facebook.com/official.yogamag PHILOSOPHY 46 Photo Credit: Dr. Keith GLowenstein Words: Dr. Keith GLowenstein and Lyndsey Anderson Ganesh Baba The Yogaof FAST TRACKINGTOINFINITY Shrine. Los Angeles, California. Early 1980’s. Self-Realization Baba. FellowshipGanesh Lake yogamagazine.com PART 1 E continue to teach Kriya around globe. the foundedwho International, Hariharananda, like and other branches line, of Lahiri the studentsin 1987.Other of Yogananda system of Kriya Yoga until his death sharedwho an accelerated and simplified Swami Ganesh Ananda Giri, Ganesh formally Baba, SriMahant to West. the One of was these not only the to bring Kriya Yoga known Kriya Yoga master, but he was Autobiography of aYogi, is best- the , author of , and Islam. traditions of Judaism, Christianity, are common to many of mystical the of infinite.experience the It’s practices foundational practice for direct the is no exception. The lineage of Kriya Yoga practices for acontemporary audience. andwilling able to translate ancient historically transmitted through masters of what is taught as well as how, is diversifying audience.evolution This reformation to resonate with an every- Kriya Yoga is no less than a for the particular time, a fresh for time, afresh particular the an needs update periodically how profound and effective, or system of practice, no matter ancientvery schoolof thought

facebook.com/official.yogamag 4747 Ever the seeker, Ganesh Baba the seeker, Ganesh Ever Ganesh the sixties arrived, When eventually felt himself drawn to to drawn himself felt eventually Babas, the traditionally the Naga ash-smeared, dreadlocked, naked, who swamis -worshipping In a sacrament. cannabis consider someone for move untraditional an "highly or Saraswati, the of title with Baba Ganesh scholar," knowledgeable and ashram Ma’s Anandamayi left the at Mahant Sri or became headman in Bareilly. Akhara Anand Shivite his dividing and 70’s Baba in his was time between the Akhara in Bareilly, Many Kathmandu. and Benares who traveled Westerners flower-child him the perfect considered to a smoke and a chai share to teacher passing While Kriya. learn about and Baba always Ganesh the chillum, marijuana the use of discouraged believing the young, drugs for and be reserved should it for saying and their householder 60 once those over responsibilities worldly and chores Those failed who were completed. to continued and advice take his to unless leave to told high were get a as they carried column their "spinal Slouchers arch.” an than rather column tolerated. not were Ganesh Baba received his second his Baba received Ganesh his mid-40’s that Ganesh Baba fully Ganesh that mid-40’s his this time life, the spiritual entered rest the spent good.for Ganesh Baba the ways teaching and living life his of ordained became an He Yoga. Kriya of who gave Sivananda Swami under monk Anand. Ganesh Swami him the name well as philosophy, Vedantic Sivananda’s the exciting , of that as the and modernnew physics, theories of became the bedrock of Jung Carl of work teachings. Baba’s Ganesh of much Mahasaya, Sanyal from initiation Kriya Lahiri of Mahasaya. student a direct Sri from came initiation Kriya third His Sri Motilal, whose was teacher Tripura, reverently Sri Yukteswar, of a disciple a Yogi. of in Autobiography depicted Baba Ganesh these masters, From training thorough and broad a received Lahiri of interpretations various of leaving After Yoga. Kriya Mahasaya’s Baba Ganesh ashram, Shivananda’s of one of became the logistics manager the time, At ashrams. Ma’s Anandamayi the most of one was Ma Anandamayi and in India, teachers spiritual revered height, it’s At a saint. stillis considered a people of thousands fed ashram her Baba thrived in this post for Ganesh day. a decade. nearly Ganesh Baba was unique in Baba unique was Ganesh Baba, Yogananda, like Ganesh introduction early his Despite several ways. Ganesh is the name of the name is Ganesh several ways. commonly , the elephant-headed obstacles. of the remover as known the name, to up Baba lived Ganesh obstacles removing and both placing a means as the student of in the path of This dance development. spiritual of allowed obstacles removing and creating demanded— an perhaps for—and room interact who could teacher untraditional curious the spiritually inspire and with counter- psychedelically-centered and mid-20th of youth culture century America. India. 1892 in British born around was child being a young a story of told He cholera from death who close to was Lahiri by be Mahasaya. to saved only for Lahiri responsible the man was public into back Yoga Kriya bringing practicehad the after consciousness Lahiri years. of hundreds been for lost and householder established an was Mahavatar when the great man family him. Mahavatar to appeared Babaji Indian in figure a Christ-like is Babaji roamed who has a man culture, for the Himalayas the foothills of appearing occasionally centuries, humanity a selectto help to few states greater into evolve ascend and Babaji Mahavatar consciousness. of Yoga the Kriya Lahiri taught Mahasaya this teach him to urged and technique system powerful ancient, later, all learn.to Years to who wished