Introduction

Yoga is the Science of Truth and God Union.

The 18 Kriya Yoga postures of Babaji Nagaraj ideally should be practised with a proper breathing technique, followed by a period of meditation as follows:

Postures (Asanam)

The practice of Yogasanam (postures) is frequently referred to as The Scientific Art of Mastering Body Flexation. The purpose of Yoga postures is to create physical awareness and control, training the body to sit still for prolonged periods of time in preparation for meditation. Avoid eating for at least an hour before your yoga session, and after, as the digestive process will render the movement of energy throughout the body less effective. Practice each posture slowly and in stages, as indicated, making your best attempt at difficult postures which, with continued practice, will be perfected.

It is important to understand that Yoga is not a competitive activity and during a class, students should never try to ‘outdo’ each other in their attempts. This defeats the purpose of the discipline. Each student should work at their own pace and abilities, supported by fellow aspirants.

Should you decide to practise only a few of the poses each day, remember to practice them in consecutive pairs as each pose has a balanced counter-pose. During each posture, maintain awareness of the natural breath and any areas of the body which are under stress, slowly easing any tension by directing the breath to those areas. Never hold the breath during a pose but breathe naturally, keeping each breath slow and steady, and your focus on the pose at hand, not allowing the mind to wander aimlessly. After each pose, rest for as long as the pose was held.

The period of time to remain in each yoga posture depends on the individual. Generally, this ranges from 10 seconds for beginners, to a few minutes for advanced students.

Breathing Exercises (Pranayama)

Pranayama can be described as The Scientific Art of Mastering the Breath. Prana is the Universal Life Force which maintains the consciousness of every living being. Conscious and focussed absorption of Prana increases the intake of Universal Energy, promoting tremendous vitality, health and longevity.

In the same way that the yoga postures prepare the body for meditation, conscious breathing of prana stills and prepares the mind for meditation. One of the following techniques should be practiced after completing the yoga postures. Only one technique should be practiced per day.

Basic Breathing Exercise

Sit cross-legged (men with the right foot closest to the groin and women with the left foot closest to the groin). Inhale slowly through the nose to fill the lungs comfortably (let the stomach expand), then slowly exhale through the mouth for the same length of time as the inhalation. Repeat in multiples of four, up to a maximum of sixteen.

Anuloma Viloma

The pranayam technique taught by Yogiar Ramaiah is only practiced by initiates into Kriya Yoga so is not included here, but another simple breathing exercise can be practised by beginners instead.

One Round (one kriya)

(i) Place the middle 3 fingers (index, middle and ring fingers) of the left hand on the area
between the eyebrows.

(ii) With the left thumb, block the left nostril and inhale slowly through the right nostril..

(iii) Close the right nostril with the little finger and remove the thumb from the left nostril.
Exhale.

(iv) Inhale through the left nostril.

(v) Block the left nostril with the thumb, remove the little finger from the right nostril and Exhale.

Begin with four rounds only, slowly progressing to eight, twelve and sixteen rounds daily.

Meditation (Dhyanam)

The Scientific Art of Mastering the Mind

(i) Sit cross legged in a comfortable position. Spine straight for the best flow of energy, hands in your lap or in a mudra (hand gesture) of your choice. Sit on a cushion if necessary, so that the knees are close to the floor in line with the hips.

(ii) Close the eyes and focus the concentration on the point between the eyebrows. This is the area where consciousness enters and leaves the physical body. You may find it effective to visualise a small flame in this area, like the flame of a candle.

(iii) Be aware of any thoughts that enter the mind-space but do not dwell on them. Simply allow them to pass through, like water under a bridge. At the same time, maintain awareness of the natural movement of the breath into and out of the nostrils. Initially every small sound will create a distraction but, slowly, as your focus is drawn within, your senses will also be withdrawn and outside noises will no longer be heard.

(iv) Remain in this state for as long as is comfortable (at least 15 to 20 minutes, or for one minute of each year of your age, e.g. if you’re 35, then meditate for 35 minutes).

(v) Alternatively, if you find it difficult to focus at this stage, listen to a calming piece of music or a guided meditation recording instead.

Closing Prayer

Once you have completed your meditation, sit quietly for a few moments before mentally or verbally repeating the following universal prayer of thanks.

Holy Father, Mother, beloved friend Lord, Jesus Christ,

Beloved Masters, Sages and Saints of all the religions of the world,

We, the divine children of the universe, the divine children of Kriya,

Thank God for this time and this togetherness.

Om Shanti, Shalom, Amen.

Additional Notes

(i) There are other stages in the entire Yoga process but these are taught in advanced stages
of instruction; i.e. Dharana (contemplation), Pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses) and Samadhi (state of super-consciousness).

It is important to bear in mind that regular practice of this Kriya technique stimulates the movement of energy through the chakra centres, clearing blockages in the process. This has been known to accelerate the karmic process and sometimes brings forward negative or positive experiences which may otherwise have happened at a later stage of ones journey. If you find negative situations becoming predominant once you begin practicing Kriya Yoga regularly, the solution is to persevere with understanding, or seek advice from a qualified spiritual teacher.

Although not an essential to the practice of Yoga, a vegetarian diet will definitely render the discipline more effective. The digestion of meat is taxing on the body and utilises large resources of energy, slowing down other physical and mental processes. A vegetarian diet is not easy for everyone to follow and should be adopted slowly, giving the body time to adjust. If you decide to follow a vegetarian diet, ensure that you eat plenty of fresh fruit, fresh and steamed vegetables, suitable nuts, legumes and yoghurt; and drink at least eight glasses of fresh water daily. The benefits of vegetarianism are many and include: increased physical vitality, heightened mental awareness, emotional stability and calm, improved general health.