Category: Context

Kriya Yoga is an ancient spiritual science that was revived in the modern age by Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861 after his initiation by the mysterious Himalayan master Mahavatar Babaji.

This sacred technique was said to have been practiced in earlier ages by great sages like Krishna, Patanjali, and even spiritual figures beyond Indian tradition. Babaji instructed Lahiri Mahasaya to bring this practice to the world, emphasizing its power to accelerate spiritual evolution through control of breath and energy within the spine.

From Lahiri Mahasaya, the tradition was passed to Sri Yukteswar Giri and later to Paramahansa Yogananda, who introduced Kriya Yoga to the West in 1920. Yogananda’s book, Autobiography of a Yogi, became a spiritual classic and brought worldwide recognition to the Kriya path. Yogananda maintained that this technique was not newly invented but rediscovered after being lost in time.

The lineage continues through disciples of Sri Yukteswar such as Satyananda Giri and Hariharananda Giri, and organizations like Self-Realization Fellowship and the Kriya Yoga Institute carry on the transmission today. Despite its global spread, the essence of Kriya Yoga remains rooted in direct initiation from teacher to student, preserving the sanctity of the ancient Guru-disciple tradition.

Kriya Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice that combines specific techniques of breath control, meditation, and inner discipline to accelerate spiritual evolution. Revived in modern times by Lahiri Mahasaya in 1861 after his initiation by the mysterious Himalayan master Mahavatar Babaji, it was later introduced to the world by Paramahansa Yogananda through his book Autobiography of a Yogi.

The word Kriya comes from the Sanskrit root kri, meaning “to do” or “to act,” and in this context, it means union with the Infinite through a certain action or rite. Kriya Yoga is not just about physical posture or external rituals. It is a deep, inner fire ceremony where the breath becomes the offering and the mind becomes still. Through pranayama, or breath control, the practitioner redirects life energy in the spine to awaken spiritual consciousness.

Practiced correctly and under the guidance of a qualified teacher, Kriya Yoga purifies the nervous system, calms the mind, and allows the soul to rise above the distractions of the body and ego. It is a path that emphasizes direct experience over dogma, and it has been described as the science of realizing God through breath and inner stillness.

Kriya Yoga is not taught through casual instruction. It is passed on through initiation, often in a sacred ceremony, from teacher to disciple. This tradition ensures the purity of the techniques and honors the sacred lineage that includes figures such as Krishna, Christ, Babaji, and Yogananda.