What is Kriya Yoga? Your Path to a Better Practice
Updated on September 1st, 2025
The technique of Kriya Yoga is an ancient practice that was revived in the East in 1861 when Mahavatar Babaji taught the technique to his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya. It was then brought to the West in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda and popularised in his 1946 book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi‘ , which is often cited as one of the most important spiritual books of the 20th Century.
But what exactly is Kriya Yoga?
Here’s something wild: according to Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings, 30 seconds of correct practice of Kriya Yoga equals one year of natural spiritual evolution. Yes, you read that right. Half a minute for an entire year’s worth of spiritual growth. This claim sounds outrageous, but thousands of sincere seekers across modern times have dedicated their lives to this path of Kriya Yoga. The Self-Realization Fellowship continues Paramahansa Yogananda’s sacred mission today, offering this essential guide to cosmic consciousness for anyone ready to take the first step.
In five minutes, you attain 12 years of evolution. Overall Kriya Yoga takes 30 minutes for one round. Think of it. Twelve years of evolution. Imagine, 12 years ago, from then until now, you attain in five minutes by the practice of Kriya Yoga.
Now by simply multiplying those things, if you practice an hour a day, an hour a day doing Kriya Yoga, that’s not much. Half an hour in the morning, half an hour at night. What do you get? 144 years of evolution.
Now you’re getting interested, which you should. Now listen a little more. If you do that, one hour a day for one year, and how much time goes by, and we never realize the year’s gone by, what do you get? Over 50,000 year’s evolution.
Paramahansa Yogananda, Autobiography of a yogi
Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links.
What is Kriya Yoga?
I stumbled into Kriya Yoga through Nauli Kriya, that fascinating practice where you suck in your lower abdomen and create waves with your abdominal muscles. It looks impressive at parties. But that barely scratches the surface of what this spiritual practice actually involves.
Kriya Yoga is both a spiritual path and an ancient meditation practice discovered by ancient seers of India thousands of years ago. The dark ages saw this knowledge nearly disappear, until Mahavatar Babaji restored it in 1861.
As its own spiritual path, Kriya brings together the best of the main systems of yoga. You get the deep meditation of Raja Yoga, the unselfish action of Karma Yoga, the self-inquiry and self-realization of Jnana Yoga, and the devotion of Bhakti Yoga. It’s an all-in-one approach to spiritual traditions.
As a daily practice, the kriya yoga path involves an advanced technique of Raja Yoga based on types of pranayama (breathwork), mantras (sacred words or sounds), and yoga mudras (body configurations, often with hands). This series of psychophysiological exercises targets your nervous system directly.
Kriya emphasizes the relationship between the breath and the mind. The science of breath teaches you to master your own mind by mastering the use of the breath. Think of it like learning to drive instead of being a passenger in your own head.
Like all yoga techniques, Kriya concerns the flow of life force. Asanas (yoga poses) help open up the spinal channels and unblock the flow of energy. Pranayama (breathing exercises) helps to awaken that energy. But the special technique of Kriya yoga goes further in teaching you to directly control this energy.
Kriya Yoga techniques help draw in the senses and purify the blood by recharging it with oxygen. This makes it easier to channel life currents (prana) into the spinal centers (chakras) and control this energy by drawing it up and down the spine through subtle currents of life energy. Once you can control the life force, you can use it for increasing awareness, self-realization, and spiritual enlightenment. You’re literally directing energy through body parts with your breath and mental control.
According to Paramahansa Yogananda, Kriya is the most effective means we have for reaching the goal of Yoga: union with the Divine. The kriya yoga practice promises accelerated human evolution through regular practice.
What are the benefits of Kriya Yoga?
The Sanskrit root ‘Kri’ means action and ‘Ya’ means the Soul. So Kriya means to perceive the power of the Divine soul, or the divinity of the human spirit, in every action. When you practice kriya yoga exercises, you bring the connection between breath control and the mind into every aspect of your daily life.
The practical benefits of Kriya Yoga are significant. You gain an enhanced ability to focus and concentrate. You release negative emotions and habits. You experience a significant reduction in the usual turbulence of thoughts. The practice brings inner peace, letting you experience more calmness and joy in daily spiritual living.
A kriya yogi experiences deep inner stillness of body and clarity of that inner stillness that transfers into daily life. This isn’t vague spiritual talk. Members of SRF report significant improvement in their ability to navigate the maze of life with calm awareness.
