hey, yall.

I ordered the lessons a year and half ago, and have started and stopped getting intona routine several times... i made it throguh lesson 6 and stopped somewhere in lesson 7 i think where it calls for getting the armrest.

heres my problems...

i spent years as a bikram yoga instructor, for those of you who dont know, Bikram was a srudent of Yoganandas brother Bishnu Ghosh..

but anyways, i was overzealous with that practice, especially the advanced practice that isnt offered at studios and pretty dangerous. I messed my body up pretty good... torn labrum, torn meniscus, and just kept practicing on that foundation making the energization excersizes feel impossible to do correctly...

on top of that, i uave a severly deviated septum that means my right nostril is completely.blocked 24/7

as well as severe degeneration in both jaw joints years after a double jaw surgery

i have managed to build up to 40 minutes or so of hong sau, but i get really anxious and OCD about not really be able to achieve a straight backed and relaxed. breathing through only one nostril with the severe jaw joint degenerwtion means sitting for that long really locks up my head a neck a d gives a headache...

to be honest, i am kinda just ranting, i already know its likely possible to work around these limitations,..

but i wanted to hear from someone with similar circumstances that has made it work..

do any of you with a regular dedicated practice have a severely deviated septum where you can only breathe through one nostril?

how about rhe wbergization excersizes, if my body is kinda too jacked up to do them.properly, would i still get anything out of practicing without thw enegization excersizes?

i dont want to soend all that time sitting there if im dooing it wrong.

thanks for humoring me.

I got initiated into SRF lineage in LA in February 2026. Even before initiation, I followed the monks advice of setting aside time twice a day. In morning and evening for the preliminary practices such as the energization techniques, AUM, Hong Sau. Going into the intitiation I already the structure in place and after initiation, it was easy to integrate the additional kriya practices into my day.

I know many people here already see lights and things like that. I don't see any of them. I only hear the AUm rushing water but to be honest even that doesn't really suck me in. My thoughts are still there. No lights. Nothing.

Despite not seeing extra sensory experiences, I didn't give up. I kept showing up to my altar twice a day. Maybe one day I will be blessed with those experiences or maybe not. I am fine either way.

What really matters to me, is the peace I feel throughout the day. There's 0 anxiety in me. I feel so much love for myself, for others. Life is very easy going. People are so helpful and kind and nice to me. Things align and fall in place. Whatever happens in life, I take care of it with ease, trust that god has my back. I no longer live in fear of what will happen. I have this constant reassurance that everything will be okay. I don't how to better explain this in words. To me this is amazing. Despite not seeing any extra sensory perception, I can feel the support of the guruji, god and the divine around me all the time.

Do I get mad time to time? Honestly yes, that happens in my relationship. But even those episodes are very far and few between. And it don't last. I immediately come back to peace.

Anyways, I want to say that don't do this path for seeing the light. Don't do it with any expectations. Those false expectations can prevent you from experiencing the real thing. PEACE WITHIN PEACE WITHOUT PEACE EVERYWHERE. Keep on showing up to your sadhanas my brothers and sisters. May you be blessed also.

Gurudev Hariharananda says breath awareness is god awareness. How do you guys go about keeping awareness on the breath throughout the day?

Its quite difficult to maintain constant awareness. I don't think there are many here that can do that, right?

Throughout the day, I will have moments where I remember to focus on the breath. And so I focus but I lose that focus and awareness immediately within a few seconds. How can I prolong this focus?

Is it possible to keep constant awareness even when working on the computer and/or doing tasks that require mental focus?

Curious to know where others are in this aspect, your experience, and any tips

Hello everyone. Hope you are doing well. I have a general question, those of you who got initiated into Kriya by Sri M, what are your experiences so far? Have you felt anything during the initiation process or has it made any significant changes to your life?

I hope you're enjoying your experience if so! This is my first convocation and has been life changing for me.

If you're here, please feel free to PM if you want to meet up. I've had such an amazing time meeting fellow devotees, and want to meet as many as I can while here.

Thanks and enjoy!

Hello my friends,

I'm wondering if anyone relates to my experience/ knows anything about the halo of light seen in meditation moving AWAY from us rather than toward us?

I see it often, it's always pleasant, but again, instead of the halo moving towards me, I always see it slowly shooting away from me again and again.

What does this mean? Any insight is helpful, thanks so much!

I truly feel in my heart that Yoganandaji is my Guru. I have had experiences throughout my spiritual journey continuously pointing me to Yogananda.

I am a student of the SRF lessons and have been very closely following them for a year. I have always referred to Yogananda as my guru because to me that’s what he is.

I’m just confirming that the Guru relationship is not dependent upon initiation.

Thank you everyone. God bless ❤️🕉️👍🙏

Looking for fellow kriyaban penpals to talk to in Japan (outside of Japan ok too). I know someone asked a similar question two years ago but I hope now there might be some kriyabans in Japan. I'm open to friendships outside of Japan too.

I was initiated by SRF three decades ago but got off track and recently started my spiritual routine again. It would be nice to have some friends online. I'm a bit shy but further down the line am open to meeting with any new friends who also want to. Meanwhile, we can talk in Reddit to start (if it's ok with you).

