facebook.com/official.yogamag YOGA PHILOSOPHY the spinalthe channels energy -ida and exhalation, and yin yang, and This ininhalation seen canbe duality fiveoursenses. externally-focussed Maya of duality ultimatethe union. modifications” the mindof begin and one may gain control of “random the breath control and its modifications, breath work is work, soul and through soul, or breath. Therefore, in Kriya, work, and root the verb Ya The Sanskrit root verb Kri only yoga named Yoga inthe Sutras. mind and spirit. Kriya Yoga is the that union of yoga, union the of body, task to accomplish inorder to achieve its field”. (Yoga Sutras, 1:2)Thisthe is random modifications the mindof and defines yoga as inhibition“the the of union, and Yoga inthe Sutras, Patanjali sage Patanjali. The word yoga means in as by early Indian the as 400BC philosophy, compiled and written of and yogic science treasury yoga is Yoga the Sutras, an organised 66 Nature and Spirit represent the The foundational text of classical Scriptures Kriya Yoga&Sacred Ganesh Baba’s THE FOURV'SOF Words: Keith Lowenstein MDandLyndsey Anderson as perceived through yogamagazine.com means means means means and and spiritual considered text is also atext with Absolute. the experience body,their mind and spirit toward an is uniqueexperience as one moves individual is unique,as every every of Kriya health. acreative is also art: in any individual inasimilar state replicated canwhich be ifpractised It is ascientific process,the results of Kriya yoga is acomplete holistic yoga. emergentthe properties of meditation. exercises that combined when to lead biological, psychological and spiritual comprised of 4V’s: the physical, be. ever will is gateway the that to all is and that all point still the withinexperience that own central system nervous and learning how to go within your deep Kriya Yoga and is science the of art Ultimate Universal Unity or U3. or what as Ganesh described Baba energy, thus non-duality experiencing Spirit by balancing our prana we can bring together Nature and pingala The Bhagavad Gita, an Indian Ganesh Baba’s Kriya Yoga is . Through Kriya Yoga exercises, PART 2 , or life will explorewill correlations to 4V’s. the theand Old and New Testament, we quotes from Sutras, the Gita the references to Kriya the process. Using scripture, citing quotes certain as oftenalso quote Judeo-Christian Bhagavad Gitathe spiritual texts of Yoga the Sutras and for Kriya. Supported by deeply the , Kriya Yoga masters

V1 VERTICALIzATION

Posture should be steady and comfortable. By relaxation of effort and meditation on the infinite. —Yoga Sutras, 2:46-47

