Transcription
Paramhansa Yoganandaon Kriya YogaInspirations from theAutobiography of a Yogi, 1946Published byyoganandaharmony.com
1 The Kriya Yogi mentally directshis life energy to revolve,upward and downward,around the six spinal centers(medullary, cervical, dorsal,lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses)which correspond to thetwelve astral signs of the zodiac,the symbolic Cosmic Man.One-half minute of revolution of energyaround the sensitive spinal cord of maneffects subtle progress in his evolution;that half-minute of Kriyaequals one yearof natural spiritual unfoldment.
2 By Kriya,the outgoing life forceis not wasted and abusedin the senses,but constrained to reunitewith subtler spinal energies.By such reinforcement of life,the yogi's body and brain cellsare electrifiedwith the spiritual elixir.
3 The advanced yogi, withholdingall his mind, will, and feelingfrom false identificationwith bodily desires,uniting his mind withsuperconscious forcesin the spinal shrines,thus lives in this worldas God hath planned,not impelled by impulses from the pastnor by new witlessnessesof fresh human motivations.Such a yogi receives fulfillmentof his Supreme Desire,safe in the final havenof inexhaustibly blissful Spirit.
4 Kriya, controlling the minddirectly through the life force,is the easiest, most effective,and most scientific avenueof approach to the Infinite.
5 Kriya may justly be calledthe airplane route.
6 Kriya Yoga is an instrumentthrough which human evolutioncan be quickened,Sri Yukteswar explained to his students."The ancient yogis discoveredthat the secret of cosmic consciousnessis intimately linkedwith breath mastery."
7 The Kriya Yogi uses his techniqueto saturate and feed all his physical cellswith undecaying lightand keep them in a magnetized state.He scientifically makesbreath unnecessary,without producing the statesof subconscious sleepor unconsciousness.
8 Kriya Yoga is a simple,psychophysiological methodby which the human bloodis decarbonizedand recharged with oxygen.The atoms of this extra oxygenare transmuted into life currentto rejuvenate the brainand spinal centers.
9 Untying the cord of breathwhich binds the soul to the body,Kriya serves to prolong lifeand enlarge the consciousnessto infinity.
10 All scriptures declare manto be not a corruptible body,but a living soul;by Kriya he is given a methodto prove the scriptural truth.
11 Kriya Yoga is the real fire riteoften extolled in the Bhagavad Gita.The purifying fires of yogabring eternal illumination,and thus differ muchfrom outward and little-effectivereligious fire ceremonies,where perception of truth is oft burnt,to solemn chanted accompaniment,along with the incense!
12 A yogi who diesbefore achieving full realizationcarries with him the good karmaof his past Kriya effort;in his new lifehe is harmoniously propelledtoward his Infinite Goal.
13 "The Kriya Yogawhich I am giving to the worldthrough youin this nineteenth century,Babaji told Lahiri Mahasaya,"is a revival of the same sciencewhich Krishna gave,millenniums ago,to Arjuna,and which was later knownto Patanjali,and to Christ,St. John, St. Paul,and other disciples."
14 O Spirit,beloved Father,Oversoul of the Universe,Spirit of Spirits,Friend of Friends,teach me the mysteryof my existence!Teach me to worship Theein breathlessness,in deathlessness.(Whispers from Eternity, 1949)
Autobiography of a Yogi, 1946 Published by yoganandaharmony.com 1 The Kriya Yogi mentally directs his life energy to revolve, upward and downward, around the six spinal centers (medullary, cervical, dorsal, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal plexuses) which correspond to the twelve astral signs of the zodiac, .
