's awareness slowly moves up along the spinal column. The
Mantra Om (ohng) is placed in the first five Chakras, in the Bindu, and in the
point between the eyebrows. The chin is then tilted down toward the throat
cavity. The hands are joined with the fingers interlocked, palms face downward,
and the pads of both thumbs are touching. Om is chanted 75 times (a rough
estimate is fine) in the navel (umbilicus) either aloud or mentally. The thumbs
lightly press the navel for each Om.
While doing the technique, a calm energy is perceived gathering in the
lower-middle part of the abdomen (the Prana current there is called Samana).
The chin is then raised without straining but the muscles at the back of the neck
are contracted. The concentration shifts first to the Bindu and then to the third
Chakra (moving downward in a straight line, outside the body). The hands are
kept behind the back and joined by interlocking the fingers and the palms face
upward with the pads of both thumbs touching. Om is chanted -- aloud or
mentally -- approximately 25 times in the third Chakra. For every Om, the
thumbs apply a light pressure to the lumbar vertebrae. By no means should the
breath be synchronized with the chanting of Om. The chin's normal position is
then resumed and Om is mentally chanted in reverse order from the point
between the eyebrows to Muladhara. This is one Navi Kriya (it lasts between
140-160 seconds). A kriyaban repeats Navi Kriya four times.

98
5. Mental Pranayama
To enter a perfect physical and mental stillness as easily as possible, the
practitioner first draws three deep breaths, ending each with a fast sigh-like
exhalation. The spine is visualized as a tube along which the awareness moves
up and down pausing in each spinal center. Om (ohng) may be mentally chanted
in the Chakras. Sometimes, it is more convenient to simply center your attention
for 10-20 seconds on each Chakra starting with the first, moving to the second,
third … and so on.
The Chakras are like knots that can be untied if "touched" with one's
concentration; the secret lies in maintaining the awareness in each of them until a
sensation of sweetness is felt - as if the Chakra were "melting". After ascending
to the Bindu, one begins the descent, pausing in each Chakra. Besides the
melting sensation, one may also perceive the subtle radiation of each Chakra in
the body. This is a matter of pure awareness; a natural feeling leading to the
realization that the Chakras are sustaining each part of the body's vitality.
Sometimes, a light is perceived in the upper part of the head and a kriyaban is
able to keep his awareness there a long time without feeling any fatigue.
The process of rising and descending through the Chakras is carried on as
long as it is comfortable. (One complete round lasts about 2-4 minutes.) This is
the most pleasing part of the routine. Kriyabans do not feel they are practicing a
technique but enjoying a few moments of soothing relaxation. This is the
moment when a deep mental silence settles in the consciousness and in the body.
Tranquility, "Sthir Tattwa" (calm, static Prana) is experienced in the seventh
Chakra. Lahiri Mahasaya called this state Paravastha or Kriyar Paravastha -
"the state that comes after the action of Kriya". If, through sheer willpower, such
a state were brought to awareness as often as possible amid one's daily activities,
the results would be extraordinary.

Remark
Some do not understand the subtle difference between Om Japa and mental
Pranayama. Practicing Om Japa before Kriya Pranayama is designed to stimulate each
Chakra. One pauses only a short time in each one to vibrate the Mantra.
During mental Pranayama, one is more passive, more willing to perceive than to
stimulate; the pauses are much longer. When the awareness stays for at least half
minute upon each one of them, the perception of a pleasurable sweet sensation is almost
immediate. Some inner sounds as well as hues of light pouring forth from their
locations deepens the contact with the Omkar dimension.
In some Yoga schools it is counseled to visualize the Chakra's specific color
(red, orange, yellow…like the sequence of the rainbow's colors). They may be also
visualized as lotuses, each one of which has a particular number of petals with a letter
of the Sanskrit alphabet on each petal. A kriyaban does not need all this stuff in order to
perceive the reality of the Chakras. In time a kriyaban gains the ability to single out the
different rates of vibration of each Chakra, which is crucial in reaching the final goal of
Kriya.

99
6. Maha Mudra
One starts by bending the left leg under the body so the left heel is as near as
possible to the perineum (between the scrotum and anus for males and between
the anus and cervical opening for females) with the right leg fully extended in
front. Ideally, but not necessarily, you want the left heel exerting pressure on the
perineum. This pressure is the best means of stimulating one's awareness of the
Muladhara Chakra in the coccygeal region at the root of the spine. Through a
deep inhalation, the energy is brought up the cerebrospinal tube to the center of
the head (Ajna Chakra). This is a very simple and easily acquired sensation so
there is no need to complicate it.
Holding the breath, stretch forward (in a relaxed way) and interlock hands
so you can grasp your big toe. In this outstretched position, the chin is pressed
naturally against the chest. Continue holding the breath and mentally chant Om 2
in the region between the eyebrows 6 to 12 times. While holding the breath,
return to the starting position and with a long exhalation, visualize sending the
warm energy down to the base of the spinal column. Repeat the entire procedure
with the leg positions reversed; right heel near the perineum and the left leg
outstretched. Repeat the procedure a 3rd time with both legs outstretched to
complete one cycle of Maha Mudra. Repeat this three-movement cycle
(requiring about 60-80 seconds) two more times for a total of 9 movements.
Some schools suggest drawing the knee (or both knees, before the third
movement) against the body so the thigh is as close to the chest as possible
during inhalation. The interlocked fingers are placed around the knee to exert
pressure on it. This helps to keep the back straight and make the inner sound of
the Anahata Chakra audible.
Maha Mudra must be comfortable and it must not hurt! Initially, most
kriyabans will not be able to do the forward stretch without risking back or knee
injury. To avoid pain or injury, keep the outstretched leg bent at the knee until the
position feels comfortable. While holding the breath in the outstretched position,
contract the anal and the abdominal muscles and draw in slightly the latter so the
navel is drawn toward the lumbar center.
As we have seen, the big toe is grasped while one is in the outstretched
position. Some schools insist on this detail and explain that by repeating this
action on each leg the balance between the two channels Ida and Pingala is
improved. A variation is to squeeze the toenail of the big toe with the thumb of
the right hand; the index and middle fingers are behind it and the left hand cups
the sole of the foot. When the procedure is repeated with both legs outstretched,
both toes are grasped with the interlocked hands. (A variation is that the thumbs

2
The correct pronunciation for ‘Om' is like the ‘ong' in ‘song' but drawn out and with
the ‘o' pronounced like its alphabet name. It must not be pronounced like the ‘om' in
Tom e.g. ‘ahm'. In this technique, "Om" is a pure vowel sound and the ‘m' is silent. The
‘m' is silent because the ‘o' sound is prolonged. At the end, the mouth is not completely
closed - thus creating the nasal sound "ng". When pronouncing Indian Mantras, like
Om namo bhagavate … or Om namah Shivaya …, the consonant "m" in "Om" is heard.

100
of each hand press the respective toenails and the index and middle fingers hold
the toe from behind).
Maha Mudra incorporates all the three Bandhas. 3 When applied
simultaneously with the body bent forward and without using excessive
contraction, it helps one to be aware of both ends of Sushumna and produces the
feeling of an energetic current moving up the spine. In due course, one will be
able to perceive the whole Sushumna Nadi as a radiant channel.

7. Pranayama with Short Breath


Pranayama with short breath is based upon letting the breath move freely,
observing it, being conscious of each movement of it -- pauses included -- and
coordinating with it the energy's movement from the Muladhara to every
Chakras and vice versa. This fact invites the energy to move freely upwards
through Sushumna and downwards into each part of the body. This action
completes that of Maha Mudra and prepares you for Yoni Mudra.
After having drawn three deep breaths, each of them ending with a fast
and complete an exhalation like a sigh, your breath will be very calm. If you
place your finger under both nostrils, the ingoing or outgoing breath will touch
barely your finger. This is the indication that the breath is internalized as in
Kriya Yoga should be. Practice the following exercise and repeat the test at the
end. You will feel a striking difference.
Focus your attention on the Muladhara Chakra. When it becomes natural
to have an inhalation, inhale only what is necessary, as quickly as per instinct
(about one second), pause an instant in the second Chakra. When it feels natural
to exhale, exhale, pause in Muladhara. When it feels natural to inhale, inhale,
pause in the third Chakra. When it feels natural to exhale, exhale, pause in
Muladhara.
Go on like that, repeating the procedure between Muladhara and the
fourth Chakra, Muladhara and the fifth Chakra (then Bindu, medulla, fifth,
fourth, third and second Chakra.) One cycle is made of 10 short breaths. Repeat
more than one cycle, until you perceive that your breath is very calm -- almost
imperceptible.

8. Yoni Mudra
At night, before going to bed, begin your practice by calming the whole
psychophysical system with a short Kriya routine (a few Kriya Pranayama
breaths as well as a short practice of Navi Kriya). After that, raise the energy with
a deep inhalation into the central part of the head. If you are able to do Kechari
Mudra, press the tongue firmly on the highest point inside the nasal pharynx –
otherwise leave the tongue in its normal relaxed position. Close every "opening"
in the head -- the ears with the thumbs, the eyelids with the index fingers, the
nostrils with the middle fingers, the lips with the ring and the little fingers -- so
all the energy "lights up" the region between the eyebrows. Throughout the
practice, both elbows are parallel to the floor and point out to the side. Do not let
them drop, prop them up somehow, if necessary. During this special light-
3
We have given the definition of Bandhas in chapter 1

101
witnessing act, the index fingers must not put any pressure on the eyes -- this
would be harmful and serve no purpose! If a kriyaban is distracted by the
pressure of the index fingers on the eyelids, he draws the eyelids down with the
index fingers and applies pressure on the corners of the eyes - on the upper
cheekbones.
By holding the breath and mentally repeating Om (Ohng) several times,
observe the light of the "spiritual eye" that is gathering and intensifying. The
light condenses into a golden ring. Hold the breath as long as is comfortable and
until the necessity to breathe out distracts your attention. Exhale, bringing down
the awareness along the spine. Yoni Mudra is usually performed only once.
Inhaling deeply and holding the breath usually causes discomfort after a
few seconds. Here is a short suggestion on how to reduce the discomfort and
make it possible to deepen the practice. At the end of a moderate inhalation (not
a typical Kriya Pranayama one but a shorter one), a kriyaban fully plugs all the
head openings except the nostrils, exhales a very small quantity of air, then
immediately closes the nostrils. The thoracic muscles are to be relaxed as if one
intended to begin a new inhalation: this will give the sensation that the breath has
become quiet in the area between the throat and the point between the eyebrows .
In this situation, concentration on the point between the eyebrows and the
repetition of Om several times can be enjoyed to its fullest. Traditional
instruction advises increasing the number of Om repetitions by one per day up to
a maximum of 200. Of course, forcing is always to be avoided.

Suggestions about the Routine


The complete routine that we have already implicitly given by numbering the
techniques from 1. to 8: Talabya Kriya • Om Japa • Kriya Pranayama • Navi
Kriya • Mental Pranayama • Maha Mudra • Pranayama with short breath • Yoni
Mudra, does not work for everyone. An expert kriyaban is able to use Maha
Mudra right after mental Pranayama, followed by Pranayama with short breath
to enter the breathless state. On the contrary, a beginner could feel uncomfortable
and nervous by breaking mental Pranayama off.
It is natural to utilize Maha Mudra and Navi Kriya as preliminary
techniques and avoid, after Kriya Pranayama, techniques requiring movement.
Here we have two examples of simple and extremely enjoyable routines:

• Maha Mudra • Navi Kriya • Yoni Mudra • Talabya Kriya • Kriya Pranayama •
Mental Pranayama

or:

• Talabya Kriya • Maha Mudra • Navi Kriya • Kriya Pranayama • Mental


Pranayama
+ Yoni Mudra at night

102
Some teachers claim that Yoni Mudra should not be practiced during the day. In reality,
it can be done anytime! However, the technique is best done in the deep calmness of the
night and when one is totally and perfectly relaxed. Yoni Mudra at night can be
experienced in the following way: after calming one's thoughts and relaxing one's body
with some deep breaths, Maha Mudra is practiced. Then Pranayama with short breath
is enjoyed as much as possible, then Yoni Mudra. Then one remains concentrated as
long as possible in the point between the eyebrows trying to perceive the light in
Kutastha. Yoni Mudra generates such a concentration of energy in the point between the
eyebrows that the quality of the ensuing sleep changes for the better. In other words,
after crossing the subconscious layers, one's awareness may succeed in reaching the so-
called "superconscious" state.

In the beginning, Kriya Pranayama is usually practiced 12-24 times, therefore


only the first and the second part of it. Occasionally (for example during a longer
meditation once in a week) you can add more repetitions; in that occasion it is
fine to experience the third part of Kriya Pranayama also.
The ideal moments for practicing Kriya are before breakfast, before lunch
at noon, late afternoon before dinner, and at night at least 2-3 hours after eating.
Don't try to practice only the third part of Kriya Pranayama: a routine
which is totally based on a strong concentration on the Sahasrara is not
appropriate for beginning or medium level students. Developing a strong magnet
in Sahasrara through the third part of Kriya Pranayama is the most powerful
way of stimulating the Kundalini awakening. This implies that a lot of material
from the subconscious mind is brought to the surface. (See also the discussion in
chapter 9.) You can experience all a range of negative moods, from a marked
alienation from reality to a panic attack.
You must never forget to give the highest importance to the soothing
phase of mental Pranayama. A Kriya routine which does not end with mental
Pranayama is like an orchestra tuning their instruments and then leaving the
stage! It is the phase that brings everything together; the ripples in the mind's
lake are stilled, the awareness becomes transparent, and the Last Reality is
revealed. It is a diffuse calmness; the mind is at rest and silent and gains the
energy necessary to be more acutely alert. It is like a spiral which gradually and
systematically takes care of all the levels of one's being: it is a healing process.
Its value becomes apparent during the difficult moments of life when important
decisions have to be taken. One has the impression that nothing can get in the
way and that even the greatest difficulties dissolve. Inside the perfect
transparency of an inner order, all problems are solved. One is born to Kriya
through the engaging practice of mental Pranayama: it projects us into sheer
heaven and its beauty overflows our lives.

".... it's hard to stay angry when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes
I feel I'm seeing it all at once and I'm overwhelmed. My heart feels it's about to
burst...until I remember to relax and stop trying to hold on to it. And then it
flows through me like rain. And I can't feel anything but gratitude for every
single moment of my stupid little life. (slightly modified from American Beauty,
film; 1999) "

103
CHAPTER 7
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE FIRST KRIYA

Without getting beyond the field of the techniques of First Kriya initiation, we
shall discuss now some more developments in the theory and practice of Kriya.
This chapter is devoted to the students who have shown their commitment to the
practice of Kriya. The right moment to study this chapter is after having
practiced Kriya Yoga daily for at least 3-6 months. Daily means once a day -- one
long session when it is comfortable, at any time of the day, plus the practice of
Yoni Mudra at night, before sleep.
When Kriya initiates carry out for months the instructions shared in the
previous chapter, there are some results that begin to appear. Understanding,
from a theoretical point of view, what is happening is useful to avoid hindering
this process, rather to guide it wisely toward the yearned-for goal.

A_THEORY

Kriya Yoga Vijnan by Swami Nityananda Giri contains a concise and


comprehensive theoretical outlook of Kriya Yoga. 4 Most books about Kriya
contain tedious rhetoric and innumerable repetitions, all soaked in useless
references to abstruse philosophical theories - there may be one or two
interesting lines, whilst the rest can be discarded. However, in Kriya Yoga
Vijnan there are a few pages which are a real treasure. The ideas contained in it
are precious to inspire the personal practice.
Two other important works are: Kriya Quotes from Swami Satyananda
(2004) and Sri Sailendra Bejoy Dasgupta's Light of Kriya Yoga (2008). The first
contains a few notes taken from conversation with Swami Satyananda Giri, a
disciple of Sri Yukteswar; the vision is very rational and convincing. The second
is a document written by Sri Sailendra Bejoy Dasgupta, another disciple of Sri
Yukteswar. Following is a summary of how these three authors conceive the four
phases or levels of Kriya Yoga.

According to Swami Nityananda Giri phase 1 of Kriya is embodied in an event


that happens during the performance of Kriya Pranayama. After inhalation and
after exhalation, some instants of Stillness are enjoyed at the two extremities of
the spinal chord. During those intervals, Prana and Apana merge one into the
other.
We know that the Apana energy is raised from the base of the spine to the
higher Chakras while the Prana energy ["Prana" is here intended as that
particular energy operating in the zone of the lungs] is brought down back to the
base of the spine. A subtle alchemy happens continuously during the practice of

4
This work appeared on the Internet for some months and then it was removed. Now it
can be acquired from www.sivabooks.com. I have recently discovered that the thread of
similar ideas can also be found in Swami Sadhananda Giri's Kriya Yoga: Its Mystery
and Performing Art (1998).

104
Kriya Pranayama. During inhalation, mind and Apana come up through the
spinal column toward Ajna. Then, when, as it is natural, the air would tend to go
out through the nose, an act of will directs it down inside the spine. Apana
(accumulated inside the inhaled air) is merged (sacrificed) into Prana (which
dwells in the higher part of the thorax). Both Prana and Apana are dragged
downward. When breath and awareness reach Muladhara and a new inhalation is
starting, it is natural that a fresh volume of air, which is recharged with Prana, to
enter through the nose; an act of will directs it at the base of the spinal column,
forcing it to rise inside the spinal channel. A new volume of Prana is thus
merged with into Apana (which dwells in the lower part of the spine). Both
Prana and Apana are dragged upwards. By the repetition of this process, Prana
devours Apana and, vice versa, Prana dissolves into Apana. In those instants a
kriyaban has the first glimpse of the state of Stability that will be expanded in the
following phases of Kriya.
Phase 2 of Kriya is identified with the practice of Omkar Kriya where the
Vasudeva Mantra ("Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya") is introduced. Awareness
of the Chakras is intensified, therefore, the attention is firmly fixed on the
location of each Chakra. This sensation is decisive for the perception of Internal
sound and spiritual light.
Phase 3 (Thokar Kriya) allows the kriyaban to perceive and become one
with the element "air" (the fourth of five Tattwas) which has its seat in the fourth
Chakra. The Tattwas (Sanskrit) are the five subtle elements: earth, water, fire, air
and ether (space). This is a philosophical theory that claims that everything in
the universe can be broken down into five primal energies. To a kriyaban the
theory of the Tattwas is not a theme of useless speculation. They are conceived as
a concrete series of states of consciousness, whose intimate essence we
experience in our last journey toward the Absolute Consciousness. Now, tuning
with the air Tattwa, allows a person enter a sublime state; the heartrate slows
down, the breath seems to disappear while the awareness of the Divine Sound
and Light are intensified greatly.
Phase 4 (Dhyana Kriya) is based upon moving the mind up and down the
spine but remaining in the Kevala Kumbhaka (effortless breathlessness) state.
This allows to experience the five Tattwas. The lofty state attained in the heart
Chakra by means of the practice of Thokar is now recreated in each Chakra. And
it is this very final procedure that blows the last shell of illusion.

Slightly different but not in contradiction with the previous one, is the vision of
Swami Satyananda Giri. The four phases are
1. raising the tongue
2. piercing of knot of the dorsal center
3. piercing of knot of the navel
4. piercing of knot of the coccygeal center
This "Downward journey" is the main feature of Kriya Yoga and it is said
following a "Pre-Reverse Order".
What does the "Pre-Reverse Order" mean? From the moment of our
conception, Kundalini began a slow journey of descent starting from the cells

105
forming our brain and medulla into the cells of our new spine, finally resting in
Muladhara. In the Kundalini awakening, the direction of the energy flow is
reversed. Therefore the four-step-Kriya "Downward journey" which is the
preparation to the Kundalini awakening is said to follow a "Pre-Reverse Order".
Raising the tongue is accomplished by the help of Kechari Mudra. In this
way Kriya Pranayama is continuously perfected. Piercing the knot of the heart
Chakra is accomplished through Pranava -- the Omkar sound. Swami
Satyananda Giri explains that if in Kriya Pranayama the practitioners would not
focus on the first six Chakras and practice Japa in each one of them, they would
only do an ordinary breathing exercise, merely sitting and thinking about all
kinds of trivial things, and this would result in a tamasic state. If during Kriya
the mind does not think about other things and no mistakes are made in chanting
Om in each Chakra, then a peaceful state of mind will established. Without Om,
Kriya is empty of substance. Swami Satyananda Giri shows that the Higher
Kriyas have been designed to gradually attain the highest stage in tuning with
Omkar. Very suggestively, he explains that it is the spontaneous flow of joy
emanating from the sound of Om that is the aim of the kriyaban. The realization
of the inner sound, Pranava is the essence of phase 2 of Kriya. Utilizing the
syllables of the well known Vasudeva Mantra along with the practice of making
a short Kumbhaka in each different Chakra (Omkar Kriya) a profound sound like
that of a long-sustaining bell is experienced.
Then the instruction of applying a particular kind of pressure or strike on
the Anahata Chakra is given. This technique (Thokar Kriya) has two levels. With
the first level, experiences of happiness, sorrow, peace etc. are felt emanating
from the heart Chakra, pervading the chest area and establishing boundless peace
in the mind. The second level of Thokar Kriya consists in applying a physical
and mental blow over and over in the heart area. Breathless state is achieved
because breathing is controlled by the cardiac plexus. The author remarks that it
seems difficult or impossible to rotate 200 times one's head in one breath at one
stretch. He explains that the secret is to begin with 12 rotations and increase by
one every day. With this procedure very deep levels of the Omkar Sound are
revealed. But most important is the experience of Spiritual Light. In the stillness
of witnessing that Light, the door of Sushumna is opened. This means that this
Light is also revealed at the different Chakra's location, at the point between the
eyebrows and at Sahasrara.
Phase 3, piercing the knot of the navel, is accomplished through Navi
Kriya. In Swami Satyananda's vision, it seem that everything has already
happened during phase 2. Having crossed the heart knot, Sthir Vayu (tranquil
breath) moves to the next center, the lumbar center. The practice of the Third
Kriya is taught for guiding the vibration of Pranava down the spine toward
Muladhara. This matches the definition of Navi Kriya which is not only made of
concentration upon the navel and the lumbar Chakra but it is also made of
mentally placing Om in each Chakra up and down the spine while the breath is
free and is calming down progressively.
Phase 4, piercing the coccygeal knot, is accomplished through the full
experience of the Omkar's light aspect. To explain how the Muladhara-knot is

106
broken and Kundalini awakened, the author departs from a precise fact. Through
Thokar we have perceived inner light in the heart Chakra and realized that this
light shines also in Kutastha. After phase 3 we encounter the revelation of the
Tranquil and True Light in the form of a "Bindu", a dot. Although it appears in
the heart Chakra, it becomes the tiny white star that illuminates the path of
Eternal Freedom. The author explains that after raising the Prana into Kutastha,
a kriyaban practices a particular form of Japa there. Prana must always remain
in Kutastha. If it falls below the throat, it must be raised again.

Sri Sailendra Bejoy Dasgupta's conception is quite similar. The first two phases
are described in the same way. Phase 3 instead of being described as "piercing
the knot of the navel" is here identified with the result of the strong procedure of
Thokar utilized in phase 2 and is called Omkar Kriya. He explains that Omkar
sound appears like the sound of the a multitude of bees, refining gradually into a
note like that of a flute, and then of a thunder. With this revelation, the kriyaban
perceives different lights at each center in Sushumna. He explains that a
kriyaban endeavors to constantly remain immersed in the holy Omkar sound.
This constitutes the royal path to success in Kriya discipline. There is no
information about phase 4 of Kriya, but the fact that it is a refining of the Omkar
and Thokar procedures.
The author concludes that after completing the required number of Kriyas,
the performer has to sit quiet, absorbed in the "Equilibrium State". The mind has
to be gradually detached from all thoughts, eventually plunging into Nirvikalpa
Samadhi. He explains also that once the Fourth Kriya has been mastered, the
kriyaban does not need any more guidance. He divines processes of Fifth, Sixth
and other higher Kriyas for himself in order to remain continuously immersed in
the Eternal Tranquility.

Scheme Adopted in this Book

Phase 1: Piercing the Tongue Knot (Jihuah -- or Jihva -- Granthi Bheda)


The tongue knot consists in the physiological fact that our tongue is normally not
able to touch the uvula and certain centers in the nasal pharynx. We are not kept
connected with the reservoir of energy in the Sahasrara region. Kechari Mudra
eliminates the gap between the brain and the body and lets the energy circulate
(in a clearly perceivable way) inside the body. It closes the circuit of the spine.
The nectar (amrit) trickles down through the tongue into body and spine. The
downward journey of static Prana from Sahasrara toward Muladhara, opening
each knot and dissolving all obstacles, has begun.
The piercing of the tongue knot is achieved not only through Kechari
Mudra proper. It is also accomplished when the tongue tip is simply turned back
to touch the middle of the upper palate at the point where the hard palate
becomes soft. It is also accomplished by Talabya Kriya where the tongue is
horizontal, attached to the palate and the frenulum stretched. It is also
accomplished by certain other Kriya techniques, like those envisaged by phase 3

107
and 4 of Kriya Yoga.

Phase 2: Piercing the Heart Knot (Hridaya Granthi Bheda)


This phase comprises the following parts:
I. Awakening the Omkar perception. This generally happens in the second part of
Kriya Pranayama and in Omkar Kriya -- which is essentially a variation of
Kriya Pranayama. It is also fostered by many other techniques like Navi Kriya,
Maha Mudra, Pranayama with short breath and Yoni Mudra. It happens also by
unswerving listening to the flute-like sound of breath during Kriya Pranayama
with Kechari Mudra.
II. Intensifying the Omkar experience by strong stimulation of the heart Chakra.
This is achieved by Thokar Kriya (basic level); the awareness of a distant sound
of a long-sustaining bell fills one's awareness. The same procedure is intensified
through the practice of the advance form of Thokar; the intervals of Kumbhaka
are gradually extended. A particular state appears where the highest stage of
tuning with Omkar becomes possible.

Phase 3: Piercing the Navel (Third Chakra) Knot (Nabhi Granthi Bheda)
This phase comprises the following parts:
I. Piercing the navel knot through the action of Navi Kriya. This happens by
uniting Prana and Apana in the navel region, after they are activated and
balanced through Kriya Pranayama.
II. Distributing the static Prana to all the Chakras, from Sahasrara to
Muladhara.
III. Deepening the previous state, obtaining, when the time is ripe, the breathless
state.

Some mystics have observed that the process of Samadhi begins in the navel
center -- actually they mean the Dantian center. Some Yoga literature identify
piercing the knot of the navel with opening the Manipura Chakra but this is not
correct. Piercing the knot of the navel means reaching with the awareness the
Dantian center. Such center, introduced by the Taoist Internal Alchemy it is not
just a theoretical hypothesis but a tangible reality. It is explained that to settle
into this zone, means to be born to the spiritual life. It is located about two and
one-half inches below the belly button and about one and one-half inches inside:
it can be visualized as a ball about one and one-half inches in diameter.
It is further explained that we have three Dantian. The afore described
center in the abdomen is called lower Dantian, the next is in the heart region
(middle Dantian) and a third (upper Dantian) is to be found in the region
between the eyebrows. Pacifying Prana at these precise locations is the very
nucleus of the action of Kriya.
The lower Dantian or "The field of cinnabar" is the place where the
sexual, love, and spiritual energies are gathered and blended. It contains our
unique, individual vibration, the "note" which embodies our will to live in the
physical body. To settle into this zone, means to be born to the spiritual life. This
event has been designated as the: "Cultivation of the spiritual embryo" or of the

108
"elixir of immortality"; "Coming back to the center"; "The birth of the golden
flower"; "The creation of the dazzling gem".
Be deepening the practice of Navi Kriya, the vibration which is created in
the Dantian ascends spontaneously into the heart region. It illuminates the space
of the heart (the middle Dantian) and reveals one's fundamental nature. The "true
serenity" manifests there. The nature of the breath changes, a great immobility in
the mental, energetic and physical planes appears. The Omkar experience as
internal light is achieved -- this event will be crucial in piercing the Muladhara
knot. The distinctive feature of the mastering of the third phase, is the respiratory
suspension. This state is called: "Bahir (external) Kevala Kumbhaka" --
effortless, spontaneous halting of breathing with the air out of the lungs.

Phase 4: Piercing the Root and Rudra Knots (Muladhara Granthi Bheda)
This phase comprises the following parts:
I. Piercing the knot of Muladhara by inviting Kundalini to enter Sushumna. This
happens by moving from Bahir (external) Kevala Kumbhaka to Antar (internal)
Kevala Kumbhaka.
II. Perfecting Pranayama up to experience it in the breathless state. This is the
highest form of Pranayama. The energy moves by itself in a great circulation.
This great event embodies the last part of the spiritual path. P.Y. describes it with
these words: "...the current will then automatically move by itself and the joy
experienced will be indescribable." The Taoist Internal Alchemy hints at this
great event as a spontaneous phenomenon of circulation of energy in the body,
(the Macrocosmic Orbit) which has vast psychological implications.
III. Piercing the Rudra knot (the point between the eyebrows.) This happens
through Yoni Mudra and through the Fourth Kriya technique, which is called
Omkar Gayatri Kriya. This process is also called the Dhyana (meditation) phase
of Kriya Yoga. By repeating this procedure you enter the Samadhi state but only
for few instants. The final result happens after years of serious commitment.
Final liberation (moksha) is not attained in one day. During the epoch of our life
when we are occupied with this procedure, many splendid experiences will
happen and the last internal obstacles will be cleared one after another.

109
Purpose of each phase Practices Higher Kriyas
PHASE 1 ■ Kechari Mudra (either simplified Use of Mantra and Micro Thokar on
Piercing the tongue knot or proper form). Talabya Kriya the crown and on the subtle centers
■ Kriya Pranayama (first and third of the head (see 3rd & 4th Kriyas)
part)
PHASE 2 2nd Kriya part 1: Omkar Kriya
1.Piercing the heart knot by ■ Kriya Pranayama Part 2
awakening the Omkar perception
2.Piercing the heart knot by guiding 2nd Kriya part 2 & 3: Thokar
the Prana into the heart Chakra ————————————— Kriya (basic level and advanced
level)
PHASE 3
1.Piercing the navel knot ■ Navi Kriya —————————————
2.Spreading the static Prana to each 3rd Kriya part 1: Mental Omkar
Chakra, from Sahasrara to Kriya
Muladhara ■ Mental Pranayama
3.Deepening the previous practice
3rd Kriya part 2: Micro Thokar
up to the breathless state
PHASE 4
1.Piercing the Muladhara knot ■ Maha Mudra —————————————
2.Perfecting Pranayama up to ■ Taking Pranayama with short —————————————
experience it in the breathless state breath as a starting point
3.Piercing the Rudra knot ■ Yoni Mudra 4th Kriya: Omkar Gayatri Kriya

B_KECHARI MUDRA

Before considering some important variations and developments of the


fundamental techniques of First Kriya, we shall discuss in detail how to achieve
Kechari Mudra.
After several months of regular practice of Talabya Kriya, a kriyaban may
decide it is time to attempt Kechari Mudra. The test is whether the tip of the
tongue can touch the uvula. If so, then for a few minutes a day, use the fingers to
push the base of the tongue inward until the tip goes beyond the uvula and
touches the hard palate above it. One day, on removing the fingers, the tip of the
tongue will remain "trapped" in that position. This is possible because the soft
palate (the part from which the uvula hangs) is soft and movable and when the
tip of the tongue is able to enter a centimeter or so into the nasal pharynx, it
creates a hook. This prevents the tongue from slipping out and returning to its
usual flat position. This is the turning point. 5
5
Talabya Kriya and Kechari Mudra are completely different! (Compare figure 3 with
figure 2 in chapter 6). By opening the mouth in front of a mirror, during the first part of
Talabya Kriya, notice the hollow parts at the sides of the Fraenulum, which will appear
as isolated from the body of the tongue. Whereas during Kechari Mudra you see only
the root of the tongue: it is the uvula that comes forward.

110
Figure 3. Kechari Mudra

Henceforth, by striving each day to practice at least 6-12 Kriya Pranayama with
the tongue in this position -- despite some discomfort such as an increase in
salivation, swallowing, and occasional interruptions to reestablish the position --
the real Kechari Mudra will be achieved. After approximately three weeks of
practicing in this way, you should be able to reach the same position without
using the fingers. The tongue will be able to insert itself into the nasal-pharynx
cavity in the upper palate. There will still be enough space left in the cavity to
inhale and exhale through the nose. The sense of irritation and the increase in
salivation are soon left behind and from then on the practice of Kriya
Pranayama with Kechari Mudra becomes easy and comfortable.
There are two main stages of Kechari Mudra. After several months of
tireless practice of the just described stage 1, one achieves stage 2 where the
tongue reaches the junction of the nasal passage inside the hole in the palate. The
soft tissue above the holes in the nose is alluded to in Kriya literature as the
"uvula above the uvula". The tip of the tongue reaches this small area and will
remain "stuck" there comfortably.
It is stated in Kriya literature that the tongue can also be pushed further up
so that its tip touches a higher center in the upper part of the pharynx. As any
good anatomy book will reveal, the tongue that fills up the nasal pharynx cannot
extend any further. Lahiri Mahasaya's sentence can be understood symbolically
and it refers to the rising of the energy. Actually, by extending the tongue to its
limit, it is possible to experience a great attraction toward the region between the
eyebrows along with the sensation of having reached, with the tip of the tongue,
a higher position.
The same literature also affirms that through Kechari one is able to
perceive "Amrita", "Nectar", the elixir of life which is a sweet tasting fluid
trickling down from the brain onto the tongue and into the body. As for the
importance of sipping the nectar, I cannot comment since I haven't had the
experience nor, I must admit, have I even tried to have it. Even if the following
information leaves me perplexed, I share it for the sake of accuracy and
completeness.
Literature on Kriya Yoga explains that in order to have this experience, the

111
tip of the tongue should touch three specific points: the uvula, a small asperity in
the roof of the nasopharynx under the pituitary gland, and the soft tissue above
the nasal septum. The tip of the tongue should rotate on these spots for at least
20-30 seconds; then, in the manner of sipping a liquid, a flavor will be tasted on
the tongue's surface. The exercise can be repeated several times during the day. It
is explained that when the real nectar sensation manifests, one should focus on it
while keeping the tongue in contact with one of the centers described above.
(Although such explanations may at first be fascinating for the kriyabans, after
an initial period of intense excitement, these are often forgotten and the
practitioner does not care about these things anymore.)
Kechari Mudra can be compared to an electrical bypass of the mind's
energy system. It changes both the path and the direction of Prana flow, and
causes the life force to be withdrawn from the thought process. Silence and
transparency begin to become the feature of one's consciousness. Kechari stops
the internal chatter and gives the mind an essential rest. The mind works in a
more restrained way; each thought becomes more concrete and precise. Indeed,
this in itself is a major accomplishment! At times, during daily activities,
moments of pure calmness and mental silence fill the practitioner's entire being!
Sometimes without any additional yogic practice, inexplicable explosions of
inner joy appear in unpredictable ways.

Kechari Mudra enables a kriyaban to take a giant step toward perfecting Kriya
Pranayama. During Kriya Pranayama with Kechari Mudra, the exhalation
arising in the nasal pharynx has a fine flute-like sound like a faint whistle. Some
schools call it the Shakti Mantra. It has been likened to the "flute of Krishna".
Lahiri Mahasaya described it as "similar to blowing air through a keyhole". He
described it as "a razor with which cuts off everything related to the mind". It
has the power to cut out any external distracting factors including thoughts and
comes at the maximal point of relaxation. Blowing gently on the edge of a sheet
of paper approximates this sound. When distraction and anxiety arises, the
sound vanishes. Practicing Kriya Pranayama in this way and enjoying its
aftereffects is an enchanting and astonishing experience, one of the best moments
in a kriyaban’s life.
Cultivating the perfection of this sound, concentrating firmly on it, means
creating the best basis to arouse the Om sound without moving to the second
phase of Kriya Pranayama. Literature on Kriya Yoga explains that when this
event happens, the Omkar experience acquires the dynamism of Kundalini; the
soul travels through the spinal cord and burns in the joy of Samadhi.
Modesty is always welcome but when this result is achieved, the positive
euphoria is so overwhelming that it cannot be contained (like finding Aladdin’s
magic lamp). In Kriya literature it is said that those who realize a perfect
Pranayama, can achieve everything through it. Well, if we dream of a faultless
Kriya Pranayama, then Kriya Pranayama with Kechari Mudra and flute sound
matches that principle.

We close with an important remark. As soon as you achieve Kechari Mudra

112
(assuming that one keeps this position each day for an average of at least five
minutes), during the first week of its employment, you may experience a feeling
of "dizziness" where the mental faculties seem to be fogged up. You must be
prepared for this eventuality and consider, during that week, abstaining from
driving and from any work implying a significant percentage of risk.

C_VARIATIONS

We shall describe some interesting variations of Kriya Pranayama, Navi Kriya


and Maha Mudra. While applying the following instructions, one might think of
making one's routine intricate and unnatural. If one has a self learning instinct,
there will be no problem in making the routine flow natural. I believe that one
should not add simultaneously different technical details: it is important to
experience each one separately and utilize each one for at least one week before
adding the next one. Each detail intensifies the power of one specific phase of
Kriya, engraves it in your awareness and therefore should be gradually digested
and integrated into your personality.

Variations of Kriya Pranayama


In comparison to the already explained Kriya Pranayama in three parts, the
following variations can be defined "simplifications"; yet they might be inspiring
and useful. They are to be practiced with mouth closed and, possibly, with the
tongue in Kechari Mudra. The throat sounds are those we have already
explained.

Variation 1.
Circuit inside and on the back of Sushumna
Inhale, visualizing the breath coming up through Sushumna, feeling its coolness
touching each Chakra from Muladhara to Vishuddha, then medulla until it
reaches the point between the eyebrows. Om mentally is chanted in each one of
this points. After a short pause with the awareness totally focused in the point
between the eyebrows, exhalation begins. During the first part of the exhalation,
the current comes up over the forehead, then bends and moves backwards over
the brain, under the cranial bones, under fontanelle, piercing Bindu, then
medulla. The exhalation is completed by visualizing the breath coming down
through the back of the spinal column. Feel the warmth of the breath touching
each Chakra at the back, from Vishuddha to Muladhara. Om is mentally chanted
in Bindu, medulla, Vishuddha, .... Muladhara.

Variation 2.
Pranayama with Aswini Mudra
Aswini Mudra means contracting repeatedly the muscles at the base of the spine
with the rhythm of about two contractions per second. 6
6
While learning the technique, a yogi contracts the buttock muscles, perineum or even
the entire pelvic region also; with time, the contraction involves only the sphincter

113
A wise procedure is to practice Aswini Mudra intensively and
continuously during Kriya Pranayama. During inhalation and exhalation of the
first 12 Kriya breaths, Aswini Mudra should be strong; subsequently, it should
decrease in intensity and become like a slight internal contraction of the inferior
part of the spine -- this is just our sensation, because it is clear that the spine
cannot be contracted.
If this procedure appears annoying and disturbing, it is essential to be
unshakeable and go ahead with it. At a certain point, by going on impassively,
one has the certainty that something positive is happening. One perceives a
pleasurable shiver in the spine. The continuous practice of Aswini Mudra during
Kriya Pranayama creates the condition for Kundalini awakening. It gently
pushes the Apana current upward to the navel region where it meets Prana.
Kundalini awakens when there is immobility of the body and Prana and Apana
unite. It is only the union of these two currents that can open the door of
Sushumna.
The day after the practice of Kriya Pranayama with Aswini Mudra a
diffuse joy during all the day is perceived, even if one can devote only five
minutes to the practice of Kriya.

Variation 3.
Pranayama with Mula Bandha
Mula Bandha means contracting the perinea muscles, while a mental pressure is
exerted on the lower part of the spine (we have only one long contraction and not
a series of contraction and release like in Aswini Mudra.) We practice Mula
Bandha during the pause of the breath after inhalation. The purpose is to create
the perception of Kutastha. This is a very delicate procedure that should be
learned gradually.
I. During the last instants of inhalation, before doing Mula Bandha, we
visualize the current reaching Bindu, then the current "rotates" left, comes down
a little bit and enters the medulla.
II. It is in this moment that Mula Bandha is practiced intensely, the breath
is held and the eyebrows are raised. You will feel that the energy is pushed from
medulla into Kutastha. Simultaneously internal light is perceived spreading from
Kutastha to the upper part of the brain.
Then the exhalation begins, all the tension is released and the energy goes
down to Muladhara. Breath after breath, the power created in Kutastha will
kindle the great golden-white light of the spiritual eye. Kechari Mudra, if
achieved, cooperates with this process: during the Mula Bandha thrust, the
tongue is pushed upward and forward.

Variation 4.
Rate 2:3
An important school considers the 2:3 ratio (inhalation:exhalation) much more
natural of the already discussed 1:1. In this more liberal approach to the length of
breath in Kriya Pranayama, it is explained that breath retention should be at least

muscles.

114
4 seconds, but the optimum is equal the length of inhalation. Just to make an
example: 12 seconds inhalation; 4 seconds pause; 18 seconds exhalation is
correct, but the ideal timing to reach is: 12-12-18.

Variation 5.
Counting the Kriya Breaths on the Chakras
The following cannot be called a real variation: it is only a particular way of
counting the Kriya breaths, without using mala or movement of fingers. Maybe it
seems a trifle, but if you adopt it you will realize how deeply it calms your mind.
Practice any of the afore described Kriya Pranayama variation (or the first
part of Kriya Pranayama as described in chapter 6.) During the first breath focus
on all the spine as the technique requires, but on Muladhara Chakra in particular,
as if this Chakra were the most important point of the spine. After a full breath,
during the second breath, consider the Swadhisthana Chakra as the most
important point of the spine... and so on (third, fourth, fifth, Bindu, medulla,
fifth... Muladhara). It is as if with each further breath you evoke the calmness,
the sweetness of a different Chakra. After twelve breaths you will realize that
something has changed, that you are more introverted.

Variations of Navi Kriya


The following two variations of Navi Kriya are very mild and comfortable.

