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snake
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 06 2006 : 04:34:02 AM
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| Have people here been involved with Kriya via Yogananda or other Kriya teachers |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 12:43:52 AM
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Yes, I've been a member of SRF for years, but just started the
kriya recently.
Etherfish |
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snake
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 02:20:04 AM
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Ether hi
How do you find the kriya in relation to AYP?
thanks |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 11:27:26 AM
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OK you asked, and it's a long story. So being the first one to ask,
i get to dump the whole thing on you and get it off my chest.
AYP is a very good resource for enhancing what Yogananda teaches.
In fact, after being dedicated to SRF for years, and spending thousands of hours practicing what they teach, i am favoring Yogani's methods because they are bringing me quicker results.
Not to derate Yogananda's teaching at all, because I was very slow in requesting the kriya information. I figured if the system was good as I believed, that it was good for me to just practice basic meditation and hong sau and om and "energization exercises" as they
prescribed.
The problem is they don't give you much instruction on basic meditation; mostly just 'do it' and "go deeper" and be devoted and
spend hours and hours at it. So I got to the point where I felt I
needed a spiritual jump start. I requested the kriya but they took most of a year to reply, and do a phone interview, etc. because they consider it sensitive information.
I can't fault them at all, because they operate on volunteer monk labor and have charged me barely enough money to cover postage on hundreds of lessons.
But I'm impatient. I've been through hell and back mentally over the years, and I wasn't scared of mental illness, having lived on the
edge next to it for most of my life, and having figured out my own therapy for most of it, that worked just fine.
So I heard horror stories over the years about pranayama driving people crazy and premature kundalini rising, etc. I figured something that powerful must have something behind it, and if anyone could control it, I could. So I did searches for the information and tried different things a little at a time then waited and watched other people's perception of me to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
Then one day while doing "internet research" on kundalini, I found AYP, started experimenting with Yogani's methods, and almost immediately noticed a profound effect. This is the kind of thing I was looking for. I felt I was ready for something bigger. Almost the same time, SRF sent me the first kriya lessons, which had some similarities, but are much more complicated, time consuming, and difficult.
So I try a little at a time of SRF kriya, but now my main focus is on AYP practices because they are easy, don't take much time, and are very effective.
I believe as the spiritual energy increases in our age, it becomes easier to advance, and new methods are appearing that wouldn't have worked when Yogananda was alive. The SRF lessons warn against mixing the practices with other systems, but i am taking responsibility for breaking the rules because I feel this is the path i am being guided on, and advances have been discovered since Yogananda was alive that make it safer and prevent premature K rising, like self pacing, not messing with the controls "under the hood", balancing effect of spinal breathing, etc.
Etherfish |
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snake
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - Jan 07 2006 : 2:51:49 PM
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| Thankyou for sharing and giving such an honest account,I wish you great success |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2006 : 11:16:07 AM
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In fairness to SRF and Yogananda I should say what's good about them. the lessons have a lot of devotion (bhakti) material; poems, stories, etc. They have a lot of information on how the world is put together in relation to spiritual energy. And there are a lot of parallels shown between the bible and hindu texts. Of course what it shows me is that the bible was encrypted, and had to be decyphered to understand it. But Yogananda never mentions that as he was trying to get americans to practice hindu meditation in the early 20th century, and he had a good understanding of how to communicate that. He wanted people to believe they could still be good christians and meditate. so he did much to remove the 'primitive and foreign' beliefs about hinduism. Of course a lot of that has returned since then. on hearing I practice Hinduism, more than one christian has asked if we worship multiple gods and elephants!
So SRF lessons are valuable for other than practice reasons if you're curious about how the world works, then later on (a year or so into it) the kriya lessons have more practice oriented stuff. It's not an easy path though. People who like it are totally into bhakti and devoting their life to it, and spending many hours practicing.
Etherfish |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2006 : 10:11:44 AM
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Hello Snake,
I was involved a little with Hariharanda's group.
I liked his group, but as regards practices, my take on it is that the Kriya schools tend to make the mistake of only introducing meditation very late in the game.
AYP has corrected this.
The other thing is that they held me back, made me go too slowly -- I believe I was personally totally ready for some of the later Kriyas. I believe I was judged unready, not really because I was personally unready, but because I had not shown enough devotion and dedication to the school.
