What is Kriya Yoga?

Kriya yoga is all about spiritual growth. It helps to create awareness and self-consciousness through meditation. Continuous practice of Kriya yoga can accelerate a person’s pace to meet his/her higher self. The phrase Kriya yoga means ‘yoga of action’. Discipline comes first and foremost in this practice.

Kriya yoga can only assist you in finding the true connection with your divine self; discipline will help you attain it. Munis and Yogis have been suggesting kriya yoga techniques to clean out the toxins that have accumulated internally. Read further to know what is Kriya yoga and its six processes of cleansing your system from within.

Kriya is an ancient yoga technique which remained a secret for a long time, but was revived in the year 1861. The revival took place when Lahiri Mahasaya met the eminent yogi Mahavatar Babaji in the Himalayas. Mahavatar Babaji taught Kriya yoga to Lahiri Mahasaya, who went on to become his disciple.

There are a total of six Kriyas known as Shat Kriyas. These six types of Kriya yoga extensively clean out the internal organs, allowing a smoother flow of life force energy (pranic flow) among the two major energy centres, Ida and Pingala. This purification process will help you attain mental and physical balance with regular practice of Kriya yoga.

The following is a detailed description of the types of Kriya yoga:

1. Kapalabhati

The name Kapalabhati is derived from Sanskrit. “Kapala” means “skull”, and “bhati” means “shine“. This process helps to cleanse your lungs and energise the frontal lobe of your brain.

Steps to Do: 

Step 1: Inhale deeply upto your navel.

Step 2: Exhale 3-4 times.

Step 3: The inhalation process will be natural, but while exhaling, you have to forcefully breathe out through your nose.

Effects on the Body:

• Performing this daily will sharpen your thinking ability, enhance your self-confidence and improve your ability to remember and recollect.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing It:

• One needs to have an ample amount of training before performing the practice.
• One should not have a full stomach while doing Kapalabhati.
• It is not recommended for people with artificial pacemakers.
• Pregnant or menstruating women must avoid practising Kapalabhati.

2. Neti

Neti in Sanskrit refers to the process of nasal cleansing. This process helps to clear out the nostrils. There are multiple mediums incorporated in this process, like water, ghee, milk or the help of a wax thread. The origins of this cleansing practice can be traced back to 5000 years ago when other processes like shatkarma (body cleansing) and soucha (personal hygiene) came into practice.

Steps to Do: 

Step 1: Fill the Neti pot with warm water.

Step 2: Pour salt (1 teaspoon in 1 litre of water).

Step 3: Tilt over a wash basin and insert the tip of the pot in your right nostril.

Step 4: Slightly tilt your head to the left side to allow the water to flow out of your left nostril.

Repeat the above steps for the other nostril.

Effects on the Body:

• Cleaning out the nostril and removing any blockage, preventing any nasal ailments. It also purges toxins out of the lymph system.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing it:

• Refrain from going through the process in case you have a severe cold or are suffering from earache. Also, make sure that you are using a clean neti pot.

3. Dhouti

The word Dhouti in Sanskrit refers to the act of washing. The origin of this practice comes from the ancient practice of Hatha Yoga. Dhouti is a process that leads to gaining some relief from gastric issues, acidity and asthma by flushing out impurities from the food pipe.

Steps to Do:

Step 1: Pour one teaspoon of salt into two litres of warm water.

Step 2: Stand up straight and gulp down the water glass by glass.

Step 3: Bend over slightly and partially insert your index and middle finger down your throat.

Step 4: To induce nausea, press the tongue with gentle pressure.

The whole amount of water will be out within half a minute. You can perform this once or twice weekly on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning.

Effects on the Body:

• It eliminates bad breath (halitosis) and provides a solution to people suffering from high acidity, asthma and allergies.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing it:

• People suffering from glaucoma or high blood pressure must avoid this.