Variation 1.
Breathing through the Silver Chord
Consider the basic explanation in chapter 6. All the details up to the bending of
the head forward remain unchanged. In this variation the Om Mantra is mentally
chanted in alternation between the point between the eyebrows and the navel
(Om in the point between the eyebrows, Om in the navel, Om in the point
between the eyebrows, Om in the navel… and so on). Optional (but very useful if
done with a relaxed attitude) is to synchronize the breath with the Om chanting.
Let us dwell on this delicate point. Visualize a tiny silver channel that
connects (outside your body) the point between the eyebrows with the navel.
When it comes natural to have a very short inhalation, inhale only what is
necessary, visualize the movement of air rising, through the visualized channel,
from navel to the point between the eyebrows, pause an instant there just chant
Om mentally. When it comes natural to exhale, exhale, visualize the movement
of air going down, through the visualized channel, into the navel, pause and
chant Om mentally in the navel. By repeating this, you will markedly feel that
your breath begins to subside and disappear. When this happens, go on mentally
chanting the Om Mantra in alternation between the point between the eyebrows
and the navel and moving the focus of your awareness between these two points,
without ceasing being aware of the "silver channel". Go on. When Om is
chanted about 75 times, bend your head backwards and repeat a similar
procedure by chanting Om in alternation between the Bindu and the third
Chakra. Visualize another tiny silver channel that connects (outside your body)
the Bindu and the third Chakra. Let your breath -- if there is still a trace of

115
breath -- flow freely in that channel. When Om is chanted about 25 times, resume
the chin's normal position and chant mentally Om in the point between the
eyebrows, medulla, Chakras 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1. This is one Navi Kriya. The
optimum is to have 4 cycles of Navi Kriya. It is natural and desirable that from
the second repetition onwards, the breath has no role at all.

Variation 2.
Descent through Four Directions
The following variation of Navi Kriya is the one many kriyabans like the best.
Let us first remind that the Dantian is located about two and one-half
inches below the belly button and about one and one-half inches inside. It can be
visualized as a ball about one and one-half inches in diameter.
As usual, a kriyaban's awareness goes slowly up along the spinal column
placing the syllable Om (ooong) in the six Chakras. Then the chin is brought
down toward the throat cavity. A short inhalation is followed by a very long
exhalation, during which, the energy is felt descending, along a path outside the
body, from the frontal part of the brain to the navel, reaching through it the
abdominal region -- the Dantian, precisely. During this exhalation, Om is
chanted mentally, rapidly, 10-15 times, accompanying the descent of energy
throughout its path, as if applying some "soft pushes". The head resumes its
normal position. This is followed by a short inhalation (two seconds maximum,
without concentrating on the Chakras) which raises the energy into the head
again. The head bends toward the left shoulder, without turning the face. A long
exhalation (with the same chanting of Om, Om, Om…) accompanies the
downward movement of energy which starts from the brain's left side and moves
along a path outside the body at its left side (forget that there is shoulder or arm)
down to the waist where it bends and moves toward the inside of the abdominal
region (Dantian). The head moves back into its normal position; again a short
inhalation follows (two seconds maximum, without concentrating on the
Chakras) to raise the energy into the head. The head now bends backwards. A
long expiration (with the same chanting of Om, Om, Om…) accompanies the
downward movement of energy which starts from the occipital region and moves
(outside the body) down to the waist where it bends, passes through the third
Manipura Chakra and moves toward the inside of the abdominal region
(Dantian). The procedure is repeated likewise on the right side, then on the
forward, to the left, and so on.
The basic session of this particular form of Navi Kriya consists of 36
descents (9 full rotations of the head). It ends with mental chanting of Om in
each Chakra from Ajna Chakra to Muladhara. (One session typically lasts 8-10
minutes and replaces the 4 repetitions of the commonly established form of Navi
Kriya.) As the practitioner proceeds with the rotations, the movements of the
head become less marked; this is quite normal. One can have encouraging results
also by gradually reaching immobility and completing the prescribed number by
a sheer mental process.

116
Procedures completing the action of Navi Kriya
The following procedures are not part of the traditional set of techniques of
Kriya Yoga. They are currently taught by some Kriya Acharyas because they
have offered a great help in dealing with some difficult cases. Their power of
removing almost any psychological hindrance is noteworthy and unparalleled.
But they require great care because they affect the person's behavior during the
daily life. You could excessively react to trivial impediments and to the irrational
behavior of people. In short, some sharp personality traits of yours may surface.
Obviously, they do not appear out of nothing -- they express what you had held
within you for a long time. The positive aspect of these procedures is that they
have the power to rekindle the "inner fire" of the spiritual path.

First procedure
Stimulus of the Navel Region in three parts

Part 1
Kapalabhati Pranayama is used here in a targeted way to work on the navel.
Perform inhalation and exhalation rapidly; exhalation should be done by
contracting the abdominal muscles forcibly and quickly, resulting in a backward
push. Exhalation and inhalation alternate with equal lengths and occur about two
times per second. The navel acts as a pump and it's almost like using the
abdomen as bellows. Exhalation is active, inhalation passive. A sudden
contraction of the abdominal muscles raises the diaphragm and a volume of air is
expelled from the lungs. The sound slightly resembles blowing one's empty nose.
As soon as the air is forced out, the abdominal muscles relax, this allows the
same volume of air to rush in; inhalation comes automatically. During each
expulsion, Prana is sent to the navel and Om is mentally chanted in the navel.
After 15-20 of these short exhalations, there is a pause and the breath resumes its
normal rhythm. Then another 15-20 of these short breaths are repeated for about
100 mental chants of Om.

Part 2 (optional -- only few persons are able to do it)


Traditional practice of Nauli fosters the Kundalini awakening. Practice by
standing with your feet spread a bit more than shoulder width apart with knees a
bit bent, and leaning forward enough to rest hands on your knees. Expel all the
air from your lungs, and then go up and down with the diaphragm. Breath
normally. Then with air out, contract abdominal muscles by pressing down on
our knees through both your arms. You will notice your abdominal muscles
bulging out vertically.
In time one learns how to "twirl" those muscles: the key to twirling is
separating the flexing of left abdominal muscle from the flexing of right ones,
and then coordinating the two flexings into a twirling motion. This happens by
pressing differently on knees -- weeks are required. (One finds instruction in
Hatha Yoga manuals.) Do at least twenty rotations. Just pause, take a deep breath
or two, exhale again, and continue. It has been explained that the effect is that

117
Kundalini will begin to awaken. As you become familiar with Nauli, you will
also be able to do it less formally in situations that do not involve the standing
position. In time you will be able to do it without visible motion. Generally
speaking, Mudras and Bandhas begin as pronounced and visible, and then
naturally refine over time acting deep upon our nervous system.

Part 3
This exercise is called Nabhi Kundalini. The breath follows a "reversed" path --
reversed in respect to what is experienced in Kriya Pranayama proper. Prana
present in the inhaled air is drawn down at the level of Manipura. Apana is
pushed upwards with the exhaled air. Inhalation happens in three portions:
through the first portion, draw breath and energy from the point between the
eyebrows into Vishuddhi, make a little pause to feel the energy gathering there;
through the second portion, draw breath and energy from Vishuddha into
Anahata, make a little pause to feel the energy gathering there; through the third
portion, draw breath and energy from Anahata into Manipura.
While holding the breath, intensify the concentration on the Manipura
through the three Bandhas (Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Jalandhara
Bandha). Mentally chant Om 12 times in Manipura exerting a form of mental
pressure upon that center. Then release the Bandhas and exhale in three
portions: through the first portion feel the warm energy from the Manipura,
rising through the spine into Anahata; through the second portion feel the warm
energy rising into Vishuddha; through the third portion guide the energy into the
point between the eyebrows.

There is a more traditional version of Nabhi Kundalini. Place your attention at the
Manipura Chakra. Visualize in its center a flaming, inverted triangle. Inhale gradually
through the nostrils, and feel that the breath actually enters Manipura, heating it
intensely, like a blaze afire. Holding your breath, perform Mula Bandha, Uddiyana
Bandha, Jalandhara Bandha -- while keeping your attention on the blazing hot
Manipura.
Visualize a series of drops of white light falling into it, while mentally chanting
Om with each drop. Release all the Bandhas, and release the breath. Exhale gently and
slowly, feeling the warm energy rise along the spine, heating the Anahata Chakra, then
the Vishuddha Chakra, the Ajna Chakra, and Sahasrara Chakra. Chant Om as it passes
through each Chakra. Pause some instants at the Sahasrara Chakra. You can increase
of 12 breaths, every 6 months, until you reach 108 repetitions. You are warned not to
disregard this restriction.

Second procedure
Vase breathing
Sit quietly, breath a few breaths, until you can tangibly feel yourself breathing
energy. Visualize your body as being completely hollow inside. In the center of
your body, just in front of the spine is the central channel, a transparent hollow
tube about the size of a small coin. It runs straight from the base of your spine to
the crown of your head. There are to further channels departing from the right
and left nostrils respectively, travel upwards to the top of the head and then curve

118
to run downwards on either side of the central channel. They join the central
channel at the Dantian's level. 7
Practice Mula Bandha raising energy to the Dantian. Take a full breath
through both nostrils. Air and Prana travel from the nostrils down through the
right and left channels reaching the Dantian and thus the central channel. As you
finish your inhalation, swallow and push down gently with your diaphragm in
order to firmly compress the energy brought down from above: now the air
energy is completely locked in, compressed from above and below. The breath is
in the Dantian. Hold your breath for as long as it is comfortable. This practice is
like holding an air ball between two hands -- here you use your mental
concentration and a light muscular pressure to bring about this feeling of
compression. Visualize in Dantian a growing flame that gets hotter as the
practice progresses.
When you are ready, relax your lightly tensed muscles and exhale gently
and completely. Although the air leaves through the nostrils, visualize that it rises
up through the central channel and dissolves there. Prana comes up through the
central channel and out through fontanelle. Once your first exhalation is
complete, again tighten the lower muscles, inhale a second time, swallow and
push down with the diaphragm, thus again compressing the air energy at the area
below the navel. Hold your breath and concentrate on this area, feeling the
energy building there. Then, again, when it becomes uncomfortable to hold the
breath any longer, exhale, releasing the air up the central channel once again.
After about ten breaths, visualize the exhalation Prana directed to fill each
part of your body up to a cellular level. The physical breath seems to dissolve.
Specialized literature explains that each ten cycles of vase breathing you reach a
higher stage: the higher Chakras up to Sahasrara are reached by the internal
flame. When this happens, the nectar (Amrita) is perceived. It travel downwards
via the path of the tongue (Kechari Mudra), it heals the whole body and
originates a blissful state.
If this practice is done without preparation, just to experiment something,
one achieves only a nervous mood -- as if something had not gone to right way.
The generated power, in fact, doesn't succeed in being absorbed. If the person
abides by a wise gradualness, some important results will appear. The results are
a great quiet in the breath followed by an extraordinary mental clarity and by a
sense of bliss. Later this bliss increases and short states of Samadhi appear,
especially if the yogi has the wisdom of laying down after the practice.

7
Never dream of substituting the Dantian center or navel center with Manipura! The
tendency to remove from the Kriya praxis anything which may seem non yogic is
narrow-minded and needlessly confining. Just to give an example, there are some
teachers who have altered Navi Kriya - either eliminating it entirely or erasing the
concentration on the navel, thus reducing the technique to a pure concentration on the
third Chakra. Many devotees will not shift their awareness a single centimeter from the
spinal column fearing their practice will become less "spiritual!" This is obviously a
false argument: Kriya Yoga happens both inside and outside the spine. Lahiri Mahasaya
wrote unambiguously about the deep, irreplaceable action of unfastening the knot of the
navel – not of the Manipura!

119
Variations of Maha Mudra
Two precious variations of Maha Mudra will be discussed first. They are very
useful to produce the experience of the internal sounds.

Variation 1
Forward bendings
Before the practice of Maha Mudra proper, sit in the half-lotus position or on the
heels. Through a deep inhalation (not as long as in Kriya Pranayama -- employ
half the time) raise the first Chakra into Fontanelle/Sahasrara, hold the breath,
bend the body forward. The head is placed in the region between the knees (see
figure 4). Touch the pavement with the forehead. The hands may be used if you
want; the breath is retained during the entire bending sequence. The head comes
near the right knee, the face is turned toward the left knee so that it is possible to
perceive a pressure on the right side of the head; a sensation of space is perceived
inside the left side of the brain. Then repeat the same exercise with the other side
of the body, reversing the perceptions. Then the head is placed in the region
between the knees again, the face turned downward. A pressure is felt on the
forehead. A sensation of space is perceived inside the occipital region. After
completing the three movements, resume the starting position with the head and
spine erect. The energy is brought down from the point between the eyebrows to
Muladhara through one long exhalation.
Then concentrate upon the second Chakra and repeat the procedure (raise
it, bend the body forward, and so on). You can have six bows, one for each
Chakra but since you can also ideally raise Fontanelle of eight centimeters, you
can have seven bows.

Figure 4. Forward bending starting from sitting on the heels or starting from the half-
lotus pose

What we have explained is only the external hull of the practice. When you focus
on a Chakra, try for a couple of seconds, to perceive a feeling of movement in it.
By repeating the procedure above for various days, this becomes possible and is
a great experience. When the head is touching the pavement, it is easy to feel a
swinging sensation in your head. In that position, the head is ideally divided in
two parts: that which is down and the part that is up. If you do your best to feel
the difference sensation between these two, you will perceive in each part, this
important sensation. If this doesn't work, practice more slowly and without

120
holding your breath.

Variation 2.
Improving traditional Maha Mudra with the subtle perceptions of the previous
exercise
Now practice Maha Mudra, but when the right leg is extended, the right hand
grabs the toes of the right foot while the left hand grabs the inner side of the right
foot (the arch of the foot); the face is turned left while the breath is retained. A
sensation like an inner pressure is felt on the right side of the head. It contrasts
with the free space sensation in the left side of the brain. Practicing the opposite
position, the sensations are reversed. When both legs are extended, the pressure
must be felt on the front part of the head. As usual, this exercise is repeated three
times. While stretching forward holding your breath in the position envisaged for
Maha Mudra, chant Om coming up in each Chakra, trying to perceive the
oscillation in each one. (The technique can be practiced more slowly and without
holding the breath.)

Procedures completing the action of Maha Mudra


Read what we have written before introducing the procedures completing the
action of Navi Kriya. The same warning is to be repeated now.

First procedure
Inviting Kundalini to Enter Sushumna (Tadan Kriya)
Inhale deeply feeling that the breath fills from top down the lungs while the
Prana (contrarily to what happens in Kriya Pranayama) goes down toward
Muladhara. At the end of inhalation, your awareness is focused on Muladhara.
Lift the body just a few millimeters with the help of the hands and then let the
buttocks touch the floor with a mild jolt. Exhale freely perceiving an ecstatic
feeling -- this happens when the jolt is experienced not as a physical movement
but as an intense mental stimulus upon Muladhara.

Second procedure
Guiding Kundalini into the Region of the Fourth Chakra
Inhale like in the previous exercise. During inhalation the breath goes down
toward Muladhara. Then, during exhalation, breath and Prana roll upward
through the spine to the crown of the head. Listen to the sound of your breath.
Hear "Hahm" on the intake and "Sah" on the exhale.
After 6 breaths, exhalation is fragmented. After each "Hahm" just pause a
moment, then release the breath through the nose in short bursts, hearing "sah,
sah, sah, sah, sah," as many times as it takes before your lungs empty.
Breath about 6 times in this way, then release Kechari Mudra and exhale
through the lips, increasing the fragmentation: s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s-s ... (The
different "s" are perfectly audible). The lips touch in the central part and the air
comes out through the corners of your mouth, inducing a warm feeling in the
lips. Transfer it mentally at the base of the spine, perceiving a heat that
spontaneously comes up through the spine. Channel this warm sensation in the

121
heart Chakra. After about 12 breaths, the technique is completed.

Third procedure
Establishing Kundalini in the Region of the Fourth Chakra
Bhastrika Pranayama is one of the most important Pranayamas of classic Yoga.
It is not part of Kriya Yoga -- even if some schools suggest it should be
considered part of it.
"Bhastrika" consists in forced rapid deep breathing, done with the
diaphragm only. You can begin with six repetitions. You breath through the nose,
about one complete breath per second, being aware of what is happening in the
spine. By focusing behind the heart Chakra, you feel the energy oscillating
approximately 3 centimeters below and above it. It is like cleaning vigorously
the area behind this Chakra. You will feel warm in the region of the fourth
Chakra. Then inhale deeply, hold your breath and feel the warm sensation
increasing. Exhale intensifying that sensation. In time, you can increase the
length and the repetitions of this technique.

Particular Procedures to be Practiced at the end of a Kriya Routine by those


who have Succeeded in Reaching the Breathless State

First procedure
Antar Kevala Kumbhaka (Muladhara Granthi Bheda proper)
After reaching the breathless state through whatever procedure, inhale deeply
filling your lungs. Expand your rib cage and keep it expanded after completing
the inhalation. Try to remain in the same condition you instinctively adopt when
you are going to take another sip of air. Focus your attention on the air and
Prana filling the upper part of your rib cage: they are immobile there, like
frozen. Go beyond the thought of breathing. The light tension in the muscles of
your rib cage prevents you from exhaling.
This state is not stable: after a few seconds it is likely you feel the
necessity of breathing. To achieve a stable state, you have to enter with your
awareness the subtle channel of the spine. Concentrate therefore on Muladhara
and begin rapidly chanting Om, Om, Om... mentally, many times. Climb the
innermost channel of the spine like an ant (don't remain focused on Muladhara
more than a couple of seconds). Come up millimeter after millimeter
continuously repeating Om Om Om... mentally (and of course avoiding inhaling).
After no more than 15-20 seconds you'll have reached the heart Chakra. Now
you perceive a deeper and stabler freedom from the breath. This brings an
incomparable sense of peace. If, remaining focused on the heart Chakra and on
the air and Prana filling your rib cage, you perceive this peace and the breath
does not exist, it means that you are ready for the next step -- otherwise you can
repeat the action of inhaling and expanding your rib cage.

122
Second procedure
Circulation of Light
Forget your breath: by lifting your eyebrows, become sensitive to inner light in
the point between the eyebrows. Then guide intuitively the light into the "frontal
component" of each Chakra. This concept - rarely quoted in Kriya literature - has
not been introduced so far. "Frontal" means on the anterior part of the body.
Thus, after Kutastha, the awareness comes down through the tongue into the
upper front part of the throat, which is linked to the fifth Chakra. The perception
of the inner light happens at that spot for few seconds. The awareness comes
down in the central region of the sternum ... inner light is perceived there ... then
in the navel ... then in the pubic region and finally in the perineum. Then the
concentration moves up along the back of the spinal column, and the same light
perception happens in the second Chakra; then in the third ... and so on up to the
medulla, the occipital region, the Fontanelle, ending in Kutastha again, where
you pause longer. Then open you eyes and try to perceive the spiritual light in
every object surrounding you.
When you are familiar with this process, you can intensify it by mentally
chanting Om three times in each center.

Third procedure
Raising Kundalini into Kutastha (Rudra Granthi Bheda proper)
After letting that the "wheel turns by itself" for some rounds, after this
phenomenon has manifested a certain number of times, practice a variation of
procedure 1. Take a deep inhalation, apply Mula Bandha and Uddiyana Bandha
(gently lift your diaphragm a little and pull your belly in). Concentrate on
Muladhara and climb up the spine, with your awareness, slowly, without
breathing, millimeter after millimeter repeating continuously Om, Om,
Om....many times. After reaching the point between the eyebrows, go on
observing the light of the "spiritual eye" intensifying.

D_HOW TO ORGANIZE A KRIYA ROUTINE

We have already hinted that a Kriya Yoga routine where there is a specific action
upon each one of the four knots and this actions follow strictly to the "Pre-
Reverse Order"of them (tongue, heart, navel and coccyx) does not work properly
for everyone.
It comes natural to start the routine with a couple of techniques like Maha
Mudra and Navi Kriya which are conceived to be used in phase 4 and 3. It is
preferable to put all the techniques requiring movement at the beginning of the
routine. From a certain moment onward, we want to practice undisturbed. The
criterion we now introduce completes this principle.
We ideally divide the work for each knot into two parts: a strong action
requiring physical movement and a subtle action that elaborates the effect of the
previous and pursues audaciously the same goal by working on higher planes.
Let us call "formal" the first and "informal" the second. The routine will be

123
organized in the following way:

Formal part of the 4th, 3rd and 1st phase followed by the informal part of the 1st,
2nd, 3rd and 4th phase.

Symbolically: F4; F3; F1 + I1; I2; I3; I4

Let us develop this scheme.

F4
Formal Part -- Fourth Knot
The technique of Maha Mudra is the beginning of the fourth phase. It helps in
developing an unimpeded Kriya Pranayama. Through it, the Prana located in
the spinal column is raised up to the head, which fills the body and mind with
elation and vitality, stabilizes them for meditation, and helps balance the left and
right brain hemispheres.
The most serious schools of Kriya recommended that for every 12 Kriya
Pranayama, one should perform one Maha Mudra -- three remains the minimum
number. (To make it more clear, those who practice 60 Kriya Pranayamas should
practice Maha Mudra five times, while those who practices 12 or 24
Pranayamas should practice three of them.) Unfortunately, having listened to
different kriyabans, I dare say it would be a miracle if kriyabans regularly
practiced the three required repetitions. Others believe they are practicing Kriya
correctly without ever practicing one single Maha Mudra! It is obvious if you
forsake this exercise and lead a sedentary life, the spinal column will lose its
elasticity. One's physical condition deteriorates over the years and it becomes
almost impossible to maintain the correct meditation position for more than a
few minutes —that is why Maha Mudra is so important for kriyabans.

You can enjoy the afore described variation. This is the proper place to practice
the procedures completing the action of Maha Mudra. They are described in the
correct order if you want to utilize all these three tools.

F3
Formal Part -- Third Knot
You can enjoy the basic form of Navi Kriya or one of its variations. This is the
proper place where you can also test the power of the afore described procedures
that complete its action. Differently from the procedures we have given for
completing the action of Maha Mudra, you practice only one of the two!

F1
Formal Part -- First Knot
We practice Talabya Kriya with a strong awareness of the essence of the knot of
the tongue. This means we are keenly aware of the fracture that exists in our

124
body and consciousness between the body under to Ajna Chakra and the upper
part of the head where static Prana resides. We live in the first and it is only
during the last phase of our Kriya routine that we can fully reside in the second.
An immense reserve of energy is located above Ajna Chakra. We must train
ourselves to feel it clearly.
Talabya Kriya is used not only to stretch the frenulum. When the tongue
sticks to the palate and the mouth is opened, in that instant the circuit is closed,
the two parts of our body unite. We should be aware that the pressure-pull
provoked by the sucker effect of the tongue on the palate creates a sudden
calmness in our thinking process.

I1
Informal Part -- First Knot
The informal part of our routine begins with the first long inhalation of our Kriya
Pranayama. We go upward, as much as possible, to invite calm Prana from
Sahasrara to come down through the tongue to the throat and to all the Chakras.
The downward journey of static Prana -- the main characteristic of Lahiri
Mahasaya's Kriya Yoga to open each knot and free our consciousness from the
bondage of matter -- will be unobstructed experienced. With the help of Kechari
Mudra the flow of the breath becomes smooth, fluid, fine and thin like a silken
thread.

I2
Informal Part -- Second Knot
This is the moment of applying the second part of Kriya Pranayama. The
purpose is to succeed in listening to the internal sounds and Omkar sound
without closing our ears -- as they do in Nada Yoga. We bring forth a continuous
will of internal listening. Awareness of inner sound appears, sooner or later.

I3
Informal Part -- Third Knot
We have seen that the third phase of Kriya comprises the union of Prana and
Apana in the region of the navel (through the action of Navi Kriya) followed by
the lofty procedure of mental Pranayama. This phase grants, when the time is
ripe, the fundamental experience of the breathless state. Therefore you can recall
in a few instants of concentration all the power you have created with phase F3
by practicing for one or two minutes one of the two described variations,
diminishing the slight physical movement they require up to avoid it completely.
The essence of the Navi Kriya can be also experienced by intensifying the
movement of the navel during a long Kriya Pranayama exhalation.

As for turning the calmness of the breath into the breathless state, it is quite
normal that the experiments last months and months. The Samana current,
activated by working on the navel region (Dantian), creates that ineffable
condition that some Kriya Acharyas call the "Kriya absorption state". In that
state, one day, when the time is ripe, a kriyaban has, all of a sudden, the

125
impression to cross a screen and to emerge in another dimension. There comes
the realization that the body doesn't need to breathe. The breath becomes so calm
that the practitioner has the factual perception that one is not breathing at all; one
feels a fresh energy in the body, sustaining its life from inside, without the
necessity of oxygen. It is fantastic! Without any feeling of uneasiness, this
condition lasts for some minutes. There is not the least quiver of surprise, or the
thought: "Finally I have it!". This does not mean that the person is unaware: he
or she is perfectly aware, but in a calm, very detached way. One is carried away,
far away from any known territory and is aware enough to understand that this is
the key experience of one's life; a unique elation, which nothing else in life can
give.
There is a halo of mystery that surrounds the description of this state;
people think it is impossible and that any affirmation about its occurrence is
false. Nevertheless, it is possible, even if it is experienced only after years of
Kriya practice. It has nothing to do with holding the breath forcefully. It does not
simply mean that the breath becomes more and more quiet. It is the state where
the breath is entirely non-existent, with the subsequent dissolution of the mind.
When it manifests, a kriyaban does not feel the need to take in any breath at all
or one takes in a very short breath but doesn't feel the need to exhale for a very
long time. (Longer than the time which medical science considers possible.) This
state embodies the characteristics of the authentic "religious" life. In order to
achieve it, it is necessary to live in an active but also introverted way. The Prana
in the body loses any restlessness; deep calmness pervades each part of the
psychophysical constitution.

I4
Informal Part -- Fourth Knot
Consider the "particular procedures to be practiced at the end of a Kriya routine
by those who have succeeded in reaching the breathless state." They are to be
practiced here.

Those who are not able to reach that state, must use their breath in the most wise
way to come as near as possible to that state. Pranayama with short breath is the
best technique.
A great teaching of my first Kriya teacher, the one which gave me
tremendous results is that if you want to make remarkable spiritual progress, you
should engage yourselves in being aware of at least 1728 breaths a day.
Experiencing 1728 short breaths through Pranayama with short breath requires
about three hours and can be done once in a week. You need to remain always on
the border between breath and no breath. The process should never become
purely mental. This for the benefit of increasing the Omkar experience and avoid
sleepiness enter. Therefore do your best to keep a slender thread of breath up to
the completion of the prescribed number.

126
CHAPTER 8
HIGHER KRIYAS

Kechari Mudra, Kriya Pranayama, Omkar Kriya and Thokar Kriya are the four
key instructions that, like pillars, support the vast structure of Kriya Yoga. We
have broadly discussed (both practically and theoretically) the first two, now we
are going to introduce Omkar Kriya and Thokar Kriya. We shall define them and
discuss how they help the achievement of the four stages of Kriya Yoga.
But first of all let us consider Kechari Mudra. Kriya literature affirms, it
is crucial for initiation into the Higher Kriyas. Acharyas of original Kriya
demand indeed to see the actual execution of Kechari Mudra -- they want the
student's mouth opened in front of them and to see the tongue disappear into the
nasal pharynx. We can understand the reason why. What is incontrovertibly true
is that Kechari Mudra helps to perceive the vibrational state, the rhythm and
astral location of each Chakra.
To those who are depressed because are not able to achieve Kechari
Mudra, let us claim therefore, without any fear of being contradicted, that there
are many who practice Kriya Yoga with enthusiasm, with admirable
commitment, who enjoy its remarkable effects, but who have not realized this
Mudra. The sentence which we hear repeated: "Until one is established in
Kechari Mudra, one cannot achieve the state of Eternal Tranquility" is simply
not true. Were it true, then many mystics, the majority of whom never heard of
Kechari Mudra, would never have experienced the Divine.

ADVANCED PROCEDURES GLOBALLY KNOWN AS "SECOND


KRIYA"

Second Kriya - part 1. Omkar Kriya


The hands with fingers intertwined rest on the abdomen. Inhalation and
exhalation are divided into six + six parts. Starting with your chin on the chest,
inhale moving your awareness along the spinal column upwards, while
simultaneously raising the chin as if to accompany and push the energy up. The
syllables of the Vasudeva Mantra ("Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya") are
mentally placed in each Chakra location, while making a short pause in each. 8
During the first "sip" of inhalation, the concentration is on the Muladhara, where
the syllable Om is ideally placed; during the second "sip", the concentration is on
the second Chakra, where the syllable Na is ideally placed … and so on, until Ba
is placed in the Bindu, the inhalation is completed and the chin is horizontal.
The exhaling breath too is divided into six punctuated parts like pulses. While
lowering the chin, the awareness comes down along the spinal column. The
syllable Te is placed in the medulla, Va in the fifth Chakra… and so on … Su…

8
I am sure the reader knows the correct pronunciation of the Mantra; that is why I will
not add any phonetic symbols. Notice that in the Bindu we don't mentally verbalize Va
but Ba: this convention has been established over the years.

127
De… Va, until Ya is mentally chanted in the Muladhara.
When you mentally place a syllable in a Chakra, you exert a mental
pressure on it. This pressure is intense and is done with all your mental power.
Some Kriya teachers consider it an effective form of Thokar.
Since it is vitally important, let us try to clarify how it happens. Visualize
each Chakra as a horizontal disk or coin with a diameter of approximately one
inch. Visualize them as viewing from top. The center of your awareness remains
placed all the time in the occipital region. From there you ideally look at each
Chakra. There is no difference when you are coming up with your chanting or
going down, the pressure is always the same. We can approximately say that the
awareness comes up "inside" and goes down "behind" the spine. But what is
essential is to mentally feel (or create or discover a power to create) a pressure in
the seat of each Chakra; therefore to say that you put the descending syllables
from "behind" has no more the meaning it had during the second part of Kriya
Pranayama. In other words the pressure on each Chakra happens from all parts;
it is an action realized with a kind of power that comes from months (and years)
of practice of Kriya Yoga and of Kechari Mudra. (It is for this reason the
Kechari Mudra is strictly prescribed: it helps indeed creating the right pressure.)
The timing of one fragmented breath depends on the individual: usually it
is approximately 20 seconds, but can be longer.

Let us consider two optional further details. In the process of implementing


them, wisdom and common sense are required. Each detail should be introduced
gradually, so that it doesn't disturb the harmony of the general picture.
1. During inhalation the muscles at the base of the spinal column can be
slightly contracted. This contraction is held up to the end of inhalation and
during the ensuing pause, then it is released as soon the exhalation begins.
2. As soon as it is comfortable, add a pause of 2-3 seconds both at the end
of inhalation and of exhalation. During these pauses, the awareness makes a
complete, counter-clockwise turn along the crown of the head and around the
Muladhara Chakra, respectively. The rotation above happens inside the brain,
under the cranial bone, starting from the occipital region, over Bindu, and
coming back to it; the head accompanies this inner movement with an almost
imperceptible rotating movement (tilting back slightly, then to the right, the
front, the left, and finally to the back). The counterclockwise rotation around
Muladhara happens in immobility.

The gist of this technique is to perceive the two typical movements of the
Kundalini in the spine. We have already discovered the first movement in Kriya
Pranayama. In Kriya literature it is compared to the crawling of an ant -- our
awareness moves along the spinal chord without ever loosing the sense of
continuity. The second movement is compared to the jumping of a frog or a
monkey: from one Chakra to the adjacent one. During Omkar Kriya, these two
movements are perceived at the same time, without one disturbing or obliterating
the awareness of the other.
From a certain moment onwards, all the physical details are lived in a very

128
subtle way. It has been explained that there comes a moment when Kriya
Pranayama takes the "inward route". The breath produces only a slight, weak
sound or it comes out soundless. The movement of the head is only hinted and
later disappears when perfect immobility is established. The anticlockwise turn
of awareness around the crown of the head seems to sink inside and touch the
medulla too, winding around it. This perception extends in a natural way to the
other Chakras. The downward and upward path of the energy is no more linear
but similar to an helix that surrounds each Chakra. This is the stage of Kriya
Pranayama where the control of Prana happens no more by using the breath as a
mediating agent but pure mental power.

Second Kriya - part 2. Thokar Kriya (Basic Form)


With the chin resting on your chest, inhale raising the awareness along the spinal
column, touching each Chakra with the syllable of the Mantra (Om is placed in
the first Chakra, Na in the second, Mo in the third ...) - simultaneously, raise the
chin as if to follow the inner movement. The movement is charged by the
maximum possible mental intensity: like squeezing with a pencil an almost
empty tube of toothpaste to get the last little bit out. The hands (with interlocked
fingers) are placed upon the navel area so as to push the abdominal region
upward, thus creating a mental pressure on the first three Chakras. The breath
produces only a slight, weak sound in the throat or it comes out soundless. When
the chin is up and horizontal, the inhalation ends and the awareness is in the
Bindu.
Let us describe now how a complete anticlockwise rotation of the head,
followed by a jerk through which the chin is drawn toward the center of the chest
is done. The head begins its round by moving to the left shoulder (left ear moves
slightly toward the left shoulder, the face does not turn left or right and the
movement is free of all bouncing); Te is thought in the medulla. The head tilts
back a little and in a sweeping arc reaches the right shoulder, (the right ear
coming near the right shoulder), the syllable Va is thought in the cervical Chakra.
The rotation proceeds, the head bends forward just a little and moves left until
the left ear is near the left shoulder (the face is not turned to the left).

Figure 5. Rotation of the head in the basic form of Thokar

129
From this position, the chin is tilted down diagonally as if to strike the center of
the chest, while simultaneously Su is thought in the heart Chakra. Through this
last movement, a kind of hitting is felt in the heart Chakra. A short pause
follows: the breath does not move in the nostrils and the mind is enraptured in
the radiation of energy emanating from in the heart Chakra. The contraction at
the base of the spinal column is eased off; via a very subtle exhalation the
remaining syllables of the Mantra are "placed" in the first three Chakras -- De
into the third one, Va into the second one and Ya into the first one. While doing
this, the head is usually kept down. The duration of this process is about 24
seconds. The procedure is repeated at least 12 times.
For several weeks, a kriyaban is guided to perform this technique 12 times
a day, then to gradually increase the number of repetitions. Each week he can add
six more repetitions.

An expert Kriya Acharya should check that the physical strike is not forceful.
One should not allow the weight of one's head to push the chin toward the chest:
in this condition, the physical movement is definitely too powerful and harmful
for the head and neck. Hence, mindful physical effort is simultaneously aimed at
lowering the chin, while resisting the force of gravity, concluding with a slight
jolt which is intensely felt within the fourth Chakra. The presence of physical
problems (the cervical vertebrae are vulnerable indeed!) may require that one
stop the technique for a few days or practice on alternate days. It is better to add
more cycles over time rather than face the prospect of experiencing continuous
head and neck pain throughout the entire day!

Oral tradition, handed down from teacher to disciple, is to increase the number of
repetitions up to 200. When increasing the number of repetitions, the afore
described movement of the head is only hinted: the chin does not come close to
the chest and the hitting of the fourth Chakra is mainly achieved by the sheer
power of mental concentration. A cautious and wise approach is to settle into 36
repetitions per day without increasing beyond this number.

Second Kriya - part 3. Thokar Kriya (Advanced Level)


The technique is the same, but the mental chanting of Te in medulla, Va in the
cervical and Su in the Anahata Chakra is done not once but several times (Te, Va,
Su, Te, Va, Su, Te, Va, Su ...) while holding the breath. 9
After having inhaled (with Om, Na, Mo...) and raised the Prana in the
upper part of the lungs, keep the muscles of the thoracic cage just like one who is
going to begin a new inhalation. The act of sealing the lungs (trachea) as one
does on a dive should be avoided. In this relaxed mood, the cycles of the
movements of the head are performed with no hurry whatsoever.
Simplify the dynamic and the physical intensity of the movements. Move
9
To give an idea of the speed of the movements, the entire process from inhalation to
exhalation with 12 repetitions of the rotation of the head (each rotation concluding with
the movement of the chin toward the chest) may last around 70-80 seconds.

130
the chin toward the chest before having completed the rotation of the head.
Namely, after rotating your head from left to right, let your chin "fall" down
toward the chest from the right side, then lift it to left side and go on with the
rotations. While keeping the chest expanded and the abdominal muscles and
diaphragm perfectly immobile, let a minimal (almost imperceptible) sip of air go
out whenever the chin is lowered toward the chest and an imperceptible sip of air
enter whenever the chin is brought up. (Don't do any specific act of inhaling or
exhaling: relax yourself and the afore described phenomenon happens of its own
accord. The sensation will always be that of not breathing at all.) Stop when
intuition suggests to stop, slowly exhale and place the syllables De, Va,Ya in the
first three Chakras. While doing this, the head is usually kept down. This
practice is done rigorously once a day only -- rather, if there are problems with
the cervical vertebrae, one practices on alternative days.
One day you will realize you are rotating the head and the breath is
actually dissolved! The breath seems frozen away and Kumbhaka will be
perfect. You will experience a state of intoxication. No one can say at what point
of the process this will happen. A never before experienced joy and a perfect
feeling of freedom will pour into your being. You will realize the meaning of
Lahiri Mahasaya's sentence: "My worship is of a very strange kind. Holy water is
not required. No special utensils are necessary. Even flowers are redundant. In
this worship all gods have disappeared, and emptiness has merged with
euphoria."

With regard to the increase of the number of the head rotations, there are two
schemes that apparently seem incompatible. Actually, in the course of time,
kriyabans can jump from one to another according to their own experience and
intuition.
1. Basic scheme. The technique is practiced only once but the whole set
of head movements is gradually increased by one every day. 200 rotations (200
sets of head movements, each linked with the mental chanting of Te, Va, Su) is
the upper limit, never to be exceeded!
2. Alternative, prudential scheme. The technique is repeated 12 times but
for each breath we have three repetitions of the movements of the head. In the
course of time, the number of the head rotations inside one single breath, is
gradually increases up to twelve rotations.

The subject Thokar is of extraordinary importance. Its practical application


requires extreme care. Trying to get to a high number of rotations at a high
speed, obsessed with holding the breath, amounts to nothing but a mere violence
against one's own body! The correct way of practicing the advanced level of
Thokar is a matter of inner realization -- an instinct which is discovered with
time. Kriyabans emphasize the fact that the gist of the technique lies in filling the
upper part of the thorax and the head to the utmost possible extent with Prana -
just as a pot may be filled with water to the brim.

131
Omkar Experience after Thokar Practice

Sooner or later you reach the level when you hear the internal sound of a bell. At
its very first manifestation, bell sound gives total contentment and ease, as if the
path had come to its fulfillment. Its beauty is inexplicable. There is no other
thing in the universe as concrete and real as this vibration -- expression of Om
cosmic vibration. In its delicacy, it gives the feeling of an unfathomable distance.
Light as the falling of petals, knocks softly on the doors of your intuition. We
feel that this sound is the Reality underlying all the Beauty experienced in life
and that all the experiences of love are like crystals blooming around its gilded
thread. From now onwards, provided that this tuning is maintained, meditation
becomes a love story with Beauty itself. This ineffable experience surrounds us
in misfortune, guiding our steps when events seem to conspire to make us forget
the spiritual path.
A real understanding is attained, a healing process of old wounds through
the awakening of wisdom. Everything will appear as transfigured, surrounded by
a padded coat that reduces all dissonance. Our old memories, conflicts and
impossibilities, revive, appease, come true in the azure limitless immobility
spreading from the center of our heart. A first ever Bhakti (devotion) will arise
spontaneously from our heart, cross the wall of our psychological dimension and
make life and spiritual experience indistinguishable.
In due time, another lofty experience will manifest. A luminous point
(Bindu) appears in the heart Chakra. A strong concentration at the point between
the eyebrows is achieved spontaneously and is accompanied by a tremendous
surging of bliss. The door of Sushumna is now open. A tiny white star illuminates
the path of Eternal Freedom. Mind and intoxication mingle and mind enters
perfect stillness. Having this experience, a kriyaban becomes ready to advance to
the last stages of Kriya.
It is clear that these two events (internal sound of a bell and experience of
spiritual light in the Anahat Chakra) constitute the best criterion for judging if
you have actually practiced the second level of Kriya Yoga or a pale imitation of
it. If you honestly realize you are far from it, avoiding trying your hand at other
higher procedures. Practice long sessions of Kriya Pranayama (three phases) and
seek the Omkar experience there.

ADVANCED PROCEDURES GLOBALLY KNOWN AS "THIRD KRIYA"

Third Kriya - part 1. Mental Omkar Kriya


Here the breath is totally forgotten. Visualize each Chakra as a horizontal disk,
surround it with the repetitions of the related syllable making three
counterclockwise rotations. ["Counterclockwise" in this book is always intended
as if viewing from top]. The syllables are obviously Om, Om, Om... for
Muladhara; Na, Na, Na... for Swadhistan; Mo, Mo, Mo for Manipura..... Going
up this way from Muladhara to Bindu and coming down is one round: the time
required is approximately 6-9 minutes. Making three - six rounds is a very good

132
achievement! Moving from a Chakra to the next one, you will notice the change
of the light vibration in the region between the eyebrows. The practice converges
toward perceiving a wonderful state of calmness -- static Prana -- in each
Chakra. You will enjoy a particular sensation of physical immobility; it is so
strong that your spine will become like a steel bar.

• Optionally, you can extend the action of Omkar Kriya to the crown. The ellipse
of the crown, seen from above, may be ideally divided into 12 parts. Thanks to a
short inhalation, the Muladhara Chakra is ideally raised into the crown of the
head, over the occipital region, on the right (into part "1" of figure 6). Now forget
the breath but keep the energy in that point.

Figure 6. Crown seen from above

Repeat mentally Om, Om, Om, Om ... rotating inside part "1" of the crown just
like you have done with Muladhara. In the same way raise the second Chakra
into the adjacent part "2" of the crown. Rotate there the associated syllable Na,
Na, Na, Na ... and deepen the experience. It is clear how the same procedure is
repeated for the other Chakras (3, 4, 5, Bindu, medulla, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1)
activating thus all the parts of the crown. After two or three complete rounds a
sudden bliss manifests and one is no more able to mentally chant anything. The
procedure ends in ecstatic absorption.