The secret of meditation is posture. This is the V1 Stage, also known as Verticalization. In Kriya Yoga, the next stage of human evolution is a spiritual evolution, as our potential as humans has yet to be reached. As stated in the Yoga Sutras and emphasised by Ganesh Baba, posture is the bedrock teaching from which the next stage of human evolution may arise. In fact, Ganesh Baba would often say, “sit straight and all will come.” The first two stages or limbs of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras consist of interpersonal and intrapersonal Therefore, Ganesh Baba urged his Conscious participation in one’s facebook.com/official.yogamag observances. They’re not unlike the students to “carry your cross”, referring breathing process is not only a deeply Ten Commandments, or the Eight- to a flexible yet bolt-upright posture pleasant experience, it is a way to Fold Noble path of Buddhism. Ganesh directly experience the Infinite. Is it Baba taught that with the practice of VENTILATION not what Job meant when he wrote, Kriya, the first two steps of Patanjali’s V2 “All the while my breath is in me, and Yoga Sutras develop on their own. the spirit of God in my nostrils.”? (Job Make even the inward and outward The third limb in Patanjali’s Yoga 27:3) breaths to move within the nostrils. Sutras is asana, or physical postures. —Bhagavad Gita, 5:27 The Western world associates the word Asana with physical yoga Liberation can be attained by that VISUALIzATION positions, which often overlooks the V3 Pranayama which is deeper purpose of these exercises: to accomplished by disjoining the The third step in Kriya Yoga is the strengthen and align the human body course of inhalation and exhalation. retraction of the outward-focussed to be able to maintain correct posture —Yoga Sutras 2:49 senses and the development of one- during meditation. The deep stillness pointed concentration. This is referred that can be experienced during The second step in Kriya Yoga is breath to as V3 or Visualization. The V3 meditation arises with the ability to sit exploration, a respiratory reawakening. stage corresponds to the fifth limb of for periods of time with a supple yet This stage is called V2 or Ventilation. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: Pratyahara. bolt-upright spine while allowing for This corresponds to the fourth limb It is this highly-focussed attention full, rhythmic respiration. in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, known as that begins to cultivate awareness of Ganesh Baba insisted on a bolt- Pranayama, or breath work. Ganesh the third eye, also known as the Ajna upright posture in his students, and Baba distilled dozens of pranayama chakra, or the seat of all knowledge. often highlighted the divinity of Kriya exercises to a simplified few that are There is often confusion with to his Western students by illustrating extremely helpful in shaking up old regards to where the third eye actually the similarities with the teachings patterns of respiration, to which the is. In fact, there is more than one in the bible. He taught that correct natural rhythms of breath can then specific area that can be focussed on. posture mirrors the shape of the cross: return. Ultimately these practices lead To begin with, the point just between the shoulders when held in their to states of breathing that make full the eyebrows is often the easiest and anatomically correct position reflect use of one’s lung capacity. Ganesh Baba the best place to begin. Sustained the horizontal bar of the cross, and the called this Regular, Reposed, Rhythmic concentration on the third eye may vertical bar mirrors the straight spine. Respiration or R4. lead to a variety of illuminations. This facebook.com/official.yogamag YOGA PHILOSOPHY 68 —Bhagavad Gita, 2:47 to thy do cease work. Work not for areward; but never work, but on never its reward. thy and intentionSet heart upon the practice.their meaning for in them use who those abeautiful rhythm possess also and other mantras as well, and may these mantra inKriya Yoga. There are many ways OM may as arepetitive used be .” d o G Word was with God,and the Word was the beginning was the Word, and the “In Gospels: inthe belief this echoes sound, representative of U3.The Bible Kriya Yoga, OM is regarded as first the representation of vibration. this In vibration the experiencing within. internal and sounds, external as well as explore and it includes breath, the pranava by Ganesh and Baba, inSanskrit as Nodal Vibration— referred to pronov of awareness the of Primordial the realis ation, or development the This maybe understood vibrationalas referred to as V4or Vibrationalization. Thebasic final step inKriya Yoga is —Bhagavad Gita, 8:13 togoes thepath supreme. the eternal word of Brahman, He And remembering meheutters OM, 6:22) body shall be full of light.” (Matthew, therefore thine eye be single, thy whole said, “The light of the bodyis theeye: if is underlying the teaching Jesus when V3 OM is most the universal basic (John, 1:1)There are avariety of . Vibration is ahuge area to VIBRATIONALIzATION yogamagazine.com of love and compassion for oneself and resonance with U3. mindthe and its field allowsand for that controls modifications the of Realisation. Ultimately it is breath the along an accelerated path toward Self and its process practitioner the leads end result. Kriya Yoga is acomplete yoga, regular basis without expectations of the states above, on Kriya ispractised a to be — apractice. And as Bhagavad the Gita practice ofthe Kriya Yoga that is exactly practitionerthe must understand is that systembelief is required for Kriya. All foundational techniques. No particular practice can simply sit on top of V1-4 the Yoga. Any religious or contemplative backgroundof to every practiceKriya our central system. nervous pointed out that “alter the of God” was withinis you and around you.” also He Yogananda was often heardsaying, “God energetic frequencies surrounding us. As practice tothe receive vibrational the systemnervous tuned has by been Yoga, antenna the when of our central mind and spirit for seventh this limb of Dhyana is reached as seventh the phase, For it is only through experience the Ganesh encouraged Baba people Patanjali’s In . The 4V’s preparebody,the Yoga Sutras , meditation and physiology. Yoga physics with modern integration of philosophy the of Kriya Cycle“The of Synthesis”, GaneshBaba’s of sentient all beings. to bring forth light and love for good the others that we may of part change the be Meditation, Inner Traditions, £12.98 New York. Kriya and practices Yoga inupstate Keith Lowenstein andcurrently lives Lyndsey Anderson isastudent ofDr. www.KriyaBreath.com Lowenstein to enter medicalschool. Baba whostrongly requested Dr. was Ganesh It and teaching Kriya. offive years living part together formal student. They spent thebetter Oregon Baba’s andwas Ganesh last integrative psychiatrist inPortland, Dr. Keith Lowenstein isan Kriya Yoga for Self-Discovery: In our next article, discuss we will Practices for DeepStates of