4. Trataka

The word Trataka means "to look" or "to gaze" in Sanskrit. This meditation technique is practised to significantly enhance one's concentration power. The first mention of this practice was discovered in a text written by Svatmarama around the 15th century.

Steps to Do: 

Step 1: Light a candle and place it at the same height as your chest.

Step 2: Sit in a meditation pose and look at the candle's flame without blinking.

Step 3: Focus on the topmost part of the flame, which is the brightest.

Step 4: After a while, close your eyes gently and concentrate on the image of the flame that the mind draws out.

Repeat this 3 times.

Effects on the Body: 

• This practice helps to purify one’s vision and strengthen eye muscles. People, who have regularly practised Trataka, have shown significant improvement in their vision and ability to remember. It is also known to improve sleep quality and increase willpower.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing it: 

• People who are prone to hallucinations or are a patient of schizophrenia should avoid practising Trataka.

5. Nauli

This form of Kriya yoga can be found mentioned in the Sanskrit scriptures as "Lauliki Karma", meaning to move hither and thither. This process involves moving the abdominal muscles horizontally and vertically. Nauli is derived from the Sanskrit word "Nau", meaning boat, referring to the movement of muscles in waves.

Steps to Do:

Step 1: While standing straight, take a deep breath through your nose.

Step 2: Bend forward as you exhale, keeping your back straight.

Step 3: Slightly bend your knees and place your palms on your knees.

Step 4: Pull in your stomach muscles, contracting them and creating a movement that runs parallel-wise in the centre of the abdomen. This creates an effect of suction in the abdominal area.

Step 5: When you feel a need to inhale, stand up straight.

As long as you have the strength to do it, you can opt to repeat the process.

Effects on the Body:

• This form of Kriya yoga helps to make your abdominal muscles strong and also massages the intestines and organs present in the lower abdomen. It helps to reduce blood pressure and acts as a measure to prevent diabetes.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing it: 

• It is advisable to practice this Kriya yoga on an empty stomach. Pregnant women and people suffering from gallstones must not perform it.

6. Vasti

The practice of Vasti yoga cleanses the cologne or large intestine. In Sanskrit, Vasti refers to the 'lower abdomen' or the pelvis region, and Kriya refers to the process.

Steps to Do: 

There are two kinds of Vasti procedures, Pavana Vasti and Jala Vasti.

The procedure of Jala Vasti is as follows-

Step 1: In navel-deep water, slightly lean forward, placing your palms on your knees.

Step 2: Expand your anal sphincter muscles while performing two kriya yoga poses, Uddiyana Bandha and Nauli.

Step 3: Draw in water, hold it for some time, and then expel it.

Effects on the Body:

• It increases oxygen supply, speeds up the process of digestion and helps in calming down the mind.

Preventive Measures to Take While Doing it: 

• People suffering from Hernia or facing any digestive issues should not perform this form of Kriya.

There are numerous medically proven health benefits of Kriya yoga. Here are a few of them-

• Research has shown how Kriya yoga has worked wonders for people suffering from hypertension. It has successfully brought down the levels of diastolic blood pressure, serum urea, and plasma MDA, which is known for oxidative stress in people who have regularly practised Kriya yoga.
• Kriya yoga techniques have been proven to greatly help patients with anxiety and depression issues. The breathing practise grounds their mind and slows them down from spiralling. Regular practice has significantly shaped people’s lives for good by providing them with a calming effect.
• It has a positive impact on the mood of patients with a mental illness. Practising Kriya yoga is beneficial for one’s overall health as well.
• For people suffering from stress, Kriya yoga has helped them gain a higher stress threshold than those who took medicines. Hence, people having to tackle stressful situations daily can practice Kriya yoga to cope better with any kind of pressure.

Kriya yoga is undoubtedly the best practice that one can take up to help themselves feel better and do better in their lives. However, the only thing that must be kept in mind is choosing the right Guru. They must be qualified and have a great amount of experience in this field to help others. Anyone can practise Kriya yoga techniques to lead a healthier lifestyle.