Third Kriya - part 2. Micro Thokar


After having inhaled (with Om, Na, Mo...) and raised the Prana in the upper part
of the lungs, keep the lungs as when you are going to begin a new inhalation.
With a very relaxed mood, start rotating the head -- but take care of making
slight movements! In comparison with the movements of the advanced level of
Thokar, diminish further the dynamic of the movements of the head. Considering
fontanelle like a point, the rotation of the head now draws a circle of no more
than 2 - 3 centimeters of diameter. There could be also a light but visible

133
oscillatory movement of the body (torso) that accompanies the movement of the
head.
Transfer the repetitions of Te, Va, Su into the head. There are different
ways of doing this: think Te in the left lobe of the brain, Va in the right one and
Su in the frontal part of the head. While you think Su, you can have a small
( almost invisible from the physical point of view) jolt -- you are lightly tapping
the region between the eyebrows. Repeat different times. Exhale and inhale,
taking back the rotation of the head. While part of your awareness remains in the
head, try, at the same time, to be aware of the fifth Chakra. Transfer the
repetitions of Te, Va, Su into the fifth Chakra. Think "Te" when you move to the
left, "Va" when you move to the right, "Su" when there is a soft tap in the center
of the fifth Chakra. Repeat about three times. The gist of the procedure is the
ability to recall the internal power born from the practice of the advanced levels
of Thokar. Exhale and inhale, taking back the rotation of the head. Shift your
attention to the fourth Chakra and repeat the procedure. Repeat in the third
Chakra... and so on (2, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2 .....), up and down your spine
different times, making the movements more and more subtle until you reach
perfect immobility.
You can, but not obliged to, exhale and inhale between one Chakra and
another. If you have mastered the advanced level of Thokar, you will be able to
do all the work during one single breath. A good practice is the one that gives
you the chance to notice how, by stimulating a particular Chakra, a different
light, of a particular color, becomes perceptible.

Two Procedures Completing the Action of Micro Thokar

First Procedure
Extending the Action of Micro Thokar to the Centers of the Head

Inhale raising the Muladhara Chakra into medulla. Hold your breath. Micro
Thokar is practiced now inside medulla. Oscillate slowly your head left - right -
return to center, keeping the focus of concentration in medulla oblongata. Think
(mentally chant) Te when you move to the left, Va when you move to the right,
Su when you return to the center and, in order to intensify your perception of
medulla oblongata, give a faint jolt with your chin. Repeat three times, always
holding your breath. Exhale.
Now raise the second Chakra into the posterior part of the cerebellum.
Hold your breath. Repeat three times the afore described procedure with Te, Va,
Su, focusing all your attention into the posterior part of the cerebellum. Exhale
and come down at the third Chakra location: inhale and raise it to the Pons
Varolii (in order to perceive it come from cerebellum toward the center of the
head, over medulla -- a few centimeters forward). Hold your breath. Repeat three
times the procedure with Te, Va, Su, focusing all your attention on the Pons
Varolii.

134
Figure 7. Locating some particular centers inside the head

Exhale and come down in the fourth Chakra. Inhale, raise it over the pons Varolii
in the point marked with "4" in figure 7. To perceive it, slightly swing your head
back and forth. Feel a horizontal line that comes from the point between the
eyebrows backwards. At the same time feel the vertical line that comes down
from the fontanelle. This center is the point of intersection of the two lines. When
you have it, repeat three times in that point the procedure with Te, Va, Su. Exhale
and come down in the fifth Chakra. Inhale, raise it in the point marked with "5"
in figure 7 . To perceive it, swing slightly your head back and forth. Feel a
horizontal line that comes from Bindu forwards. At the same time feel the
vertical line that comes down from the fontanelle. This center is the point of
intersection of the two lines. Repeat three times in that point the procedure with
Te, Va, Su . Exhale and come down in medulla. Inhale, raise it into Bindu. Repeat
three times in Bindu the procedure with Te, Va, Su. Exhale and come down at the
point between the eyebrows. Inhale, raise the whole region between the
eyebrows into fontanelle, which is the seventh Chakra trigger point. Repeat three
times at fontanelle the procedure with Te, Va, Su.
Exhale from Fontanelle to the point between the eyebrows. Inhale. Exhale
from Bindu to medulla. Inhale. Exhale from point "5" to cervical Chakra. Inhale.
Exhale from point "4" to Anahata Chakra. Inhale. Exhale from pons Varolii to
third Chakra. Inhale. Exhale from Cerebellum to second Chakra. Inhale. Exhale
from medulla to Muladhara. Repeat all this maxi round from the beginning,
making the movements subtler and subtler until you reach the perfect immobility
-- of body, mind and breath.

Second Procedure
Utilizing Micro Thokar inside Pranayama with Short Breath

Pranayama with short breath is a wonderful teaching where you link each breath
with a different Chakra. It is not superfluous to remind that when you practice
correctly, if you place your finger under both nostrils, the ingoing or outgoing
breath will not touch the finger. The breath is almost imperceptible and on the

135
verge of disappearing. Now we are going to experience the same exercise by
adding the perception of a slight, tiny oscillatory movement inside each Chakra.
Focus your attention on the Muladhara Chakra. Vibrate (think with
emphasis) "Te Va Su" in Muladhara. Do it once. Try to feel that "Te Va Su"
creates an oscillatory movement inside Muladhara. When it becomes natural to
have a very short inhalation, inhale only what is necessary, pause an instant and
concentrate on the second Chakra. Hold the breath gently and vibrate "Te Va Su"
in the second Chakra. Exhale a short breath, concentrate on Muladhara, vibrate
"Te Va Su" there. When it comes natural for you, inhale a short breath and
concentrate on the third Chakra. Hold the breath gently and vibrate "Te Va Su" in
the third Chakra. Exhale a short breath, concentrate on Muladhara, vibrate "Te
Va Su" there.
Go on like that, repeating the procedure between Muladhara and the
fourth Chakra, Muladhara and the fifth Chakra (then Bindu, medulla, fifth,
fourth, third and second Chakra.) One cycle is made of 10 short breaths. Repeat
more than one cycle, increasing your concentration until your breath is almost
nonexistent. Pause in Anahata Chakra, repeating there "Te Va Su" many, many
times, until you perceive light both in Anahata Chakra and in the point between
the eyebrows. This is the best condition to realize the breathless state.
This procedure gives you the opportunity of awakening the innermost core
of each Chakra. Thinking, mentally chanting " Te Va Su" in the seat of a Chakra
is not like thinking another Mantra. It recalls all you have learned through
Thokar. When the breath will stop like a miracle, you shall understand why
Garcia Lorca said: "no me pidáis que lo explique. Tengo el fuego en las manos".

ADVANCED PROCEDURE KNOWN AS "FOURTH KRIYA"

Fourth Kriya. Omkar Gayatri Kriya


Before effectively practicing Omkar Gayatri Kriya it is necessary to have
reached the breathless state. After this, it is necessary to have reached the Antar
(internal) Kevala Kumbhaka.
Let us copy here the specific instructions we have already shared in
chapter 7:
"After reaching the breathless state through whatever procedure, inhale
deeply filling your lungs. Expand your rib cage and keep it expanded after
completing the inhalation. Try to remain in the same condition you instinctively
adopt when you are going to take another sip of air. Focus your attention on the
air and Prana filling the upper part of your rib cage: they are immobile there,
like frozen. Go beyond the thought of breathing. The light tension in the muscles
of your rib cage prevents you from exhaling.
This state is not stable: after a few seconds it is likely you feel the
necessity of breathing. To achieve a stable state, you have to enter with your
awareness the subtle channel of the spine. Concentrate therefore on Muladhara
and begin rapidly chanting Om, Om, Om... mentally, many times. Climb the

136
innermost channel of the spine like an ant (don't remain focused on Muladhara
more than a couple of seconds). Come up millimeter after millimeter
continuously repeating Om Om Om... mentally (and of course avoiding inhaling).
After no more than 15-20 seconds you'll have reached the heart Chakra. Now
you perceive a deeper and stabler freedom from the breath. This brings an
incomparable sense of peace. If, remaining focused on the heart Chakra and on
the air and Prana filling your rib cage, you perceive this peace and the breath
does not exist, it means that you are ready for the next step -- otherwise you can
repeat the action of inhaling and expanding your rib cage. "

While remaining in the state of Antar (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka, ideally raise
the Muladhara Chakra into the point between the eyebrows, to be seen herein as
a bright "moon". 10 With the attention both in the point between the eyebrows
and in the location of the first Chakra, the Mantra Om Bhur is mentally vibrated
three times. Something like a gentle touch - both in the point between the
eyebrows and in the location of the Chakra - is perceived with each repetition of
the Mantra. Put your attention on the next Chakra where the same procedure is
repeated. The position of the second Chakra in the light of Kutastha will be a
little higher than that of the first Chakra. Om Bhuvah is used for the second
Chakra, Om Mahah for the third, Om Swaha for the fourth, Om Janah for the
fifth, Om Tapah for medulla. Om Satyam is mentally chanted three times in
Bindu. (Bindu is not brought into the point between the eyebrows). Now reverse
the order (Om Tapah in medulla, Om Janah in the cervical Chakra ….. lastly Om
Bhur is mentally vibrated three times in Muladhara. This is one cycle: the
instruction is to practice 12 cycles but if you are capable not to lose your
concentration, you will be overwhelmed by a deep introverted ecstatic state
before being able of practicing 12 cycles!
Kechari Mudra enables one to fly in the "inner space." "Ke-chari" is
literally translated as "the state of those who fly in the sky, in the ether". A
particular "space" is created in the region between the tip of the tongue and the
point between the eyebrows and is perceived as a "vacuum", although it is not a
physical void. By merging into this empty space, a kriyaban perceives the
rhythms of each Chakra and is able to distinguish one from another.

10
This moon is just as big as to allow the light of Kutastha to contain six piled-up
"moons". If Kutastha is visualized like a circle, take into account that you are going to
recreate all the spine with six Chakras inside this circle. Visualize thus Muladhara in
the inferior part of this circle.

137
Figure 8. Six Chakras raised into Kutastha

Some remarks about the Gayatri Mantra

The structure of this technique is well known in India and is considered the
subtlest way of utilizing the Gayatri Mantra. With small variations and further
ritual additions it is published in some booklets. The particularity of the use of
this technique in Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya is its practice in the state of absence of
breath.
The Gayatri Mantra is considered to be a supreme vehicle for gaining
spiritual enlightenment. Its purest form is Tat Savitur Varenyam Bhargho
Devasya Dhimahi Dhiyo Yonaha Prachodayat. (Oh, great Spiritual Light who
has created the Universe we meditate upon Your glory. You are the embodiment
of Knowledge. You are the remover of all Ignorance. May You enlighten our
Intellect and awaken our Intuition.) This Mantra is prefaced with either a short or
a long invocation. The short invocation is: Om Bhur, Om Bhuvah, Om Swaha.
The terms Bhur, Bhuvah, Swaha are invocations to honor the three planes of
existence (physical, astral and causal respectively) and to address their presiding
deities. The long invocation is: Om Bhur, Om Bhuvah, Om Swaha, Om Mahah,
Om Janah, Om Tapah, Om Satyam. This invocation is more complete since it
recognizes that there are more planes of existence: the seven Lokas. Mahah is the
mental world, the plane of spiritual balance; Janah is the world of pure
knowledge; Tapah is the world of intuition; Satyam is the world of Absolute,
Ultimate Truth. We can be satisfied with the explanation that these sounds are
utilized to activate the Chakras and connect them to the seven spiritual realms of
existence.
In our procedure we use just the opening long invocation, in the complete
form, and not all the parts of the Gayatri Mantra. The Kriya tradition we are here
following ties Manipura with Om Mahah and Anahata with Om Swaha. The
reason is that the world of thinking, evoked by Om Mahah, is more fit for the
nature of the third Chakra, while the causal world of pure ideas, recalled by Om
Swaha, is related to Anahata Chakra. In conclusion we associate a Mantra to
each Chakra in this way: Muladhara - Om Bhur; Swadhistan - Om Bhuvah;
Manipura - Om Mahah; Anahata - Om Swaha; Vishuddhi - Om Janah; medulla -
Om Tapah; Bindu - Om Satyam.

138
Some Technical Remarks

1. This practice should not be interrupted by external events, otherwise the


kriyaban will be disturbed at a pranic level and will hardly retrieve the breathless
state during that session.

2. At the beginning of this practice, trying to perceive an internal rhythm in each


Chakra, you can slightly oscillate your head from left to right and vice versa.
The extent of the swinging is not wider than four centimeters from left to right
and vice versa. This movement is going to diminish in extent during the first
cycle, then the body settles in perfect immobility. There is no need to be annoyed
if, being "lost throughout the way", you discover having spent all the time in one
Chakra, forgetting to move to the next.

3. Usually, by going on, there manifests also the pulseless state, but the kriyaban
is not aware of it except in an indirect way: an increase of joy and rigidity in all
the body. One doesn't get excited by this, otherwise the experience ends.

4. After months of applying the afore described method, one day you will
discover that the chanting of the Mantra goes on more than three times. The
Tattwa related with a Chakra has capture you. The point between the eyebrows is
a region where you can dissolve the "seal" of each Chakra and experience the
Tattwa related with it. A wonderful sensation is experienced. It is a sense of
immobility and lightness, as if the body were made of air. One's awareness is
fully situated in that Chakra, which is felt like a great, luminous sphere. About
thirty six repetitions of that Mantra are carried out. This experience is lived
again in the next Chakra... and so on. There is one single "coming up". At the
end one remains in the light of Kutastha longer.

How to Conceive a Good Routine Containing the Higher Kriyas


Having so many techniques at our disposal, which criterion can help us to
conceive a rational, working routine? Practicing every day all the Higher Kriya
techniques is ideally possible, but is, in practice, cumbersome and dispersive.
Higher Kriyas should always co-operate to establish a foundation of harmony
and calmness. The good effects of peace, inner joy, calmness of the breath and
listening to inner sounds should always go on increasing. If we produce and
accept the opposite situation, it simply means that we have momentarily lost
sight of the goal of Kriya.
In order to avoid this, it is good to refer to chapter 7. We introduced a
criterion to create a rational routine. It was based upon the division of the work
upon each knot into two parts: a strong action (Formal) and a subtle action
(Informal). We organized the routine in the following way:

F4; F3; F1 + I1; I2; I3; I4 [F=formal part; I=informal part]

139
Now we can consider:

F4; F3; F2; F1 + I1; I2; I3; I4

because we have learned how to apply a strong action upon the heart knot:
Thokar! Thokar is F2.

However, since the practice of Thokar works best after Kriya Pranayama, a very
good routine is:

F4; F3; F1 + I1; F2 (Thokar); I2; I3; I4

It remains to be seen how can to interpret I2, I3 and I4.

I2. After Thokar, it is fine to spend a lot of time either with the second part of
Kriya Pranayama or with Omkar Kriya to travel inside the spine and let their
sweetness merge you into Beauty.

I3. The oasis of calmness and surrender experienced in the phase I2 should not
be interrupted just for the anxiety of going to phase I3. We know that I3 is made
of any variation of Navi Kriya, provided that it doesn't disturb, followed by one
(or both) the techniques of Third Kriya. But it may happen that just with the
practice of Omkar Kriya the state of breathlessness is achieved. If this happens
or you are listening beautifully to the internal sounds, forget I3, forget about the
navel knot -- it will be crossed automatically as a side effect of the breathless
state.

I4. The procedures of I4 described at the end of the previous chapter do not
disturb. If you have not achieved the breathless state, practice Pranayama with
short breath. If you have achieved the breathless state, practice the wonderful
technique where you inhale deeply, fill the upper part of your rib cage with
Prana and then try to transform the breathless state into Samadhi state. If you
have time for it, you can plunge into the rarefied atmosphere of the Fourth Kriya
technique.

140
APPENDIX TO CHAPTER 8: AN IMPORTANT VARIATION OF
THOKAR BASED ON THE INTERNAL TRIBHANGAMURARI
MOVEMENT

It is fair to reserve space for describing how a Kriya school conceives the
practice of Thokar in a very particular way. The central teaching is guiding your
awareness along a three-curved path called Tribhangamurari (Tri-bhanga-murari
= three-bend-form). This path begins in Bindu, bending to the left, it descends
into the seat of the Rudra Granthi (the region from medulla oblongata to
Bhrumadhya between the eyebrows), goes across it and continues toward the
right side of the body. Once a particular point in the back (about 2-3 centimeters
above the right nipple's height), is reached, it reverses direction cutting the
Vishnu Granthi whose seat is in the heart Chakra. After having reached a point
in the back that is 2-3 centimeters under the left nipple's height, it reverses again
its direction pointing toward the seat of Brahma Granthi in the Muladhara. (See
figure 09)

Figure 9. Tribhangamurari internal movement

FIRST PART: UCCHA KRIYA

Amantrak [also called "Second Kriya"]


After the practice of Kriya Pranayama, forget the breath entirely. Let your
awareness come upwards along the spinal column: half a minute is required for
reaching Bindu. Then the awareness descends through the afore delineated three-
bend path. The same time is required to come down. One round lasts one minute,
but if it turns out to be shorter, let us say 45/50 seconds, this does not mean that
the procedure has been done too much quickly. For two weeks repeat this
technique 25 times once a day. Then for another two weeks repeat it 50 times ....
and so on up to 200 times for two weeks.

141
Samantrak [also called "Third Kriya"]
After the completion of the 200 repetitions, the perception of the
Tribhangamurari current is intensified by mentally chanting the syllables of the
Mantra ...
While Om, Na, Mo, Bha, Ga, Ba are vibrated into the first five Chakras
and Bindu, Teeee is vibrated from medulla to the point between the eyebrows;
Va, Su, De, Va are put outside the spine in the four new centers; Ya is vibrated in
Muladhara. This four new centers are four "vortexes" inside the main flow of the
current -- they are not a new set of Chakras. Each vibration of a syllable is like a
mental Thokar (hit) into the related center's location: since the technique is
performed slowly (half a minute for raising the awareness, the same for coming
down) there is plenty of time to make these tappings very effective.
For two weeks, one repeats this technique 25 times; then for another two
weeks, 50 times... and so on up to 200 times. After the completion of this number
one will add the movements of the head.

Thokar along the Tribhangamurari Path [also called "Fourth Kriya"]


Starting with the chin on the chest, move your awareness very slowly along the
spinal column from Muladhara upwards. Your chin comes slowly up following
the inner movement; as usual the Chakras are touched with the syllables of the
Mantra (Om is placed in the first Chakra, Na in the second ...). The movement is
charged by the maximum possible mental intensity: like squeezing with a pencil
an almost empty tube of toothpaste to get the last little bit out. The hands (with
interlocked fingers) are placed upon the navel area so as to push the abdominal
region upward, thus creating a mental pressure on the first three Chakras. When
the chin is parallel to the ground, the perception is at the Bindu.
Without turning the face, the head moves toward the left shoulder, then
the head tilts back a little and in a sweeping arc begins to move toward the right
shoulder; but it stops in the middle where the chin is raised as much as possible.
The neck's rear muscles are contracted. During this movement, the
Tribhangamurari flow descends to the left from Bindu to medulla. Teeee is
vibrated from medulla to the point between the eyebrows. From that chin-up
position the face turns to the right (as with the intention of looking attentively at
the area at your right, as far as possible). During this movement (be careful: the
movement is slow!), the inner Tribhangamurari flow reaches the eighth center.
The chin is above the right shoulder; from there it touches the right shoulder for
an instant (this is the first of five strokes; the shoulder also makes a small motion
upward to make contact with the chin easier) while the syllable Va is vibrated in
the eighth center. Then the face begins to turn left in a very slow motion,
accompanying - millimeter by millimeter - the perception of the inner flux
moving across the fourth Chakra. The face turns to the left (as with the intention
of looking attentively at the area at your right, as far as possible). The second
stroke takes place on the left side when the syllable Su is vibrated in the ninth
center. Then the chin, grazing the left side of the collarbone, slowly moves
toward the position in the middle of the chest. During this movement - exactly

142
when the syllables De and Va are thought in the tenth and eleventh centers - two
light strokes are given to the collarbone in intermediate positions. In the end,
when Ya is placed into Muladhara, the last chin stroke on the chest (central
position) is carried out. This procedure is repeated 12-36 times. As in the
previous technique, half a minute is ideally required for raising your awareness,
the same time is required to let your awareness descend through the
Tribhangamurari path. If you employ 45/50 seconds, it's all ok.
The supervision of an expert helps to avoid problems – I am specifically
referring to stress and pain in the cervical vertebrae and in the muscles of the
neck. Abrupt movements should be avoided; it is thus possible to reach deep
mental concentration when thinking of each of the five syllables in their
respective centers. During the first weeks it is wise not to practice every day, but
spread out the practice to every two or three days.

Figure 10. Thokar - Tribhangamurari

At this point one starts the incremental routine of this form of Thokar by
practicing (strictly no more than one day a week!) the amounts : 36x1, 36x2,
36x3,….. 36x35, 36x36. This is really a colossal venture. A minimum of 8-10
months is required to complete it; usually the required time is longer.

143
Some Remarks upon Uccha Kriya

This Tribhangamurari form and internal energetic path is a symbol of Kriya


Yoga because it shows the piercing, the cutting of three main Granthis. It is also
a symbol of Sri Krishna. Its shape, as depicted in the iconography, is also a form
with three curves: his neck, legs and back are kept in a peculiar position clearly
outlining these three curves. A sentence attributed to Lahiri Mahasaya is: "To
make this body Tribhangamurari, Krishna-like, three knots have to be crossed".
Remember this, when some critics affirm that this technique leads the energy out
of the Sushumna.

You will always like this Thokar and it will never disappointed you. But phase 1
Amantrak is difficult to sustain. There are no movements of the chin to guide the
flow of energy; its own reward is the fact that in this immobility an enormous
power can be built and experienced.
It is important you feel what you are doing. The rising of the energy
toward the upper part of the head (this event is the very goal of Kriya Yoga)
meets three great obstacles. We are used to consider two of them:
a. what blocks the entry into the spine (it is for this reason that we begin our
routine with Maha Mudra)
b. the disturbances created by the heart plexus (how many times it ruins the best
meditative experiences creating a sudden increase of pulse frequency, as if we
were deadly frightened!). We rarely take into account the last obstacle: the sharp
separation between the regions pertaining to the sixth and to the seventh Chakra.
The consciousness which is in tune with Ajna Chakra and dwells in the area from
medulla oblongata to Bhrumadhya (the point between the eyebrows) cannot
easily arise from there into the upper part of the head, the seat of Eternal
Tranquility.
Now, what happens in this technique of Amantrak is simply marvelous.
Coming down along the path with three curves, you do not "caress" the medulla
oblongata, you pass through it, you cut it off. Repeating the procedure you wear
out this knot and make the road freer for the rising of the energy. Same thing
happens with the knot of the heart, whose cut from right to the left is clearly
perceived. An analogous operation happens with the knot of the Muladhara
every time you reach it from left and begin to climb the spinal channel.
Please note that during the months of practice of Amantrak, divergent
moods alternate. Passing through the heart Chakra, the Tribhangamurari flux
cleans a lot of dirt; that is the reason of its peculiar effect of separating one
momentarily from reality. The action of this technique decreases the hectic
condition caused by superficial emotions, fed by certain energies springing from
the lower Chakras. This leads to a total modification of the perspectives through
which we see life. You change the prospective through which you look at life.
The oneiric activity is very involving, as if you had lived a deeply intriguing and
captivating adventure. Later you will find yourself in a very strange mood:

144
during the day you lack enthusiasm; in no place would you feel at ease and no
activity would produce any satisfaction. In the past, whenever wandering about
the countryside, you were used to take in the beauty that seemed to spread from
everything surrounding me; now there will be nothing - you will be alien to
everything. For a whole month you will like to remain at home, as if in a state of
convalescence. By increasing the number, when you approach 200 repetitions,
you will feel like you are about to explode! This would happen anytime the
energy, going down from the spinal column's left side, reached Muladhara.
Samantrak will be much more easy and I would say euphoric.
Unfortunately many do not understand that Samantrak is not simply thinking the
syllables: it is Amantrak that is feeling the whole current millimeter after
millimeter plus lighting a light in each of the twelve (actually eleven) points. A
perfect choice is coupling 200-300 Kriya Pranayama a day with Samantrak.
The effects of the incremental routine of Thokar up to 36x36 repetitions
are very strong and can be defined a deep internal cleansing. To whom has the
time and the good will to complete it, I recommend it as the greatest enterprise
that one can achieve in life.

But remember that before boosting the intensity of your perception of this inner
three-bended movement through the Thokar procedure, it is necessary to
perceive it many times while remaining perfectly immobile. Therefore don't fail
to gradually reach 200 rounds first with Amantrak and then with Samantrak!

Thokar with Open Eyes

Among the so many improvements that come spontaneous by practicing, there is


one in particular whose psychological effect is tremendous. When the form of
Thokar is practiced with open eyes, the effect upon the oneiric activity is
remarkable. Those who have experienced this, fall in love with the procedure and
go on practicing it every day in small doses. Some practice it at night before
lying down. This is a privileged way of creating a dialog with our own
unconscious sphere. To be more exhaustive, the procedure is the following:
Starting with your chin on the chest, the eyes look at the floor, the breath is free.
Chant (aloud or mentally) the syllables of the Mantra and simultaneously raise
your chin and eyes smoothly, without jerks, shifting vertically the gaze
centimeter after centimeter upon what is before you. Without turning the face,
your head moves toward the left shoulder, then it returns to the starting position
while at the same time raising the chin up as much as possible. During this
movement, one's eyes are turned toward high. From that chin-up position, your
face slowly turns to the right. Your eyes follow the movement and end by
looking attentively at the area at your right, as far as possible. Then your face
slowly turns to the left. Your eyes follow the movement shifting horizontally
without losing any detail of what is in front of you and end by looking attentively
at the area at your left, as far as possible. During the last four strokes given from
the left position, the intensity of your gaze diminishes and the eyelids close. In
the final instant you feel falling asleep. Then you repeat the procedure again and

145
again. Very strong effects will surely manifest during the same night!

Thokar with Kumbhaka

All happens like in previous phase but now you hold your breath and you must
be slightly quicker. Inhale from Muladhara to Bindu while raising your chin.
Then hold your breath while you practice all the afore described movements
vibrating Teeee, Va, Su, De, Va, Ya in the proper places. In Muladhara you have a
pause of one second before beginning the exhalation. During exhalation you feel
the current spreading from Muladhara, piercing each Chakra up to medulla,
Bindu and Fontanelle. This procedure is repeated 12-36 times. I have no news
about an incremental routine but I think that we can use the same scheme (12 + 6
+ 6...) we have encountered in the basic form of Thokar.

SECOND PART: PURNA KRIYA


This school designates as Purna Kriya (Purna means "complete") the experience
of the movement Tribhangamurari in small dimensions inside each Chakra,
Bindu, medulla and in the other four centers located along the Tribhangamurari
flow, outside the spine -- those linked with the syllables (Va, Su, De, Va.)
Perceiving a movement within a perfect stillness -- which is impossible to
be intellectually grasped -- has an enormous impact upon a kriyaban's ability of
unloosing his/her small individuality in the greater Self. This experience is the
surest way toward the realization of the Self. Only few Kriya schools have
disclosed the nature of this micro movement and revealed its importance.
Unfortunately, many seek frantically impossible surrogates of it!

Micro Movement without Mantra [also called "Fifth Kriya"]


Raise the Muladhara Chakra into the point between the eyebrows through a
short inhalation. When the presence of the energy is clearly felt in the point
between the eyebrows, look "down" at the Muladhara Chakra - visualized like a
horizontal disk or coin with a diameter of approximately an 2-3 centimeters.
Your breath is very calm and free. Draw on the disk of the Chakra the form of
the Tribhangamurari movement in reduced dimensions -- similar to that already
experienced in large-scale dimension.
If this is comfortable use a faint movement of the spinal column (forward,
left, right, left, center). The same procedure occurs in each of the twelve centers
(the first five Chakras + Bindu + medulla + the four centers outside the spine +
Muladhara). This is one round: usually twelve are practiced.

146
Figure 11. Tribhangamurari micro-movement inside a Chakra

When you are familiar with this procedure, try to be aware that through this
micro movement you annihilate any form of duality banning your consciousness
from reaching the nucleus of a Chakra, thus achieving its opening.
The nature of each Chakra presents two aspects, one internal and one
external. The essence of a Chakra, its internal aspect, is a vibration of "light"
attracting your awareness upward, toward the Spirit. The external aspect of a
Chakra is a diffuse "light" enlivening and sustaining the life of the physical body.
We get in tune with the internal component of a Chakra by ideally placing our
awareness in the back of a Chakra. Moving our awareness forward, we contact
the external part of a Chakra. Furthermore, Ida flows along the left side of a
Chakra and Pingala flows along its right side. Now, during the micro
movement, from the posterior component of a Chakra you move toward the
anterior one; by swinging left, right and again left, you touch its lateral parts
affected by the duality of Ida or Pingala; but at the same time you return from
the anterior component back to the posterior one. You return to the starting point
having completed a journey from the internal part of a Chakra to its external part
and again to its internal part. With this action, repeated again and again, you
enter deeper and deeper in the intimate nature of a Chakra. The more you are
aware of this, while you practice the micro movement technique, the more
quickly you enter the core of the same Chakra.

Micro Movement with Mantra [also called "Sixth Kriya"]


Forget your breath. In whatever Chakra you concentrate (it can be a Chakra or
one of the new centers outside the spine) if you mentally utter the syllables "Om-
Na-Mo-Bha-Ga-Ba-Te-Va-Su-De-Va-Ya" you will perceive something stirring,
swaying inside it. The syllables are like little "thrusts" or "pulsations". During
one round you perceive this micro movement 36 times (3x12). Four to six
complete rounds are recommended. The duration of a round is determined by the
speed of the chanting of the Mantra. For many people the chanting of the
Mantra and, consequently, the micro-movement lasts about 10-12 seconds.
Lahiri Mahasaya's recommendation was "Don't be in a hurry!".
A deeply rewarding incremental routine is obtained by perceiving, on the
first day, the micro-movement 12 times in each of the 12 centers -- just one
round. After one week, on the second day of the incremental routine, the micro-

147
movement is perceived 24 times in each of the 12 centers -- just one round. Then
36 times in each Chakra/center...
The increase is of 12 in 12, up to the last amount 12x12. This means that
the last day you perceive 144 micro movements in the first Chakra, 144 in the
second...and so on.

The most challenging of all the incremental routines, suited for those who have
retired, is the following. On the first day, the micro-movement is perceived 36
times in each of the 12 centers. One has a total of 36x12 perceptions of the micro
movement – one round. After one week one perceives 36x2 = 72 times (72 times
in the first Chakra, 72 in the second…and so on). After some days, the amount
is 36x3 in each Chakra....
At a certain point, an entire day is not sufficient to complete the round.
The work-load must be divided into two days. On the morning of the second day,
the technique is resumed exactly where it had been interrupted the previous
night. After these two days of practice, you might need to rest not only for some
days but even for some weeks.
At a certain point, a single stage will require three days, then four, and so
on. The final 36x36 will require a week or even longer to be completed! This
incremental routine is really a giant achievement, however a kriyaban should
grant himself the joy, the privilege of going on slowly. Slipping into a hurried
practice leads to nothing. A particular joy springs out of the Chakra in which the
awareness dwells. One should intentionally wait for a particular feeling of
enjoyment after each chanting of the Mantra. During each stage, it is wise to
keep silent, avoiding any opportunity for conversation. However, the use of
common sense should always prevail; if addressed, a polite reply is always
imperative.

148
A Remark about Mahasamadhi

This Incremental Routine is a good preparation for the conscious exit out of the
body at death (Mahasamadhi). It is explained that it burns forever the necessity
of reincarnating. As the Yoni Mudra marks the last moment of the day when,
having concluded all activities, a kriyaban withdraws his awareness from the
body and from the physical world - a "small death", so to speak – the afore
described intensive procedure is like a Yoni Mudra in greater dimensions, a
farewell to life, a return to the origin. In this way one "dies forever": dies to one's
desires, to one's ignorance. According to this tradition, death's mechanism is to
be invited (when the right moment comes) by calming the heart and by merging
deeply with the Omkar reality.
In the months preceding that moment – intuition guides the advanced
kriyaban to guess (or, ideally, to understand) when such a moment is approaching
– one should practice this technique extensively. It is recommended to perceive
the micro movement in the point between the eyebrows 36x48 for each center.
This means perceiving a total of 20736 micro-movements. Since it is possible to
complete this with reasonable ease in a period of 24 days, one can assume that
this process is supposed to be repeated more than one time. It is not sure that, in
the moment of death, a kriyaban performs the technique of Thokar. We may
reasonably assume that it is not always possible to perform the physical
movement of Thokar. To be aware of the point between the eyebrows may be the
only thing possible: it is possible that one vibrates there one's beloved Mantra
and merges with the Infinite. To experience that, is our ardent hope and
determination.

149
OTHER VARIATIONS OF THE THOKAR TECHNIQUE

After having introduced the technique of Thokar in chapter 8 and discussed the most
important variation in this appendix, what need is there for mentioning other variations?
The reason is that I have never stopped asking me whence the Tribhangamurari
variation of Thokar has originated. Some affirm that the Tribhangamurari path is a
universal reality, present in each man, existing irrespective of our efforts in perceiving
it. According to this rather attractive point of view, those who have discovered the
Tribhangamurari variation of Thokar have just looked inside, perceived a natural
phenomenon and keenly devised a method to intensify it. This idea is perfectly
acceptable. As for me, I believe that the Tribhangamurari Thokar originated from the
following variation which is a well known Sufi way of practicing Dhikr.

Variation of Thokar Linked with Tribhangamurari Thokar


The inhalation happens like in the basic form of Thokar. The chin moves up...
Om, Na, Mo, Bha, Ga and Ba in Bindu. Then the breath is held. Without turning the
face, the head moves toward the left shoulder, then the head tilts back a little and in a
sweeping arc begins to move toward the right shoulder. This is only half done: the head
stops in the middle where the chin is raised as much as possible. In the meantime, the
energy has descended from Bindu to medulla, not in a vertical line but curving to the
left.

Figure 12. Internal flow of the current hitting the first four Chakras

When the chin is up, while chanting Teeee, all one's awareness like an arrow is injected
into the point between the eyebrows. (During this act, Mula Bandha can be added -- if
this does not disturb.) While keeping one's breath held, from this chin-up position the
face turns to the right (as with the intention of looking attentively at the area at your
right, as far as possible) and then to the left (as for looking attentively at the area at your
left, as far as possible.) During this movement, the fifth Chakra is perceived and the

150
syllable Va is mentally chanted in it. Then, from the left position, the chin strikes the
middle of the chest along a diagonal (just like in the basic form of Thokar), and the
syllable Su is vibrated in the heart Chakra. (If you have practiced Mula Bandha release
it). While exhaling, the remaining syllables De, Va and Ya are placed in the third,
second and first Chakra respectively. The procedure is repeated at least 12 times.
This form of Thokar can be extended to all the Chakras. After the syllable Su is
vibrated in the heart Chakra, while keeping one's breath held, another similar diagonal
movement of the chin from the left to the chest is repeated and the energy is directed
toward the third Chakra where the syllable De is vibrated; another similar movement
directs the energy and the syllable Va into the second Chakra; finally a last stroke
directs the energy and the syllable Ya into first Chakra. A very long exhalation
accompanies the movement of the energy which, like a liquid light, climbs up the spine,
crosses each Chakra up to medulla, Bindu and fontanelle. The movement of the energy
is intensified by the movement of the chin which is raised very slowly as if to push the
energy up. This procedure can be repeated for a total of six to twelve times. But,
usually, one repetition is more than enough. Only an expert Acharya can guide a
kriyaban to increase the repetitions of this technique. Its effects are very difficult to
assimilate! 11
At the end of this practice, Kundalini can be invited to awaken. This is obtained
by a series of very long and deep exhalations (each exhalation is preceded by a quick
inhalation which does not require any visualization) through which we push the energy
up from Chakra to Chakra. From the Muladhara Chakra the energy rises like waves of
a tide moving higher and higher, reaching a Chakra, then again falling down and
moving from the base of the spine to a higher center. The centers of the head are
awakened by increasing the mental pressure around each one of them in the last part of
each exhalation, when the dissolution of the breath is accompanied by an increase of
mental power. A kriyaban realizes how easy it is now to obtain as much concentration
as optimal in the various centers, and finally in Bindu and fontanelle.

Last Variation of Thokar: the Simplest!


To close this appendix, let me introduce a variation that can be useful to those
who do not love the strong impact of Thokar and prefer a more delicate approach.
Inhalation happens like in the basic form of Thokar. The chin moves up... Om, Na,
Mo... Ba in Bindu. Then the breath is held. The chin bends forward, toward the throat
cavity: a certain internal pressure is felt on frontal part of the heart Chakra. The head
resumes its normal position and then bends slightly toward the left shoulder, without
turning the face. The same experience happens: a certain internal pressure is felt on the
left part of the heart Chakra. The head resumes its normal position and bends
backwards: the same experience happens and pressure is felt on the back of the heart
Chakra. The head resumes its normal position and bends slightly toward the right
shoulder, without turning the face: the pressure is felt on the right part of the heart
Chakra. The head resumes its normal position, then the chin bends forward, toward the
throat cavity... pressure is felt on the frontal part of the heart Chakra. The head then
resumes its normal position. During this five bendings holding the breath, no Mantra is
utilized. Then the exhalation leads the awareness through the Chakras to Muladhara. Te
11
Some Kriya Acharyas teach at this point to lift the body just a few millimeters with
the help of the hands and then let the buttocks touch the floor with a mild jolt. This
action is called Maha Bheda Mudra, "Position of the great perforation" -- obviously it is
the knot of the Muladhara to be crossed and cut. If the jolt is accompanied with the
correct mental intensity, an ecstatic shiver is perceived.

151
is placed in the medulla, Va in the fifth Chakra… and so on … Su… De… Va, until Ya
is mentally chanted in the Muladhara. The time employed depends on the individual;
usually it is approximately 20-25 seconds, but it can be longer. The procedure is
repeated at least 12 times. It should be remarked that the different pressures on the heart
Chakra are more similar to a supply of energy flowing down in a tranquil way from a
region above the head than the typical tapping of the Thokar. The head movement is
comparable with the movement of a lid of a pot which by moving allows the pot to be
filled by a stream of energy.

It is obvious how this form can evolve. After inhalation, the breath can be held and the
movements of the head can be repeated different times before exhaling. The movements
become more fluid: after bending forward, the head does not resume its normal position
but hits to the left, then backwards...
Extending Thokar to all the Chakras and to the centers of the head is very easy.
We activate a counterclockwise internal movement in each Chakra and/or center of the
head. Going on in this way, shifting our attention to the different points and repeating
the procedure, we make milder movements till we reach a perfect immobility. In this
immobility there is a treasure to be enjoyed.

Thokar Technique and Dhikr of the Sufi


There is no doubt that Thokar has a great affinity with a particular Sufi way of
practicing their "Dhikr". I am referring to those procedures in which the chanting of the
Lâ Ilâha Illâ Allâh is accompanied by the movements of the head. Interesting is to learn
that Lahiri Mahasaya gave the Islamic mantra Lâ Ilâha Illâ Allâh to his Muslim
disciples to be practiced during Thokar. We don't have the exact details of that
procedure but it seems reasonable that the was lifted (with or without the help of the
breath) from under the navel up to the brain; after reaching the brain, it moved from the
brain to the one shoulder, then to the other shoulder and then it hit the heart. A modern
Sufi confraternity practices in the following way: "La" is placed in the head, "ilaha"
(with head bending to the right) in the right upper part of the chest, "illaal" (with head
bending to the left) in the left upper part of the chest, and "lah" (with head bending
down) in the heart; then again "La" in the head, while raising it....
I think that if one wants to follow the Sufi path by using the Kriya techniques,
one will encounter no difficulties whatsoever. Of course one should be endowed with a
strong self-teaching spirit. As for the number of repetitions of each technique, one may
abide by the numbers given in the Kriya schools or one can go beyond them in a
completely different dimension. As the chant increases its intensity, a deep intoxication
is felt in the heart: one may reach numbers of repetitions which are inconceivable for a
kriyaban.

152
PART III: LEARNING OF KRIYA YOGA -- PRACTICAL ASPECTS

CHAPTER 9
PRELIMINARY REMARKS ON THE POTENTIAL DANGERS OF MEDITATION
AND KRIYA YOGA

The theme of this chapter is potential dangers of Kriya Yoga in connection with
alienation from reality and with the premature awakening of Kundalini. A reader
who browses through the Web pages dealing with Kriya Yoga or Kundalini Yoga,
will find some pages warning against the dangers of "premature awakening of
Kundalini". It is necessary to deal with this theme before facing any didactic
issue.
There are millions of people in the West practicing meditation every day,
but there is few information about how to avoid dangers. Usually meditation is
introduced as an omni-beneficial activity. But meditation is taking a walk in your
psychic inner world, thus necessarily there should be obstacles and dangers to be
considered. 1
This subject has aroused a great interest: the list of the problems that the
allegedly premature awakening of Kundalini would cause is limitless. Besides
Kundalini, there are a few web sites that warn against any form of meditation: all
hinting at the possibility of a break with reality with unusual or extreme
strengthening of emotions, in particular agitation and anxiety, long-term
disorientation where one spaces in and out of higher planes, unable to focus long
enough to work.
There are evident exaggerations. Unfortunately there is a tendency in the
Web to duplicate pages from site to site without changing a coma. If one makes
up that a yogi died of spontaneous combustion during the practice of
Pranayama, he can verify that after a physiological time (one or two months)
this story will appear on a couple of other sites. Thus we can read also that:
"Trough practicing Kundalini Yoga, an aspirant can develop occult, psychic
powers. These powers can be used for constructive or destructive purposes, but
quite often they are misused. For example the ability to read someone else's mind
can create problems and is likely to be ... resented by those who it is used on."
This is comic! When we find such amenities we wonder: "who on earth has
written such nonsense and with what purpose"?
We can also read that Yogis are inclined to fall into sorcery and black
1
This theme could have been placed in the first pages of this book, but I think it is
convenient to deal with this theme now because few people ever read a preface. Most
readers behave like timorous animals in unfamiliar territory, wondering whether to give
a modicum of trust to the author. They prefer to get a general idea of the author's
motivations (…and obsessions) by concentrating on certain techniques to see how
deeply they are discussed. Only if they are convinced of the value of a book, they might
pay attention to the author's message in a preface. I have also decided that the first part
of the book conveys my first enthusiastic idea of Kriya as a path of Beauty. I was not
aware of any danger. Now I realize that possible dangers must to be discussed seriously;
however in my opinion it remains marginal in the discussion of the mystical path, quite
tied up to deviant behaviors of people.

