The sentient science of yog has dig deep enough in the inner layers of human consciousness with the ability to clear the ailments of it from all levels.
Among Many of it’s techniques one simple & effective has been mentioned in Patanjali Yog Sutras which are over 2,000 years old define Kriya Yoga as following: tapaḥsvādhyāyeśvarapraṇidhānāni kriyāyogaḥ (Patanjali Yoga Sutra verse 2:1). Three practices are mentioned in this verse:
- Tapa
- Swadhyaya
- Iswarpranidhana
1. TAPA – Balance in all opposites. Staying equanamous in all ups and downs , success and failure , heat & cold etc. Being non reactive , Just the witness is called TAPA. As per vyasa commentary:
A person without self discipline can not attain perfection in yoga . Our collection of karma of endless life’s residing in subconscious , won’t let us feel the Balanced State of Yoga, they can not be got rid of or dissipated without the practice of austerities . That’s why austerities have to be practiced . It has been recommended that an undisturbed course of self purificatory conduct should be practiced by Yogis since this leads to the cleanliness and purity of the mind along with it’s equanimous State.
Practice of austerities only for getting a desired worldly object is not yogic austerity . Those who get upset by small sufferings can not aspire to practice yoga . that’s why endurance has to be practiced through the observance of austerities. When the body develop the power to endure hardship and when the mind does not get easily upset by lack of physical comfort one become qualified for practicing yoga . If one is able to endure hunger and thrust , one is not easily disturbed there by during mediation.
Through Asana i.e. yogic posture , steadiness of body is required. Only as much tapas should be practiced which doesn’t obstruct the further flow of our practice . Intensity and regularity need to be balanced.
2. Swadhyaya – Self Study or Introspection
Learning to reflect & look back on our self , developing it via teaching’s of wise one’s & Reading of authentic literatures relating to Moksha , also through focused State of mind came by chanting of authentic mantras , Like sacred syllable OM.
3. Ishwarpranidhana – Attitude of Gratitude toward source of Life
We could live with out eating but without breathing it’s not possible for normal humans . We can check by closing our nose and mouth for some time. In the same way our life is depending on some external support every moment , digging all of them slowly and fill our heart with attitude of gratitude towards them is the practice of Iswarapranidhana. One can give up all desires for fruits of actions and thus be able to surrender all actions to the source of Life (God). Such a devotee considered himself as established in God in all his actions and thus is perfectly at peace and continued his physical existence in a detached manner until his senses stop there functions . By meditating on God as consciousness with in self helps one to realize individual self ! When a person does anything being forgetful of God , he does so in a egoistic manner , but when he does not consider himself the agent , but keeps God in mind as the Lord , and wishes that all his actions may lead to yoga i.e. cessation of activities , then and then only he can be said to have surrendered himself to God.
KRIYA literally means work , YOGA is the clearity of all mental layers , so we can say that working towards the ultimate clear state of a being or a process which can take us to give a complete command on our self is KRIYA YOGA.
In other words we can relate this state with an example come in few literature , at different places, that is;
The sence & work organs are the horses , the mind is the rein , the intellect is the cherioteer , the soul is the Rider and the body is the cheriot . The master of the house hold , the king , the self of man , is sitting in this cheriot . If the horses are very strong and do not obey the rein , if the cherioteer, the intellect , does not know how to control the horses .then it will ruin the journey of life . And better control will take All the way to it’s best ! The practice of KRIYA YOGA can help us to make the horse’s trained enough to take us smoothly towards the best of our life’s.
The word KRIYA as well taken in some traditions, as there key practices for upliftment of pranic energy, they have different levels of these traditional practices , to which they call them kriya’s.
As an essence we can say the KRIYA YOGA guide us to reach the ultimate goal of a human life , if we honestly practice it.
About The Author:
Charat Singh has been teaching Yoga for about 30 years. He has been involved in the active teaching of Yoga in India since 1995 and has since travelled beyond India to share and teach Yoga in other parts of Asia , Europe & many parts of the world including Canada. Through various retreats and workshops in multiple countries, he has imparted his extensive knowledge in Yoga Philosophy (such as Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads, etc.), Asana , Pranayama , bandhas, mudras , Kriya and Meditation to numerous students and has inspired many onto a deeper path of Yoga practice.