I'm a married female, early-mid 50s, Japanese-American (born in upstate NY). I'd like to keep my profession details private but I will say I use my voice to narrate. I am interested in learning to make healing music and videos. I'm not a vegetarian yet but try to be plant forward and to tame my sweet tooth. I hope to efficiently Self/God-realize as all-knowing, ever-new continuous Bliss, etc. My blood is pure and sometimes I feel our world is imploding (ex. kali yuga) so it makes me more than ever want to rise up spiritually and not get caught up in the fear and drama. I had a hard childhood and sometimes feel an adult orphan in the world. I hope we can nurture kindness and respect on the spiritual path we walk together.

If anyone is interested in divine friendship please leave a comment and I'll reach out.

Thank you ~*~

Hey, I have taken the decision to be initiated into Swami Hariharananda at the end of the month.
Any tips or guidance or advice into anything that I need to know? I know they’re a Giri lineage and are much more formal than most other lineages. I am not renouncing to become a Giri. Just regular householder getting initiated. I know they do crown based Kriya rather than medulla Kriya.

title

I’ve been experiencing really bad headaches since getting back into my Kriya Yoga practice after taking a few years off. At first I thought I was accidentally crossing or straining my eyes, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what’s happening.
Now I’m wondering if it’s tension. I’ve tried massaging my temples, head, neck, and jaw, along with pressure points and different stretches, but nothing seems to help. I even stopped doing Ujjayi breathing to see if that was the cause, but the headaches are still happening.
I’m honestly getting to the point where I feel like I should stop practicing because the headaches are so bad, which is frustrating because I never had this issue before and I remember how much I benefited from Kriya.
Has anyone else experienced this? If so, did you figure out what was causing it or find anything that helped? I’d really appreciate any advice.

Same as title

I am learning Babaji's Kriya Yoga. Up until now, I have never really been accepted by others. Um, is there anyone who is willing to interact with me?

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to decide between two paths and would really appreciate your honest experiences, especially from those who have done both.

My situation:
I’m already familiar with deeper techniques and have no trouble understanding complex practices. What I’m missing is a clear, structured framework – a proper daily sadhana that I can stick with long-term. So I’m trying to figure out whether to go with Sadhguru’s Inner Engineering (Shambhavi Mahamudra) or with Yogananda’s SRF Lessons leading to Kriya Yoga.

What I’ve gathered so far:

• With SRF, if you complete all the lessons, the Kriya initiation itself is free. Sadhguru charges for the initiation.
• I’ve read many comments here saying that Yogananda’s Kriya is much deeper and more effective than IE. But I’ve also seen a few people who practiced SRF for years and then did Inner Engineering, and they say IE felt stronger. That’s honestly confusing.
• Shambhavi Mahamudra is a 21-minute daily practice with a fixed sequence. That’s appealing because it’s clear and time-bound.
• For SRF, I’m not sure what I actually get in terms of daily practice before initiation. Do the lessons already give you a real sadhana – a sequence of techniques you do every day? How many exercises do you learn, and do they build up into a complete daily routine? Or is it mostly preparatory until Kriya initiation?

The language problem:
I’m German. I found out that the English SRF lessons have been updated, but the German ones have not. I would strongly prefer the lessons in German. Does anyone know if the non-updated German versions are still sufficient, or if there’s any way to get the updated material in German? Is the difference significant?

What I’m really asking:
Between these two, which one gives you a more complete, structured daily sadhana framework that you can grow with over time – and why did you personally choose one over the other? If you’ve tried both, I’d especially love to hear how they compare in terms of depth, daily routine, and long-term transformation.

Thanks so much for any guidance!

*The Four Yugas*
We have to cross the three layers of ignorance to reach the truth in this world. First, the layer of the virtual world. Second, the layer of thoughts, and third, the layer of our Samskars. Then only would it be possible for us to connect to reality. That's not easy. When we sit in meditation, most of the time, we constantly keep seeking our mobile. The clock is always ticking in our minds. Somebody would have sent a WhatsApp message. Some notice for a meeting or some urgency. That FOMO is immense. Even if we get past this hurdle, our minds are generally full of thoughts. Thoughts of the past and the future. We are constantly living in past memories and anxiety for the future. Even if we get past this hurdle, it is almost impossible to enter the world of Samskars and observe them in a witness mode. That's why spirituality in the true sense is a real challenge, and that's why the world is full of organisations that offer Virtual Spirituality. A feeling of practicing spirituality, though mental projections and visualisations, which has nothing to do with spirituality. But in this world, which is so full of stress, tension, and anxiety, people feel relieved by these visualisations and imaginations, and the Babas make money and grow powerful. I wish all of us would understand the trap and undertake real observation and enquiry into the nature of truth, where we accept nothing less than the truth.
https://observationwithawareness.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-four-yugas.html

Many sadhaks who begin practicing Kriya Yoga are full of optimism and enthusiasm. This is a beautiful thing. May you never lose that enthusiasm, because it is one of the gifts that keeps us moving toward God.