153
magic because they evoke, unaware, negative entities. One guy claimed that:
"When you repeat that Mantra Om, Om... you are actually invoking a demon
spirit to come and possess your mind. Whatever that follows is the result of that
specific Hindu Demon you are invoking. " The same person adds that during a
meditation session began to levitate and "... ever since that second I haven't slept
as a human, I lost my sleep! Whenever I closed my eyes, I saw the flames of
Hell, I didn't dear to close my eyes, I couldn't! I became a psychiatric case, and
26 times I've been hospitalized."
We are baffled when we meet people in real life (maybe even our friends)
who claim that Kriya is responsible of all their psychological and psychiatric
problems and of some physical troubles too. They want to convince you that by
breathing fresh air (Pranayama) they have developed all kinds of mental
ailments, even schizophrenia too. From a benediction as it seemed at the very
beginning, Kriya turned out to be a curse, a misfortune. They mention
contemptuously the same techniques that we have experimented so many times,
with so much love, drawing the purest delight.
When I read or heard all this, my first reaction was: "Now, if I must go
crazy, I prefer to go crazy because of Kriya, instead because of life itself. If the
germs of madness are inside me, they will come into bloom both if I practice
Kriya and if I do not practice it. Any discussion about whether Kriya can
accelerate the situation is perfectly useless because the answer will be never
demonstrated. Yet, considering the glorious moments experienced, I will walk
such path without an ounce of fear, had I to burn in it."
For a lot of time, this has been my way of thinking, also because I
believed after all that the alleged dangers were imagined by minds full of
confusion. But life taught me that there is a part of truth there. I continue with the
usual enthusiasm and courage but I am prudent when I talk about Kriya to other
people.

The situation I am totally unprepared to deal with is what can happen to those who have
made use of drugs or who have shown symptoms, even weak, of mental disturbances
and start practicing Kriya either because it's a trend or as a treatment. I don't know what
counsel to give to them or if in this situation it is better to exclude the practice of Kriya
altogether.
Sometimes the situation is not clear and I just guess what is confirmed by their
friends and never by the reluctant student: a desultory life-style marked by drug abuse.
Personally, I've always been taken aback when people blame their spiritual practice for
damaging their psyche but say nothing about the drugs they have taken! How came that
a person went to India every year for a series of years? How came that for many years
there wasn't any interest in learning Yoga? Only recently they have practiced some mild
form of concentration and lo, a catastrophe! They go on maintaining that now they are
ill and suffer because of their prematurely awakened Kundalini! The same person who
for years took acids, any kind of amphetamines, opiates and (emulous of Castaneda)
didn't disdain the use of psychotropic plants, now is accusing the simplest yogic
exercises to have caused their doom. We don't want to rub salt in the wound -- no one
likes to put a past, which cannot be changed, in causal relation with today's troubles and
tragedies. Anyone wants to exorcize the thought of having seriously damaged their
brain and be in a condition of permanent, fatal psychic disorder. They ask us to respect

154
the psychological wall they have erected. That is their past, ended forever: we are
invited to worry only over Kriya and its effects that had to be marvelous (as we hastily
have promised them) and, on the contrary, have been frightening. We listen nodding our
assent and we are not permitted to clamor for a mirror in which they can see how
inconsiderate and cruel they had been toward their body.
In other students we perceive that there is a pre-existing psychological trouble.
They seldom confess how in the past at the climax of a psycho-physical breakdown
they refused to take prescribed medications. They claim they succeeded in solving any
problem through the sheer use of their will. But we see that the reality is quite different.
How terrible is sometimes this illusion of self healing! If someone is psychologically
fragile, it is very unlikely they use the techniques of Yoga in the right way. Probably
they don't aggravate the condition of their alienation but fear and anguish might arise as
an unconscious resistance to awaken they lurking mental nightmares. Let's get things
straight: often it is the very mental disturbance that brought people to spiritual and
esoteric interests. Failure is certain: fear forces one to remain on the surface and bars
their way to deep practice. A radical transformation is impossible, feared as the worst
spectrum, a menace to one's psychological stability. Let us remember this, when they
give the most absurd and funny excuses to justify their leaving Kriya: they are doing
the right thing!
Often the worse experience for a kriyaban who has tried to help them is to be a
witness of what seems a gigantic ingratitude: not only do they abandon the Kriya path
but they revolt against it as if it was an horrible thing causing havoc. Sometime they
claim Kriya is the arch-enemy of the spiritual experience. Let's bite our tongue: they are
not ungrateful but sick persons and our biggest mistake was a failure to understand it
and overestimate a pseudo, almost automatic, healing action of Kriya.
On some occasions we meet both drug abuse and mental disturbance and will
never know if there were the drugs who damaged their brain and nervous system, or it
was because of an already damaged brain that they sought drugs as a remedy. The rules
of politeness require that we listen to them without reacting.
Another situation of real doom is when a student, curious of exploring the
Afterlife unknown territory or dreaming to contact a deceased relative or friend, may
get involved in spiritualism (mediumism). I have some grounds to believe that the
untrustworthy soil of spiritualism is one of the best areas to cultivate splits inside one's
personality. In my opinion, this is a field where one certainly would hurt their psyche. I
deal with this minor-in-frequency theme because there are people who claim they have
the privilege … to communicate directly with the historical Masters of Kriya. It is
pathetic and, to an extent, even amusing being told that their message is coming from
the hereafter: "In this epoch, the Kriya is old-fashioned and useless. Devotion is
enough!".
Classical spiritualism - characterized by a person (medium) who enters a trance
state at a desk, answers the questions put by the bystanders through a code of loud raps
- has handed over its place to more modern methods such as those where all the
participants, putting their hands on an upside-down glass to move it among the letters of
the alphabet stamped on a comfortable flexible tablet (Ouija board). Many prefer the
more accessible revelations of a channeler who lets the invoked entity express through
the flood of his own eloquence. It is interesting to see how the channeler's biographies
trace a common scheme. All tell that once they were skeptic of their own faculties and
would not accept yielding to the higher Will who had decided to entrust to them the
mission to serve as medium between spirits and humanity. Once their mission was
accepted, from the same ultra mundane source came the inspiration to mix the flow of

155
the various revelations with the diagnosis of unlikely illnesses, with prescription of
expensive alternative remedies.
If spiritualism kept its promises, it would be the most valid gold-mine of
information - a direct connection with the beyond, far more accurate than any other
source! Alas, reality has nothing to do with their imagination! Apart from the automatic
writing in which the one who asks is the same person that gives the answer, the Medium
knows in advance the preferences and anticipations of the person who addresses him.
Therefore all becomes like a closed circuit: question and answer reverberate in an
endless loop like the feedback of a microphone set next to its loud speaker. As anyone
can observe, the messages are always agreeable. Every adept, even of limited
intelligence, receives the message that the Divine has assigned him an important
mission… I believe that this is, psychologically speaking, very dangerous. I knew some
kriyabans who plunged into situations of such a narrow vision that their life style
appeared grotesque. What I witnessed, with a sadness sharpened by the particular
situations which at that time took place, was the mental fragility of most people
practicing spiritualism. They puzzled me not only on account of their statements but
also of what emerged through their eyes. It was as if, from behind the mask of their
face, another personality appeared, extremely self-confident, who allowed others to
defraud them in the worst of the ways. Their original desire to find total freedom,
spiritual realization, ended in the worst of all prisons. They gave all their possessions,
and their life, to a person who was an authentic rogue.

Kundalini

Let us begin by what is said in any Kundalini book. This concept provides a
framework which is convenient for expressing what is happening along the
Kriya path. Kundalini is Sanskrit for "coiled": it is conceived as a particular
energy coiled like a serpent in the root Chakra (Muladhara). The representation
of being coiled like a spring conveys the idea of untapped potential energy. A
tremendous concentration of spiritual energy lies allegedly at the base of the
spine. It sleeps in our body and underneath the layers of our consciousness,
waiting to be aroused by spiritual discipline.
In Kundalini Yoga a seeker aspires to harness this tremendous power
through specific techniques (particular breathing patterns, Bandhas, Mudras,
Bija Mantra...) and guide its rising from the Muladhara up through the
Sushumna, activating each Chakra. It is explained that when Kundalini arrives at
the crown Chakra (Sahasrara), it bestows infinite bliss, mystical illumination
etc.
Each book warns against the risk of its premature Kundalini awakening
and asserts that the body must be prepared for the event. Some explain that the
problems manifests when Kundalini comes up through the wrong channel.
Others explain that even if Kundalini would come up through the right channel,
the person is unprepared to sustain all that power. They claim that the
enlightening and beautiful experiences can be so powerful that people doubt their
sanity.

156
Gopi Krishna

Let us consider an excellent testimony, that of Gopi Krishna. In 1967 he


published his first major book in India, Kundalini --The Evolutionary Energy in
Man (currently available under the title Living With Kundalini ). The book gives
a clear and concise autobiographic account of the phenomenon of the awakening
of Kundalini. He experimented it in 1937 although he had not a spiritual teacher
and was not initiated into any spiritual lineage. His life after awakening was both
blessed by ecstatic bliss and tormented by physical and mental discomfort.
He practiced concentration exercises for a number of years. His practice
was visualizing "an imaginary Lotus in full bloom, radiating light" at the crown
of his head. As he sat meditating - exactly as he had for the three hours before
dawn each day for seventeen years - he became aware of a powerful, pleasurable
sensation at the base of his spine. He continued to meditate; the sensation began
to spread and extend upwards. It continued to expand until he heard, quite
without warning, a roar like that of a waterfall and felt a stream of liquid light
enter his brain.

"Suddenly, with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liquid light entering my
brain through the spinal cord. Entirely unprepared for such a development, I was
completely taken by surprise; but regaining self-control instantaneously, I remained
sitting in the same posture, keeping my mind on the point of concentration. The
illumination grew brighter and brighter, the roaring louder, I experienced a rocking
sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my body, entirely enveloped in a halo of
light." (Gopi Krishna Living With Kundalini).

This experience changed radically the scheme of his life. He experienced a


continuous "luminous glow" around his head and began having a variety of
psychological and physiological problems. At times he thought he was going
mad. He adopted a very strict diet and for years refused to do any other
concentration exercise.

"The keen desire to sit and meditate, which had always been present during the
preceding days, disappeared suddenly and was replaced by a feeling of horror of the
supernatural. I wanted to fly from even the thought of it. At the same time I felt a
sudden distaste for work and conversation, with the inevitable result that being left with
nothing to keep myself engaged, time hung heavily on me, adding to the already
distraught condition of my mind. [...] Each morning heralded for me a new kind of
terror, a fresh complication in the already disordered system, a deeper fit of melancholy
or more irritable condition of the mind which I had to restrain, to prevent it from
completely overwhelming me, by keeping myself alert, usually after a completely
sleepless night; and after withstanding patiently the tortures of the day, I had to prepare
myself for even worse torment of the night. "

Let us see how the experience stabilized and he emerged from this negative
experience into an awakening that blessed him to the end of his life. He
discovered that the esoteric teachings contained a number of simple practices that
might help bring the energy back into balance after it had been awakened

157
incorrectly. What he practiced as a remedy reminds a lot the practice of Kriya
Pranayama.

".... a fearful idea struck me. Could it be that I had aroused Kundalini through pingala
or the solar nerve which regulates the flow of heat in the body and is located on the
right side of Sushumna'? If so, I was doomed, I thought desperately and as if by divine
dispensation the idea flashed across my brain to make a last-minute attempt to rouse
Ida, or the lunar nerve on the left side, to activity, thus neutralizing the dreadful burning
effect of the devouring fire within. With my mind reeling and senses deadened with
pain, but with all the will-power left at my command, I brought my attention to bear on
the left side of the seat of Kundalini, and tried to force an imaginary cold current
upward through the middle of the spinal cord. In that extraordinarily extended,
agonized, and exhausted state of consciousness, I distinctly felt the location of the nerve
and strained hard mentally to divert its flow into the central channel. Then, as if waiting
for the destined moment, a miracle happened. There was a sound like a nerve thread
snapping and instantaneously a silvery streak passed zigzag through the spinal cord,
exactly like the sinuous movement of a white serpent in rapid flight, pouring an
effulgent, cascading shower of brilliant vital energy into my brain, filling my head with
a blissful lustre in place of the flame that had been tormenting me for the last three
hours. Completely taken by surprise at this sudden transformation of the fiery current,
darting across the entire network of my nerves only a moment before, and overjoyed at
the cessation of pain, I remained absolutely quiet and motionless for some time, tasting
the bliss of relief with a mind flooded with emotion, unable to believe I was really free
of the horror. Tortured and exhausted almost to the point of collapse by the agony I had
suffered during the terrible interval. I immediately fell asleep, bathed in light and for the
first time after weeks of anguish felt the sweet embrace of restful sleep."

From then onwards, Gopi Krishna believed that this experience began a process
in himself in which his whole nervous system would slowly be reorganized and it
would be transformed, wrote about the mystical experience and the evolution of
consciousness from a scientific point of view. He theorized that there existed a
biological mechanism in the human body, known from ancient times in India as
Kundalini, which was responsible for creativity, genius, psychic ability, religious
and mystical experience. In his opinion, Kundalini was the true cause of
evolution.

B. S. Goel

Another interesting testimony is that of B. S. Goel's (1935- 1998) described in


his: Psycho-Analysis and Meditation. He was a very rare individual. His
experience of Kundalini awakening happened when he was 28 and was quite
dramatic. Kundalini got awakened on its own. During this long process, his
friends thought he was "losing his mind". He went up and down India looking
for someone who could explain what was happening to him. He found many
people that had theories. However they did not know. His uniqueness lies in his
experience of classical psychoanalysis along with meditation, which he
advocated. When he was 35, his Guru appeared in his dream, and told him that

158
Psycho-analysis and Marxism, both of which he had embraced, were false ways
to happiness. He told him the only path to inner peace and joy was through
God. In 1982, he opened an ashram in the Himalayas to help and guide other
aspirants who had Kundalini experiences.
What is interesting for us is that Dr. Goel talks about the different degrees
of suffering he went through as his ego was destroyed and rebuild. He was the
first, apart late Swami Satyananda Saraswati who studied the role of Bindu point,
in the occipital region. He explained that "when the consciousness marches
toward Bindu (which he calls Brahma-randhra) the ego-formations will get
exposed before the consciousness in free-associations, in free writings, in
dreams, and above all, in meditation itself.
In the last part of the book, while discussing "signals toward the final
goal", among a lot of signals he had the courage to quote one in particular whom
is not usually treated in book but in those book who want of mimic all the
gurudom matter. He quotes "the great desire for being pierced and penetrated."
About "pierced", he exemplifies it with the "desire of putting a nail at the mid-
point between the two eyebrows. About "penetrated", he clarifies that the desire
of penetration at Bindu may, out of ego-ignorance "turn into the desire of passive
anal-penetration." He clarifies that an ordinary sexual act cannot satisfy the
person who need really penetrated at the Bindu to get final spiritual bliss. He
adds that: "as long as he does not reach that stage, he may often indulge in
compulsive homo-sexuality. It is very probable that many saints of all ages might
have remained great homosexuals if they had stopped their spiritual efforet in
their pre-sainthood period."

A Down-to-Earth Approach

The real problem is the fear caused by the first signs of Kundalini awakening.
This is what happens to many kriyabans, especially during the first months of
their commitment. Usually this fear (which can be real anguish) is absorbed in a
short time, without problems, even if for a couple of days they feel they are
walking in equilibrium on a rope between mental health and alienation. This
phenomenon has happened to all saints and it is only a fleeting experience. There
is nothing to fear! All may cease by itself but, if you do nothing, you can also
live a couple of days in a state of emotional instability. Here you will find some
urgent actions to do.

1. When you feel uncontrolled movement of energy in your spine accompanied


by a warm (or hot) sensation and you feel fear, sit with erected spine and
concentrate all your mental strength in the point between the eyebrows. Use all
your imagination to raise a fresh current up the spine. This can be done by
inhaling through the mouth or through the left nostril -- having closed somehow
the right nostril. Repeat this until you feel something changing. This is exactly
what Gopi Krishna did to get out of his awful situation.

159
2. Sit quietly and practice slowly, but intensely, 108 Mula Bandha. Contract all
the muscles at the base of the spine, maintain the contraction for a couple of
seconds and relax. Repeat. Forget the breath, try to attune to calmness in the
point between the eyebrows. Don't be in a hurry: each hold and relax should last
at least four seconds. You can have more than one session in order to complete
108 repetitions. Beside this, try to have plenty of physical activity. Utilize this
practice in those days when you feel yourself too much nervous, depressed or
having any panic attack.

3. When, after some days or weeks, the crisis is overcome, you take back Kriya
Pranayama, remember that it was conceived to be the foundation of an
intrinsically healthy method. It can help one to cover all the spiritual journey in a
safe way. In Kriya Pranayama you are taught to feel the coolness and the warmth
of the breath to balance Ida and Pingala. If this is respected, if it is combined
with Maha Mudra, Navi Kriya and Yoni Mudra, this action can never cause
problems. The signal that will point out that everything has started over normally
working is to feel a particular joy, the feeling of having found again the state of
mind of the best times.

4. When you practice Higher Kriyas, if you concentrate for some time on
Muladhara, give the same concentration to all other Chakras and always end by
concentrating on the point between the eyebrows. In one commentary by Lahiri
Mahasaya to the sacred writings, it is written: "Being tranquil at the coccygeal
center, do not stay longer. If you stay longer at the coccygeal center, then
negative Samadhi will take place. So after getting up again, you should start
practicing Kriya." If you use Thokar and hit the Muladhara Chakra and you
don't integrate this with other practices, the result is mainly a state of greyish
mind that appears in the day following the practice. It is difficult to sustain that
gloomy mood - it is as if your soul is scratched. The action of Thokar is very
strong and it is difficult to assimilate its psychological effects. Therefore, after a
Thokar on Muladhara, follow the given instructions to push the energy up. You
can also resume the most simple form of Kriya Pranayama and create a very
deep relaxed mood: after Kriya Pranayama, if you have not the time to practice
Navi Kriya, use at least a mild form of Uddiyana Bandha to raise the energy up.

5. A routine which is totally based on a strong concentration on the Sahasrara is


not appropriate for beginner or medium level students. Building a strong magnet
in Sahasrara is the most powerful way to stimulate the rising of Kundalini. This
is of course the goal of Kriya Yoga, but you might be non prepared for that.
Kriya is a path in which one tries to awaken Kundalini by preparing the ground
for its awakening in a sure way. The final concentration on Sahasrara should be
prepared by a long concentration on the point between the eyebrows.

6. After studying the theory of knots (Granthis), do not focus too insistently upon
eliminating them, either by adapting to your purpose some Higher Kriya
techniques or by extrapolating other procedures from the classic Hatha Yoga.

160
You risk to enforce those very knots you want to eliminate. Don't be like a
surgeon who wants to remove a gallstone embedded in a organ, without taking
all the care not to destroy the organ and kill the patient.
Don't cultivate stupid theories according to which all your problems
originate from the blockage of this or that Chakra. Don't utilize techniques that
work on a single Chakra with the hope of unlocking it. Our internal knots are not
as we usually visualize them, namely like ordinary rope-knots. They have a kind
of mutual dependence, they are subtly inter-twined, one inside the other.
Remember that the balanced techniques of Kriya Pranayama and of Omkar
Kriya patiently but safely work upon all the knots simultaneously. Increasing
gradually the repetition of these basic procedures is always the best choice!

7. Be always cautious with Kumbhaka (holding your breath). The famous author
J.K. Taimni in his The science of Yoga (The theosophical publishing house
Adyar, Chennai, India • Wheaton, Il, USA) writes: "Kumbhaka affects the flow
of pranic currents in a very marked and fundamental manner and enables the
Yogi to gain increasing control over these currents. [...] Not only is Kumbhaka
the essential element of real Pranayama but it is also the source of danger in the
practice of Pranayama. The moment one starts retaining the breath, especially
after inhalation, in any abnormal manner the danger begins and one can never
know what it will lead to. [...] Kumbhaka unlocks the doors of unexpected
experiences and powers. If it is taken up without the necessary preparation and
guidance it is sure to lead to disaster." Kumbhaka is very powerful and in Kriya
Yoga it is adopted with special procedures: Yoni Mudra, Thokar... Between the
two extreme eventualities: to never hold your breath or to overuse Kumbhaka,
chose an intermediary percentage of seconds of Kumbhaka. Regulate this
percentage according to your ability to bear the originated power.

8. Keep your path always clean. A clean path reaches the core of Kriya as fast as
an arrow. Unclean is a path polluted by new age, esoteric, magic, occult rituals,
channeling, spiritualistic practices... To be entangled in this activity is an
amazingly easy way of destroying, in a short time, years of genuine spiritual
effort. If from a certain school you have received visualization techniques with
the suggestion that sooner or later your visualization will become reality, polish
up your path and life forever from such a trash. Be realistic and notice how in
that ambient you have met persons who went around pretending to be spiritual,
whereas they were human wrecks.
There are many pseudo spiritual/occult activities that won't lead you
anywhere. The worst of certain schools is that after having destroyed the
attraction toward real life, they teach you to create a virtual reality with the
strength of your imagination. The visualization procedure brought to the extreme
limit is useless and treacherous. Unfortunately, it is the basis of a boundless
series of New Age methods. You believe you are very spiritual but you are
entering the kingdom of alienation. Always remember that when you do a purely
mental work that doesn't envisage verification, the danger is certain.
I remind Jung's words: "The deliberately induced psychotic state, which in

161
certain unstable individuals might easily lead to a real psychosis, is a danger that
needs to be taken very seriously indeed. These things really are dangerous and
ought not to be meddled with in our typically Western way. It is a meddling with
Fate, which strikes at the very roots of human existence and can let loose a flood
of sufferings of which no sane person ever dreamed."C. G. Jung, Introduction to
The Tibetan book of the Dead ]
What are, according to Jung, the "deliberately induced psychotic states"?
Unfortunately he does not explain it in detail and does not bring examples.
However it is not difficult to understand that a psychotic state is the one in which
you see things that do not exist, have a relationship (listen to voices, receive
messages) from a dimension you have created in your mind and that exists only
for you.

9. If you learn other methods of meditation, never relax your guard and never
stop using the common sense. Meditation relaxes the mistrustful side of your
personality; you will tend to override your inner wisdom receiving wounds in
various subtle ways. Even the most rational and intelligent person becomes an
idiot that believes in impossible things.
There is the danger to accept theories which throw you off balance. I am
referring to teachings that poison you against the world, that alienate you from
the society you are in. You should not cultivate disgust for all that is interesting
and enthusiastic in life and see everyday life as an illness. If you are not a monk
or nun, these attitudes are simply toxic, like taking antibiotics if you do not have
an infection. Terrible is the refusal of love, renouncement of a family, moving
toward abnormal ways of living and behavior like avoid facing life challenges.
Any mystical practice that is combined with an unbalanced life style is harmful.
Don't amputate your individuality and your desires; don't start a war
against yourselves. Don't cut yourself from everything interesting and thrilling in
life.
Do not impose chastity to yourself. Some kriyabans try uselessly to reach
this state with a certain obsession and state authentic nonsenses (the married
kriyabans practice sex once in a year only to give birth to children). This attitude
can produce disasters. There is a more moderate vision which deems the
condition of chastity is linked with conserving the energy, but without being
obsessive.
Lahiri Mahasaya admits in his diary that at times his sexual desire was
really strong. One day a disciple put him a direct question: "How can one be
definitively free from sexuality?" He replied in a way that let struck dumb the
disciple: "I will be free from sexuality only when my body will lie on the funeral
pyre." God bless his sincerity! Very strangely some are inclined to take the afore
quoted episode from Lahiri Mahasaya's life as a sign ... that he was not
spiritually realized!

162
How should one behave when the experience of a substantial and spontaneous
rising of energy through the spine happens?

This state usually lasts from few instants to a couple of minutes. It many appear
as a series of bliss waves rising through the spine and entering the brain.
Sometimes it is an electric wind on the surface of the body, propagating from feet
up to head, that announces the experience. It is like having a volcano erupting
inside, a ''rocket'' shooting up through the spine! Other times, it may appear like
an intense bliss in the chest region -- suddenly you are inside an immense joy
and wake up with tears in your eyes.
The deepest experience is when the point (Bindu) in the center of
Kutastha emerges and expands into a tunnel. The awareness is pulled through it.
It is like a plunge into Eternity, burning with endless joy for several seconds --
you are filled with the euphoria obtained by this short but unforgettable glimpse
of your eternal nature. Some call this experience "Kundalini awakening".
I would like to point at the similarity with a near death experience -- NDE.
Since I think the consideration of this parallelism very useful for a kriyaban, I
counsel Kriya students to read Life beyond Life by Raymond Moody. In the
stories of those who had a NDE experience, we find some details in common
with the afore hinted experience. We find the feeling of moving upward, through
a tunnel or a narrow corridor, of floating above one's own body and seeing the
surrounding area. The whole experience is lived within a feeling of endless love
and peace. Some accounts include meetings with deceased relatives, and with
spiritual figures (beings of light). Each individual interprets such meetings
according to their own culture and expectations. Then the feeling of having
arrived at a threshold and being sent back to one's body -- often with deep
reluctance to return there -- seems to conclude the experience.

If you have had a similar experience, as a result of a serious accident, you know
how this event brought you to the edge of Eternity, offering a unique opportunity
to glimpse it. For you it remained the most real experience, paradoxically the
most "alive" of your existence.
If you are having this experience as a result of Kriya practice, you won't
feel disoriented. You have the means to be your own "doctor" and let the effects
of the blissful experience grow and mix with your life. If not refused or
repressed, the repetition of such experience gives you an unshakable certainty of
the value of spiritual techniques. No one can come to you claiming that Self-
realization is something happening in the realm of your thoughts -- like an
awakening of wisdom obtained by keen sophistication. You have had this
experience first in your body and then your way of thinking has received a
shock. But this flash of intuition is impossible without the body experiences a
very particular state. Some spiritual seekers crown their laziness by indulging in
the thought that it is our very idea of not having achieved Enlightenment that
prevents us from getting it. You know that this is nonsense.

163
If one who has had this experience asks me what to do, I invite him to go ahead
with the Kriya practice and avoid going to "traveling gurus" to tell what has
happened. They have no time to take care of anyone. They repeat hastily some
general guidance and go away. They may even don't recognize the authenticity of
the experience. Their lack of spiritual realization is, in some cases, really
remarkable.
Those who had this experience are like one who, dead in appearance, had
visited the afterworld and then had returned to walk again amongst human
beings. But this has no importance; interesting is the fact that their Ego is intact,
it hasn't turned into a "divine Ego". Therefore the path to enlightenment should
begin now and there is no step that can be disregarded. In order to become an
Emancipated Soul, one should never forget that experience, continually working
for retrieving and deepening. But this is not enough, Enlightenment is to be
achieved giving all oneself to draw that experience down into the earthly
dimension of life. Sometimes it is a hard work, but nothing in life can be
obtained without hard work.

164
CHAPTER 10
BUILDING THE BEST FOUNDATION FOR THE KRIYA YOGA PATH

In the present chapter and in following 11 and 12, I am going to share in my


didactic opinions about how a student should be guided from the first steps of
Kriya Yoga to the last attempts at reaching the lofty state of Samadhi. I will
summarize the practical difficulties that can appear if you don't want to
communicate a recipe to be followed always in the same way throughout life but
disclose a challenging but very engrossing way to realize one after another, the
four phases of Kriya Yoga.
We shall begin by introducing the most important tool to obtain a real
transformation of one's personality: the "incremental routine". This work has
nothing to do with the soft, sleepy daily routines we all know. In chapter 11, we
shall focus about how to guide a student to experience the breathless state. In
chapter 12, we shall discuss a particular way of perfecting Kriya Pranayama,
which is not discussed in Kriya literature. We add also an appendix explaining
how a person who has received Kriya from an organization, can tread completely
the highest path without including in his routine other practices that those already
learned from the organization.

How to test a student's predisposition for Kriya

In my opinion a teacher should always test a student's predisposition for Kriya. If


one has already practiced Pranayama for months (either classic Pranayama or
Kriya Pranayama alike) there is no need of tests. But for those whom you deem
won't be able to carry on the discipline of Kriya, you can counsel an alternate
routine - I usually counsel the one I have myself practiced at the beginning of my
path and hinted at in chapter 1. It goes without saying that there is no point in
introducing students to Kriya if they do not succeed in this routine regularly for
at least 3 to 6 weeks. The routine consists of: Nadi Sodhana (with the three
Bandhas after inhalation while holding the breath); Ujjayi with or without Aswini
Mudra and a deep concentration on the point between the eyebrows.
I have chosen Nadi Sodhana because after years of research and
experimentation, I came to the conclusion that Nadi Sodhana Pranayama is far
more important then it is currently thought. Actually, a beginner receives a
dramatic transformation from it; many important patterns of energy imbalance
disappear. Besides, if one practices it for about 20-30 minutes of practice, one
discovers to have entered a natural meditation state. I actually think that there
have been a mistake not to include Nadi Sadhana among the basic technique of
First Kriya. It is very important to balance Ida and Pingala currents. Ida
(feminine in nature, tied to introversion and to the state of rest) flows vertically
along the left side of the spinal column, while Pingala (masculine in nature, tied
to extroversion and to the state of physical activity) flows parallel to Ida on the

165
right side. Sushumna flows in the middle and represents the experience halfway
between the two: the ideal state to be achieved right before the practice of Kriya.
Unbalance between Ida and Pingala is be blamed for the lack of
introversion-extroversion harmony in many people. Over functioning of the Ida
channel results in introversion, while predominance of the Pingala leads to a
state of extroversion. We know that there are moments of the day when we feel
more externalized; others when we are more internalized. In a healthy person,
this alternation is characterized by a balance between a life of positive
relationships and a serene contact with one's own depths. On the contrary, the
excessively introverted persons tend to lose contact with the external reality. The
consequence is that the ups and downs of life seem to gang up against them in
order to undermine their peaceful composure. The excessively extroverted
person betrays frailty in dealing with what comes up from their unconscious and
might face unexpected distressing moments.
Unbalance between Ida and Pingala is a serious problem for those who
try to internalize their consciousness. They cannot achieve a watchful but
peaceful alertness which is the base itself of the meditative state. Using a
suggestive image, a Kriya teacher said that Ida and Pingala are so tangled up
around the base of the spine that our awareness cannot enter the innermost
channel of the spine during Kriya Pranayama practice.

I don't like quoting scientific research invigorating the good of a technique. But in the
case of Nadi Sodhana is obligatory. As you know, there are four types of brain waves.
During deep sleep delta waves are predominant (1-4 oscillations per second), and in a
dozy the theta waves (4-8 oscillations per sec.) dominate. The brain waves that interest
us the most are the alpha waves (8-13 oscillations per sec.). They are mostly to be
found when the person has closed eyes, is mentally relaxed, but still awake and able to
experience. When the eyes are opened, or the person is distracted in some other way,
the alpha waves are weakened, and there is an increase of the faster beta waves (13-40
oscillations per sec.). The amount of alpha waves therefore shows to what degree the
brain is in a state of relaxed awareness. EEG measurements have shown that the
amount of alpha waves increases during meditation. But this is well-known. We are
interested that a greater balance of alpha waves between the brain halves after Nadi
Sodhana is proved. We can measure separately the amount of alpha waves in each part
of the brain and discover that the more we practice Nadi Sodhana, the more they tend to
become equal. In a normal brain, a spontaneous shift in balance occurs between left and
right, depending on what one is doing. Nadi Sodhana creates that perfect balance which
is the best condition to begin the practice of Kriya Yoga.

I have chosen Ujjayi because it is the best preparation to Kriya Pranayama.


Those who practice it and pay due attention to the natural throat sounds will
begin to perceive the energy that flows up and down the spine.

166
Nadi Sodhana Pranayama. It is important to clean the nostrils before
beginning the exercise, so that the breath can flow smoothly. This can be
commonly done using water or inhaling eucalyptus essence and blowing the
nose. In some cases, there are complaints that one of the nostrils is permanently
obstructed; that is a problem of medical solution. If the obstruction is caused by a
severe cold, no Pranayama exercise should be practiced.
To begin this exercise, the mouth must be closed; the right nostril must be
kept closed by the right thumb and air is slowly, uniformly and deeply inhaled
through the left nostril. The inhalation lasts from six to ten seconds. It is
important not to overdo it to the point of discomfort. After having inhaled
through the left nostril, the yogi closes the left nostril with the right little finger
and the ring finger - of the same hand. A short pause, amounting to a mental
count of three, happens after each inhalation. The one exhales through the right
nostril with the same slow, uniform and deep rhythm. At this point, the nostrils
exchange their role. Keeping the left nostril closed, air is slowly, uniformly and
deeply inhaled through the right nostril. The short pause follows. Then, closing
the right nostril with the thumb, the exhalation is made through the left nostril,
once again slowly, uniformly and deeply.
This corresponds to one cycle. In the beginning, six cycles can be made;
later, twelve of them. A yogi can use a mental count to make sure the time is the
same for both the inhalation and the exhalation. The nostrils can be closed with
the fingers in different ways; the choice depends on the preference of the
practitioner only. The easy but extremely effective technique of the "forward
bendings" we are going to discuss in this chapter (see: "A valuable variation of
Maha Mudra in three parts") can be coupled with Nadi Sodhana bringing
immediately visible benefits. A famous Kriya school emphasize the utility of
Viparita Karani either before of after Nadi Sodhana.

Variation. Let us remind the definition of Bandhas: when the neck and the throat are
slightly contracted, and the chin tilts down toward the breast, this is Jalandhara
Bandha. Uddiyana Bandha (in a simplified form useful for this exercise) consists in
slightly contracting the abdominal muscles in order to intensify the perception of
energy inside the spinal column. During Mula Bandha, the perineum muscles -
between the anus and the genital organs - are contracted in an attempt to lift the
abdominal muscles in a vertical way, while pressing back the inferior part of the
abdomen.
In this variation, the exhalation should last twice the time necessary for the
inhalation and the pause after the inhalation should be four times as long. The ratio of
inhalation, retention and exhalation is denoted as 1:4:2. During the pause, the three
Bandhas are applied simultaneously to produce an internal awakening of the Prana. In
time, you'll feel a sensation of energetic current sliding up along the spinal column - an
almost ecstatic internal shiver.
Time can be measured through mental chanting of Om. Close the right nostril
with your right thumb. Inhale through the left nostril till you count, slowly, 3 Om.
Imagine that you are drawing Prana with the inhaled air. Close the left nostril. Practice
the three Bandhas intensively. Hold the breath for a count of six Om. Release the

167
Bandhas and slowly exhale through the right nostril counting 6 Om. Repeat the process
from the right nostril. Do the whole cycle at least 3 times. Gradually you can increase
the count of Om while holding the breath up to 12 counts.
The exercise can be further improved by strong concentration on Dantian
during Kumbhaka. Feel that Prana is intensifying in that region. With your breath held
pull your abdominal muscles in synchronizing these movements with mental chanting
of Om or with the syllables of your favorite Mantra. All this helps awaken Kundalini.
Great Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh counseled to send the current down to the
Muladhara Chakra, instead to Dantian, during Kumbhaka. The current is perceived
striking against the Muladhara Chakra and awakening Kundalini. The ratio of
inhalation, retention and exhalation is always 1:4:2.

Ujjayi Pranayama. The technique consists of breathing in and out deeply


through both the nostrils, producing a sound/noise in the throat. During the
exhalation, the noise is not as loud as during the inhalation. After a few days
practice, the respiratory action is lengthened without effort. This exercise is
normally practiced twelve times. A mental count makes sure that the inhalation
and the exhalation have the same duration. It does good to focus not only on the
process itself, but on the comfort and the induced calmness as well; this allows
the concentration to become deeper. Now forget the breath, for at least five
minutes, with an attitude of deep relaxation, the attention is intensely focused on
the point between the eyebrows.

How to introduce a student to Kriya Yoga

I would avoid the particular frenzy that accompanies a traditional Kriya initiation
where all the practical instructions are transmitted hastily in one single lesson! 2
I have found that it is more natural and logical to teach the Kriya techniques a bit
at a time and let one experience each without any tension. Even when it's
necessary to demonstrate all the techniques in First Kriya for reasons of
expediency, I do not recommend starting out with a complete practice. Of course,
I don't advise waiting for a "perfect" situation before starting to practice,
otherwise the decision risks being postponed indefinitely! In the first lesson I
would not teach Navi Kriya, whose "moment" will come in time, and Yoni
Mudra, that could appear unpleasant and source of disturbance, and limit Kriya
Pranayama to first part only.

2
Within a few days, almost all details are forgotten and one goes through a crisis. This
is what usually happens with mass initiations. Things may of course go differently!
Some rare people will always remember the few words of their teacher with the same
voice inflection, and after a lifelong work, their full meaning is finally realized.

168
After a couple of weeks, the second lesson should be devote to emphasize the
details that really matter.

1. The importance of Talabya Kriya and Om Japa.


A kriyaban should never override them. You can ask that some meditation
sessions are composed only of Talabya Kriya and Om Japa followed by ten
seconds of enjoying the induce calmness. When this happens, one can taste the
power that is born from a practice which is limited just to those two techniques.
The calmness they induce in a couple of minutes is stunning.
Some organizations, in their didactic effort to bring Kriya Yoga to people,
picked out some easy techniques as a preparation. P. Y. choose to give Hong So
and Om techniques for six months. The first technique calms the breath and the
psychophysical system. The second technique concerns the listening to the
internal (astral) sounds, and the Om sound. These are wonderful techniques but
in Lahiri Mahasaya's Kriya, the preliminary techniques are Talabya Kriya and the
chanting of Om in the Chakras. They lead a kriyaban to a state that is considered
a "benediction."
Oddly enough, Talabya Kriya doesn't require concentrating on anything, it
is purely physical. Furthermore, we can remark that merely pressing the tongue
against the upper palate, maintaining the suction effect on the palate for 10-15
seconds, can, in and of itself, generate sensitivity in the Ajna Chakra area in a
very short time. The detail of extending the tongue plays an important part too.
When the tongue is fully extended, it pulls on some cranial bones and leads to
decompression in the Rudra Granthi area.

2. The importance of Maha Mudra.


An important point is to make one feel the difference between Kriya Pranayama
with and without Maha Mudra. It is very wise that a kriyaban practice Maha
Mudra both before Kriya Pranayama and after it. A good teaching is to practice
one Maha Mudra every 12 Kriya Pranayamas until one begins to feel the
currents in the spine.
There are reports of yogis having achieved fantastic experiences using
only this technique. According to their accounts, the perception of the Sushumna
Nadi has increased tremendously. There are kriyabans who have set all the other
Kriya aside and have been practicing 144 Maha Mudra in two sessions daily.
They consider Maha Mudra the most useful technique of all Kriya Yoga.

3. The importance of mental Pranayama at the end of a routine.


At the end of a routine a kriyaban must enjoy mental Pranayama for at least ten
minutes. Mental Pranayama has a divine beauty, without it I can bet that (unless
one is sustained for years by the excitement of the illusions created in him by a
process of indoctrination) one abandons Kriya Yoga unfailingly. Without mental
Pranayama, Kriya Yoga becomes a self imposed torture, a nightmare, a life
sentence.

169
4. The importance of listening to internal sounds.
Almost each Kriya student has difficulty in understanding the object of Kriya
meditation. "Meditation upon what?" is the common question. Often, at the
beginning of their efforts, "meditation" consist in the elaboration of lofty
thoughts supported by fervid imagination. In time, thoughts calm down and
won't disturb. Later, a sweet comfort, internal joy, inexplicable elation appears. Is
perhaps Kriya meditation the awareness of inner bliss? Kriya meditation is surely
this but is also the meeting with the Ineffable, with the Reality that is beyond
mind, which it is not emptiness but fullness. This happens by listening to the
internal sounds. Remaining absorbed in them until they become the Om sound, is
the first duty of a kriyaban -- is the highest way of living the experience of Kriya
meditation.

The right attitude of the teacher and of the student

A teacher should get over the fact that at the onset of the Yoga path, there is
always a clear split between a kriyaban's new spiritual interest and other well-
rooted social, intellectual and artistic habits. The signs of progress are very subtle
and instable. A teacher should avoid censorial attitudes and pretend he does not
notice some problematic delusive student's behavior. Yoga principles, like
Patanjali's rules of conduct, are not easy to put into practice. Paradoxically, it is
easier for most to give up a harmful habit because of a new ecological vogue
rather than being able to grasp and analyze in depth the enslaving mechanism of
any bad habits. A Kriya teacher lays his confidence in the transforming Kriya
effect.

The main quality of Kriya students is to handle Kriya Pranayama as a joyous


discovery, a source of wellbeing and mirth and rely on the sheer "naturalness" of
the procedure. Although they look at this technique with caution, they practice it
comfortably, adopting an attitude like that of a serious maid who, armed with
patience and circumspection, prepares a meal taking care of all the details, from
the tedious task of peeling potatoes to the final art of putting the finishing
touches. Students should have the quality of a self teacher and be able to use
their common sense to slightly adapt the instructions to the contingencies of their
own life. They don't call their teacher every other day with questions that are
overly intellectual; they are not too insistent, and at times obsessive, in wanting
to have all the possible and imaginable details of Kriya Pranayama clarified.
For them it is not a tragedy to not see the spiritual eye. But for them it is a great
satisfaction to discover that all the best in them comes out amplified. Their
perceptions change and they discover the many beautiful aspects of life. Some
rediscover an almost forgotten potentiality of aesthetic enjoyment, especially in
nature, looking what is around; others discover the wonder of their work, while
are deeply moved by the significance of their family. They are overcome with a
feeling of love they thought themselves incapable of. It is as if they had eyes and
heart for the first time.