placed was child when the choleric the Kriya arms, in ’s him his upon bestowed Yoga Kriya, saved which of experience first the to child allowed and life Baba’s fully recover. Ganesh Kriya, of the wonders into fulfill to Baba secular had obligations world the material renouncing before a wandering a , becoming and in British school Baba attended monk. quantum physics, studied and India psychology. Jungian and mechanics became a successful businessman, He of all eight for dowries providing until not was It sisters. younger his facebook.com/official.yogamag YOGA PHILOSOPHY 48 Mahasaya, practice was the held secret, Kriya to world the through Lahiri Before reintroduced such astreamlined, accelerated version. readily teachingsso offeredbasic been in before of history inthe Kriya had the perhaps Never his most aspect. radical straight backs. followers to willing maintain ramrod attracting amodest group of devoted sayers alike, he radiated and glee love, trampled egos the of students and nay- and his elephant-esque while undeniable charisma, possessed Baba and other leading-edge thinkers. Leary, Marilyn Ferguson, Zukav Gary where he hobnobbed with Timothy New York, and visiting California, inNewbase York City and upstate moved around keeping while ahome United States, teaching Kriya as he spentBaba about eight years inthe interpretation of Kriya Yoga. Ganesh travel to to America spread his unique hadtime come for Ganesh to Baba Realization Fellowship, Mt Washington. Los Angeles. Ganesh Baba’s approachability was By late the 1970’s, it was clear the Ganesh Baba. Self- Baba. Ganesh Early 1980’s. yogamagazine.com down to its most He essential parts. made practicehadwhittled the to be decades, and humanity to thrive coming inthe themselves. and effectiveness the of techniques remained of because depth the his mostbecame committed students and emphatic enthusiasm, who those through Ganesh Baba’s charismatic were drawn to practicesof the Kriya no terms. uncertain many And while presence were quickly reprimanded in caught relaxing posture their inhis a modest handful of students. Those his following from growing larger than bolt-upright posture at kept times all his insistence that students maintain a master but Ganesh and was strict, Baba may have revolutionary been for a Kriya quickly turned away. His teaching style and-harmless psychedelic were guru an easy-going technique from ahip- and came who to expecting those Baba teachings were not for complacent, the curious andthe committed, the his meticulous way. transcribing his teachings inadetailed, houses,in their and tasked with them he stayed up night all with lived them, teach anyone wanted who to but learn, ultimatethe not outlier: only didhe Yoga lineage. This made GaneshBaba sought out masters these of Kriya the guarded, taught only who to those householders, practices remained the were toLahiri spread Kriya to Indian Mahavatar Babaji’s instructions to and belonged. Christ And while legendwhich, has it, Lord both only forreserved initiates—a group to ING THATLOVE,THEES- SENCE OFNATUREAND ‘‘ PERMEATE THEHUMAN HUMANITY, WILLTRULY COLLECTIVE AWAKEN- IT ISONLYTHROUGHA Baba believed that believed Baba for Kriya Yoga While Ganesh freely Baba taught CONDITION. ’’ condition. humanity, permeate human the truly will that love, essence of the nature and is only through acollective awakening of affairs. And as Ganeshtaught,itBaba humanity move through it’s current state knowledge,to true capable of helping sandsthe of time”. Kriya Yoga is apath of his students to “leave footprints in Yoga, GaneshBaba’s fulfilling request teach of introductory the Kriya aspects practitioners are to and beginning learn students,original generations new of of tutelage the 1986. Because of Baba’s went after leavingthe United States in New York and France, where Baba Yoga. They arescattered inOregon, remained committed to teaching Kriya of Ganesh Baba’s closest students have philosophy and conscious evolution. Baba’s comprehensive synthesis of science, known as 4V’s, the with aligned easily themselves, condensed into aprocess Baba’s system. Even physical the practices were harmonious all with Ganesh Jungian archetypes and ’s Yoga Darwinism, electromagnetic spectrum, into Kriya philosophy and topics like the incorporate Western scientifictheory his students. Ganesh could Baba easily helped concepts the stick minds inthe of ofhave colorful alliterations, full been it Universal Unity. While language the may OperationalOptimal Order and Ultimate withthem alliterative English phrases like words for processes certain and replacing to Western students, removing languagethe of teachings the accessible integrative psychiatrist inPortland, Dr. KeithLowenstein andcurrently Lyndsey Anderson isastudent of requested Dr. Lowenstein to enter the better part offive the betteryears living part For past the 40years, group asmall lives and practices Kriya lives Kriya andpractices Yoga in Oregon Baba’s andwas Ganesh was Ganesh Babawhostronglywas Ganesh last formal student. They spent together and teaching Kriya. It together It andteaching Kriya. Dr. Keith Lowenstein isan www.KriyaBreath.com upstate New York.upstate medical school.