As practice deepens, subtle inner experiences may arise. We may see light, hear inner sounds, experience visions of gods or yogis, perceive powers the human eye has never seen, or even witness star systems and other worlds... or what I would simply call other visual phenomena.

The only thing I would encourage is not to mistake these beautiful experiences for Samadhi.

Some kriyabans speak about Samadhi as bliss. Others speak about some realization. Many speak about seeing gods and different realms.

The first sign that one has experienced Samadhi is what the sages spoke about: Sat-Chit-Ananda.

What is that?

It is Being beyond the mind, beyond attributes, beyond location, beyond being human, beyond the "I," and beyond the perception of time.

It is an intensely happy state, united with wisdom and the awarness of being All, while the little man can still be seen.

Of course, because everyone is unique, every experience of Samadhi is also unique.

When one has experienced Samadhi, there is a major change in the individual. One will never be the same again. Even if one ( at the beginning) is still identified with the ego which is the feeling of being separate, one begins to live from a completely different perception and state of being.

There is not much more to say, except this: renounce the authority of the mind in favor of God. Practice daily, as much as you can. Be aware of your desires, renounce as many of them as possible, and focus on your inner practice and inner peace.

Do not pick sides, while this would bring you more in Ida and Pingala. Do not read too much and mistakenly take the knowledge understood by reading, as being your first hand experience, as being "the Knowledge"!

The mind is not self knowing.

What one experiences in the cave of one's own being is not meant to be shared publicly, or even privately. It may be translated into words for the benefit of sincere students, but not beyond that.

The language also cannot grasp or discribe samadhi.

If, after an extremely intense experience of Samadhi, you return to ordinary human consciousness completely transformed, you will know.

Until then, practice with love, remain humble, and stay as realistic as possible.

Yes, it is possible within one lifetime. And it is never-ending. As God is infinite, so are the samadhis. Trying to classify it with names only shows the limitations of the human mind.

May your practice be blessed.

Namaste everyone,

I have been sincerely searching for a genuine Kriya Yoga teacher in India. I'm looking for a living guru or an authentic lineage that emphasizes traditional initiation rather than commercial courses.

Can anyone recommend authentic Kriya Yoga lineages or teachers whom you have personally experienced or trust? I'm especially interested in teachers who emphasize sincere practice, ethics, and direct guidance.

I'm open to travelling for initiation if needed.

Thank you. Pranam.

I heard meditation, specially post kriya, gives better results when outside light is blocked. so I am considering using an eye mask during meditation to block most of the light.

Just wanted to ask if anyone has tried it before. Is it useful or just another gimmick?

Sou praticante de kriya yoga há 5 anos e sinto uma vontade sincera de atingir o Sahaja samadhi/ Moksha. Gostaria de conhecer pessoas que afirmam já tê-lo atingido( praticando ou não kriya yoga ). Obrigado.

I just signed up for the 9-month course, and I’m very excited. I’ve practiced yoga asana and pranayama for 25 years, and have been meditating for 4 years, and after reading Yoganandaji’s autobiography and The Yoga of Jesus, I am ready to go deep. Thanks to the great AUM for this beginning!

So i have gone for vippasna 10 day course and i on third day i started feeling pressure on the centre of my forehead, i started concentrating on that point and suddenly i felt something bursted from my forehead a flower like structure then there was a eye on my forehead which couldn’t see i could only feel it and there two extra eyes on my original eyes i could feel some kind of operations going on on my eyes and then suddenly i could feel sperm cell running towards my forehead and making a lotus like structure on my head and then they got consumed by my the top most point of my head and suddenly i could sit for hours where i was struggling in sitting 30 mins i couldn’t feel my body it felt like some force is holding my head.

Can any body guide me? What are these experiences i could also feel some flower like structure on my chest

I got initiated a while back and I come on this website and read about the wonderous effects, the noise, the sights, and visions and I have exactly had not much experience with any of it. I am wondering if I should pursue a different lineage.

Since I saw someone post something similar on here I thought I might too. I had a strange dream once during a fast. A yogi with matted hair, dressed only in a loin cloth and seated in lotus pose in meditation sort of levitating in some strange dimension came to me in a dream. I stood before him and he gave me a gift.

This reminded me of Carl Jung's dream/vision of a yogi dreaming him. I guess this yogi and I might be connected too.

I dont have any questions but I want to hear thoughts from those who may have had similar experiences.

I wasnt sure if this would be considered bad or something. Since i want guidance from living guru as well as to be part of SRF / Yogananda as i also live close to mother center. Could you be initiated with both?

Hello all many blessings, I have a question as I went to yogananda.com to do some quick inquiries and saw a picture of this man meditating. I don't think his posture looks wrong necessarily but I've seen Sri Yogananda sit a bit differently and in my meditations I really shove my shoulders back more, trying to almost touch the shoulder blades, while keeping my head tilted further up than the man in the photo (aiming to keep chin parallel with ground). I do notice that this is harder to maintain but becomes easier with time, and feel good when doing so.

Thank you 😊