Everyone is seeking happiness...with more or less experience and wisdom! Going from
one experience to the next, the individual discovers how elusive happiness can be!
Consider the happiest moments of your life. What caused their disappearance? Some
anxiety, or a desire, or fear? Where did such concerns come from?
According to the Siddhas, who developed the scientific art of yoga in ancient times, such
concerns arise from the subconscious mind, where the residue of all of our experiences
are stored. Like clouds covering the sun, such concerns mask our inner bliss. The
Siddhas have diagnosed this human condition: "We are dreaming with our eyes open,"
because most of what we do, we do subconsciously, out of habit. In the depths of
meditation they realized that there is, however, a space within ourselves which is totally
fulfilled, 24 hours a day, independent of all circumstances. The paradox of our human
existence is that we keep losing this perfect happiness, because of the reactions of our
subconscious mind.
What is their prescription for this universal human dilemma? They have said: "The
amount of happiness in life is proportional to ones self-discipline." To act with
awareness is the meaning of self discipline, or "sadhana". With this objective, one of the
great 18 Siddhas, Patanjali, defined yoga in verse 2 of his famous "Sutras" as "the process
of cleansing the modifications arising from the subconscious". The Siddhas, developed
various techniques, known as"Kriyas", "actions with awareness", to facilitate this
cleansing and to enable one to act with awareness rather than from habit. In modern
times, these were revived by a great Himalayan master known as Babaji Nagaraj, a
direct disciple of the legendary Siddhas Agastyar and Boganathar.
Babaji's Kriya Yoga is a scientific art which has as its central purpose access for
individuals who aspire to achieve direct union with God, through constant practice and
devotion. It was revived by a great Master of India, Babaji Nagaraj, as a synthesis of
ancient teachings from the 18 Siddha tradition1. It includes a series of 144 techniques or
"Kriyas" grouped into five phases or branches.
I. Kriya Hatha Yoga: Learning to control one’s body is including "asanas", physical
postures of relaxation, "bandahs", muscular locks, and "mudras", gestures, all of
which bring about greater health, peace and the awakening of the principal
energy centers, the "chakras". Babaji has selected a particularly effective series of
18 postures, which are taught in stages and in pairs. One cares for the physical
body not for its own sake but as a vehicle or temple of the Divine. The practice
of Yoga is not done only for oneself but also for one’s family, community, and for
the betterment of the world.
II. Kriya Kundalini Pranayama: is a collection of powerful breathing exercises to
awaken powerful latent energy and circulate it through the 7 principal chakras
between the base of the spine and the crown of the head. It awakens their
corresponding psychological states and makes one a dynamo on all five planes of
existence.
III. Kriya Dhyana Yoga: this aspect of practice hones the scientific art of mastering
the mind: to cleanse the subconscious, develop concentration, mental clarity and
vision, to awaken the intuitive and creative faculties, and to bring about the
breathless state of communion with God, "samadhi".
IV. Kriya Mantra Yoga: the mental repetition of subtle sounds to awaken the
intuition, the intellect and the chakras; the mantra becomes a substitute for the "I"
centered mental chatter and facilitates the accumulation of great amounts of
energy. The mantra also cleanses habitual subconscious tendencies.
V. Kriya Bhakti Yoga: devotional activities and service to awaken pure divine
universal love and spiritual bliss; it includes chanting and singing, ceremonies,
pilgrimages, and worship. Gradually, all of one's activities become soaked with
sweetness, as the "Beloved" is perceived in all.
Kriya Yoga brings about an integrated transformation of the individual in all five planes
of existence: physical, vital, mental, intellectual and spiritual. Everyone can practice it
and thus find happiness and peace.
To reach me:
David N. Grimshaw, DO
1 Govindan, Marshall. Babaji and the 18 Siddha Kriya Yoga Tradition, Kriya Yoga Publications,
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1991. Babaji’s Kriya Yoga, page two.