170
Unfortunately, some Kriya students show in Kriya the same eager, impatient, and
occasionally insensitive attitude they have in life — especially if they are full of
esoteric and "magical" ways of thinking. They do not understand how important
it is first to relax and enjoy, and then to work on refinements. They will soon get
tired of asking questions and will eventually abandon everything. It is as if their
knowledge is a shield preventing the genuine beauty of Kriya from entering their
life. They don't show trust in the naturalness of Kriya but believe that the miracle
can spring only from an impeccable execution of the magic recipe that Kriya
represents for them. Either they have been led astray by some text or they have
not the faculty of understanding the spiritual dimension of life. The more they
strive, the more problems they will have. And it is a grace when they leave.

CONSOLIDATING THE KRIYA PATH THROUGH THE INCREMENTAL


ROUTINES

Kriyabans customarily practice the same standard techniques day in and day out
changing neither the sequence nor the number of repetitions. An unvarying
routine that always takes the same amount of time is what is recommended by
many organizations. Such a fixed routine is the best practice for beginners.
Unfortunately, the risk of boredom and loss of enthusiasm is great. This is a
"law" no one escapes. There is no doubt that one should continue to practice
through seemingly unproductive phases and will still get valuable experiences.
Many achievements like listening to the internal sounds, seeing the spiritual eye,
definitely will happen by practicing a fixed, unvarying routine.
Now, practicing a fixed routine for a period of time is one thing, whereas
doing it for one's entire life is something else! A yogi wrote that the hope of
obtaining a deep internal change by repeating an identical set of techniques
during an entire lifetime is comparable to hitting a piece of iron once a day in the
hope that the atomic energy it contains will someday be released. After getting
through the initial phase, kriyabans will eventually reach a standstill and further
progress appears impossible. They will suffer qualms of guilt and develop all
kinds of paranoia. Few know how to get out of this unexpected situation in a
positive way. Instinctively many succeed in rekindling their enthusiasm, but only
partly and for a short time, by readings, listening to taped spiritual talks, and
attending kirtans ... Many turn to experienced people (all organizations have
"meditation counselors") to ask for suggestions, but as soon as they make known
their reservations on the validity of their routine, or on the possibility of Kriya
Yoga to produce any actual changes in the personality, then their loyalty is
immediately questioned. How many times, they are told outlandish stories about
loyal kriyabans who had a true spiritual experience only on their death bed! "A
loyal disciple doesn't lament working for years or for an entire life without
getting any visible results!" -- this is the reproach. This is the danger point where
interest and passion for Kriya is very close to waning completely.

171
In the first part of the book I have hinted at the Incremental Routines. Since they
have a unique, irreplaceable effect on one's personality, I strongly recommend
that a student focus on fundamental Kriya techniques like Navi Kriya, Kriya
Pranayama and Thokar and practice them intensively with progressive
increments of the number of repetitions. I have witnessed unbelievable results in
those who have completed Incremental Routines, results that are inconceivable
for those who follow a traditional practice. These routines are the best foundation
for a lifelong enjoyment of Kriya. The results obtained prove that an Incremental
Routine is one of the most worthwhile activities a kriyaban can engage in. For
these reason, when I trust the earnestness of the student, I always encourage
them to begin at least one Incremental Routine. I give this counsel without
lingering or investigating too much.
What happens in athletics gives us much rich material upon which to
reflect. Athletes who wish to achieve world class performance must somehow
increase the intensity and the quality of their practice. Only through short
intensive interval training sessions where they push their physical and mental
endurance beyond their normal levels, will they succeed in accomplishing
otherwise unachievable levels of performance.
Do not be offended by the comparison between Kriya and sports. Kriya is
not a sport but in the beginning stages of Kriya, while applying its different
psycho-physical techniques, it has many points in common with the essence of
athletics. Both shun the employment of brutal force, both require goals and the
diligent channeling of one's strength toward achieving them. Both require self
analysis: to analyze and evaluate one's performance and to learn from the
experience, and both require a coach.

I understand, naturally, that this process is an authentic challenge and beginning


it is an act of courage, a mature act of trust in Kriya and in oneself, a decision
that should only be inspired by one's intuition. I take all the care to explain that it
is important to be aware of our unconscious resistance to undergo change, and to
understand the causes of the alternating moods that appear when a Kriya
technique is practiced intensely.
The Kriya techniques arouse specific effects (especially perceived in the
day following the practice) in many ways: moods, fancies, memories and
suddenly-arising desires. All of this is beneficial. To vividly live long forgotten
parts of our life through our stimulated memory is a cleansing process. This
process has within itself an equilibrating mechanism which will prevent one
from being overwhelmed by sudden storms of grey moods. Accept however to
have humors full of ups and downs. You have to be intelligent, familiar with the
basic laws of human psyche. You have to be acquainted with the principle of
unconscious resistance to change: they should understand the deep reasons of the
alternating moods that appear when we practice intensely the Kriya techniques.
The experiences of inner awakening bring buried psychological problems to the
surface. This is a cleansing effect and does not damage you. However, one
should sense if it is necessary to stop the practice for a few weeks or whether a
technique should be done less intensely. After a beneficial pause of a couple of

172
weeks, the "warrior" returns to the battlefield ready to bring their work to
fruition.

I. Incremental Routine of Navi Kriya


Here are the very words I use to introduce it: "On Saturdays, or on any free day,
put aside the usual routine and, after a short practice of Talabya Kriya, Maha
Mudra and Kriya Pranayama, practice Navi Kriya with double the repetitions,
that is 8 sets. Complete your routine with mental Pranayama as usual. On
Sunday, take a break from all Kriya practices and instead do a tranquil Japa, and
weather permitting, go for a long walk to calm the deep regions of your psyche.
For the next few days, resume the original standard routine. On the following
Saturday, do three times the normal number of Navi Kriya: 12 sets. Of course,
this is always to be done within the framework of Talabya, Maha Mudra... and
finish with something like mental Pranayama. On Sunday rest with Japa and go
for a walk... After one week, or two if you wish, practice 16 sets of Navi
Kriya.... and so on .... 20, 24...up to 80 sets, which is twenty times the original
recommended number. The increase of this delicate Kriya technique should be
gradual. If you try to outsmart the process and perform too many repetitions all
at once, nothing will come of it because the inner channels close up. Our inner
obstacles cannot be removed in one day, not only because our constitution is not
strong enough but also because our inner force for dissolving them is initially
weak and must be enhanced week after week. Furthermore, this process should
be incorporated within a regular active life. It is up to you to make your practice
days as pleasant as possible; it is advisable to break these long sessions into two
or three parts -- to be completed before going to bed. You can conclude each
part by lying on your back (Savasana: the corpse pose) on a mat for a couple of
minutes. You can complete part of your practice early in the morning, carefully
respecting every detail – and do the remaining prearranged number of repetitions
in the afternoon. After a light meal and a little nap, it is fine to go out, find a
pleasant place to sit, and then reserve some time to contemplate nature. Then you
can become absorbed in your practice perfectly at ease. Everything will proceed
harmoniously and the effect increases as daylight approaches twilight. When you
practice in your room, arrange to have a tranquil walk in the evening, when the
benediction of blissful silence comes."

I explain to the student that it is possible to choose any variation of Navi Kriya:
the best is Variation 2 explained in chapter 7 (Variation 2. Navi Kriya – Four
Directions). It rivets the attention in a way the basic form cannot. Its smooth
shifting of energy along the circumference of the head has an unparalleled effect.
As for this variation, since one set consists of 36 descents of energy, preceded
and followed by chanting Om in the Chakras, the process begins with 36 x 2
descents. The next steps are: 36 x 3, 36 x 4,....36 x 19, 36 x 20. It has been
experimentally proved that there is no need to go beyond 36 x 20 repetitions.
During long sessions, after the first half hour, the head movements are hardly
noticeable. In other words, the forward, backward, and sideways movement of

173
the chin which is initially around five centimeters is reduced to three millimeters!

What is the reason why this variation is preferable? After many repetitions of
this variation of Navi Kriya, a very interesting phenomenon can be observed: at a
certain moment, the exhalation seems to become internal. At the very moment
the order to exhale has been imparted by the mind, it feels as if the lungs can not
move. Some instants later comes the awareness of something subtle descending
into the body, accompanied by a very pleasurable exhalation. The exhalation is a
mental act, like an internal all-pervading pressure which brings about a peculiar
feeling of well-being, harmony, and freedom. One has the impression one could
remain there forever. The breath is still coming out of the nose, yet while
practicing one would swear it wasn't. This may be considered the first timid
apparition of the Pranayama with the internal breath.

Main remarks about this Incremental Routine.


A good effect of this practice is to discover a striking increase in mental clarity -
probably due to the strong action on the third Chakra which governs the thinking
process. A more calibrated, precise and clearer logical process will rise from a
more efficient synergy between thoughts and emotions. Intuition will flow freely
and face the moments of life for which important decisions are expected to be
made.
Accept also that traits of hardness might appear in your temperament.
Some kriyabans find themselves uttering statements they feel are sincere but
others find offensive and cutting. Sustained by a luminous internal intuition, you
might hurt friends through your words and only hours later, being alone and
detached, notice how the same words resound in your mind in their cruelty. With
great embarrassment, it is possible you realize that those remarks were totally
inappropriate.
Let us try to understand why this problem appears frequently. Let us
therefore see what is the meaning of the knot of the navel. It is explained that the
cutting of the umbilical cord at birth splits a unique reality into two parts: the
spiritual, which manifests as joy and calmness, establishes itself in the higher
Chakras and in the head; the material side in the lower Chakras. That rupture
between matter and spirit inside each human is the permanent source of
excruciating conflicts in the lives of many spiritual searchers. Through this
incremental routine and through conscious effort of harmonizing in our daily life
the two dimensions of Spirit and matter, the healing of this rupture takes place.
Although the healing is harmonious, the visible manifestations can be interpreted
negatively by others, often due to a kriyaban's newly acquired confidence and
convictions that seems stubbornness or dogmatism. The personality of a
kriyaban is destined to be ideally collected around a central point and all inner
conflicts healed. The effects are perceived inwardly and observed clearly in
one's practical life. One feels an inward order settling; each action seem as if it
were surrounded by a halo of calmness and heading right for the goal. It reminds
me of Ahab in "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville: "Swerve me? ye cannot
swerve me, … The path to my fixed purpose is laid with iron rails, whereon my

174
soul is grooved to run. … Naught's an obstacle, naught's an angle to the iron
way!"

II. Incremental Routine of Kriya Pranayama


After some months (when Navi Kriya is completed or, at least, half completed), I
invite the student to begin a similar process with Kriya Pranayama. 36 x 2, 36 x
3,….36 x 20 Kriya Pranayamas is a very good plan; 24 x 2, 24 x 3,…..24 x 24 is
lighter but also good. It is clear that you practice in sequence the three phases of
Kriya Pranayama abiding by what it was said in the chapters 6 and 7. In other
words phase 1 is never eliminated and after phase 2 you move on to phase 3 only
after having practiced at least 48 breaths. When the practice is broken in two or
three parts -- for example between morning and afternoon -- when you start
again you respect the same principle to start from phase 1 etc.
Let us add that when more than a 100 breaths are practiced, it is wise to
make use of the 12 letter Mantra, which does not mean to apply all the subtle
details of Omkar Pranayama but simply to use the beauty of the Mantra to
overcome that normal boredom that would come by using only the Om Mantra.
Let us clarify that during each stage of the process it is important to keep a
slender thread of breath up to the completion of the prescribed number. In other
words, the process should never become purely mental.

Main remark about this Incremental Routine.


To many kriyabans this routine becomes an extraordinary journey in their own
memory. It happens, indeed, that by focusing our attention on the Chakras, we
obtain a particular effect: the inner screen of our awareness begins to display a
lot of images. This is a physiological fact and we have all the reasons to suspect
that those who affirm they are exempt from such phenomenon, it is because they
do not have enough lucidity to notice it. The Chakras are like jewel boxes
containing the memory of one's whole life: they give rise to the full splendor of
lost reminiscences. The essence of past events (the beauty contained in them and
never fully appreciated) is lived again in the quiet pleasure of contemplation
while our heart is, sometimes, pervaded by a restrained cry. It is a revelation: the
light of the Spirit seems to twinkle in what seemed trite moments of our life.

III. Incremental Routine of Thokar


The third invaluable Incremental Routine is based on the basic form of Thokar.
We have already said that a kriyaban is instructed to gradually increase its
repetitions. This should be planned with great care: starting from 12, a kriyaban
adds six repetitions per week. Let us clarify what it means adding six repetitions
per week. After the first week with 12 repetitions every day, let us consider 18
repetitions: if there are no problems at all, this amount of 18 repetitions can be
practiced each day or every other day of the second week. It is not necessary to
practice every day; rather it is wise to work three days a week on the average.
The reason is that when you reach a consistent number of repetitions (more that
60) the effects are very strong. The third week you can practice 24 repetitions on

175
alternate days and so on... The fixed maximum of repetitions is 200. (During the
two previous Incremental Routines you let a minimum of six days pass by
between two intensive practices.)

As for the advanced form of Thokar (the one with a lot of rotations of the head)
an incremental routine is not one thing that can be "recommended". Those who
have achieved the breathless state and are able to hold effortless the breath
during this practice, do not need anymore numbers and won't follow any
indication. Who succeeds in such form of Thokar doesn't have the patience to
gradually increase the number of the rotations. A strength, an internal abduction
drives him in uncontrollable way.

Main remarks about this Incremental Routine.


During this process, important experiences happen. An endless Beauty, creating a
before previously unknown devotion, intensifies around the fourth Chakra, as if
a mighty hand were squeezing the chest region. One feels like being
immobilized by an immense strength. It is because of the intensity of this
experience, which seems sometimes difficult to endure, that the effect of Thokar
has been described as "intoxicating". You feel you belong for Eternity to that
heavenly dimension.
The dazzling point that you perceive in the center of your heart and that
turns out to be the star inside the third eye gives a kriyaban a deeper experience.
There comes the feeling of being divided into a thousand parts - each one of
them on the verge of exploding from bliss. Inspired by this new condition,
comparing it with that of the mystics, one realizes how difficult it is to live,
carrying out daily and worldly duties, without being paralyzed by such a bliss! It
is difficult to conceive how those devotees who never had a taste of such bliss
are able to find the strength to continue practicing Kriya for years. You can only
thank those uncertain illusions about Kriya, those improbable promises that
books and gurus make to those interested in Yoga and meditation to attract them
to the Kriya path, which keep one tied to this practice until the real experience
happens.
It is only now, having in one's heart the reverberation of such a state, that
one learns to meditate without mental pollution, and without imaginings.

IV. A Delicious Break: 20736 Omkar Pranayama


In certain moments of life it is fine to take the pleasurable commitment of
completing 20736 Omkar Pranayama breaths -- either 144 each day for 144 days
or 72 each day for 288 days. This is not an Incremental Routine proper, but very
similar in its intents -- it works like a spiritual bulldozer giving you the ineffable
experience of the Omkar Reality!
Don't practice only pure Omkar Pranayama. Use your commonsense and
let the process itself guide you. Begin each session with Maha Mudra and then
begin breathing like in Kriya Pranayama but using the Mantra Om Na Mo....
Enter, as soon as possible, the sweet dimension of the second phase of Kriya

176
Pranayama. Then remain all the time halfway between Kriya Pranayama
(second and third phase) and Omkar Pranayama. Furthermore at a certain
moment with your Omkar Pranayama you approach more and more the
dimension of mental Pranayama.
Unlike the incremental routine of Kriya Pranayama, don't be preoccupied
of losing the thread of the breath: get all the time you need to pause in any
Chakra to enjoy some particular Omkar experience, whenever it manifests. It
may be internal sound, light, whatever...

The immersion in the Omkar Reality plays an important role: life and spiritual
experience become one. The deepest layers of your psyche will be harmoniously
affected. This practice creates a burning aspiration which digs a stream of
genuine devotion. You shall merge in something so intensely beautiful. Amid the
ruins of many illusions, this procedure, in the simplicity of its essence, will open
the doors of the spiritual realization.

Global Results Achieved through the Completion of the Incremental Routines

These three incremental routines put together are such that by the end of the
process, one has the feeling that entire eons have passed but that one has
achieved something concrete and permanent. After this once-in-a-lifetime
experience, a persons seems "older", in wisdom and temperament, of many
lustrum.

a. The Achievement of Emotional Maturity

These routines teach a kriyaban how to keep emotions at bay -- I mean


superficial emotions, in a way that only deep sentiments guide their decisions.
I have tried to retrace this theme in some oriental books but I have found
so much rhetoric, so many words without a practical meaning. They distinguish
between positive (affection, happiness, contentment...) and negative (envy,
aggressiveness, illusion ...) emotions. But at the end of boring discussions you
have not grasped the essential fact: untamed emotions can create a disaster in
your life. This fact is serious, tremendously important. In my opinion, kriyabans
who do not face at least once in their life the incremental routines are always on
the verge of losing everything they have realized.
We all know that frantic and hysterical emotions often rise unexpectedly
from one's inner self, to disappear after a while. They actually express a reality
devoid of authentic profundity but their propulsive action inevitably results in
hurried acts accompanied by a sort of cerebral fever, nourished by a narrow,
visceral pleasure. When passion inflames one's whole being, it is not possible to
be guided by common sense; the consequence is that our deeper and most earnest
choices sometimes withdraw to an irrevocable halt.
Just like, during the summer, hail stones are molded, condensed and
enlarged in the air before falling down to the earth causing disasters, fatal

177
decisions take shape in advance in one's imagination. During daily, frequent
daydreams, the perspective of renouncing the fight throws a false light upon our
immediate future, so that what in the past would appear as an act of cowardice,
now seems to glitter at the horizon of our life, like a dull, flat, somber sky that
suddenly lights up, serene, in luminous azure blue. When we listen to such
alluring emotions, we pave the way for our doom.
Superficial emotions are not tamed by self-analysis. Our way of reacting
to emotions is the seal protecting "our right to pain and suffering" (the sentence
in quotation marks is an expression of The Mother.) These mechanisms may
become our crucifixion, our covenant with unhappiness. We can stupidly shed
away our life, profession, family and friends. The effect of yielding to emotions
does not differ from that of an asteroid falling through the atmosphere on its way
to fire and destruction. "Emotional maturity" is a healthy relationship with
reality, the quintessence of what we visualize when we use the term "mental
health".
Further, you don't imagine how remaining faithful to the Kriya path is a
delicate operation that can suddenly go bad! We are governed by emotions and
instinct that include our religious conditioning, our weak points, our fears, our
doubts, and our pessimism. Most important is the ability to keep doubts at bay, to
remain calm, to always go our way even when our closest friends are trying to
convince us to follow theirs.

b. The Ability of Standing on one's own Feet

Another effect, only second in importance, is to gradually help an unsure and full
of doubts kriyaban to become a self teacher, able to be acutely creative and
ameliorate day by day the execution of the techniques, "reading" with objectivity
the obtained results.
Unfortunately most kriyabans begin their path as gullible persons, ready
to be cheated. They harbor the illusion that Kriya be a series of secrets (of
growing effectiveness as soon as they receive revelation of the Higher Kriyas)
which function in an almost automatic way. They practice very little, while
pretending to practice a lot -- satisfied that their Kriya be "the supreme among all
the spiritual techniques, the airplane route to God realization".
The incremental routines change one's life: they replace the infantilism of
hanging on "authorized" teachers' every word with an objective estimate of the
effects of each routine one has personally outlined. They give us the opportunity
to detect mistakes in our understanding of a technique and to provide one or
more corrective methods. While practicing, you will receive important clues,
especially once you have experienced different stages of the process: certain
details become wearisome; others, which you won't realize until much later, will
disappear, and still other details that seemed meaningless will be amplified and
greatly enhanced. In the days following the long sessions of practice, you will
have a deeper understanding of the technique because you will perceive its
essence intuitively. Other aspects will be revealed subsequently. Perhaps months

178
or years after this incremental routine, you will be able to draw interesting
connections or deductions, and meaningfully alter your point of view.
Let us avoid bowing to the authority of itinerant Gurus: life is too
precious to entrust it to another. At the very beginning of our path, we are right to
put a certain amount of trust in a school or in a teacher, but subsequently, we
have to trust our own experiences and experiments. We neither have nor need
any other tools to verify the value of a technique. When several Incremental
Routines have been completed, one will have developed the quality of a self-
teacher. A kriyaban will create a simple defensible vision of Kriya such that they
do not feel the necessity of discussing their routine with other Kriya experts.
Before closing, let me say that one definite result is that you will learn to
meditate anywhere and not be disturbed by anything. While Kriya beginners are
maniacal in preparing the proper meditation environment and become nervous
and worried about the slightest thing, one who has completed a couple of
Incremental Routines is able to meditate in unusual places and impossible
situations – e.g. traveling by train or watching a play or an uninteresting movie.
Strangely enough, such occasions may establish, by contrast, a particular state of
awareness, radically eliminating the danger of falling asleep and yielding
unhoped-for results.

179
CHAPTER 11
A TURNING POINT: THE BREATHLESS STATE

The breathless state is a decisive result that marks a turn in one's life: it is a
stupendous revelation, it is the true Initiation. I would want to console those
people that feel they are orphans of a Guru, that discover they are proceeding
along the spiritual path without a guide. I would like to tell them that in the
breathless state they will find all the "blessings" they have not received before
during a formal initiation.
In my opinion, full mastery of the breathless state requires on the average
two to three years of regular Kriya practice. When the time is ripe, this state
appears during mental Pranayama naturally and spontaneously. After the
practice of the Incremental Routines, after the transformation described in the
previous chapter, the breathless state is possible. There are, as we are going to
discuss, some procedures conceived for the express purpose of fostering this
state. The mindful and devoted commitment we are describing in this chapter
will provide kriyabans with the fundamental spiritual experience which will
mark the most beautiful and deeply satisfying period of their life.

The greatest help -- I'm sure this is true, at least for the vast majority of people --
is extending one's spiritual commitment to the whole day. You cannot live in a
chaotic way and then sit to practice Kriya and then pretend that in an instant the
mind becomes like a laser. There is one single action that heals and calms the
mind: to repeat constantly a prayer, a Mantra. I mean that practice that in certain
mystical traditions is called Continuous Prayer. Let us connected to the teaching,
to the atmosphere of the book The Way of a Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues
His Way (Anonymous) because it is of that teaching that I want to speak now.
Some kriyabans think that their discipline has nothing to do with prayer --
"...Kriya Yoga is the best form of Pranayama for the awakening of Kundalini, for
changing the atomic constitution of the cells of the spinal cord… As for Japa,
they claim: "Neither my Guru, nor Lahiri Mahasaya taught it. I don't need it."
On the contrary, not only you need it, but it is essential. I think that Kriya
Yoga is the perfection of the spiritual path, while Japa (Continuous Prayer) is its
foundation. I saw the eyes shining of joy and of boundless bliss of the few
kriyabans who had a Japa-based approach. Keeping the mind always attuned to
a state of calmness, which blooms by repeating our favorite Mantra, is the most
effective action we can do to obtain undreamed of results during the practice of
our Kriya routine. You will cross moments in which only Japa will remain, even
when the vicissitudes of life attempt to destroy the very idea of the mystical
dimension. It will remain when your Sadhana seems to break down in different
clumsy attempts, each one frail and vulnerable.

How to Practice Japa

If you want to test what I am here describing, choose a Mantra (prayer). You
should not feel obliged to use Lahiri Mahasaya's favored Vasudeva Mantra ("Om

180
Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya"). You can choose one from your favorite set of
prayers, one that has (by adding, if necessary, Om or Amen at the beginning or at
the end) twelve syllables. Twelve is a perfect number because one can utilize it
during Kriya, placing one syllable in each different Chakra. Beautiful twelve
syllables Mantra can be taken out of Bhajans or poems. As an example, from the
well-known Adi Shankara's chant we can relish the beautiful verse: Chi-da-nan-
da-ru-pah-shi-vo-ham-shi-vo-ham (That Form which is pure consciousness and
bliss, I am that supreme Being, I am that supreme Being!)
I hope you are not so naive to believe that a Mantra works only if it is
received from your Guru. Certainly if you want to lighten your portfolio then
race to a Teacher and buy your personal Mantra. I want to be clear: I don't
contest that an experienced person that helps you to choose a Mantra and uses
everything of his power of persuasion to convince to apply it continually. This
persons does you the greatest of all the favors and is correct to compensate him,
but that's all!
Your Mantra it is you that have to choose it, because it should express
exactly what you want to achieve. For example, the attitude of surrender is
expressed by those Mantra beginning with Om Namo ... Other Mantras express
the absolute non-dual realization. There are some who choose a really
unfortunate Mantra by which they seem to punish themselves: their chosen
formula is an affirmation of their limits, a sense of unworthiness or
condemnation of their behavior. After a short time, their practice falls apart;
sometimes they find themselves repeating it once or twice during the day, like a
sigh of dejection. This has nothing to do with what we are describing here. Your
chosen Mantra should have both a strong and a soft tone. It is important to relish
it. "Strong tone" means that it is incompatible with an attitude of supplication
and complaint. The selected prayer should imply the anticipation of a happiness
which one is attracting through the very repetition of its syllables. 3
Personally I chose Ramdas' Mantra (8 syllables: Sri Ram Jay Ram Jay
Jay Ram Om) during the day and Lahiri's (12 syllables: Om Na Mo Bha Ga Va
Te Va Su De Va Ya) during the Kriya practice.
After choosing a Mantra on your own, use it a few weeks to find out
whether your body accepts it or not. To experience this first hand is what counts.
It sometimes happens that when reciting a Mantra, you begin with enthusiasm
but then, after a few minutes, you find yourself reciting another. This and other
signs mean you have not found the right Mantra and that your search must
continue.

3
Those who are familiar and have experience with Hatha Yoga and with the concept of
Bija Mantra can forge wonderful Mantras. To a preexistent Mantra, after the initial
Om, one can add some "Bija" (seed) Mantra: Aim, Dúm, Gam, Glamu, Glom, Haum,
Hoom, Hreem, Hrom, Kleem, Kreem, Shreem, Streem, Vang, …
These are sounds chosen for their power by ancient yogis. They were not given by any
divinity, they were a human discovery. Literature or an expert can help one make a good
choice. Unfortunately, literature excessively glorifies the virtue of traditional Mantra
and experts tend to counsel everyone to practice their own beloved Mantra.

181
Resolve to daily complete aloud at least one Mala (a rosary of 108 beads) of this
Mantra (prayer), and then let it resonate automatically in your mind. But when
you chant it concentrate upon it with absolute fervor. Take this aloud practice
back whenever possible. There is no doubt that this requires additional time. It is
for this reason that one must be wise and choose the simplest life appropriate to
one's temperament. For this reason I set as essential condition that life has not
been very nice toward you. If life is too good with men they respond by filling
their life with nonsenses. Otherwise they clean their life if unnecessary
necessities and through Japa, although they through suffering unavoidable
setbacks, they are always able to regain their composure and will be able to pass
through life with a smile.
You will learn how to make the sound of the Mantra (prayer) resound in
our head and you will feel its vibration extending to all parts of our body. What is
required is the resolute will to continue with this action so we can touch the
dimension of Mental Silence. When this happens, you will be surrounded by a
protective shell of tangible peace - this is not a visualization but a real
experience.

One of my friends who mastered this teaching, uttered one day a word:
"EXHAUSTION". He practiced Kriya without getting any result. I talked to him about
Japa but nothing changed. I had the impression that he took this activity as cerebral act.
His thoughts were repeating it, its vibration was not connected in any way to his body. I
observed him carefully while he was practicing: I was witness of a lifeless practice, a
tired plea for God's mercy. It was not for nothing he had put aside his initial beautiful
Indian Mantra and chosen an expression in his mother tongue - which was nothing else
than a sigh of self-pity. There was nothing to be surprised at when, after some time, he
entirely abandoned the practice. He did not realize he was about to become the greatest
supporter of Japa. The turning point came when he took part in a group pilgrimage.
Someone began to recite the so-called rosary (a set number of repetitions of the same
prayer), to which all the pilgrims united. Even if tired and almost gasping for breath, he
did not withdraw himself from this pious activity. While walking and praying softly,
murmuring under his breath, he began to taste a state of unknown calmness. He looked
with different eyes at the show of continuously changing landscape and had the
impression of living in a paradisiac situation. He went on repeating the Prayer
unremittingly for the entire path, completely forgetting he was tired and sleepy. When
the group paused to rest, he had the grace to be left alone —undisturbed; he slipped into
an introspective state and was pervaded by something vibrating in his own heart, which
he definitely identified with the Spiritual Reality. The ecstatic state assumed the
consistency of reality, became almost unbearable, overwhelming him. This experience
taught him the correct way of practicing Japa. He said that the secret was not only to
reach, but also to go beyond the state of "exhaustion." After some experiments he chose
to repeat the Indian Mantra: Sri Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram Om and, thanks to it, he
reached the breathless state not only one time, but each time he practiced this Mantra
during the day and Kriya Yoga in the evening.

The temptation to leave Japa aside is tremendous. If there happen problems of


hardheartedness, give yourself some inspiring literature. Wonderful books are: In
Quest of God by Swami Ramdas and the The Way of a Pilgrim. They are simple

182
books, easily found, which explain with amazing simplicity everything essential
about Japa. Surely there are also web sites who can inspire you. They inspire
you to practice beyond the point of exhaustion. One needs to be confronted with
biographies of saints, and to feel the the goal as the nearest of the near, more
appealing than anything else, and one must be aflame for it.
The Sufi literature, where a celebration of God and nature shines with a
strength and amplitude beyond comparison, gives an idea of that state.

I died as a mineral and became a plant; I died as plant and rose to animal; I died
as animal and I was Man. Why should I fear? When was I less by dying? Yet
once more I shall die as Man, to soar with angels blest; but even from angelhood
I must pass on: all except God doth perish. When I have sacrificed my angel-
soul, I shall become what no mind e'er conceived. (Rumi,Translated by A.J.
Arberry)]

The Mantra creates a total order in your life but you must also make every effort
to think clearly and logically when necessary, otherwise you won't remain in the
vibration of mental silence. A kriyaban should be able to give one hundred
percent effort and this cannot happen when there are inner conflicts which
constantly threaten the unity of the personality. The heart should be turned in one
direction only. For this purpose, time, intelligence, and constant self-observation
are required.

Live Japa as if it were the only tool capable of knocking down the wall that life
has placed before you. You might feel like one is in a difficult process of
recovery; sometimes the noise coming from the external world will reach your
ears as amplified, while the widened sensitivity will give you the impression of
having become more fragile, vulnerable and defenseless. But when you touch
with your hand how hard, terrible, and cruel life is, when existence seems to
offer nothing that is worth seeking, you should bring ahead an internal alchemy
and transform your sorrow in a form of internal dignity. The Japa should become
a genuine expression of your burning desire of extracting "something more" from
the common way of living.
Some outward changes will begin to happen. Japa is apparently deprived
of action; however it is from it that an action is born which changes your destiny.
Aurobindo wrote: "The mind does not act; it simply releases an irresistible action
from its recess".

Remarks upon the Kriya routine

Well, let us take for granted that you have practiced all day long (aloud and
mentally -- NOT only mentally!) Japa in such a resolute way that the body
becomes a unique solid vibration. After practicing Maha Mudra and having
found a comfortable position, you discovers that the same Mantra utilized during
the day is going on by itself in your consciousness. You sits with your back
upright, ready to touch the fullness and the peace of silence. The eyes are closed,

183
implying an intention of detaching from the world. The mood is deeply serene.
Body and mind reach easily a clear perception of pranic immobility.
At that moment, there is the discovery that the Kriya routine develops in a
simple and natural way, like continuing the act of prayer experienced during the
day. The idea of taking a long breath and chanting the Mantra during the
inhalation and repeating it (or completing it) during exhalation will come
naturally! With extreme calmness, you bring back the attention to only one
action: merging the inner chanting of the Mantra with a slow, even-paced breath.
You can tell that this is not Kriya. Yes it is Kriya, it is akin to our well
known Omkar Pranayama and can be brought ahead for 24-36 breaths. Prolong
the beauty of this activity over a long period of time, if this comes spontaneous.

A particular state happens in which you are on the verge of slipping into a state
of sleep, but the practice of Mantra will help you to settle in the intermediate
area between the perceptions of the external reality and the allure of enjoying
some fantasy. At a certain point you will discover that you are not breathing.
From that moment onwards repeat your complete Mantra in each Chakra and
enjoy the breathless state. This is your routine, you don't need any other practice!

Sometimes it is necessary adding at least 12-24 Thokar. We know that Lahiri


said: "In First Kriya you can find everything" but you should not be stubborn.
Thokar helps to calm, appease the heart ganglion which regulate the heart pulse.
It was conceived to establish a particular calmness (tranquility) in the heart
region. Lahiri Mahasaya explained that when the cardiac plexus is struck by the
strong action of Thokar, the Prana that is linked to the breath is directed inward
and this results in a spontaneous state of profound and prolonged absorption. He
said also that: "Thokar opens the doors of the inner temple". 4
We have already explained how to conceive a routine containing the
practice of Thokar without creating discomfort.

A good solution is:

Maha Mudra • Navi Kriya • Talabya Kriya • Om Japa • Kriya Pranayama (either
part 1 and part 2 or all the 3 parts) • Thokar (12-24 repetitions of its basic form) •
Omkar Pranayama (6 breaths only) • Kriya Pranayama (6-12 breaths of part 2) •
Mental Pranayama where you will try to achieve the breathless state.
4
I hope that recalling a theory which is often quoted in the Kriya literature is not
disturbing; I am not sure it comes from Lahiri Mahasaya himself, however it is
worthwhile at least quoting it. Well, according to a tradition, the repetition of 12 Kriya
Pranayamas is sufficient to get to the state of Pratyahara; the repetition of 144 Kriya
Pranayamas is sufficient to get to the state of Dharana; the repetition of 1728 Kriya
Pranayamas (in one session!) is sufficient to get to the state of Dhyana; the repetition
of 20736 Pranayamas (in one session!) is sufficient to get to the state of Samadhi. It is
explained (an attractive theory indeed; it comes to mind an Italian saying: "Se non é
vero, é molto ben trovato", If is not true, it is a happy invention!) that the Higher Kriyas
like Thokar are taught to avoid sitting for such a long time and reach anyway the states
of Dhyana (and, consequently, the breathless state) and Samadhi.

184
Other Valuable Technical Details
My conviction is that this is enough. But it is correct to consider also other
people's experiences. To some kriyabans, practicing Kriya Pranayama with
Aswini Mudra is the valuable detail that breaks a stalemate.
The last part of chapter 7, giving further details to deepen each one of the
four phases of Kriya Yoga, can provide good cues to increase the intensity of
one's Kriya routine. Certain technical details can be the decisive turning point to
those kriyabans whom the previous instructions seem not to work -- their breath
subsides markedly but the real breathless state always eludes them.
Facing any possible resistance, add during each Kriya Pranayama, a
continuous, strong Aswini Mudra -- while intensifying the concentration on the
point between the eyebrows. After Thokar, intensify the presence of energy in
the heart Chakra by practicing Bhastrika Pranayama. Deepen mental
Pranayama in the following way:

1. Engraving in each Chakra the Devoted Practice of Prayer.


Some deep breaths (3 or 6) are sufficient to regain a good starting calmness.
Repeat the whole Mantra in each Chakra, while going up and down the spine.
Letting your breath subside completely. Focus on one Chakra at a time. The
order is always: Chakra 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and occipital region; medulla, Chakra 5, 4,
3, 2, 1. You can remain in each Chakra long enough to mentally repeat the
prayer once slowly (it is possible to repeat it two, three times). It is like sowing
with utmost care each of its letters in the sod of each Chakra. We continue it
more and more subtly, while our consciousness settles in a vast space extending
behind and over the Bindu. Our intention is not to stimulate the Chakras but to
surrender to the overpowering process of interiorization. Remember that you
should be completely isolated so you cannot be disturbed. Regrettably, if this
happens, you will need not minutes but perhaps hours to restore the peaceful and
relaxed mood that was lost.

2. Perfect Immobility of Body and Mind.


You have the perception of having calmed down the inner movements of the
body, even at a molecular level. After the first round, you feel intuitively the
power to do without breath. You distinctly perceive a fresh energy sustaining
your body from inside. Of course, this is only a sensation -- however when you
have it, the breathless state is waiting for the appropriate moment to spill an
unparalleled experience of divine bliss into your being.

3. Sweet Absorption.
A feeling of comfort and being enveloped in sweet absorption is the first
experience. Your eyes, if open or half shut, will close by themselves. If they were
kept open - for instance to avoid drowsiness - you wouldn't see anything. Life is
momentarily extraneous. This is the signal that the heart ganglia which regulate
the pulse and the breathing rhythm are appeased.

185
4. Breathlessness.
You can be "lost" in a Chakra for some seconds but you must move up and down
the spine, shifting your awareness from one Chakra to another. The more you are
aware of our body in its entirety, the more your breath comes to immobility, like
a pendulum gently reaching the equilibrium point. You experience that the
"wind" of your breath has subsided completely; your mind manifests a perfect
silence and is enraptured by the thrill of an unequaled freedom. You peacefully
realize that you don't need breathing at all. The cells of your body are internally
recharged by a mysterious source that you perceive as cold liquid light. You are
projected out of time, you are above life. There is no need to breathe! Enjoy the
fresh energy that is sustaining the body from the inside: your lungs do not move.
This condition lasts some minutes, without the least quiver of surprise -- you
have the power to "see and touch" each thought and therefore to "halt" it.

5. Prayer of the Heart.


For many weeks (perhaps months) you are so thrilled that you are not able to
overstep this lofty stage. One day you will discover that the prayer has entered
your heart. The prayer has become the Reality pulsing inside the heart Chakra.
The radiance brought about by prayer becomes the gold of your first experience
of the Divine. Mystics describe its effect as a paradoxical mild pain perfectly
melded with a sweet goodness, which cannot be compared with any earthly
pleasure. The spiritual journey is nearing its end. Inner light may appear in the
spot between the eyebrows and in the upper part of the brain. It varies from a
diffused intensity to the brilliant light of the so-called spiritual eye. Your body is
constituted by an intensity of gilded light. Most probably, the sound of a far-off
bell or of rushing waters will be heard.

6. Being Lost in the Meditative State.


The experience of being in contact with an Endless Goodness (I know of no
better way to describe it so I have borrowed the expression from S. Teresa of
Avila) arises: we are permeated by a taste of Eternity. Consciousness is
transported a far greater distance than any known territory. This is a state that
renders indifference to death and from which an incommensurable Good is born.
The experience is the quintessence of love, solace, and accomplishment. The
heart thrills in welcoming that state; we sip the celestial honey of a radiation of
sweetness which annihilates every desire and fills the soul with ineffable Beauty.
This event is enjoyable beyond words: it contains much more than what one
could imagine. It is an unbelievable state - compared to it, our common way of
living is suffocation. Surely the reaction is: "I won't lose it, under any
circumstances!". After this meditation, every object will appear transfigured,
physical reality will reveal the indwelling presence of Spirit.

Now the Fourth Kriya technique can be fruitfully practiced and Samadhi
attained. When you lie on your back after your Kriya routine, Samadhi is within
your reach. Your routine should be intense and, as it is envisaged in Fourth
Kriya, it should include an intense concentration on the point between the

186
eyebrows -- better if followed by that on Sahasrara. When you lay supine, tense
and relax the body different times. Then practice mental Pranayama until you
fall asleep. All of a sudden will feel a surging wave of fresh energy and be
projected into the ecstatic state.
It is difficult to obtain the same experience in the standing position. It is
almost impossible to cross the state of sleep -- very deep sleep -- and at the same
time maintain a perfect position. When the Samadhi experience happens, you
will discover that the meditation position is far from being correct. This will
happen by coupling the daily practice of 12 Fourth Kriya repetitions with a
constant effort to keep spiritual aspiration alive and burning.
Now, what about the famous affirmation (paralyzing for some kriyabans,
stimulating for others) according to which the great Sri Yukteswar would have
granted the initiation to this technique to very few disciples, so many to be
counted on the fingers of one hand? Lahiri Mahasaya's instructions require the
state of breathlessness and this, as everyone can infer, explains everything.

187
CHAPTER 12
KRIYA OF DESCENT

At anytime during the learning process of Kriya Yoga, when I assume a person
will appreciate a new perspective of considering the basic technique of Kriya
Pranayama, I discuss what could be considered an interesting way of making the
spiritual path complete. This process that I define the "Kriya of the cells", needs
great intuition and sensitivity to be developed. 5

According to the person I have before, I introduce this practice starting from:
a. A particular affirmation of Lahiri Mahasaya.
b. A "downward" contraposition to what we have seen till now: the majestic
"upward" direction of the traditional mystical path.
c. The concept of Macro Cosmic Orbit drawn from Taoist Internal Alchemy.
d. The meaning of unfastening the last knot of Muladhara.

Obviously these four points of view are undoubtedly an approximation of this


"frontier" issue, which although having been broadly explored since time
immemorial, has not been thoroughly described in mystical literature.

a. A couple of years after his initiation in the Himalayas, Lahiri Mahasaya wrote:
"Following an excellent Pranayama, the breath is wholly internally oriented.
After a long period, today (the purpose of ) my descent (on earth) has been
fulfilled!" What is a "wholly internally oriented" breath? It is surely not what
happens to a Kriya novice.

b. Many experiences that Mirra Alfassa (The Mother) disciple and spiritual
successor of Sri Aurobindo recounted to Satprem bring us back to the themes
treated here. Her Agenda is a must read: an amazing "log" of her attempt to
descend into her body to contact the "Consciousness of the Cells", crossing
various layers of consciousness: thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
In her attempt she found an invaluable help in the practice of the Mantra.
She liked the Mantra: "Om Namo Bhagavateh" which she repeated while
walking back and forth in her room, unremittingly concentrated on her body.
She recharged each syllable of it with her laser-like will and aspiration. The
luminous vibration easily made its way through her body until she lighted up a
negative layer which, according to her explanation, is the base of any disease and
apparently any casual incident, the origin of every feeling of desperation,
deposited therein over thousands of years. Through her indomitable will, she was
able to cross it and reach an unexplored territory: "... perfect, eternal, outside
time, outside space, outside movement ... beyond everything, in ... I don't know,
5
Since these ideas are not shared by most Kriya authors and since in chapter 7 I did not
want to make my reflections too elaborate while I was just giving a brief outline of the
four Kriya stages theory, I decided not to discuss them there.