Ryan Kurczak, a respected teacher in the tradition, describes it as life-altering things happening gradually through dedicated spiritual practice. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda notes that even the initial period brings noticeable shifts in how you experience your spiritual eye opening.
How do you learn Kriya Yoga?
Learning the kriya yoga path isn’t something that happens overnight by watching a video or reading a blog post (sorry, not sorry). The path of kriya yoga requires real commitment.
Kriya Yoga consists of advanced techniques of meditation. You traditionally learn through the Guru-disciple relationship, a cornerstone of spiritual traditions going back millennia.
In theory (and much like in Ashtanga), to be a kriya yogi, you must undergo extensive preparation and receive initiation directly from an authorised teacher. These teachers have already attained complete union with the Infinite. They offer soul guidance because they’re fully qualified to help others reach this goal. During the initiation, your body, mind and chakras are purified to help deepen meditation and open pathways for life currents to flow freely.
The Self-Realization Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda, offers a structured kriya yoga apprenticeship program. Roy Eugene Davis, the third SRF president, continued expanding access to these kriya yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda through popular guides and new audiobooks.
Those initiated into Kriya Yoga take a pledge of confidentiality not to divulge the techniques to others. This maintains the purity of the practice and ensures good company on the path. This is why you won’t find many books or videos offering instruction in Kriya. Even in Yogananda’s ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’, despite discussing Kriya at great length, he doesn’t describe specific Kriya Yoga techniques in detail.
The latest news from the dedication of the SRF international headquarters and media coverage of Lake shrine, including SRF Lake Shrine reopening news, shows continued growth in sincere spiritual seekers looking for this path. You can now access some teachings through online retreat programs, though direct initiation remains necessary for full kriya yoga practice.
How Long Does it Take to Prepare for Kriya?
Before you receive initiation into Kriya Yoga, you need to complete a preparation process. This takes around a year. Think of it like training to become a mountain climber. You don’t start with Everest. The better your preparation, the more effective your Kriya Yoga will be.
The preparation exists because it’s important for initiates to understand and practice Kriya Yoga as a complete spiritual path. The life energy awakened in kriya yoga practice is extremely powerful. Your nervous system and consciousness need preparation to receive this energy safely. Your brain cells literally need time to adapt to the deep breathing and energization exercises.
The preparation includes studying Paramahansa Yogananda’s teachings and inspirational quotes from Paramahansaji’s words. You learn about the importance of the Guru-disciple relationship. You receive initial instructions in meditation techniques including energization exercises, the Hong-Sau technique of concentration and the Aum technique of meditation. These build your capacity for deep meditation and prepare you for the great technique that follows.
Only after mastering these foundational practices can you learn the more advanced Kriya Yoga techniques. This gradual introduction protects you and makes the practice a great help rather than potentially overwhelming.
While most effectively learned in-person under a master’s guidance, initial Kriya Yoga preparation can happen through online classes or through books at home. The early history of the SRF international headquarters shows how Yogananda adapted ancient teachings for modern times without compromising their power.
How to Practice Kriya Yoga
Kriya Yoga techniques include a number of breathing techniques, concentration exercises, and simple Kriya Yoga poses. These help you control life energy, reach a higher level of consciousness, and experience union with the Divine, creating a place of divine communion within yourself.
It’s an unstrenuous practice. It puts very little pressure on the physical body. You can easily practice at home once you’ve learned the techniques. The power of your giving attention to regular practice matters more than athletic ability.
But I can’t teach you exactly how to do Kriya yoga at home. This isn’t me being coy. The sacred traditions require you to undergo the preparation and initiation yourself. There’s wisdom in this approach that sincere seekers come to appreciate.
Kriya Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita doesn’t mention Kriya by name. Yet Yogananda claimed the practice was described as part of the yoga Lord Krishna taught Arjuna.
Krishna states that by “Offering inhaling breath into the outgoing breath, and offering the outgoing breath into the inhaling breath, the yogi neutralizes both these breaths. He thus releases the life force from the heart and brings it under his control.”
This ancient text from thousands of years ago describes the exact mechanism of breath control used in Kriya. Lord Krishna understood something fundamental about the nervous system and spiritual growth that we’re only beginning to appreciate in modern times.
Kriya Yoga in Yoga Sutras by Patanjali
Sage Patanjali quotes Kriya in The Yoga Sutras (II:1). He identifies three main practices vital to Kriya: tapasya, swadhyaya and Ishwara pranidhana.
Tapasya means ‘to generate heat’. It refers to austerity and self-discipline. Swadhyaya is self-study. Ishwara pranidhana means self-surrender and devotion to the Divine.