188
in an ecstasy, a beatitude, something ineffable." That sublime state was the very
"consciousness of the body," implying that the cells had their own consciousness.
The cells, according to her, act as doors: opening on a totally new dimension of
the consciousness – the only one free from the labyrinths of the mind. The
experience she describes is like a breathing of the whole body that bypasses the
lungs.
The main lesson we receive from Mère is that, according to a universal
spiritual law, each spiritual researcher and, in particular, each yogi is called to
cooperate with the collective evolution. All spiritual paths have an ascending
and descending component. During the descending phase, the spiritual
experience mixes with all the aspects of life. The idea of personal salvation,
where all those around us remain exactly the same, is indefensible -- final
emancipation also implies dispersing the mental and physic agonies of others.
We should always be open to let the Divine Force descending into our
body. This surrender is the best thing we can do. If in our predilection (or
Karma) it is written that we practice Kriya Pranayama, this should be the means
we utilize to fill our body with awareness and touch thus the Collective
Unconscious.

c. As for Taoist Internal Alchemy we have observed that the Micro Cosmic Orbit
technique resembles the basic form of Kriya Pranayama. Well, the Kriya
Pranayama with internal breath that we are going to introduce, is akin to the
experience of the Macro Cosmic Orbit. Our "Kriya of the cells" is in fact a
peculiar phenomenon of circulation of energy in the body. It embodies the fourth
stage of Taoist internal alchemy.

d. We know that unfastening the last knot, Muladhara, constitutes the last phase
of the spiritual path. There is no doubt about the freeing power of the Fourth
Kriya technique which develops the inner vision of the Tattwas overcoming thus
the illusion of Maya. Now, a very attractive theory explains that the Muladhara
knot exists not only in the coccyx region but in each cell of our body as well.
The cells have, or are connected with, a particular mind -- a universal mind. If
you seek a complete contact with Muladhara, you have no other choice than
guiding energy and awareness into your body. This experience succeeds in
breaking the barrier of the mind and touches the psychological dimension which
ties all human beings together: the vast ocean of the Collective Unconscious.
This is not a poetic concept but a real widening of the sphere of our awareness.
The contents of the Collective Unconscious have never been in our
consciousness, and when an infinitesimal part of them bursts forth in our psyche,
we are momentarily dismayed. This explains the "borderline" trait and the
substantial difficulty in describing any phenomenon emerging from it. Aware or
unaware of what is happening, completing the work on Muladhara means
directly touching this vast expanse.
In this vaster aspect the Muladhara knot embodies not only the illusion
that blocks our own vision of Reality but the ignorance in all human minds as
well. When you have crossed the thick wall of the collective opacity, you can

189
tune in to the divine intelligence enclosed in matter and touch the truer
dimension of existence.

TECHNIQUE OF THE KRIYA OF THE CELLS

Since the exercise is comparatively difficult, the question is whether we can


conceive a useful preparation. The first practice to be taken into consideration is
Japa in the body. A suitable Mantra, repeated aloud and then mentally, with full
concentration on our body (either by concentrating on it as a whole or following
an orderly scheme of "conquering" each part of it) is the best tool to approach the
experience of the Kriya of the cells and to prevent it from losing its fascination
and degenerating into mental speculations.
A not widely known fact is that there are mystics who are able to "think"
their prayers in their body. These prayers are very short, reduced sometimes to a
single vowel or syllable. A small collection of written material about this practice
has been published almost exclusively by specialized publishers in the esoteric
field. These books can be found by rummaging among occult and magic texts.
Kerning, Kolb, Lasario, Weinfurter, Peryt Shou, Spiesberger… are just a few of
the authors. Even though these mystics were born within Christianity and felt on
the average in sync with its doctrines, they have been confined to a corner as if
they were exponents of esoteric thought, or magicians whose aspirations were to
develop secret powers. Any reader who has the patience to research this material
and skim through pages and pages of trivial theories and practices whose only
goal is to confuse and mislead, will find paragraphs of inimitable charm.
The essence of these teachings is that any sound vibration, if repeated
with an unfaltering concentration in the body, can reach its cells -- "the whole
body will be re-activated with new life and be reborn". The main technique is to
choose a vowel and begin repeating and vibrating it in one's feet and gradually
bringing it up to different parts of the body. Then the same process is repeated
with another vowel and so on. We can use our chosen Mantra in a similar way,
beginning with a precise mental effort and going toward effortlessness.

In my opinion, meditating outdoors with the eyes open and with the adamant,
steadfast will of becoming one with a mountain, a lake, or a tree in front of us,
and touching its beauty, is far more effective than any preparation. It is essential
that our sensibility be in tune with all that is around. Regarding the right attitude,
we must listen to our subconscious and to the voice of our meditation-born
intuition. The strangest thing is that, sometimes, the best experiences happen
under conditions unfavorable to one's concentration, for example: practicing in a
waiting room while pretending to read a magazine; or sitting erect in a train and
giving the impression of being absorbed in one's thoughts... On such occasions,
the joy becomes so great that it's difficult to hold back tears. It is better to avoid
any form of Kechari Mudra: sometimes it even seems to hinder our efforts – but
after mastering the procedure, one can make experiments with or without
Kechari. Maha Mudra, as always, remains unquestionably precious.

190
Practical Instructions in Four Steps

I. Exhaling Shee sound guides energy into the body.


During inhalation, make a loud sound and visualize a powerful vibration
departing from the sexual zone, absorbing the energy there and bringing it into
the heart Chakra, and then into the head where it blends with a luminous
substance. Then, during exhalation retain full awareness of your body and
perceive not just the downward flow of energy in the spine but its permeation
into all parts of the body. Observe how it spreads out to the internal organs and to
the skin. While maintaining a slow, deep rhythm of breathing, you begin to
increase the intensity of the sound of the exhaling air in the throat. The Sheee
sound of exhalation helps to inject energy into the cells of your body as if it were
a micro hypodermic needle. It will transform your breath into a pure flow of
energy. After each inhalation, during the instants you don't breathe, strengthen
the intention of finding (or opening) an internal way to reach the cells of your
body. Not one iota of vitality in the air leaves your nose, all of the vitality
remains in the body. The Shee sound should be like "the cry that breaks the
hardest rock" -- thus Sri Aurobindo was referring to the power of Bija Mantra,
the "sacred sound of the Rishi".

By targeting your will to obtain an unlimited internal pressure of your awareness


over the whole body, you will discover and release:

the treasure of heaven


hidden in the secret cavern
like the young of a bird,
within the infinite rock
(Rig-Veda, I.130.3)

II. Concentration on the navel and lengthening the exhalation.


At the beginning of inhalation, expand the abdomen by pushing out the navel
which pushes down the diaphragm. During exhalation, the reverse takes place:
concentrate intensely on the navel as it moves toward the spine. You have
already learned doing this during basic Kriya Pranayama; focus your attention
on the internal gathering of energy and on a peculiar ecstatic sensation that
begins to spread into the abdominal and chest region.
After about 24 breaths, it comes spontaneously making exhalation last a
lot more than inhalation: the sound of the breath comes out more acute and it
seems easier to guide the energy into the cells. The inhalation is limited to six
seconds but the exhalation can be lengthened indefinitely. Through a short
inhalation, Prana ascends from the navel and accumulates in the brain. Then
again a very long exhalation increases the internal pressure all over the skin. The
experience is similar to a Navi Kriya diffused throughout the body. Maybe that
you will find yourself becoming crazy with joy -- sometimes with the chin
slightly lowered, directed toward the navel as if it were a magnet and unaware of

191
no longer sitting upright. The pleasurable sensation becomes orgasmic and only a
faint signal of the need of oxygen appeases its progressive growth.

III. Fragmented exhalation.


Now only a frail shell separates you from the coveted state where all effort
ceases: it is possible to cross it by means of a subtly fragmented exhalation. It is
in itself pleasurable, especially when each fragment tends to become
microscopic.
You can "cheat" a little – but only if necessary and provided it is done
with a good measure of delicacy. "To cheat" means to interrupt the exhalation,
when necessary, and inhale briefly and then take back the exhalation and the
downward movement of the energy. To be able to do this without disturbing the
delicacy of the phenomenon is an art.

IV. Internal breathing.


The process of Kriya Pranayama is leading us toward something stunningly
new: a rotation of energy independent from the act of breathing.
The exhalation seems to become endless and the fragments of breath seem
to have practically dissolved! There is also a faint but clear component of rising
energy in the spine. Your feel you could lengthen this process infinitely, without
ever exhausting its marvel. You have crossed a barrier and reached a seemingly
breathless state where there is no air coming out your nose -- even if this cannot
be affirmed with scientific certainty. There is an inner source of fresh energy
making you lighter and filling you with strength. The sensation is reminiscent of
a brisk walk in the wind. This can not merely be called a joyous state: it is a
feeling of infinite safety surrounded by a crystalline state of an immobile mind.
Usually, this experience is enriched by hearing a loud and continuous Om.
This comforting sound is the confirmation that you are heading in the right
direction.

An entire life is not enough to explore the wonders contained in this Kriya of the
cells. This tranquil way of changing the way of breathing makes us feel the
beauty of living in a surprisingly new way. It is as if we had vainly hoped for
years on end that the Divine would be part of our daily life and suddenly we
discover that the Divine has always been there. It's as if an impressionist painter
had finally succeeded in actualizing their visionary conception conveying the
idea that the painted inert substance of matter is composed of multicolored
particles of light, like innumerable suns radiating in a brilliant transparency.

Heaven's fire is lit in the breast of the earth


and the undying suns here burn.
(Sri Aurobindo, A God's labor.)

192
Personal Remarks

My first attempts at this "Kriya of descent" began in a period during which I


lived from the beauty oozing from Mother's Agenda. My experience was more or
less the one afore described: it was like merging the totality of my being in the
power of Kriya Pranayama.
Trying to find a way to ameliorate that experience, I discovered the role of
practicing in impossible places where the whole attention is naturally turned
outside and one must work hard to bring it inside. The state of meditation after
Kriya Pranayama was lengthened and lived as it were the search of a perfect
Beauty unattainable through physical human means and abilities. The naïve
conception of devotion as a hectic emotion arising either from devotional bhajan,
from certain pictures, from the scent of certain incenses... was left behind
forever. No benefit was received from Kechari Mudra: I felt an inexplicable
repulsion to using it. Nature was to me the source of inspiration from which I
didn't want to abandon. Kechari Mudra detached my attention from the external
world, and from the physical body, too heavily.
The practice absorbed me in a blue-colored profundity where I felt the
brightness of the skies of my infancy. All the problems connected with my
emotions, as well as negative moods tied with intricate and thwarted plans for the
future, seemed a nightmare which had dissolved forever, an illusion out of which
I had emerged definitively. My life which, up until that point, had been full of
asperities, seemed to stretch out evenly toward the future. The beauty of living,
like wine from a full cup, seemed to overflow from every atom and fill my heart;
I rejoiced in feeling an unfathomable clarity of mind.
Then in the following days I experienced something strange: I felt as "not
having a skin anymore". I had the impression of having touched and disturbed
the surrounding environment; I felt I could perceive - not only through my
awareness but, in a strange way, also through my body - what was passing in
another person's consciousness (not each thought of course, but just one's mood)
and, strange to say, to mistake it for my own.
Let me quote a recurrent example. 6 It happens that all of a sudden, a
deep depression takes hold of my mood (I was never subject to depression), lasts
several hours and then disappears; it is not a simple dissonance, a disharmony,
but an agonizing pain in a moment in which there is no justification for it.
Unfailingly I realize that a significant circumstance has happened: I have been
introduced to a new acquaintance, we had shaken hands and talked with a sincere
involvement.
It is well known how good our mind is when it comes to clutching at
straws; but when a similar episode is observed with due detachment and, as the
days and the months go by, it repeats with mathematical precision, then the

6
Before writing this, I have hesitated a lot. The reader may be disappointed by it
because it may evoke the New Age manias. It is only after listening to similar effects by
other researchers and on account of my commitment to total sincerity, that I have made
up my mind to write about it.

193
evidence of a phenomenon of tuning into another person's consciousness, cannot
be denied. What one is and what others are, mixes.
Now, to affirm that Kriya Pranayama leads us to perceive reality in a
different way is obvious, but to assume that it makes things happen that would
not otherwise happen (or that would have happened anyway, but in a different
way) is quite another thing. This hypothesis has all the appearance of a figment
of our imagination. The principle of cause-effect implies that the world ignores
what happens inside your consciousness while you sit immobile in your secluded
retreat. How is it possible to conceive that what happens within you can have an
effect on the surrounding world? Even after months, you cannot know whether
this is simply an impression or real.
The image of an anthill that's been disturbed comes to mind: scores of ants
immediately appear to begin repairing it. Similarly your environment appears to
you as more agitated, at times frenetically active and partly aggressive toward
you. It is as if everything (especially in the field of human relationships) is
conspiring to reveal "your sins." Surprised, you observe that many long lost
acquaintances appear and call on you with demanding challenges that require
radical changes of attitude on your part. You feel the unavoidable duty of facing
intricate, unsolved issues that in the past you smartly succeeded in avoiding.
Being utterly sincere with yourself is unavoidable.

How many times I wondered: how is it possible that, through guiding breath and
awareness into the cells of our body, we obtain such an important result, which
has so tangible effects on the material, emotive and psychological planes?
I believe that Jung's discoveries are precious for the understanding of the
mystic path - perhaps more than many other concepts formulated during the 20th
century. Jung discovered that human psyche is made up of layers or strata, part of
it shared by humanity and called Collective Unconscious. Even though his
statements never lacked the necessary prudence, the scientific community never
forgave him for dealing with matters that were not considered a part of
Psychiatry - such as Alchemy (deemed an absurdity), the realm of myths
(considered the result of a senseless imagination) and, more than any other thing,
the great value he attributed to the religious dimension; which he considered
something universal and fundamentally sane, instead of a pathology. Nowadays,
the enthusiasm for his writings remains, especially among those who study topics
of a spiritual and esoteric nature. Jung introduced a terminology which permits
one to probe an aspect of the mystical path which would otherwise risk being
totally extraneous, not only to our capability of expression but also to our
comprehension.
Since we have hinted at particular facts that in their manifestation seem to
ignore the principle of cause-effect, it is important to remember that Jung put a
rational basis for the study of this subject in his Synchronicity: An Acausal
Connecting Principle. The more we consider how intelligent, fascinating and
stimulating his thought; the emptier the nonsense appear to us when they deal
with the Siddhis in the many books on Yoga.
In the esoteric literature there is the vast chapter of miracles and Siddhis

194
(powers), namely the subtle laws that work in the life of a mystic. Those who
write books on Yoga are not able to resist the temptation of copying some lines
from Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It's typical to find the ridiculous warning of the
danger coming from the abuse of the Siddhis. Quoting Patanjali (IV:1), they
recount that Siddhis are the spiritual powers (psychic abilities) that may occur
through rigorous austerities; they explain that they vary from relatively simple
forms of clairvoyance, telepathy, to being able to levitate, to be present at various
places at once, to become as small as an atom, to materialize objects and more.
They recommend to their readers not to ever indulge in these powers since "they
are a great hindrance to spiritual progress". Indulge: what a beautiful word! If
you did see someone practicing Pranayama and indulging in a little bilocation
for fun, would you tell?! Perhaps they don't think enough about what they are
writing because they let themselves be seduced by the dream of possessing those
powers .... perhaps they already visualize all the fuss which will come out:
interviews, taking part in talk shows etc.

The Final Phase of the Spiritual Path

If we just try to forget the world in order to focus on our own conception of the
Ultimate Reality because we want to live peacefully attuned to the higher
Chakras and occult centers of our brain, something will force our attention
toward the body. If we don't consider the commitment of filling our body with
awareness and energy as an integral part of the Kriya path, we are bound to
receive various sharp tugs downward -- including mental and physical disorders.
7

Fortunately, the necessity of entering this downward phase, happens only


after going a long way and when we have sincerely surrendered our ego to the
spiritual dimension. Pure love for humanity is born. Joining your consciousness
with someone else's means involving yourself with their problems. A lasting
transformation in another's consciousness happens only when the opacity in them
is purged bit by bit. This cannot be obtained by any other way other than sharing
part of their suffering, a feat which implies a momentary loss of your spiritual
realization. Magic rituals, New Age remedies, and esoteric way-outs are
poignantly vain.
Like other mystics, Lahiri Mahasaya went out of the shell of his
individual consciousness and put his being into that of his disciples and also into
that of many other people whom he never physically met. Lahiri Baba is a mirror
for all kriyabans.
We can send good vibrations to the world if we want -- and surely this is a
positive action -- but the real work happens in our body. In order to cooperate
with the collective evolution we must descend in the matter, using Kriya
Pranayama to guide the energy down in the organs of the body, in its cells.

7
We have experienced many times in our life how a malady is a signal sent by the body
to implore our attention and to oblige us to initiate the necessary treatments, to awake its
self healing powers, which have always been there but needed the active share of our
mindful awareness in order to work.

195
Our goal is not only to fly out of the body toward the rarefied dimensions
of the Spirit, but to infuse the Divine into our body, and then if possible, into our
surrounding environment. The Kriya of the cells with its sweet pressure on the
body, has effects that we cannot even imagine. Day after day, with an
indomitable serenity, patches of darkness are dispelled and light emerges.
It is true that we are going to contact somehow the quagmires of the
Collective Unconscious and we cannot predict your endurance but the intrinsic
balance of the Kriya path (its unique process of opening the knots from top to
bottom) shall spare us from all dangers and psychological suffering. All the work
we have previously done to open the knot of the heart has made us strong as
steel. This is how we can interpret the meaning of the sentence attributed to the
mythical Babaji (quoting Bhagavad Gita): "Even a little bit of the practice of this
(inward) religion will save you from dire fears and colossal sufferings."

We have heard about "burning another person's Karma in one's own body" many
times, and we have understood that this is what saints do. Many times they face
excruciating physical and psychological suffering. Perhaps they don't understand
what is happening.
St. John of the Cross maintains that mystics almost invariably confront a
critical period which he calls the "dark night of the soul." They feel as though
God has suddenly abandoned them and doubt the validity of their spiritual path.
In a lengthy and profound absence of light and hope, even if they have the drive
to go ahead with outward expressions of faith, they may doubt the existence of
God.
How is it possible? Unfortunately their beliefs might be an obstacle to true
understanding. Often they are lead to consider every physical illness as the
expiation of the remnant debt of their own past sins and the psychological agony
of "night of the soul" as a hard test imposed by the will of God. Religious
dogmas make it all the more difficult. Yet little reflection would be enough for
understanding the recondite beauty of what is happening. In order to "love thy
neighbor as thyself", mystic must go out of themselves and mix their
consciousness with that of other persons. Doubts that appear in their
consciousness (caused by contamination with another person's state of mind) are
not the emergence of their unworthiness.
If they don't understand this, the consequence is total desperation,
irremediable feelings of impurity, and a complete failure for eternity. Although
their consciousness should be filled with the joy of the Spirit, they persist in
believing they are sinners and their psychological suffering increases.
Had they brought awareness and divine light into their body, the process
would develop more positively. But few have learned the great secret of infusing
their body with awareness by literally thinking the prayer in their body. The
nobility of this practice is not grasped even if they read about it somewhere. Had
they understood and done this at the beginning of their path, how many things
would have changed!
In my opinion, bringing energy and awareness into our body decreases the
time a karmic disease can affect our body. While physical suffering is made less

196
painful by contacting the "mind of the cells", psychological suffering is
dismantled by a quiet internal dignity which refuses to yield to desperation.

Useless to say that what we have just described cannot happen in seminars that
attract hundreds of new disciples or when Kriya Acharyas automatically grant
initiation to thousands of people. When Initiation is given to all who apply for it,
almost no one gets the opportunity to talk and introduce themselves to the
teacher. If the theory is true that a Guru assumes one quarter of a disciple's
karma, those Acharyas would attract so much excess negative karma that they
would experience tremendous suffering as a result. (The same theory implies that
only one quarter of the remaining karma is burned by the disciple's own efforts
because God supposedly burns the other half)
True teachers never promote themselves; instead they hesitate a long time before
accepting a new student. They are well aware of the responsibility and problems
such relationships entail. Mystics are not demigods; they are fully human, with
the same instincts and sensitivities as anyone else. Therefore, their first
instinctive reaction will be to avoid suffering and all that detracts them from
ecstatic absorption. A researcher is rarely accepted as a disciple unless there is
an unavoidable strong and tranquil inner confirmation.

Conclusion

Some students are lost in conjectures on improbable levels of Kriya beyond the
Fourth. Some authors and Kriya schools claim that Babaji will introduce us to
these levels in the astral worlds. That seems to me a parody of the esoteric and
theosophic thought. In my judgment, reaching an excellent Kriya Pranayama,
where "the breath is wholly internally oriented" is really the last step. Touching
the "mind of the cells" is the ultimate achievement.
We have neither the wisdom of Lahiri Mahasaya nor the inner "Sun" of
"Mother" but we can at least patiently turn our heart toward this new dimension:
the Divine immanent in matter and "the abysses of truth and the oceans of smiles
that lie beyond the narrow peaks of truth" (Sri Aurobindo.) Perhaps we are not
ready for it; sure, but if we exclude any difficult achievement from our dreams
and goals, our spiritual venture risks falling apart, choked by an addiction to the
basic well consolidated routine. The obsession of conceiving Kriya only as a
means of obtaining the ecstatic trance, risks making your heart hard and resistant
and freezing its natural aspiration. Then our Yoga could resemble a chronic state
of drowsiness.

Seeking heaven's rest or the spirit's worldless peace,


Or in bodies motionless like statues, fixed
In tranced cessations of their sleepless thought
Sat sleeping souls, and this too was a dream.
(Sri Aurobindo, Savitri; Book X - Canto IV)

197
APPENDIX 1 REMARKS UPON KRIYA AS TAUGHT BY THE ORGANIZATIONS

■ Kechari Mudra and Kriya Pranayama routine


■ Information about K3 and K4
■ Information about K2
■ A remark about the breathless state before discussing K2
■ Some remarks on the preliminary techniques
■ Hong So
■ Om technique

This appendix is not a sort of "open letter" addressed to those who are part of one
of those organizations that spread the teachings of PY -- I won't allow myself to
do such a thing. The purpose of the following text is to bring to light something
precise and useful to the students who, being faithful to the teachings of PY, are
trying to find in this book a key to clarify their technical doubts, given that their
organization has declined to clarify them.

[I will use the symbols K1, K2, K3 and K4 to denote the Kriyas as they are described in
the written teachings of PY. Thus, when you read "K4", remember that I am not talking
about the technique of Fourth Kriya as it is described in this book (chapter 8). It is
obvious that you can't find here a description of K1, K2, K3 and K4. The subject matter
of this appendix is understandable only by those students who are conversant with those
techniques. ]

For many of my kriyaban friends, and for me, the crisis with our organization
began when we tackled the study of the Higher Kriyas. Our organization (other
schools understood very soon that it didn't pay to behave in such a way) never
gave a seminar on those techniques. Unfortunately, replying to our letters, this
organization remained somewhat vague, if not contradictory. Unsatisfied about
our practice, we didn't dismiss it but continued to entertain many doubts. The
crisis was at times acute, at times moderated by the thought that the guilt was
ours. We were happy of having found this great path of Kriya Yoga, but not fully
satisfied; we queried whether it was fair or necessary to embark on a search in
order to clarify our doubts and receive an exhaustive key to improve our practice
of PY's Kriya techniques.
I've done this search and the information received is summarized here.
The arguments are many. I will deal with them in the same order of priority that
emerged in a series of talks with one brother student whom I met after an
exchange of emails. 8
After my book appeared on the Web, I had an intense email exchange with
various researchers. There is no doubt that among these, those who had
attentively studied the writings of PY proved to be the most "serious" people. A

8
At different moments of our lives we studied the same written material. By referring
to this student in this appendix, I avoid the annoying "he/she".

198
"serious" kriyaban is in my opinion one who doesn't mix Kriya Yoga with New
Age suggestions or with the madness of esoteric-magic thought and who has not
gotten stuck on any religious dogma.
The friend to whom I refer in this appendix was following the Kriya path
for one reason only: to surpass the boundaries of his mind in order to merge with
the Ineffable. He struck me for his extraordinary commitment to Kriya. He had
read and studied my book, from which he had learned various aspects of the
original Kriya. He had planned to reappraise them in the future since he intended
now to improve only what he had received from the organization. Apart from the
technique of Kechari Mudra, he didn't feel the necessity of adding any other
technique to his practice. He was convinced, and my fully approval put his mind
at ease, that the techniques of PY were indeed good, that each part of them was
precious.
We agreed that the only problem was that those teachings were described
only in their basic form, through a naked and raw definition, without mentioning
all their possible developments. Furthermore, we missed having a sound
theoretical scheme that provided us with resources to conceive -- and
subsequently modify -- our routine according to the various stages of our
development.
While I was giving him some explanations, I felt that the bitterness, mixed
with curiosity and trust, which I had perceived in his mind when, few minutes
before he summarized the ups and downs of his Kriya path, was dissolving. I had
the impression that his heart was overcome with the same emotion he
experienced while reading for the first time the AOY. It was necessary for me to
meet such an ardent devotee to find again, reflected in his eyes, the gold that
once lighted my life when, many years ago, I skimmed through the pages of the
same book.

Kechari Mudra and Kriya Pranayama Routine

The first point of discussion with any Kriya student is always the "original"
technique of Kriya Pranayama with Kechari Mudra. 9 To those who want to
achieve this practice, it is necessary to check their Talabya Kriya. Many are not
doing it correctly, because they have not understood what it means to make their
tongue adhere to the palate like a sucker before opening the mouth and stretching
the frenulum. The mistake is to concentrate only on what happens to the tip of
the tongue. In a correct Talabya Kriya, the tongue is perfectly horizontal, the tip
of the tongue has no role: the sucker effect is obtained with the whole body of
the tongue!

9
Sometimes the discussion focuses on the detail of chanting Om in the Chakras and on
the first version of PY's Kriya written instructions where the higher part of the head was
crossed by the exhalation current. It has been observed that practicing this detail since
the first Kriya breaths can make you moody. The safest practice is the current one.
Always remember that, for prudential reasons, the awareness should be shifted from the
point between the eyebrows to fontanelle only after 40-50 Kriya breaths.

199
Kechari Mudra is important but not indispensable -- this is my opinion. PY's
decision not to deny initiation into the Higher Kriyas to those who were unable
to practice Kechari Mudra wins my total approval. I am not saying that Kechari
is not important. I simply choose to believe that Lahiri Mahasaya also gave
Higher Initiation to those who could not assume the correct tongue position for
Kechari Mudra. His attitude, his partaking of human suffering leads me to
believe this. I cannot conceive that the achievement of Kechari was intended to
create a sharp division among people. On one hand, we have the very proud
kriyabans, deceived into believing they are more evolved than others, on the
other hand, we have those who are hopelessly depressed for failing in something
that does not depend on effort but only on physical constitution. What good does
it do to split kriyabans in this way?
I have already written that: "piercing the knot of the tongue ... happens
also when the tongue tip is simply turned back to touch the middle of the upper
palate at the point where the hard palate become soft: the current passes through
the tongue, comes down into body and spine." (Chapter 7) Anyone can do this.
Those who are not able to achieve Kechari Mudra proper, can practice in this
way. Naturally, they cannot respect verbatim the instructions received from the
organization and, at the same time, keep your tongue in that position. When the
tip of the tongue touches the upper palate (or the uvula or the roof of the nasal
pharynx) you cannot breathe through your mouth. The tongue is behind the uvula
and is blocking the flow of air through the mouth.
Usually the kriyabans I have met, practiced mouth-Kriya-Pranayama
followed by nose-Kriya-Pranayama. The polemic: If mouth-Pranayama is
superior to nose-Pranayama because, as some suggest, "through it, Prana flows
into Sushumna", are meaningless. Only the breathless state succeeds in bringing
energy and awareness into the subtle channel of Sushumna. Both forms of Kriya
Pranayama are good in preparation for this event.
For a student who has learned Kriya through the organization, the best
way of improving Kriya Pranayama is to grant himself the pleasure of practicing
it both through the mouth and through the nose. Kriya Pranayama as taught by
PY has a remarkable power of granting a clear cold-warm sensation of Prana
moving along the spinal column -- there is no reason to leave it aside.

To those who are not satisfied with their execution of Kriya Pranayama, who
feel that they are far from perceiving the movement of Prana along the spine, I
counsel to add, at the very beginning of their routine, the Nadi Sodhana
Pranayama. This simple practice has the power to open the door of the
Sushumna. Many kriyabans have made this exercise become integral part of their
daily routine. It goes without saying that moderate exercises for the spine, adding
to the forward bendings of Maha Mudra some form of lateral bending and
torsion, represent the best thing you can do. Many Hatha Yoga Asanas embody
these movements which, by the way, are broadly utilized in the PY's Recharging
Exercises.
I think that the value of the preliminary exercise of drawing air in and out

200
through the tube created by the loosely clenched fists before beginning Kriya
proper should not be slurred over. I don't think that this exercise is conceived as a
didactic tool to be utilized only during Kriya initiation. It is a smart variation of
Sitali Pranayama. 10 I counsel to add it, and also to practice it with a fragmented
breath. Dividing the breath in small fragments while you are intensely
concentrating on the spine, feeling a power that rises millimeter after millimeter
(and likewise descends during fragmented exhalation) is a very effective action. I
don't know if it is also because the pulsing movements of the navel stimulate the
Dantian region, but this exercise is extraordinarily effective. After it, the practice
of fourteen consecutive Kriya breaths grants a keen sensation of presence in the
spine. 11
After these breaths, we can close the mouth putting the tongue in Kechari
Mudra -- no problem if a student can only turn the tip of his tongue upward to
touch the roof of the mouth (soft palate). I counsel then to practice the three
phases of Kriya Pranayama as explained in chapters 6 and 7, without modifying
the cycle he has learned during initiation. An optimum situation is to practice at
least 12 repetitions of each phase, accomplishing the formula 14+12+12+12.
During the first part of nose-Pranayama, I recommend to avoid the mental
chanting of Om in the Chakras. Each one of the three parts of Kriya Pranayama
has a precise role: this first part is devoted to come near to the most perfect
throat-and-nasal-pharynx sound. One should remain attuned to the same sounds
which occur when the technique is practiced with mouth open. Even if the sound
of the breath is not loud and clear, one day it will be flute-like. This will be a
great event: the hidden power, encapsulated in it, will lead one the peak
experience of the Kriya path. The energy in Muladhara will awaken and rise like
a missile through Sushumna into the brain. The oceanic Om sound will be
audible and the joy experienced will be overwhelming. But this happens only
when the spine is clean, like the hollow tube we visualize during Kriya
Pranayama.
During the second part of nose-Pranayama, we chant Om in each Chakra.
Since I have recommended not to modify the path of the current learned during
initiation, I counsel, during inhalation, to chant Om in the first five Chakras and
in medulla; then pause in the point between the eyebrows; then chant Om again
in medulla and in the Chakras in reverse order during exhalation. This part of
the practice is very nice, especially when the student begins to listen to the
internal astral sounds, without closing his ears.
It is only at this point, not before, that the student places all his being in
10
"Curl comfortably your tongue and protrude it slightly past the lips to form a tube.
Inhale deeply and smoothly through the tongue and mouth -- a cooling sensation is felt
over the tongue and into the throat. Exhale through the nose ideally directing the fresh
breath in all the parts of your body." This is a common way of practicing Sitali
Pranayama.
11
Some kriyabans practice with visibly open mouth (as some direct disciples of PY
teach), others with half open mouth with the central part of the lips touching (as other
direct disciples have taught).

201
fontanelle. With his eyelids closed or half-closed, he turns his eyes upward as
much as possible, as if he was looking at the ceiling, without raising the chin.
Fixed in this position, he practices like in the second part (mental chanting of
Om...)

After Kriya Pranayama, the most delicate part of the routine begins: the
meditative phase. Meditation does not mean remaining immobile waiting while
the strong energetic charge of the spine dispels -- like one who is waiting the
effect of an intramuscular injection. If Kriya Pranayama has granted the blissful
experience of listening to internal sounds then meditation means to go on
listening to these sounds for some minutes, first with open ears and then, if
possible, with closed ears.
Since this seldom happens, Kriya meditation means carrying on an active
concentration on the Chakras, moving the awareness up and down the spine,
pausing in each Chakra for 10-20 seconds. It fits into Kriya's theoretical scheme
to practice Jyoti Mudra at the end of the routine -- optionally proceeded by
Maha Mudra.

Information about K3 and K4

During a second meeting with the same dedicated student of Kriya Yoga, the
theme was the teaching that in original Kriya is called Thokar. This teaching is
described without ambiguity in the written teaching of PY (K3 and K4) but we
miss seeing it well-adjusted within a complete routine. Our talk departed from
this point and developed freely.
We had the same experiences. When we received K3 and K4, we were not
able to resist the temptation of trying K4 on the spot -- "if it leads to the Samadhi
state, why not try it now"? At the end of a short routine, hurried by the frenzy of
experiencing this "supreme" technique, we tried to practice K4. After about 15 -
20 rotations Kumbhaka became stressful. Instead of giving up, we repeated the
same attempt many times, while discomfort increased and a feeling of nausea
went on launching its alarm signals. Eventually, we stopped - defeated: the gain
was null, less than null! Not only there was no trace of Samadhi, but the initial
internalized state created by the previous techniques was destroyed. Still, we
didn't forget the beautiful promises with which the explanation of K4 had been
introduced and we utilized this technique on other occasions. But the results
were considerably unsatisfactory.

It was clarified (this is the result of my search, I do not pretend to assert an


absolute truth -- this applies obviously for all the follows) that receiving K3 and
K4 does not mean receiving one main teaching (K4) accompanied by a
temporary, soon to be discarded, simplification of it (K3). Actually, the
teachings are three and many Kriya schools give them during three different
initiations.
a. K3 without head movements -- this procedure is called Omkar Kriya.

202
b. K3 with head movements -- this procedure is called basic form of Thokar
c. K4 -- this procedure is called advanced form of Thokar.

Each technique has to be mastered with great commitment before moving to the
following one.

• The technique of Omkar Kriya (K3 without the movements of the head) is
obtained by applying all the details of the received technique (mental pressure at
the base of the spinal column; inhalation placing the syllables where prescribed;
intensification of the awareness in the point between the eyebrows) but
remaining immobile during all the exhalation which begins immediately after the
concentration at the point between the eyebrows. The long exhalation guides the
current into medulla oblongata, then into the cervical Chakra, the heart Chakra
and then down into all the other Chakras. This is exactly what happens in Kriya
Pranayama. The difference is that the kriyaban uses all the power of
concentration (and also of Kechari Mudra if he is capable of assuming it) to
subtly vibrate each syllable with intensity, creating a micro pause in each
Chakra. However, the flow of the breath does not lose its quality of smoothness,
and the inhaling and exhaling sound remain continuous.
With this practice in immobility "a kriyaban learns the art of astral diving
through the spinal tunnel". The gist of the practice lies in the constant effort of
raising one's awareness along the spinal column millimeter after millimeter with
a continuous mental pressure. I explain that it is like squeezing with the thumb
an almost empty tube of toothpaste (from its base up to its opening) to get the
last little bit out. One must have trained the power of his concentration to the
point of being able to maintain this sensation with uninterrupted continuity.
Kechari Mudra is extraordinary in creating the necessary "mental pressure". The
exhalation is more tranquil: the energy glides downwards and the previous
pressure is perceived effortlessly at each Chakra's location as a cascade of light
coming from above.
This great work would be disturbed by the movements of the head of K3
proper. It must be lived in immobility. The result is this: during sleep, blissful
experiences begin to happen in the spine and the person enjoys it in a state in
which the body is half-awake but the awareness is lucid as ever. Subsequently,
after months or years of effort, such experiences begin to happen during deep
sessions of one's daily Kriya routine.

• The nucleus of the basic form of Thokar (K3 technique with head movements)
is the action of dropping the head forward so that the chin strikes the chest.
Those who embark on this venture, should perform this movement in a very
delicate way. One should not allow the weight of one's head to push the chin
toward the chest: in this condition, the physical movement is definitely too
powerful and harmful for the neck. Hence, mindful physical effort is
simultaneously aimed at striking the chest, while resisting the force of gravity.
Some define this last movement of the head a "blow" or a "stroke". Perhaps it is
much more correct to define it a "tap", or a "slight jolt". "Jolt" means that the

203
chin comes down, touches the chest for an instant and comes up immediately,
does not remain glued there. What is important is that its effect is intensely felt
within the fourth Chakra.
Let me give a clarification about the speed. Usually, all the 12 syllables
are chanted with the same rhythm. So if the three movements linked with Te, Va,
and Su happen without altering that rhythm, this is considered the normal speed
of K3. Some practice Te, Va, Su in a slower way. Since there are only three
syllables De, Va, Ya that accompany the exhalation, it is quite natural to chant
them in a slower rhythm. Now, Te, Va, Su can be chanted with the same rhythm
of De, Va, Ya. In this way, there is plenty of time for concentrating deeper on
each blow and perceive something emanating from each point.

• The technique of the advanced form of Thokar (K4 technique) is undoubtedly


a variation of K3, but it is also something more. The concentration on the
spiritual light in the head is a key point. The difficulty in practicing this
technique lies in being too much in a hurry and trying to hold the breath without
having first calmed the Prana in the body and raised the energy (Apana) residing
under the belt into the higher part of the thorax. To increase the number of
rotations of the head up to 200, without breathing, seems a mere illusion. On the
contrary, it is possible - when the person has completed the right preparation.

The Right Preparation for K4

The decisive procedure -- endowed with a shattering psychological cleaning


power -- is to complete two incremental routines concerning the two aspects of
the K3 technique. [See chapter 10 for definition of incremental routine.]

a. The first incremental routine concerns Omkar Kriya (K3 without the
movements of the head). Tradition envisages beginning with 12 repetitions and
adding one repetition a day until you reach 200 repetitions. This is to be done
once a day, during the main routine. (After this practice, forget the breath and
remain immobile practicing the best form of mental Pranayama.) If you have a
secondary session, the same technique can be resumed for 12-36 times.
Instead of adding one repetition a day, you can adopt a simpler plan:
practice 25 repetitions a day for two weeks. Then practice 50 repetitions a day
for another two weeks. Then practice 75 repetitions a day for another two
weeks ...then 100... ...125... and so on until you practice 200 repetitions a day for
two weeks.
Completing this incremental routine is a challenging, but not particularly
difficult, undertaking: time goes by without much notice and what could seem to
be an exhausting task (doing more than 100 repetitions) turns out to be as easy as
a moment of rest.

b. The second incremental routine concerns the basic form of Thokar (K3
technique with head movements). When the previous incremental routine is

204
completed, the student starts again from the beginning and should practice K3
proper (with movements) increasing the number of repetitions. The plan of
incrementation is the same of the previous routine.
The ability gained through the previous procedure assures that during each
movement of the head he does not lose the perception of the current reaching and
piercing each Chakra (medulla, cervical and heart Chakra). This is a crucial
detail whose importance cannot be over emphasized.
At the completion of both procedures (a year or more is required) the
student is able to direct a tremendous amount of energy into the heart Chakra
and is ready to reach high levels of perfection with K4.

K4: the Great Procedure of Astral Samadhi

An easy way of tackling the K4 technique is here described. This one cannot be
called a commonly accepted method; rather, let us openly say that it will find
many detractors. I know that it can really help those who are stuck in an
unsatisfactory practice of K4.
Let us suppose that while holding the breath in a non-forced way, the
student is able to practice the movements of K4 for a certain amount N of times
before exhaling. If the day after this practice, he does not feel pain in the cervical
vertebrae or in the neck muscles, he can try to practice N+6 rotations abiding by
the following principle: he inhales slowly following the instructions about
placing correctly the syllables in the Chakras, he perceives an increase of Prana
in the upper part of the lungs. He does not make the act of sealing his lungs
(closing the trachea -- as when one is diving into water) but keeps them as if he
is going to begin a new inhalation. He has the sensation that the breath is
annihilated. He repeats N+6 cycles of the movements of the head with no hurry
whatsoever.
But, keeping his chest expanded and the abdominal muscles and
diaphragm perfectly immobile, he allows that a minimal (almost imperceptible)
sip of air can go out whenever his chin is lowered toward the chest; and an
imperceptible sip of air can enter whenever the chin is brought up. Let us be
clear: he does not make the act of inhaling and exhaling, his role is limited to
letting the afore-described phenomenon happen freely, not impeded. What is
important is that he does not lose the sensation that the physical breath does not
exist any more and all Prana is immobile and goes on remaining immobile in the
upper part of the lungs.
When N+6 movements are completed, he exhales comfortably and does
not repeat the procedure till the next day. For one week he does not try to
increase beyond this new "record" of N+6. If there are problems with the
cervical vertebrae, he can wisely practice on alternative days. If everything goes
in the best of the ways, he increases of six rotations a week. He increases until
this is comfortable -- therefore he still does not set the objective of achieving the
200 rotations.
Through this way of proceeding, something beautiful is approaching. One

205
day he realizes that during his practice the previously hinted little sips of breath
do not happen any more, they are not necessary. He realizes he is rotating his
head while keeping a perfect effortless Kumbhaka. An increase of energy in the
fourth Chakra is strikingly perceived. This has a soothing effect on the ganglia
tied with the breathing process. A wonderful sensation of freedom from breath
happens.
At this point he is able to reach the 200 rotations -- the joy which is
expanding in his heart becomes his "Guru" and guides him.