These remain important parts of the Kriya Yoga spiritual path today. Sage Patanjali gave us a framework that has guided spiritual seekers for over two millennia.
Kriya Yoga Lineage
Kriya Yoga is an ancient practice dating back thousands of years. Paramahansa Yogananda stated this ancient meditation method was even used by Jesus Christ himself. St. Paul and St. John may have practiced similar breathing techniques, according to some interpretations of their mystical experiences.
Kriya was mostly forgotten until 1861 when Mahavatar Babaji (an immortal yogi from the Himalayas) taught the practice to his disciple Lahiri Mahasaya.
Lahiri Mahasaya taught Kriya techniques to many disciples of different religious backgrounds. Hindu, Muslim and Christian students all learned from him across India. One of disciple Lahiri Mahasaya’s students, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, was also visited by Babaji. Babaji asked him to teach Kriya to Paramahamsa Yogananda, the Guru who would bring the ancient science of Kriya to the West.
With his master’s blessings, Paramahamsa Yogananda moved to America in 1920 to spread Kriya worldwide. Yogananda initiated thousands of people in the West into the practice. In 1946 he published his best-selling book ‘Autobiography of a Yogi’. This book became one of the most important spiritual classics of the 20th century. It continues inspiring more people to search out Kriya Yoga for themselves.
What are the differences between Kriya and Kundalini?
Getting confused between Kriya Yoga and Kundalini Yoga happens all the time. Kundalini Yoga includes the use of ‘Kriyas’ in its practice. Meanwhile, Kriya Yoga helps awaken ‘kundalini energy’. So yeah, the confusion makes sense.
The word ‘Kriya’ means ‘action’. In Kundalini Yoga, ‘Kriyas’ refers to a set of techniques and exercises used to unblock energy channels in the body and control this energy.
The word ‘Kundalini’ means ‘coiled one’ in Sanskrit. This refers to the coiled life force that lies dormant at the bottom of our spine. Certain yoga techniques can awaken it.
Both Kriya and Kundalini concern directly awakening and controlling this life energy to achieve spiritual awareness. They’re closely related but not identical.
Practitioners of Kriya Yoga believe awakening Kundalini energy needs to happen as part of a wider spiritual path. This makes the process safer and more effective. The correct practice requires preparation and soul guidance.
Kundalini Yoga is a physical and mental discipline you can practice without prior spiritual learning or special initiation. Though you should still practice under a trained yoga teacher’s guidance for safety.
Start Your Journey Today
If you’re curious to start exploring Kriya, begin with breath awareness. Even a few minutes of deep breathing daily can open the door to this deeper path. Pay attention to your breath throughout the day. Notice how it changes with your emotions and thoughts. This simple first step connects you to the science of breath that underlies all Kriya practice.
You don’t need to commit to the full kriya yoga apprenticeship program right away. Start where you are. Practice being present with your breath. This builds the foundation for whatever spiritual growth lies ahead on your path.
Kriya… A Path for Spiritual Awakening?
Kriya Yoga remains relatively unknown in the West compared to other types of Yoga, including Kundalini. The preparation and initiation requirements create a barrier. But this barrier exists for good reason.
For sincere spiritual seekers serious about achieving self-realization and spiritual enlightenment, Kriya Yoga offers one of the most effective means for reaching this goal. The benefits extend far beyond the meditation cushion. You bring inner peace into every corner of your daily life.
The path isn’t easy. It requires dedication, regular practice, and genuine commitment to spiritual growth. But for those ready to take it seriously, the rewards are extraordinary. We’re talking about cosmic consciousness and direct experience of the Divine. That’s not something you stumble into casually.
The lineage continues strong today through organizations like the Self-Realization Fellowship and dedicated teachers worldwide. The ancient seers of India knew something profound about human potential and spiritual evolution. Modern times haven’t diminished the power of these teachings. If anything, we need them more than ever.
Your spiritual path is yours alone. No one can walk it for you. But if you’re looking for a proven system with thousands of years of results, the kriya yoga path deserves your serious consideration.
Amélie is a health and wellness junky. Certified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance in the Vinyasa and Ashtanga styles, she has a Yoga Instructor Certification – Level I (300 hours) and Yoga Instructor Certification – Level II (200 hours) under her belt. She also has a certified Open Water Diver certification with PADI and SSI Scuba Schools International Freediving Level I certification with SSI Scuba Schools International. She’s been vegan for over 15 years and is obsessed with anything wellness-related.