Information about K2

Many are convinced that K2 as taught by PY be incorrectly named "Second


Kriya". Indeed, it is quite different from the Second Kriya as taught by various
schools. The story that PY received this instruction from Swami Kebalananda is
plausible. I believe that a similar technique is hinted in Gheranda Samhita: "...
close ears, eyes, .... meditate on the six Chakras one by one." I have known
students who felt deceived just for this reason and had dropped it after many
years of concentrating instead on K3 and K4, which on various forums are
indicated as the real, in other words "original", Second Kriya.
Actually, the writings of PY related to the Second Kriya are very odd: the
technique K2 is an advanced and extremely difficult teaching that is somehow
related with the Fourth Kriya level. It is based on a procedure which is not
restricted to "physically locating the centers". You focus mind and Prana on
each one of them until their essence is revealed as a variation of astral sound and
as a particular state of consciousness. Such procedure leads one to perceive the
colors of the Tattwas namely of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether)
each one tied with a different Chakra. PY explained in a very clear way the
physical changes that happen when your conscience attunes to the different
Tattwas: the way your breath flows through the nostrils and the perception of
different flavors in your mouth.

The noteworthy fact is that there is not only this technique in the group of the
writings related to K2! After a few pages, without a specific name, two
techniques are described which are extremely important. One is the practice of
the "Micro Thokar", the other is a delicate technique to perceive the astral spine.

1. Technique of the Micro Thokar to Awaken the Chakras


The procedure of "Micro Thokar" is hinted in a not-easy-to-understand sentence
about the "psycho-physical blows given at the different locations of the
Chakras". Unfortunately no further practical explanation is given. The
information I have received is that this is obtained by a particular way of
mentally placing the syllables of a Mantra at each Chakra's location. Thokar (K3
and K4) affects the higher Chakras (medulla, cervical and heart Chakras). The
procedure for extending Thokar to all the Chakras is called "Micro Thokar"
because it is characterized by a drastic diminution of the dynamic of the

206
movements of the head and by a shrinking of the dimensions of the internal
movement of energy and awareness. In chapter 8 I have given one version of
this beautiful procedure. Another version is given here.

• The breath is forgotten. Let us mentally repeat in each Chakra the Mantra: Om
Na Mo Bha Ga Ba Te Va Su De Va Ya. Let explain how, through the help of this
Mantra, we give four psycho-physical blows to each Chakra. We divide the
Mantra in four parts: Om Na Mò // Bha Ga Bà // Te Va Sù // De Va Yà. Four taps
(soft blows) happen when we think the accented syllables Mò, Bà, Sù and Yà.
We start by placing our awareness in Muladhara Chakra. We look
"down" at it as if it were a horizontal disk like a coin, we mentally chant "Om" at
the left of its center, "Na" at the right and "Mò", with a soft tap, in the center of
it. The oscillation perceived during this internal action is a matter of millimeters.
A light oscillatory movement of the spine can accompany and strengthen the
internal movement. Always remaining in Muladhara, we repeat the same
procedure with Bha Ga Bà, thus giving a second psycho-physical blow at
Muladhara. Then we vibrate Te Va Sù and eventually De Va Yà. We repeat the
same procedure with all the other Chakras. The order is the same that PY
utilizes: first, second, third, fourth, fifth Chakra, then medulla, point between the
eyebrows, medulla, fifth, fourth, third, second and first Chakra. Then we repeat
the whole round trying to be more internalized. This time we try to keep the
spine immobile. The ideal would be to be able to complete from three to six
rounds.

2. Technique to Perceive the Astral Spine


The technique to perceive the astral spine is explained after PY has expatiated on
Kundalini and given a clear hint at the necessity of Kechari Mudra. At a certain
point, PY explains how, once stable in the meditation Asana, a kriyaban gently
sways the spine, left and right in order to feel the astral spine as separated from
the body. The core of the teaching is then experienced in immobility by traveling
up and down the spine, mentally chanting Om in the location of the Chakras. 12
It is a very simple teaching and yet it is great! The result can leave you
astonished! I don't comment it further, since the PY's few lines about it are
exhaustive. The practice of techniques [I] and [II] is the best thing to prepare
your body for the K2 technique.

A Remark about the Breathless State before Discussing K2

K2 is an advanced technique whose mastery can be achieved only after the


mastery of the breathless state. Many kriyabans are not able to conceive of this
state to the point that it doesn't occur to them. When I discuss with a kriyaban

12
There is a direct disciple of PY who teaches Second Kriya exactly in this way. You
mentally chant Om at each Chakra's location, from Muladhara to the point between the
eyebrows, then in Sahasrara, cervical, heart Chakra .... This cycle is to be repeated but
the practice is concluded by a final rising into Sahasrara.

207
about K3 and K4, surely he has practiced Kriya for at least three to four years.
This is, in my opinion, the right time to make a further effort and achieve the
breathless state.
In meeting a kriyaban, I try to understand if he is at moment of his life in
which he has the determination to make a greater effort. I have written that: "... a
strong push from life experiences is the best thing. One should commit himself
as if he had a strong will to knock down a wall that life has placed before him... "
To those who are in this phase of the spiritual path, I try to convince them
that the right moment has arrived to fully realize the words of PY in AOY where
he explains how Kriya frees you from the chain that ties your soul to the body:
the breath. At this point I cannot avoid hinting at the importance of calming the
mind with Japa. Yes, I acknowledge: I am fixated on this tool! On the other
hand, I never found anything like Japa to improve my Kriya. Kriya is a
challenging art to raise the state of your consciousness into four main states: the
first is characterized by a perfect mental silence, the second is an terrific
euphoria in the heart where one loosen himself out of devotion, the third is the
breathless state, the fourth is the final liberation given by the awakening of
Kundalini (...here in a few words a synthesis of the four levels of Kriya Yoga).
We know that for the second state there is K3 and K4 and for the first state
what have we? It is not Kriya Pranayama because Kriya Pranayama is always
present -- it touches all the Kriya levels.
Specific of the first level is Talabya Kriya -- the "palate" Kriya, intended
both as an exercise for stretching the frenulum, and also as preparation for the
deep absorption to be gained in Kechari Mudra. The first part of any rationally
and functionally built routine is helped -- and thus brought to perfection -- by
mental silence during your daily life. For this purpose I counsel Japa: something
that acts both on the conscious and the subconscious mind. To the student I
explain that he cannot practice Kriya by the sheer strength of will alone, that he
cannot move Prana along the subtle spinal channel by the most intense
visualizations only. It is necessary to live a spiritual life, namely one in which the
mind is almost always in a state of silence.
I think that it is a mistake that the Kriya schools don't officially give the
teaching of Japa. Perhaps the pride and arrogance of some kriyabans estranged
them from a practice that they consider much too simple. Yet, some great
disciples of PY actually hinted at Japa: they knew that those who practice Kriya
immersed in the ensuing state, will not encounter obstacles in calming the breath
almost suddenly, after few breaths of Kriya Pranayama.
Thus I check that the teaching of the Japa is understood without
misinterpretation. For example I want to be sure that the student understands that
it is not important to think about the meaning of the Mantra though it is essential
to vibrate it strongly in the breast and in the head. I want that they practice it and
tell me if it is not true that it comes also to them the irresistible impulse to put
everything in order. Then I recommend an extremely simple routine in which
they have K1 and K4 also, but with a moderate number of repetitions. To this the
two afore described techniques 1. and 2. follow. Usually the breathless state
appears during procedure 2.. At this point the student can tackle the advanced K2

208
teaching.

How to Experience the K2 Teaching inside the Breathless State

To those who have realized the breathless state, I counsel the following:
Having reached the breathless state, a kriyaban puts his arms on the
armrest. Then, with his tongue in Kechari Mudra, he takes a long inhalation. He
expands the rib cage and keeps it expanded while completely forgetting the
breath. He does not exhale. His breath remains immobile in the upper part of the
lungs. He concentrates on Muladhara, then climbs up the spine, with his
awareness, slowly, without breathing, millimeter after millimeter. When he
reaches the heart Chakra he has a remarkable blissful sensation. He will have
here the assurance that he can go further holding his breath. This state is a divine
gift and is the result of the completion of the incremental routines and of a good
command of K4.
At this point, without exhaling, he applies the instructions of K2 to
Muladhara. But first, he accomplishes the internal act of raising it ideally into
the point between the eyebrows -- this happens without using the physical breath.
He applies then the typical procedure of K2 (contraction of the muscles near the
Chakra, rotation of the fingers, concentration on the changing of color....). Then
he relaxes the contraction of the muscles and prepares to move to the next
Chakra.
If he feels that his body needs breath, he breathes. This is no place for
tension and discomfort. If he is not able to restore the breathless state, if he feels
that Prana has glided down, below the chest, he may stop here for this first day.
Another day will come when he will be able not only to enter again in the
breathless state but he won't feel the need to breathe between one Chakra and the
next. He will raise each Chakra into the light of Kutastha, always remaining
without breath, keeping Prana immobile in the upper part of the lungs.

Therefore, K2 means closing the ears and contracting certain muscles, plus
moving the awareness from Chakra to Chakra perceiving the Omkar vibration,
diversifying from Chakra to Chakra, and revealing that each center has its own
vibration (its own "rhythm") -- while dwelling in the state of Antar Kevala
Kumbhaka (effortless holding the breath after inhalation.)

209
Some Remarks on the Preliminary Techniques

The routine recommended by the organizations that spread the teachings of PY


is:
•Recharging exercises •Hong So •Om technique •Maha Mudra •Kriya proper
•Jyoti Mudra •Final concentration in the spine and in the Kutastha. When the
Higher Kriyas are added, they are practiced after Kriya proper or after Jyoti
Mudra.

In time, there comes a tendency to simplify. Many eliminate entirely the


preliminary techniques Hong So and Om; some practice only one or both after
Kriya proper, at the place of the final concentration in Kutastha. Those who
have read my book and, remaining faithful to the received teachings, set
themselves the goal to achieve Kechari Mudra, start their routine with Talabya
Kriya. Therefore we seldom talk about the Hong So and the Om techniques.
My thought on the subject is that these techniques can be used with good
effects. In my opinion, Hong So is excellent for a brief session, or as mental
Pranayama after Kriya proper; and the Om technique is the ideal practice of K2
and Jyoti Mudra -- especially at night: a calm meditation where no limit of time
is set, where there is no trace of hurry.

Hong So

Facing the issue of the Hong So technique, we agree that this is not a technique
that gives you the ability of concentration, unless you already possess it!
Whoever decides to practice it, must be endowed with the ability to maintain a
high level of concentration. It begins with some deep breaths which are very
similar to Kriya Pranayama. Literature explains that they oxygenate the blood
and calm the system: actually they put into motion the essential mechanism of
Kriya Pranayama -- mixing and the balancing Prana and Apana.
As for the Hong-so Mantra there's not much to say about it: it should not
be taken as a "magical formula". 13 It must merge with your breath, of which
you must be constantly aware of. If you relax your keen awareness of it and
remain there like hypnotized by the pleasing sound of the two syllables Hong
and So, you shall be disappointed. Your mind will not be prone to being
internalized and it won't surrender to the meditative state.

Let us suppose therefore to put us under the ideal conditions: we have only ten
minutes free, we have made some deep breaths. Now if we respect two
fundamental principles, in a matter of two three minutes we shall find ourselves
13
This techniques is also taught with So during inhalation and Hong during exhalation.
You discover that by practicing with So-Ham instead of Hong-So, the effect is same.

210
in a fantastic state.
The first principle sounds strange to many students: It is very important
to not establish any rhythm in the mental chanting of Hong So. The mental chant
of this Mantra, repeated over and over, can easily and naturally conform to a
hard-to-change rhythm. If your breath follows this rhythm, it is clear as the sun
that it will never settle down! Once the rhythm has stabilized itself, even if the
body "could" stay off-breath for some instants, the breathing process will
continue implacably.
I am sure that many times the student doesn't understand the point. The
fact is that I deal with persons who have practiced this technique for years and
cannot doubt the correctness of their practice. Sometimes I must take a
significant amount of time to dwell upon the concept of rhythm. When the
student understands that almost always a rhythm was present in his practice, then
the problem is nearly cured. After inhalation or after exhalation, a student must
always wait for the impulse to breathe to appear. When there are the
physiological conditions that a pause can exist, it should be experienced, no
matter if it lasts just an instant! A student who abides by this principle, will soon
verify how this small detail is sufficient to ease the breath off, in a very drastic
way.
The second principle is to be conscious of the movement of one's rib cage.
During inhalation, the chest swells out and gets into an elastic tension. This
elastic force tries to annihilate the pause between inhalation and exhalation. In
other words, the pause of the breath after inhalation is jeopardized by the chest
elasticity -- not only by the rhythm. A student must be aware of this elastic
strength: this guarantees that the pause after the inhalation can freely exist.
Putting all this into practice, a "virtuous circle" between this growing calmness
and the reduced necessity of oxygen is realized.

We have said that this practice can be used as mental Pranayama after Kriya
proper. In this situation, you can observe the breath goes up the spine with
Hoooong and comes down with Soooo. It is a natural, short breath, not the strong
one of Kriya Pranayama. Being aware of the spine calms the breath enormously.
When the breath subsides and becomes so short that the procedure is on
the verge of evaporating into nothing, one tries to feel this micro breath
happening in each Chakra. One short, almost invisible breath happens in
Muladhara and it is blended with the soothing chant of Hong So -- a peaceful
vibration in a silent mind. The same happens in the second Chakra, then in the
third ... and so on ... up and down the spine ... until there is no more breath, only
Hong So in each Chakra. After the practice of Kriya proper, this procedure can
give you the vision of the spiritual eye.

Om Technique

It is auspicious that a kriyaban practices the Om technique remaining in the same


state that we have described dealing with the advanced form of Jyoti Mudra. The

211
ideal is to practice it for at least 30 minutes. This technique realizes fully the
final three levels of the Yoga path described by Patanjali: Dharana, Dhyana and
Samadhi. By concentrating actively on the internal sounds, one is lost in them
and finally meets the ecstatic state. Despite apparently fruitless attempts, after
days or weeks, a remarkable experience of Kundalini awakening will very likely
happen. It can happen only in a state of depth relaxation; for some it happens
when the body is distended to sleep and the consciousness enters the
forgetfulness of the sleep state.

212
APPENDIX 2 DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESEARCHERS
[This theme will be expanded in the next edition of the book]

While I was completing the book, I was invited by a local cultural institution to
give lessons about the history of the mystical paths. After completing the first
cycle of lessons, I accepted the assignment for the subsequent years which, in all,
became five. The mystical path was considered from different points of view
and, during the last two years, there was also a practical introduction to
elementary practices like Japa and Pranayama from classical Yoga... I was
delighted to prepare the lessons by studying the best available essays and
textbooks -- I mean books written by academics who didn't belong (or were so
smart as to hide their membership or affiliation) to any particular mystical school
and manifested a detached attitude toward the whole matter.
This was an unclouded period of my life: I was very gratified to have time
and opportunity to pursue such studies. I appreciated those texts that were
capable of presenting the essence of those religious movements which flourished
freely around the great religions. The impact of certain readings, the liveliness of
certain biographic stories, had the effect of melting away some strong
conditioning, admitted innocently into my life through the door of meek adapting
to the ideals of my first Kriya organization.
I proposed adding to our study some information about the most known
esoteric movements. My purpose was to compare them with the New Age
tendencies and show where, inside them, the boundary line between the genuine
mystical quest and the cultivation of magic ambitions lay.
My teaching was that even if in some context the word mystic evokes a
relationship with the mystery, with the concept of initiation (from the Greek
μυστικός [mustikos], an initiate) into secret religious rituals (also this from the
Greek μύω, to conceal), a mystic is one who tries sincerely (adopting any form of
mental and or bodily discipline) to surrender themselves to something which is
the quintessence of supreme comfort, something which lays beyond the
territories of the mind -- unattainable by the acrobatics of a never satisfied mind.
It was not difficult to see the devastating theoretical inconsistencies of
many esoteric movements, widely recognized as demanding and elitist. An
incredible amount of magnificent terms, which would have once allured me,
filled me with nausea as if they were an obscenity brought forth by a monster. I
was more and more stricken by the weakness of the human mind, by its
discouraging slowness in dissolving glaring deceptions and fallacies. I inevitably
drifted into that most interesting field of studies: the human psyche, its
suggestibility and vulnerability when it deals with approaching the spiritual path.
Unfortunately, the interest of my students about this subject was almost
nonexistent. They didn't seem to realize the relation it had with their own life,
interests and way of behavior. Rather, I was aghast at realizing that too many
listeners came to my lessons in order to receive support and fuel for their
illusions.
Once this period was over, I had many opportunities to reflect upon how
common were those tendencies. Even serious and reliable Kriya researchers were
more or less in the same situation. They cleverly disguised improper attitudes. I

213
talked sincerely with many spiritual researchers without any reprimand, rather
with perhaps too much empathy. I saw that very rarely they seemed to appreciate
the concept of clean mystical path -- a path not polluted by the fantasies and
deformations of the human mind. Usually they belonged to one of the following
four categories: with religious conditioning; mentally disturbed people or
psychically frail; those for whom esoteric knowledge is all in all; with magic
and esoteric tendencies

A. Religious Conditioning
Some people pour into their path of Kriya Yoga a remarkable commitment, but
get nothing in return. They don't relax enough, don't trust the sheer employment
of a technique unless it is coupled with a toilsome effort of tormenting their
psychological structure. They are convinced that they have to carry on with
formidable work on the psychological plane. They brood over one single worry:
"What can I do in the domain of my mind, of my habits, in order to ameliorate
myself?" They want to build brick by brick, fatiguing at the extreme, just as if it
is a complex construction, their Redemption.
To be lost in the core of the Kriya meditation is only a corollary of this
pivotal work. With this attitude, any progress on the spiritual path is really
difficult. The mystical experience happens when one is totally relaxed and at
peace with oneself. Only then something tremendously vast, beyond the mind,
manifests itself and overwhelms any sense of guilt and the dichotomy of worthy
or unworthy. They are so admirable in their efforts but if during meditation,
breath seems to disappear, they, being always on the alert, instead of relaxing,
block the experience.
The problem is that they feel they are totally unworthy of blissfully divine
experience. Perhaps it is only my perception, but their basic idea is that the
Divine resides outside our human state and that an individual can come closer to
It only if they have gained some merit. Religious conditionings can be very
strong, fatal in certain cases.
In the beginning of their path, they work very hard through self discipline
and hard renunciations. They entertain the thought of limiting as much as
possible the normal activities of the day to embrace a work of spiritual study,
gaining also more time for meditation. Often they are keen on dreaming a life of
pure meditation. Only in this way they think it is possible to uproot any deeply
ingrained bad habit, and the very roots of iniquity and egoism.
What comes out by yielding to this plan? They discover that this sudden
leap into a "new and happy condition" has put an halt to an irreplaceable chance
to grow and it is not automatic that it becomes the best territory for deep
meditations. Often the new situation is subtly corrupting a kriyaban with the vice
of boredom and sloth, while their free time becomes filled with trivial
occupations. There may be only one way out -- that a spiritual experience
emerge when they are physically tired, when they have worked hard, sweated
blood over doing their duty. Otherwise, in time Kriya will disappear from their
life.

214
B. Mentally disturbed or psychically frail
Some mistake meditation for alternative medicine. The expectation that Kriya
could work as a mental therapy began to take shape in me after reading a book
where a physician described how he cured some cases of mental disturbances
through Yoga. Other books, extolling the evolutionary value of Kriya, led me to
encourage a couple of persons suffering of, let us say, a chronic unhappiness to
venture on this enterprise. The result was almost null.
The reason some people place in vain their hopes in Kriya comes from the
fact that some authors wasted their time in asserting that Kriya is a science with
guaranteed results. "Guaranteed"? What does that mean? Although there are
physical states (breath, pulse, cerebral waves) that can be influenced by
meditation, the essence of Kriya can be neither measured nor granted. We can
rationally expound its principles but we cannot bring the whole entirety of it onto
the table of a laboratory. Therefore let Science be Science and let the mystical
path be "another thing".
I hope people will understand that it is not correct, and it leads nowhere,
to apply the mystical techniques of Kriya hoping to come out, as by a miracle, of
a depression. Those who practice Pranayama within the negative state of an ill
person who clings to it just like another unlikely alternative medicine, knowing
in their heart they will be disappointed, will have no other result than a headache.
Trying clumsily to camouflage their skepticism by pretending a
nonexistent spiritual interest, they seem to look at Kriya with suspicion - "does it
really work"? But no human can ever touch the supreme Good of Kriya unless
they place it, with unshakeable trust, above all the other achievements of the
world. Kriya cannot be a graft of a foreign organ. Kriya can work even if you are
not a "religious" person, but it should become an integral part of your life.
Perhaps the main miracle it will produce will be the joyful decision of dropping
all the useless habits through which you have hurt your own being and jump
courageously into a new life.

I accepted to support people in their effort of utilizing Kriya as an alternative


medicine, only when I saw that they strove to master Kriya with a dedication
which excited my admiration. I was perplexed because of their obsessive self-
observation but accepted with enthusiasm to work with them. In almost all the
cases I observed two negative tendencies: they push away from themselves any
intelligent and sincere person that can help them and, at the same time, are not
able to get rid of the parasite people and negative situations.
They have the tendency to squeeze people, slowly but unrelentingly, up to
a point where, as Carlos Castaneda writes, there remains nothing. They
exasperated and eliminated definitively those few persons who accepted to help
them. In this they seemed to use always the same lethal scheme of behavior.
They used to "wring" an accurate and detailed therapeutic counsel, then,
applying it, they hurt themselves. Trying to make their friends feel guilty for
having given a wrong counsel, they hoped to obtain greater attention from them.
They whined that they had followed the instructions to the letter and now they
were in very bad conditions ... emphasizing the fact that their present suffering

215
was due not to their chronic disease, but to this specific wrong counsel. Instead
of binding that friend to them, they lost him definitively. He took an oath not to
help them anymore in any way. Having seen the specter of ingratitude, seized
with blind fury, forgetting any past habit of courtesy, he annihilated them with a
merciless judgment, of whose hardness and inflexibility he would have, for a
long time, grounds for regret. 14
Spending a lot of time with them, I had other grounds to feel
uncomfortable. About their inability to get rid of negative people and situations,
I sensed that in their life there was a region where they preserved and nourished
a malefic mushroom from which they extracted the elixir of their suffering. It
was impossible for me to consider the complete picture of their life. As in the
fable of Bluebeard, there were some "rooms" where they wouldn't let me enter.
I'm not referring to intimate matters but to facts about which it is acceptable to
discuss - for example to maintain a double life when it is not essential and it is
extremely wearing… When I went straight to the point, they would grow darker
and roughly break off the conversation.

C. Knowledge is all in all


Usually they place a great emphasis on ethics. They conceive the spiritual path as
a philosophy which in itself has the power of redemption. They love to cultivate
purely esoteric-occult knowledge. You try to no purpose to make them realize
that an endless wealth is waiting to manifest behind the screen of their mental
revolutions, but they won't allow its radiance to clean the dusty cellar where they
prefer to live. They spend too much time reading spiritual books, try to get you
involved in endless discussions. There is no much to be said about them. I will
tell an anecdote.

After a great insistence, I accepted to read what for a friend was a masterpiece of
esoteric literature. The book surprised me for the quantity of information it
contained. While reading it, I entered an almost hypnotic state and didn't
immediately realize that each chain of ideas therein contained was without
support, was the offspring of the unbridled imagination of the author. I was
amazed to see how, through an intoxication with words, the author's imagination
dared to develop free from the relationship with reality and from the rules of
logic. The whole thing seemed to me pure fun -- comparable to that of reading a
fantasy novel. How could he think, by studying such junk, to experience
something beyond mind? I counseled him some good books from which he could
draw benefit. He stated he had already read them, but it was a lie. He preferred to
keep them at a distance. All ended when one day he started a polemic about the
fact that aspiration toward mastering a meditation technique like Kriya Yoga

14
This pernicious mechanism might have exacerbated not only people but
organizations as well. I wonder if those Kriya organizations that have gradually turned
away from a positive attitude toward all people and shifted toward a plethora of
prohibitions and of what seems an absurd bureaucracy, were forced to react in this way
by the recriminations of ungrateful and mentally disturbed people like the ones we are
considering here, who blamed the techniques for having caused their sufferings.

216
meant cultivating desire and this was against Buddhist principles. He argued how
it was possible to practice it without using not even an ounce of will power. I saw
the case was beyond cure, I respected his choice and immediately ended the
farce. To my surprise, after about five years from our last meeting, a common
friend told me that our "philosopher" had self imposed an Indian name and was
teaching Yoga. He had a following of ladies who where enthralled by his spiritual
talks. I began to laugh and I was not able collapsing into giggles for the rest of
the day.

D. Magic esoteric tendencies


Lastly, there were those to whom Kriya was just another esoteric school which
sometimes encroaches on magic territory. I recall a friend of mine who was
adamant in practicing Kriya making glaring mistakes. (For instance, he neglected
the normal rules of health, refused, during meditation, to assume the correct
position of the backbone, didn't even try to get immobility in the final part of his
routine.) It was impossible to correct him. He behaved toward me in a very
cordial way but, when it dealt with defending his choices, showed a dialectical
gift that made me feel like an idiot. As opposed to his sophism, I would (one
hundred-fold times more!) prefer to listen to a funny guy shouting at me: "I leave
Kriya to idiots like you: I like to eat, to drink and to enjoy life!". He sought total
harmony with life, at the same time utilizing any means to develop his hidden
psychic potential. He went on paying attention to the revelations coming from a
healer (- a channeler -) (to whom he went in order that the spirits reveal to him
the karmic reason of an illness, as well as the attitudes to be changed in order
that his problem be astrally destroyed) but, at the same time, haunted a church
where he pretended a genuine devotion while asking a "particular" benediction as
a bland form of exorcism. He intuitively understood the difference between the
mystical and magical dimensions; nevertheless, he didn't stop dreaming that in
the esoteric field there were secret techniques, known only to a few elects, which
constituted a short-cut to Self realization. For some time he tried to "improve"
Kriya by incorporating various esoteric techniques, even those described in the
rituals of ceremonial magic. He was convinced that only by using certain rituals,
formulas and initiatic symbols, was it possible to complete the evolutionary jump
conducive to liberation. He met a self-named expert in occult matters who
purported to know the secrets of an almost extinct esoteric path and, in particular,
a spiritual technique - far more advanced than those known today - which was
practiced centuries or millennia ago, by few privileged beings. He got into a
situation in which his economic base, essential to his living, was at risk of being
swept away, completely reduced to shambles. The pseudo expert, who created
the impression of being a dreamer, but was not so naïve as it seemed, easily
bewitched him. "Now that humanity is different from before, such teachings are
not revealed to just anyone" he started off; then after a pause and with a sigh,
finally concluded: "Today's students would not know how to appreciate them
and, in their hands, they could be dangerous." He used an enchanting
terminology similar to that of the Kabbalah (mystical teaching within Judaism)
and talked effortlessly about original Christianity also, whose texts (canonical

217
and apocryphal) he was able to interpret in a non-conventional way. My friend
tried to captivate the teacher in order to receive more information. Confiding that
he was willing to accept whatever toll and deprivation, consenting to whatever
behest - provided that this extraordinary secret will be revealed to him, he
actually fell into the trap. After having expressed some reservations, our smart
teacher at long last capitulated, murmuring: "Only for you, only because I feel I
am guided to make an exception". My friend, a poor victim quivering with
emotion, lived the best moment of his life, convinced that the meeting with the
expert had been decided in the higher spheres. The donation he offered during
the initiation - united to the promise of keeping absolute secrecy - was
conspicuous, since in that way he would confirm the great value attributed to that
event. The donation would enable the teacher to carry on the good works...
obviously! (Such teachers affirm invariably that they give the donations to a
certain monk— interestingly not a priest— who supports an orphanage.) While
my friend, completely satisfied, was preparing to receive such an incomparable
gift (our occult expert underlined with emphasis that it was a gift and that
nothing could adequately compensate the benedictions that such an initiation
would bring to his life) the teacher distractedly decided what kind of trash-stuff
he was going to demonstrate with glaring solemnity. As soon as the new
technique was acquired and tested with indescribable emotion, my friend spent
two days in sheer fervor. Later, imprisoned in his chimera, he witnessed the
rekindling of his passion and the comedy repeated. He heard about other
incomparable valuable "revelations". This illusion is, in effect, indomitable.
After having received his "drug", he continued his inexorable run toward the
abyss. I cannot predict if, one day, he will realize that the techniques for which
he paid a fortune had been taken from some books and altered, so he would not
to guess their origin. During the jubilant season of his training, I received a very
long letter from him. It was an essay on the basic theories which supported his
practice, it was written with a lapidary, implacable logic. After reading it,
gasping in order to find "myself" again, I felt the need to walk in the open air and
practice Japa. My feeling of alienation seemed to stretch out as far as the horizon
and touch the rim of the sky. I could not practice my Mantra but a couple of
times. My thought was fixed on a sentence of Sri Sri Aurobindo which I repeated
as if hypnotized:

Enough, enough I've had of the mind and all its phony stars,
let's turn on the suns that are never off!

I had a thought, luminous and warm and fancied to tell it to him: "Even if all my
friends, all the people I know, would leave Kriya, I would stand fast anyway, not
because I hope one day obtaining some particular result from it, but because
Kriya has already given me something incomparable. I don't need a recharge of
motivation by turning back to old readings: it is the radiance of my memory that
saves me each time, every day."

218
GLOSSARY

This glossary has been added for those who already know the meaning of the most
common terms used in Kriya but do not wish to retain uncertainties about the way they
are utilized in this book.

Alchemy [taoist internal -- Nei Dan] The Taoist Internal Alchemy is the mystical
tradition of ancient China. It reminds us of the techniques of First Kriya with such
precision that we have all the reasons to assume that it consists of the same process.

Apana Apana is one of the five forms of energy in the body. Associated with the
lower abdominal region, it is responsible for all the bodily functions (elimination for
example) that take place there. Kriya Pranayama, in its initial phase, is essentially the
movement of Prana (the particular form of energy present in the upper part of the trunk
– lungs and heart) into Apana and the movement of Apana into Prana. When we inhale,
the energy from outside the body is brought within and meets Apana in the lower
abdomen; during exhalation, the Apana moves from its seat up and mingles with Prana.
The continuous repetition of this event generates an increase of heat in the navel region:
this calms the breath and kindles the light of the Spiritual Eye.

Asana Physical postures fit for meditation. According to Patanjali, the yogi's posture
must be steady and pleasant. The most part of the kriyabans are comfortable with the
so-called Half-lotus [see]: this, indeed, avoids some physical problems. For the average
kriyaban, Siddhasana [see] is considered superior to any other Asana. If we take finally
into account those kriyabans who are expert of Hatha-Yoga, who have become very
flexible, the perfect position is undoubtedly Padmasana [see].

Aswini (Ashwini) Mudra "Ashwa" means "horse"; "Aswini Mudra" means "Mudra
of the female horse" because the anal contraction resembles the movement a horse
makes with its sphincter immediately after evacuation of the bowels. There may be
slightly different definitions of it and, sometimes, it is confused with Mula Bandha
[see]. The basic definition is to repeatedly contract the muscles at the base of the spine
(sphincter) with the rhythm of about two contractions per second. This Mudra is a direct
way of getting in touch with the locked and stagnant energy at the base of the spine and
to pump it up.

Bandha In Yoga no practice of Pranayama is considered complete without the


Bandhas. They are energy valves as much as they are locks, not simple muscle
contractions, which prevent the energy from being dissipated and redirect it inside the
spine. [See Jalandhara Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha and Mula Bandha]
In the very beginning of the Kriya path, a yogi has only an approximate
understanding of the Bandhas, later one will come to a complete command and will be
able to use them, with slight adaptations, in most of the Kriya techniques. The three
Bandhas, applied simultaneously, create an almost ecstatic inner shiver, a feeling of
energy current moving up the spine. Sushumna Awakening is sustained.

Bindu A spiritual center located in the occipital region where the hairline twists into
a kind of vortex. Until the energy, scattered in the body, reaches the Bindu, a sort of
shroud prevents the yogi from contemplating the Spiritual Eye. Bringing all one's force

219
there, in that tiny place, is not an easy task because the deeper roots of the Ego are to be
found right there; they must be faced and eradicated.

Breathless state It is experienced after years of Kriya practice. It has nothing to do


with holding the breath forcefully. It does not simply mean that the breath becomes
more and more quiet. It is the state where the breath is entirely non-existent, with the
subsequent dissolution of the mind. When it manifests, a kriyaban does not feel the
need to take in any breath at all or one takes in a very short breath but doesn't feel the
need to exhale for a very long time. (Longer than the time which medical science
considers possible.) The breath becomes so calm that the practitioner has the factual
perception that one is not breathing at all; one feels a fresh energy in the body,
sustaining its life from inside, without the necessity of oxygen. According to the Kriya
theory, this state is the result of having completed the work of cutting of the heart knot.

Bhrumadhya The region between the eyebrows, linked with Ajna Chakra and with
the vision of the third eye (Kutastha).

Chakra The word Chakra comes from the Sanskrit cakra meaning "wheel" or
"circle". The Chakras are the "wheels" of our spiritual life; they are described in the
tantric texts as emanations from the Spirit, whose essence gradually has expanded in
more and more gross levels of manifestation, reaching eventually the dimension of the
base Chakra, the Muladhara, embodying the physical world. The descended energy-
consciousness lies coiled and sleeping at the base of the spine and is called Kundalini -
she who is coiled. We human beings consider only the physical world as real: it is only
when our Kundalini awakens that we regain the full memory of the reality of the subtle
dimension of the Universe.
No author has ever "proven" the existence of the Chakras – as no man has ever
proven the existence of the soul. It is difficult to describe them: we cannot bring them
onto a table in a laboratory. In any Yoga book we find descriptions which rest on a
translation of two Indian texts, the Sat-Cakra-Nirupana, and the Padaka-Pancaka, by Sir
John Woodroffe, alias Arthur Avalon, in a book entitled The Serpent Power. The matter
depicted there seems to be unnaturally complicated, almost impossible to be utilized.
These concepts had been further polluted by theosophy and similar esoteric literature.
The controversial C. W. Leadbeater book "The Chakras," is in large part the result of
the mental elaboration of his own experiences.
Through the practice of Kriya, we can have an experience of the Chakras.
Located over the anus at the very base of the spinal column, in the lower part of the
coccyx, we encounter the root Chakra - named Muladhara in Sanskrit, a center which
distributes energy to the legs, to the lowest part of the pelvis, irradiating especially the
Gonads (testes in men, ovaries in women). Muladhara symbolizes the objective
consciousness, the awareness of the physical universe. It is related to instinct, security,
to our ability to ground ourselves in the physical world, to the desire for material goods
and also the building of a good self-image. If this Chakra is in a harmonious state, we
are centered and have a strong will to live.
The second, or sacral Chakra - Swadhisthan - is placed inside the spine
between the last lumbar vertebrae and the beginning of the sacrum. It is said that its
energetic projection is the area of the sexual organs - in part it intersects the region of
Muladhara's influence. Since it is related to base emotion, sexuality vitality, creativity,
and to the deepest part of the subconscious realms, a deep stimulus of it produces deep
involving dreams; its action may be perceived as a feeling of living a fable, whose

220
nature is sweet and alluring.
The Manipura - navel center or solar plexus - is placed in the spine at the level
of the navel, near the end of the dorsal vertebrae and the beginning of the lumbar
vertabrae. It is said to influence the pancreas and the adrenal glands on top of the
kidneys. This connection gives fuel to the idea that this Chakra has the same role played
by those glands: higher emotion and energy - just like the role played by adrenalin. It is
said that it fosters a sense of personal power, secure feeling of "I Am.". Grounded and
comfortable with our place in the universe, we are able to affirm with determination the
purpose of our life.
The Anahata - heart center, located in the spine at the height of the middle part
of the dorsal vertebrae - is said to influence the thymus, which is part of the immune
system. There is a universal agreement that it is related to higher emotion, compassion,
love and intuitiveness. When a person concentrates on it, feelings of profound
tenderness and compassion will start to develop. A healthy and fully open heart Chakra
means to be able to see the inner beauty in others—in spite of their apparent faults. One
is able to love everyone, even the strangers we meet on the street. There is a progression
from the instinctual "gut emotions" of the lower Chakras to the higher emotions and
feelings of the heart Chakra. What is of great interest for us, is that opening this center
means to see life in a more neutral manner and see what others cannot see. It ends the
predisposition to being influenced by other people, by churches and by organizations in
general.
Vishuddha - throat center, exactly amid the last cervical vertebrae and the first
dorsal vertebrae - is said to influence thyroid and parathyroid. Since it controls the
activity of the vocal cords as well, it is said that it has something to do with the capacity
to express our ideas in the world. It seems to be related with the capacity for
communication and with taking personal responsibility for our actions. The person with
a healthy throat Chakra no longer thinks to blame others for his or her problems and can
carry on with life with full responsibility. Many authors state it awakens artistic
inspiration, the ability to develop superior aesthetic perception.
Ajna - the third eye Chakra, located in the central part of the brain - influences
the pituitary gland [hypophysis] and the small brain. The hypophysis has a vital role in
organism, in the sense that together with the hypothalamus it acts as a command system
of all other endocrine glands. In Sanskrit, "Ajna" translates to "command," which
means it has the command or control of our lives: through controlled action, it brings to
reality the fruit of our desires. Consequently, it is said that Ajna Chakra has a vital role
in the spiritual awakening of a person. It is the seat of the intuition.
The supreme Chakra is the Sahasrara - crown Chakra - right above the top of
the head. It is said that it influences, or is bound with, the pineal gland. It allows
detachment from illusion and is related to one's overall expansion of awareness and
degree of attunement with the Divine Reality. It is a superior reality and we can
experience it only in the state of breathlessness. It is possible to "tune" into it by
utilizing the Bindu as a doorway.
Teachings pertaining to the "Frontal Chakras" are to be found by some
kriyabans coming from Sri Yukteswar's disciple lineage. The perineum is the first one,
the genitals region is the second one, the navel is the third, the central part of the
sternum region is the fourth, the Adam's apple is the fifth and the point between the
eyebrows may be considered as the sixth. The core of the Kriya teaching regarding
them, is that when these points are touched with concentration, the energy around the
correspondent Chakra in the spine is revived.

221
Dharana According to Patanjali, Dharana is the concentration on a physical or
abstract object. In Kriya, Dharana consist in directing the focus of our attention toward
the revelation of Spirit: Omkar's inner sound, light, and movement sensation. This
happens just after having calmed the breath.

Dhyana According to Patanjali, Dhyana ensues from contemplating the essential


nature of the chosen object as a steady, uninterrupted flow of consciousness. In Kriya,
the awareness, dwelling upon the Omkar reality, is soon lost in Samadhi.

Flute sound (during Kriya Pranayama) During the exhalation of Kriya Pranayama, a
slight hiss is produced in the throat; when a kriyaban succeeds in assuming the position
of Kechari Mudra, then the quality of that sound increases. It has been likened to the
"flute of Krishna". Lahiri Mahasaya describes it: "as if someone blew through a
keyhole". This highly enjoyable sound cuts to pieces any distraction, increases mental
calmness and transparency and helps to prolong effortlessly the practice of Kriya
Pranayama. One day the flute sound turns into the Om sound. In other words, it gives
rise to the Om sound, whose vibration will be so strong as to overwhelm the flute
sound. During this event, a strong movement of energy climbs up the spine.

Granthi [see knot]

Guru The importance of finding a Guru (teacher) who supervises the spiritual
training of the disciple is one of the tenets of many spiritual paths. A Guru is a teacher, a
guide and much more. The scriptures declare that the Guru is God and God is the Guru.
We are accustomed to explaining the term "Guru" on a metaphorical interplay between
darkness and light, in which the Guru is seen as the dispeller of darkness: "Gu" stands
for darkness and "Ru" for one who removes it. Some scholars dismiss that etymology;
according to them "Gu" stands for "beyond the qualities" and "Ru" for "devoid of
form". In order to gain all the benefits from the contact with the Guru, a disciple has to
be humble, sincere, pure in body and mind and ready to surrender to his Guru's will and
instructions. Usually, during initiation (Diksha) Gurus bestow the esoteric knowledge
upon their disciples, through which they will progress along the path to Self realization.
The internal phenomenon of Shaktipat happens: the dormant spiritual realization within
the disciple is awakened.
Kriya organizations don't insist upon the concept of Shaktipat but accept all the
rest, rather they are founded upon the afore summarized tenets. On the contrary, Lahiri
Mahasaya's ideas seem to go in a significantly different direction. Once he said: "I am
not the Guru, I don't maintain a barrier between the true Guru (the Divine) and the
disciple". He added that he wanted to be considered a "mirror". In other words, each
kriyaban should look at him not as an unreachable ideal, but as the personification of all
the wisdom and spiritual realization which, in due time, the Kriya practice will be able
to produce.
Now the question is: do the Kriya techniques work outside the Guru-disciple
relationship? There is of course no scientifically proven answer. In this matter we can
use either faith or reason. Many kriyabans are confident they are able to transform the
no-matter-how-received instruction into "gold". They think: "Beyond either reasonable
or improbable expectations of finding a Kriya expert at my disposal, let me roll my
sleeves up and move on!"

Half-lotus This asana has been used for meditation since time immemorial because it

222
provides a comfortable, very easily obtained, sitting position. The left leg is bent at the
knee, brought toward the body and the sole of the left foot is made to rest against the
inside of the right thigh. The heel of the left foot should is drawn in as far as possible.
The right leg is bent at the knee and the right foot is placed over the fold of the left leg
where the thigh meets to hip. The right knee is dropped as far as possible toward the
floor. The hands rest on the knees. The secret is to maintain an erect spine: this can be
obtained only by sitting on a cushion, thick enough, with the buttocks toward the front
half of the cushion. In this way the buttocks are slightly raised, while the knees are
resting on the floor. When the legs grow tired, the position is prolonged by reversing the
legs. In certain delicate situations, it may be providential to do it on a chair, provided it
has no arms and is large enough. In this way, one leg at a time can be lowered and the
knee articulation relaxed! Some Yoga teachers explain that the pressure of a tennis ball
(or of a folded towel) on the perineum can give the benefits of the Siddhasana position.

Hesychasm The word Hesychasm derives from the Greek word "hesychia" meaning
inner quietness, tranquility and stillness. Outside this condition, meditation is not
possible. It is a discipline integrating the continual repetition of the Jesus Prayer ("Lord
Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"). It was already used by the early
Church Fathers in the 4th and 5th centuries) with the practice of asceticism.
There were hermits dwelling in the desert, seeking inner peace and spiritual
insight, while practicing contemplation and self-discipline: they had no doubts about the
fact that knowledge of God could be obtained only by purity of soul and prayer and not
by study or mental amusements in the field of philosophy. Later, their method of
asceticism came to the fore as a concrete set of psychophysical techniques: this is
properly the core of Hesychasm. It was Simeon, "the new theologian" (1025-1092),
who developed the quietist theory which such detail that he may be called the father of
this movement. The practice, which involved specific body postures and deliberate
breathing patterns, was intended to perceive the Uncreated Light of God. The monks of
Athos might have kept on contemplating peacefully this Uncreated Light (they
considered it to be the highest goal of earthy life) had not their methods been
denounced as superstitious and absurd. The objection was mainly based on a vigorous
denial of the possibility that this Uncreated Light was God's essence. In approximately
the year 1337, Hesychasm attracted the attention of a learned member of the Orthodox
Church, Barlaam of Seminara, a Calabrian monk who held the office of abbot in a
Monastery of Constantinople and who visited Mount Athos. There he encountered the
hesychasts and heard the descriptions of their practices. Barlaam, trained in Western
Scholastic theology, was scandalized and began to combat it both orally and in his
writings. He called the hesychasts "omphalopsychoi" - people having their souls in their
navels (owing to the long time they spent concentrating on the navel region). Barlaam
propounded a more intellectual approach to the knowledge of God than the one taught
by the hesychasts: he asserted that the spiritual knowledge could be only a work of
inquiry, brought ahead by one's mind and translated in discrimination between truth and
untruth. He held that no part of God, whatsoever, could be viewed by humans. The
practice of the hesychasts was defended by St. Gregory Palamas. He was well educated
in Greek philosophy and defended Hesychasm in the 1340 at three different synods in
Constantinople, and he also wrote a number of works in its defense. He used a
distinction, already articulated in the 4th Century in the works of the Cappadocian
Fathers, between the energies or operations of God and the essence of God: while the
essence of God can never be known by his creatures, His energies or operations can be
known both in this life and in the next; they convey to the Hesychast the truest spiritual

223
knowledge of God.
In Palamite theology, it is the uncreated energy of God which illuminates the
Hesychast who has been vouchsafed an experience of the Uncreated Light. In 1341 the
dispute was settled: Barlaam was condemned and returned to Calabria, afterwards
becoming bishop in the Roman Catholic Church. Later, Hesychast doctrine was
established as the doctrine of the Orthodox Church. Up to this day, the Roman Catholic
Church has never fully accepted Hesychasm: the essence of God can be known, but
only in the next life; there can be no distinction between the energies and the essence of
God.
Today Mount Athos is the well-known center of the practice of Hesychasm.

Ida [see Nadi]

Jalandhara Bandha In Jalandhara Bandha the neck and the throat are slightly
contracted, while the chin is pressed against the breast.

Japa [See prayer]

Kechari Mudra This Mudra is carried in one of the two following ways:
1. By placing the tongue in contact with the uvula at the back of the soft palate.
2. By slipping the tongue into the nasal pharynx touching, if possible, the nasal septum.
According to Lahiri Mahasaya a kriyaban should achieve it not by cutting the
tongue Fraenulum but by means of Talabya Kriya [see]. Kechari is literally translated as
"the state of those who fly in the sky", in the "inner space". Kechari is compared to an
electrical bypass of the mind's energetic system. It changes the path of Prana flow
causing the life force to be withdrawn from the thinking process. Instead of allowing
the thoughts to jump like frogs here and there, it causes the mind to be quiet and allows
focusing it on the goal of meditation. We do not realize the quantity of energy we
squander away when we get lost in our thoughts, in our plans. Kechari turns this
pernicious way of exhausting all of our vitality into its opposite. The mind begins to
lose its despotic role: the "inner activity" happens no more by the thinking process but
by the effortless development of the intuition. Coupled with Kriya it is a substantial aid
in clarify one's complicated psychological structures. A more elusive claim is the
experience of the elixir of life, "Amrita," the "Nectar." This is a fluid with sweet taste
perceived by the kriyaban when the tip of his tongue touches either the uvula or the
bone protrusion in the roof of the palate under the hypophysis. The Yoga tradition
explains that there is a Nadi going through the center of the tongue; energy radiates
through its tip and when it touches that bone protrusion, this radiation reaches and
stimulates the Ajna Chakra in the center of the brain.

Kevala Kumbhaka [see Breathless state]

Knot The traditional definition of the Granthis identifies three knots: the Brahma
Granthi at the Muladhara Chakra; the Vishnu Granthi at the heart Chakra and the point
between the eyebrows. Those are the places where Ida, Pingala and Sushumna Nadi
meet.
Brahma Granthi (located in Muladhara) is the first knot. It is related to our
physical body: it preserves the ignorance of our infinite nature and is the first obstacle
in the spiritual search, since it obstructs the Kundalini's path as she begins to move
toward the higher centers. The world of names and forms creates restlessness and

224
prevents the mind from becoming one pointed. Ambitions and desires trap the mind.
Until one unties this knot, one cannot meditate effectively.
Vishnu Granthi is located in the area of the heart Chakra (Anahata), and is
related to the astral body and to the world of emotions. Lord Vishnu is the lord of
preservation. This knot creates the desire to preserve ancient knowledge, traditions,
institutions, and religious orders. It produces "compassion", a keen desire to help
suffering humanity. Discriminating knowledge combined with Yoga effort can unfasten
the Knot of Vishnu and obtain deliverance from the traditional bonds, deeply rooted in
our genetic code.
Rudra Granthi is related to the causal body and to the world of ideas, visions,
and intuitions. At a point between the eyebrows, the Ida and Pingala Nadis cross over
and then come down in the left and right nostrils, respectively. Ida and Pingala are time
bound; after piercing the Rudra knot, the time bound consciousness dissolves - the yogi
establishes himself in the supreme Atman whose seat is Sahasrara Chakra. Perfect
emancipation is achieved.
Lahiri Mahasaya underlines the importance of overcoming two other obstacles:
tongue and navel which are unfastened by Kechari Mudra and by Navi Kriya,
respectively. The knot of the tongue, cuts us off from the reservoir of energy in the
Sahasrara region. The knot of the navel originates from the trauma of cutting the
umbilical cord.

The four phases of Kriya Yoga are experienced by unfastening all the afore mentioned
knots, in the following order:
I. Knot of the tongue
II. Knot of Vishnu (heart Chakra)
III. Knot of the navel
IV. Knot of Brahma (Muladhara) & knot of Rudra (point between the eyebrows)

As we can see, in Lahiri Mahasaya's vision, two secondary knots (tongue and navel)
have become of primary importance and two main knots (Brahma and Rudra) are
considered a two-phased event that characterizes the fourth and last stage of Kriya. [see
chapter 7 for further discussion.] It has been explained that there is a strong connection
between Brahma and Rudra knots. Actually, having already unfastened the knots of
tongue, heart and navel, as soon as you cross the door of Sushumna (in Muladhara), you
come up instantaneously, unimpeded, to the "door of the infinite" in the point between
your eyebrows.

Kriya Yoga If we want to understand the essence of Kriya Yoga it is necessary to put
aside some definitions found on the web. "Kriya Yoga is the science of controlling life
energy [Prana]." "Kriya Yoga is a technique that activates the astral cerebrospinal
centers." "Kriya Yoga hastens the practitioner's spiritual development and helps to bring
about a profound state of tranquility and God-communion." "Kriya Yoga brings about
the stilling of sensory input."
I don't want to contest them, but I think that Kriya is broader than what is
implied. There are definitions which say nothing: they make a misleading synthesis of
its methods and list its effects in the same way one would describe Hatha Yoga or Raja
Yoga practice. Patanjali refers once to Kriya Yoga: "Kriya consists of body discipline,
mental control, and meditating on Iswara." [Yoga sutras II:1] This is definitely correct,
but by following the further evolution of his thought, we are led astray. Although he
states that by constantly remembering the inner sound of Om we can achieve the

225
removal of all the obstacles that block our spiritual evolution, he does not develop this
method. He is far from describing the same spiritual discipline taught by Lahiri
Mahasaya.
Kriya Yoga is a "mystic path" utilizing the best tools used by the mystics of all
religions. It consists of control of breath [Kriya Pranayama], prayer [Japa, Mantra] and
pure effort of attuning with the Omkar Reality. The soothing process of calming the
breath, followed by the Thokar procedure, guides the bodily energy into the heart
Chakra, holding thus, as in a grip of calmness, the unceasing reflex originating the
breath. When a perfect stillness is established, when all the inner and outer movements
cease, the kriyaban perceives a radiation of fresh energy sustaining each cell from
inside; then the breathless state settles in. When the physical breath is totally
transcended and a circulation of energy happens in the body – the breath is said to have
become "Internal" – a feeling of infinite safety, solidity and reliance originates. It is like
having crossed a barrier and moved into a measureless space: Kriya yoga is a miracle of
beauty.

Kumbhaka Kumbhaka means holding the breath. It is such an important phase in


Pranayama that some Yoga teachers doubt whether a modified way of breathing which
does not include any Kumbhaka can be called Pranayama at all. It is observed that when
we are about to do something which requires our total attention, our breath is
automatically held. We are not deliberately doing Pranayama, but our breath is
suspended of its own accord; this demonstrates how natural this fact is. In Pranayama
the inhalation is called Puraka, which literally means "the act of filling"; the exhalation
is called Rechaka, meaning "the act of emptying". Retention of breath is called
Kumbhaka, meaning "holding". Kumbha is a pot: just as a water pot holds water when
it is filled with it, so in Kumbhaka the breath and the Prana is held in the body. In the
classic Yoga literature there are described four types of Kumbhaka.
I. We breathe out deeply and hold the breath for a few seconds. This is known as "Bahir
Kumbhaka" (External Kumbhaka).
II. The second, " Antar Kumbhaka" (Internal Kumbhaka), is holding the breath after a
deep inhalation. Usually this kind of Kumbhaka is accompanied by the use of the
Bandhas.
III. The third type is that practiced by alternate breathing - breathing in deeply through
the left nostril, then holding the breath and then exhaling through the right… It is
considered the easiest form of Kumbhaka.
IV. The fourth type is the most important of all, the peak of Pranayama. It is called
Kevala Kumbhaka or automatic suspension of breath: it is the breathless state where
there is no inhalation or exhalation, and not even the slightest desire to breathe.
In the Kriya praxis, the underlying principle of I. is present in some variations of
Navi Kriya and in all those procedures involving a series of very long and calm
exhalations which seem to end in a sweet nothing. Internal Kumbhaka II. happens in
different Kriya techniques; particularly in Yoni Mudra, Maha Mudra and Thokar. Maha
Mudra, with its balancing action on the right and on the left side of the spine, contains
also – in a broader sense - the principles of III.: alternating breathing. A turning point in
Kriya is the achievement of IV. Kevala Kumbhaka. In Kriya we distinguish between
"Bahir" (external) and "Antar" (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka.
"Bahir (external) Kevala Kumbhaka" (the development and climax of I.) appears
during mental Pranayama (or during any procedure linked with the Third Kriya) after
having relaxed and thus emptied the rib cage.
"Antar (internal) Kevala Kumbhaka" (the development and climax of II.)

226
appears during the highest refining of Yoni Mudra, Maha Mudra and Thokar (or during
any procedure linked with the Fourth Kriya) after having completed a long inhalation,
with the rib cage moderately full of air-Prana.

Kundalini The concept of Kundalini and, particularly, of its awakening, provides a


framework which is convenient for expressing what is happening along the spiritual
path. Most of the spiritual traditions have some awareness of Kundalini; not all are
equally open in exposing the practical details of the process. Kundalini is Sanskrit for
"coiled": it is conceived as a particular energy coiled like a serpent in the root Chakra
(Muladhara). The representation of being coiled like a spring conveys the idea of
untapped potential energy. It sleeps in our body and underneath the layers of our
consciousness, waiting to be aroused either by spiritual discipline or by other means -
like particular experiences of life. It is depicted as rising from the Muladhara up
through the Sushumna, activating each Chakra; when it arrives at the crown Chakra
(Sahasrara), it bestows infinite bliss, mystical illumination etc. It is only through
repeatedly raising of the Kundalini, that the yogi succeeds in obtaining Self realization.
Its rising is not a mild sense of energy flowing inside the spine. Its movement is like
having a ''volcano erupting'' inside, a ''rocket missile'' shot through the spine! Its nature
is beneficial; there is an evident resistance in trusting the reports of Kundalini
awakening accompanied by troubles such as patently disturbed breathing patterns,
distortion of thought processes, unusual or extreme strengthening of emotions… We
are rather inclined to think that a dormant malady, brought to open manifestation by
thoughtless practice of violent exercises or drugs is the cause of those phenomena.
Insomnia, hypersensitivity to environment may indeed follow the authentic experience.
In a ''true awakening,'' the force of Kundalini eclipses the ego altogether and the
individual feels disoriented for some time. All is absorbed in a short time, without
problems. Alas, the search for a repetition of the episode may lead to disorderly and
careless practice of strange techniques, without ever establishing a minimal foundation
of mental silence. Each book warns against the risk of a premature awakening of
Kundalini and asserts that the body must be prepared for the event. Almost any yogi
thinks he or she is capable of sustaining this premature awakening and the warning
excites them more than ever: the problem is that many do not have (or have lost) a
genuine spiritual approach and nourish a fairly egotistical condition.
In the Kriya theoretical framework we consider Kundalini to be the same energy
that exists throughout the body and not specifically residing in the Muladhara Chakra.
We seldom use the term "Kundalini awakening" and try to avoid what could give the
impression that such an experience has an alien nature: Kundalini is our own energy; it
is the purest layer of our consciousness.

Kutastha Kutastha, the "third eye" or "spiritual eye" is the organ of inner vision (the
unified astral counterpart of the two physical eyes), the place in our body where the
spiritual Light manifests. By concentrating between the eyebrows, a formless darkness
is first perceived, then a small crepuscular light, then other lights; eventually we have
the experience of a golden ring surrounding a dark stain with a blazing tiny white point
inside. There is a connection between Kutastha and Muladhara: what we are observing
in the space between the eyebrows is nothing but the opening of the spinal door, which
is located at the root Chakra. Some Kriya teachers affirm that the condition for entering
the last and the highest Kriya stage is that the vision of the spiritual eye has become
constant; others identify it with the condition in which the energy is perfectly calm at
the base of the spine. Therefore both affirmations are one and the same.

227
Maha Mudra Maha Mudra is a particular stretching position of the body. The
importance of this technique becomes clear as soon as we observe how it incorporates
the three main Bandhas of Hatha Yoga. There are indeed a thousand and one reasons to
practice Maha Mudra with firmness. There is a ratio between the number of its
repetitions and the number of the breaths: it is recommended that for each 12 Kriya
Pranayama, one should perform one Maha Mudra.

Mahasamadhi [see Second Kriya]

Mantra [See prayer]

Mental Pranayama In mental Pranayama a kriyaban controls the energy in his body
by forgetting the breathing process and focusing only upon Prana in the Chakras and in
the body. His awareness dwells on both the inner and the external component of each
Chakra until he feels a radiation of fresh energy vitalizing each part of the body and
sustaining it from inside. This action is marked by the end of all the physical
movements, by a perfect physical and mental stillness. At times, the breath becomes so
calm that the practitioner has the absolute perception they are not breathing at all.

Mula Bandha In Mula Bandha the perinea muscles - between the anus and the
genital organs - are slightly contracted while a mental pressure is exerted on the lower
part of the spine. (Differently from Aswini Mudra, one does not simply tighten the
sphincter muscles; in Mula Bandha the perineum seems to fold upward as the pelvic
diaphragm is drawn upward through the motion of the pubic bone.) By contracting this
muscle group, the current of Apana which normally gravitates downward is pulled
upwards, gradually uniting with Prana at the navel. Mula Bandha has thus the effect of
causing Prana to flow into Sushumna channel, rather than along Ida and Pingala.

Nada Yoga Nada Yoga is the path of union with the Divine through listening to inner
sounds. Surat-Shabda-Yoga is another name for Nada Yoga. Nada Yoga is an
experiential meditation. It has its basis in the fact that one who follows the mystical
path infallibly meets this manifestation of Spirit - whatever may be their preparation
and their convictions. It is a highly enjoyable form of meditation; anyone can be
involved in this even without having fully understood it.
You may use a particular position of the body— a squatting position with the elbows
resting on the knees, just to give an example—to plug both the ears. Remaining quietly
seated, you simply focus all your attention on subtle sounds that come from within,
rather than the audible sounds from outside. It is recommended to repeat mentally,
unremittingly, your favorite Mantra. Awareness of inner sound must happen, sooner or
later; your listening skills will improve and you will become more sensitive. There are
different levels of development in the experience of inner sounds: you will hear a
bumblebee, the drum, the lute, the flute, the harp, the clapping of thunder or a hum like
an electrical transformer. Some of these sounds are actually just the sounds of your
body, especially the blood pumping. Other sounds are actually the "sounds behind the
audible sound". It is into this deeper realm that, while over time gently easing the mind
into relaxed concentration, your awareness is drawn. After some weeks of dedicated
practice you will tune in with a sound deeper than all the above-quoted astral sounds.
This is the cosmic sound of Om. The sound is perceived in different variations; Lahiri
Mahasaya describes it as "produced by a lot of people who keep on striking the disk of

228
a bell". It is continuous "as the oil that flows out of a container".

Nadi Subtle channels through which life energy flows throughout the body. The most
important are Ida, which flows vertically along the left side of the spinal column (it is
said to be of female nature), and Pingala (of masculine nature) which flows parallel to
Ida on the right side; Sushumna flows in the middle and represents the experience that
is beyond duality.

Nadi Sodhana Alternate nostril breathing exercise, it is not a part of Kriya Yoga
proper. Yet, because its effects of appeasing and cheering up the mind (especially if it is
practiced in the morning) are unmatched, some kriyabans make it a regular part of their
routine.

Navi Kriya The essence of this technique is to dissolve inhalation and exhalation at
the state of equilibrium in the navel, the seat of the Samana current. It is coupled in
various ways with the practice of Kriya Pranayama. Some schools which do not
specifically teach it provide some substitutes for it.

New Age The New Age sensibility is marked by the perception of something
"planetary" at work. Since distinguished men of science have contributed to the New
Age sensibility, there is no need to dwell on the affirmation, irrelevant for our
understanding, according to which such a progress coincided with the entry of the solar
system in the sign of Aquarius - from this belief it derived the term "Age of Aquarius"
or "New Age". The essential thing is that people realized that the discoveries of
Physics, of Alternative Medicine, the developments of the Depth Psychology, all
converged toward one and the same understanding: the substantial interdependence
among the universe, body, psyche and spiritual dimension of human beings. The
esoteric-initiation societies, overcoming for a long time the differences of culture and
religious vision, had already recognized this truth, which now, has become common
heritage. During the twentieth century, human thought has made a strong step forward
in a healthy direction.
There are many grounds to believe that, in the future, such an epoch will be
studied with the same respect with which nowadays Humanism, Renaissance and
Enlightenment ages are studied. The New Age thought deserves a deep respect for
many reasons. If I hint at some "frenzies" I refer to the excessive use of alternative
remedies for any type of real or imaginary troubles and to even more dangerous theories
borrowed with a lot of superficiality from various esoteric currents, rather than to a
depth progress in the understanding, in the expansion of the awareness out of the
narrow fences of the small ego tied up obsessively to the maintenance of its petty
conveniences.

Nirbikalpa Samadhi [see Paravastha]

Omkar Omkar is Om, the Divine Reality sustaining the universe, whose nature is
vibration with specific aspects of sound, light and inner movement. The term "Omkar"
or "Omkar Kriya" is also utilized to indicate any procedure fostering the Omkar
experience -- it may be a variation of Kriya Pranayama utilizing the Mantra Om Na Mo
Bha..., it may include the practice of Thokar.

Padmasana In this asana the right foot is placed on the left thigh and the left foot on

229
the right thigh with the soles of the feet turned up. The name means the "posture in
which the lotuses (the Chakras) are seen." It is explained that, combined with Kechari
and Shambhavi Mudra, this Asana creates an energetic condition in the body, suitable to
producing the experience of the internal light coming from each Chakra.
Personally, I do not counsel anyone to perform this difficult posture. There are
yogis who had to have cartilage removed from their knees after years of forcing
themselves into Padmasana. In Kriya Yoga, at least for those living in the west and not
used to assuming it since infancy, it is much wiser, healthier and comfortable to practice
either the Half lotus or the Siddhasana posture.

Paravastha This concept is linked with that of "Sthir Tattwa (Tranquility)". Named
by Lahiri Mahasaya, Paravastha designates the state that comes by holding onto the
after-effect of Kriya. It is not just joy and peace but something deeper, vital for us as a
healing. From our initial efforts directed at mastering the techniques, we perceive
moments of deep peace and harmony with the rest of the world, which extend during
the day. Paravastha comes after years of discipline, when the breathless state is familiar:
the tranquility state lasts forever, it is no longer to be sought with care. Flashes of the
ending state of freedom comfort the mind while coping with life's battles.

Pingala [see Nadi]

Prana The energy inside our psychophysical system. Prana is divided into Prana,
Apana, Samana, Udana and Vijana, which have their location respectively in the chest,
in the low abdomen, in the region of the belt, in the head and in the remaining part of
the body - arms and legs. That the term Prana is interpreted in two ways should not
create confusion – provided that one considers the context in which the word is used. In
the initial phases of Kriya Pranayama we are mainly interested in Prana, Apana and
Samana. When we use Shambhavi Mudra and during mental Pranayama we contact
Udana. Through many techniques (like Maha Mudra) and by the experience of Kriya
Pranayama with Internal Breath we experience the fresh vitalizing nature of Vijana.

Pranayama The term Pranayama is comprised of two roots: Prana is the first; Ayama
(expansion) or Yama (control) is the second. Thus, the word Pranayama can be
understood either as the "Expansion of Prana" or as the "Control of Prana". I would
prefer the first but I think that the correct one is the second. In other words, Pranayama
is the control of the energy in the whole psychophysical system by using the breathing
process with the purpose to receive a beneficial effect or to prepare the experience of
meditation. The common Pranayama exercises - although they may not involve the
perception of any energetic current - can create a remarkable experience of energy
rising in the spine. This is not negligible since this experience causes the skeptical
practitioner the discovery of the spiritual dimension and pushes him or her to seek
something deeper.
In Kriya Pranayama the breathing process is coordinated with the attention of
the mind up and down along the spinal column. While the breathing is deep and slow,
with the tongue either flat or turned back, the awareness accompanies the movement of
the energy around the six Chakras. By deepening the process, the current flows in the
deepest channel in the spine: Sushumna. When by a long practice a subtle form of
energy circulates (in a clearly perceivable way) inside the body while the physical
breath is totally settled down, the kriyaban has an experience of unthinkable beauty.

230
Prayer [Japa, Mantra] Prayer is an act of communion with the Higher Reality that
allows a person to make a reverent plead, to seek guidance, to offer praise or simply to
express their thoughts and emotions. The sequence of words used in a prayer may either
be a set formula or a spontaneous expression in the praying person's own words.
Whatever be the appeal to God, this act presupposes a belief in the Divine Will to
interfere in our life. "Ask, and ye shall receive" (Matt. 7:7, 8; 21:22). Prayer is a
subject of wide range and scope; here I will restrict it to the repetitive prayer. In India,
the repetition of the Name of the Divine is known as Japa. This word Japa is derived
from the root Jap - meaning: "to utter in a low voice, repeat internally". Japa is also the
repetition of any Mantra, which is a broader term than prayer. Mantra can be a name of
the Divine but also a pure sound without a meaning. A certain number of sounds were
chosen by ancient yogis who sensed their power and used them extensively. (Some
believe that the repetition of a Mantra has the mysterious power of bringing about the
manifestation of the Divinity "just as the splitting of an atom manifests the tremendous
forces latent in it"). The term Mantra derives from the words "Manas" (mind) and "Tra"
(protection): we protect our mind by repeating unrelentingly the same healthy vibration.
Usually a Mantra is repeated verbally for some time, then in a whisper and then
mentally for some time. In most forms of Japa, the repetitions are counted using a string
of beads known as a (Japa) Mala. The number of beads is generally 108 or 100. The
Mala is used so that the devotee is free to enjoy the practice without being preoccupied
with counting the repetitions. It may be performed whilst sitting in a meditation posture
or while performing other activities, such as walking.

Sahasrara The seventh Chakra extends from the crown of the head up to the
Fontanelle and over it. It cannot be considered of the same nature as the other Chakras,
but a superior reality, which can be experienced only in the breathless state. It is not
easy therefore to concentrate upon it as we do with the other Chakras. Only after a deep
practice of Kriya Pranayama, when the breath is very calm, is the attunement with it
possible; a particular pressure over the head may be felt.

Samadhi According to Patanjali's Ashtanga (eight steps) Yoga, Samadhi is the state of
deep contemplation in which the object of meditation becomes inseparable from the
meditator himself: it results naturally from Dharana and Dhyana. In my opinion,
Samadhi does not mean "union with God." We take so many things for granted. Our
language is strongly hampered: magniloquent words risk meaning nothing. To become
one and the same thing with God is different from to awaken to the realization that we
are a part of That One? Words deceive our comprehension and kindle egoist
expectations. One is thrilled by words such as: absolute, eternal, infinite, supreme,
everlasting, celestial, divine….
I have half a mind to suggest a sober definition of Samadhi, which may
stimulate a reflection upon the meaning of the spiritual path. Let me therefore define
Samadhi as independent from any accident, beatific, near death experience (NDE). The
descriptions of Samadhi and of NDE follow the same pattern: actually the nature of the
phenomenon which takes place in the body is almost the same. This opinion may
disappoint those who smell a restrictive and limiting shade of meaning in it; however I
prefer to think in this way and …. discover much more during the actual Samadhi
experience than to thrive in rhetoric. Even if Samadhi were no more than a NDE
experience, however it would have a superlative value. In both the experiences, the
awareness can provide a glimpse of the Eternity beyond mind; then (this happens to the
trained yogi) that lofty awareness blends, integrates with the customary life, which is

231
totally transformed for the better. To those who wonder if it is fair to diminish the worth
of the Kriya ecstatic state by reducing it to a process of contacting for some time the
after life dimension, we could reply that this genuine experience is unmatched in
fostering in a clean way the Kriya Yoga ideals of a balanced spiritual life.

Shambhavi Mudra A Mudra in which the ocular bulbs and the eyebrows are
upturned as much as possible; often the inferior eyelids relax and a bystander can
observe the white of the cornea under the iris. All the visual force of the ocular nerves is
gathered on the top of the head. Lahiri Mahasaya in his well known portrait is showing
this Mudra.

Second Kriya It has been reported that by using the Second Kriya technique, Swami
Pranabananda, an eminent disciple of Lahiri Mahasaya, left his body consciously (this
feat is called Mahasamadhi - the conscious exit out of the body, at death). There was no
violence to the body; the feat happened only at the most proper moment - according to a
Karmic point of view when the moment was right. Now the debate is: what procedure
did he make use of?
a… Many claim it was the technique of Thokar. It is possible that he arrested the
movement of the heart and therefore left his body. He might have done one single
Thokar and stopped his heart; this means he put so much mental strength in this act as
to block the energy which kept his heart throbbing.
b… Some believe that this supreme calming of the heart was achieved only by a
mental action of immersion in the point between the eyebrows, entering the light of
Kutastha. The reports say that those who were around him did not notice any head
movement. Similarly when other great ones left their body there was no movement.
c… In my opinion, Mahasamadhi is not a "shrewd esoteric trick" to master the
mechanics of a painless suicide. Surely each great master relies upon his already built
ability to enter Samadhi. By creating a total peace in his being, the soul's natural desire
to regain union with the Infinite Source puts in action a natural mechanism of appeasing
the cardiac plexus.

Siddhasana The Sanskrit name means "Perfect Pose". In this Asana, the sole of the
left foot is placed against the right thigh so that the heel presses on the perineum. The
right heel is placed against the pubic bone. This position of the legs, combined with
Kechari Mudra, closes the pranic circuit and makes Kriya Pranayama easy and
profitable.

Sushumna [see Nadi]

Talabya Kriya It is a stretching exercise of the muscles of the tongue, and


particularly of the Fraenulum. The purpose is to attain Kechari Mudra [see]. This
practice creates a distinct calming effect on the thoughts and, for this reason, it is never
put aside, even after Kechari Mudra is achieved.

Thokar A Kriya technique based on directing the calm Prana - collected in the head
through Kriya Pranayama - toward the location of one (usually the 4th) or more
Chakras, by a particular (jerking) movement of the head. Guiding Prana into the
Anahata Chakra, a light grows in the region between the eyebrows. This fosters the
breathless state. By increasing the concentration on the spiritual light, the lights of all
the other Chakras are revealed. The practice of Thokar is to be deepened throughout the

232
years in order to get the ability to enter the state of Samadhi with just one stroke.
Studying the practices of the Sufis, (see the studies conducted by Gardet and M. M.
Anawati, esp. Gardet in Revue Thomiste (1952-3)), we discover that Thokar is a variant
of the Sufi's Dhikr. Dhikr is the practice of the "memory" of the Divine, which is
brought about by repeating a particular short prayer during the day and by guiding it,
during moments of seclusion or group devotional practice, into particular centers of the
body through specific head movements. It might have happened that Lahiri knew this
technique since youth. Some forms of prayer he saw were mild forms of Thokar. It was
His genius to develop it to the utmost perfection.

Tribhangamurari Some Kriya Acharya teaches the practice of Thokar in a very


particular way. The central teaching is guiding your awareness along a three-curved
path called Tribhangamurari (Tri-bhanga-murari = three-bend-form). This path begins
in Bindu, bending to the left, it descends into the seat of the Rudra knot (the region
from medulla oblongata to Bhrumadhya between the eyebrows), goes across it and
continues toward the right side of the body. Then it reverses direction cutting the Vishnu
knot whose seat is in the heart Chakra. Then it reverses again its direction pointing
toward the seat of the Brahma knot in the coccyx region, which is also crossed by
entering the spine and coming up toward Bindu.
These teachers explain that in the last part of His life, Lahiri Mahasaya drew
with extreme precision the three-bends form which is perceived by deepening the after-
Kriya-Pranayama meditation.

Uddiyana Bandha Abdominal lock: it is usually practiced with breath out but in
Kriya it is also utilized with breath in especially during the practice of the main Kriya
Mudras: Maha Mudra, Navi Kriya and Yoni Mudra.
To practice it with breath out, utilize, at least partly, Jalandhara Bandha. Take a
false inhale (perform the same action of an inhale without actually pulling any air into
the body.) Draw the belly up as much as possible. Hold your the breath out. To practice
it with breath in, contract slightly the abdominal muscles until you intensify the
perception of the energy in the spinal column in the region of Manipura Chakra.

Yama – Niyama Yama is Self-control: non-violence, avoiding lies, avoiding stealing,


avoiding being lustful, and non-attachment. Niyama is religious observances:
cleanliness, contentment, discipline, study of the Self and surrender to the Supreme God
(Brahman). While in most Kriya schools these rules are put as premises to be respected
in order to receive initiation, a discriminating researcher understands that they are to be
considered really as the consequences of a correct Yoga practice. A beginner cannot to
much depth understand what "Study of the Self" means. Some teacher repeats, parrot
fashion, the necessity of observing those rules and, after having given absurd
clarifications of some of the above points (in particular which mental trick to utilize in
order to … avoid being lustful), passes on to explain the techniques. Why utter empty
words? Whom is he trying to fool? The mystic path, when followed honestly, cannot
compromise itself with any rhetoric. When an affirmation is made, it is that. Yama and
Niyama are a good topic to study, an ideal to bear in mind, but not a vow. Only through
practice is it possible to understand their real meaning and, consequently, see them
flourish in one's life.

Yoga Sutra (by Patanjali) The Yoga Sutras are an extremely influential text on Yoga
philosophy and practice: over fifty different English translations are the testimony of its

233
importance. Although we are not sure of the exact time when their author Patanjali
lived, we can set it between 200 B.C. and 200 A.D. The Yoga Sutras are made up by a
collection of 195 aphorisms dealing with the philosophical aspects of mind and
awareness, thus establishing a sound theoretical basis of Raja Yoga - the Yoga of self
discipline and meditation. Yoga is described as an eight stage (Ashtanga) path which are
Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. The
first five steps build the psycho-physical foundation for having a true spiritual
experience; the last three are concerned with disciplining the mind up to its dissolution
in the ecstatic experience. The Sutras define also some esoteric concepts, common to all
the traditions of the Indian thought, such as Karma. Although, at times, Patanjali is
called "the father of Yoga", his work is actually a compendium of pre-existing oral Yoga
traditions, an inhomogeneous whole of practices betraying an indistinct and
contradictory theoretical background. However, the importance of Patanjali's work is
beyond discussion: he clarified what others had taught; what was abstract he made
practical! He was a genial thinker, not just a compiler of rules. His equilibrium between
theism and atheism is very appreciable. We do not find the least suggestion of
worshiping idols, deities, gurus, or sacred books - at the same time we do not find any
atheistic doctrine either. We know that "Yoga," besides being a rigorous system of
meditation practice, implies devotion to the Eternal Intelligence or Self. Patanjali
affirms the importance of directing our heart's aspiration toward Om.

Yoni Mudra The potential of this technique includes, in all effects, the final
realization of the Kriya path. Kutastha - between the eyebrows - is the place where the
individual soul had its origin: the delusive Ego needs to be dissolved there. The core
component of this Mudra is to bring all the energy into the point between the eyebrows
and hinder its scattering by closing the head openings – the breath is quieted in the
region from throat to the point between the eyebrows. If a deep relaxation state is
established in the body, this practice succeeds in generating a very intense ecstatic state,
which spreads throughout one's being. About its practical implementation, there are
minor differences among the schools: some give a greater importance to the vision of
the Light and less to the dissolution of breath and mind. Among the first, there are those
who teach, while keeping more or less the same position of the fingers, to focus upon
each Chakra and to perceive their different colors. One satisfactory remark, found in the
traditional Yoga literature, is that this technique gets its name "Yoni", meaning "uterus",
because like the baby in the uterus, the practitioner has no contact with the external
world, and therefore, no externalization of consciousness.

234
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anonymous, R.M. French, trs. The Way of a Pilgrim and the Pilgrim Continues His
Way. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.

Arnold, Sir Edwin. The Song Celestial or Bhagavad-Gita (From the Mahabharata).
Middlesex: Echo Library, 2008.

_______________. The Light of Asia or the Great Renunciation. Dearborn, MI:


University of Michigan Library, 2009.

Aurobindo, Sri. Collected Poems. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Ashram, 1972.

____________. Thoughts and Aphorisms. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 1982.

____________. Savitri: A Legend and a Symbol. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press, 1995.

Bernard, Theos. Hatha Yoga: The Report of a Personal Experience. Edinburgh:


Harmony Publishing, 2007.

Dhillon, Harish. The First Sikh Spiritual Master: Timeless Wisdom from the Life and
Techniques of Guru Nanak. Woodstock, VT: Skylight Paths Publishing, 2006.

Dostoyevsky, Fyodor. The Brothers Karamazov. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications,


2009.

Chatterjee, Ashoke Kumar. Purana Purusha Yogiraj Sri Shama Churn Lahiree.
Vedicbooks.net, 2000.

Easwaran, Eknath. The Upanishads. Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press, 2007.

Eckhart, Meister. The Essential Sermons, Commentaries, Treatises and Defense


(Classics of Western Spirituality). Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 1981.

Feild, Reshad. The Invisible Way: A Time to Love, A Time to Die. Boston: Element
Books, 1994.

___________. Steps to Freedom: Discourses on the Essential Knowledge of the Heart.


Decatur, GA: Chalice Guild, 1998.

___________. The Last Barrier: A Journey into the Essence of Sufi Teachings.
Lindisfarne Books, 2002.

Feuerstein, Georg. Encyclopedic Dictionary of Yoga. New York: Paragon House, 1990.

Frossard, André. God Exists: I Have Met Him. London: Collins, 1970.

Goel B. S. Psycho-Analysis and Meditation, Vol.II. Haryana, India : Third Eye


Foundation of India, 1989

235
Goleman, Daniel and Richard J. Davidson. Consciousness: Brain, States of Awareness
and Mysticism. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1979.

Iyengar, B.K.S. Light on Yoga. New York: Schocken Books, 1995.

____________. Light on Pranayama: The Yogic Art of Breathing. New York: Crossroad
Publishing Co., 1998.

Jacobi, Jolande. The Psychology of C. G. Jung. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press,
1973.

Johari, Harish. Chakras: Energy Centers of Transformation. Rochester: Destiny Books,


1987.

John of the Cross, St. Dark Night of the Soul. New York: Image Books, Doubleday and
Company, Inc., 1990.

Johnson, Julian. The Path of the Masters: The Science of Surat Shabda Yoga. Punjab:
Radha Soami Satsang Beas, 1972.

Jung, Carl Gustav. Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle. R.F.C. Hull, trs.
Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1973.

_______________. Memories, Dreams, Reflections. (rev. ed.). Aniela Jaffé, ed.; R.


Winston and C. Winston, trs. New York: Vintage Books, 1989.

K'uan Yü, Lu (Charles Luk). Taoist Yoga: Alchemy and Immortality. New York: Samuel
Weiser Inc., 1999.

Kabir, Songs of Kabîr: A 15th Century Sufi Literary Classic. Rabindranath Tagore, trs.
Boston: Wiser Books, 2002.

Krishna, Gopi. Kundalini: The Evolutionary Energy in Man. Boston: Shambhala


Publications, 1997.

Leser-Lasario, Benno Max. Lehrbuch der Original-Gebärden-Atmung. Geinhausen:


Lebens-weiser-Verlag, 1931.

Mallinson, James. The Gheranda Samhita. Woodstock, NY: Yoga Vidya, 2004.

______________. The Shiva Samhita. Woodstock, NY: Yoga Vidya, 2007.

Mann, Gurinder Singh. Sikhism. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2004.

Moody Raymond. Life beyond Life. London: HarperOne (2001)

Motoyama, Hiroshi. Theories of the Chakras: Bridge to Higher Consciousness.


Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1982.

Muktananda, Swami. Play of Consciousness: A Spiritual Autobiography. Siddha Yoga

236
Publications, 2000.

Osborne, Arthur. Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge. Hillsdale, NY:
Sophia Perennis Books, 2006.

Rama, Swami. Path of Fire and Light Vol. I and II. Honesdale, Pennsylvania:
Himalayan Institute Press, 2004.

Ramdas, Swami. In the Vision of God. San Diego, CA: Blue Dove Press, 1995.

____________. In Quest of God. San Diego, CA: Blue Dove Press, 2002.

Rumi, Maulana Jalal'al-din, Coleman Barks, trs. The Soul of Rumi: A New Collection of
Ecstatic Poems. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2002.

_____________________, Coleman Barks, trs. The Book of Love: Poems of Ecstasy


and Longing. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2005.

Sadhananda Giri, Swami. Kriya Yoga: Its Mystery and Performing Art. Howrah, West
Bengal: Jujersa Yogashram, 1998.

Satprem. Mother's Agenda. New York: Institute for Evolutionary Research, 1979.

_______. Sri Aurobindo, or the Adventure of Consciousness. Mysore: Mira Aditi


Centre, 2000.

_______. Mother, or the Divine Materialism. Mysore: Mira Aditi Centre, 2003.

Sailendra Bejoy Dasgupta, Sri. Light of Kriya Yoga. London: Yoga Niketan, 2008.

Satyananda Giri, Swami. Kriya Quotes from Swami Satyananda. London: Yoga
Niketan, 2004.

Satyananda Saraswati, Swami. A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques


of Yoga and Kriya. Munger: Bihar School of Yoga, 2004.

________________________. Asana, Pranayama, Mudra and Bandha. Munger: Bihar


School of Yoga, 2003.

________________________. Kundalini Tantra. Munger: Bihar School of Yoga, 2008.

Sharma, Ishwar C. (H.H. Manav Dayal). Surat-Shabda Yoga (The Yoga of Light and
Sound "Instructions for Seekers"). New Delhi: Diamond Pocket Books, 1991.

Sivananda Radha, Swami. Kundalini: Yoga for the West. Spokane, WA: Timeless
Books, 2004.

____________________. Hatha Yoga: The Hidden Language, Symbols, Secrets and


Metaphors. Spokane, WA: Timeless Books, 2006.

237
Spiesberger, Karl. Das Mantra-Buch. Berlin: Verlag Richard Schikowski, 1977.

Svatmarama. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Woodstock, NY: Yoga Vidya, 2002.

Taimni, I.K. The Science of Yoga. Chennai: Nesma Books, 1994.

Teresa of Avila, St. Interior Castle. Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal
Library, 2007.

Van Lysebeth, André. Tantra: The Cult of the Feminine. New York: Samuel Weiser Inc.,
2002.

_________________. Pranayama: The Yoga of Breathing. Edinburgh: Harmony


Publishing, 2007.

Vivekananda, Swami. Raja-Yoga. New York: Ramakrishna-Vivekananda Center, 1980.

Weinfurter, Karl. Der brennende Busch: Der entschleierte Weg der Mystik. Bopfingen:
Karl Rohm Verlag, 1994.

Yogananda, Paramhansa. Autobiography of a Yogi (reprint of original 1946 edition).


Nevada City, CA: Crystal Clarity Publishers, 2003.

Please visit at least once in a year the following Web site to download the latest edition
of the book

http://www.kriyayogainfo.net

238

You might also like