'Secrecy' in the old yoga school system has a purpose which is partly economic; the secrets are kept from you, not just until you are ready, but until you have given enough to the school. So secrecy is actually part of a secret economy that is going on in the background. It's part of what keeps the schools going.
AYP has entirely departed from this old model.
AYP's departure is causing a lot of grief in the schools that follow the secrecy system -- because when the secrets are out, it's harder to drive the secrecy-based economic system. This sense of grief is, I believe, partly what is driving those somewhat irrational diatribes against AYP that were on the board you showed us a short while ago.
Best regards,
-David
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Jan 16 2006 10:17:51 AM |
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snake
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2006 : 12:04:21 PM
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| Agreed David,Although in SRF the practice of listening to the sound current is given before Kriya,which brings me to the Rhada Swami movement full of planes and Gods and total confusion amongst it's practitioners if you read some of their forums. |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2006 : 8:12:19 PM
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in defense of SRF, they introduce meditation at the very beginning of the lessons, and emphasize it constantly, and more than anything. Also, they are not at all economically driven as their information is as close to free as possible. They only withhold Kriya until you have done a LOT of meditation. listening to the sound is only given in conjunction with lots of meditation.
I don't know if SRF really knows when you're ready for kriya. They do wait a minimum of six months of meditation to a year, which sounds like a good model to me.
Etherfish |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2006 : 09:32:54 AM
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BTW, I wasn't actually talking about SRF, but Hariharananda's organization. I don't know SRF at all well.
Glad to hear SRF emphasized meditation from the start.
BTW, it really seems to me that the culture of SRF almost makes a god out of Yogananda; his word seems unquestionable.
I also wanted to say that I'm not at all saying that these Yoga schools tend to be 'economically driven', as if to say 'they are in it for the money'. But rather that there is an inevitable economics in their working, and secrecy plays its part in that economics.
Just as a Catholic School may not be 'in it for the money' but must still charge fees.
I'm speaking of that secrecy-driven economic system with respect, though I think it has had its day. I think it is no longer adapted to the modern realities. I think AYP represents part of that necessary adaptation.
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Jan 17 2006 12:54:26 PM |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2006 : 6:45:54 PM
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Yeah, SRF is secretive about the cost of their lessons, just saying it is a "nominal fee". They probably don't want people flocking to join just because it's cheap. You end up paying for just postage and paper to get the lessons.
His followers do mostly follow his word closely, but that's their path.
Yogananda says yoga is a science you can test for yourself, not just have blind faith. So I take that as permission to not follow every word.
i never go to social functions, so that might be different than mailed lessons. |
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Nicole
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2006 : 10:53:59 AM
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Hello,
I am a member of SRF and familiar with Kriya and Yogananda. I attend services and read literature in relation to both but AYP is my primary focus. Simply because it works. I view Yogani's method as the "yoga of our time", a contemporary version of yoga if you will.
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bliss_
25 Posts |
Posted - Aug 09 2006 : 1:10:12 PM
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I was initiated into kriya yoga by Swami Prem and his Guru Master Daryl.
Master Daryl's website is www.manoftheeast.com and he is the only person that I know of that initiates people into kriya yoga over the internet, after applying for it.
Kriya Pranayama and ayp spinal breathing are very similar except my kriya method seems to have a more deep, vigorous and pulling breathing than ayp. This vigourous type of breathing seems to make the pulling of prana from base to ajna and back more powerfull than just breathing slowly and normaly.
My kriya yoga lineage has a forum where all initiates can share and discuss just like in AYP, however the audience is not so broad.
Another diference is that in AYP people are encouraged to experiment with different mixes of techiques and there is no problem in trying new things... in kriya lineages the tendency is to follow strictly the prescribed sadhana. |
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mufad
44 Posts |
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snake
United Kingdom
276 Posts |
Posted - Sep 03 2006 : 11:41:46 AM
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| Etherfish are you still practising Kriya or just AYP? |
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LittleTurtle
USA
342 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 7:45:53 PM
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| I've been a member of SRF for several years. I'm grateful to the organization for it's publications, but I'm fed up with "true believers" who never question anything even when the obvious is staring them in the face, the ignorance among the monastics of true pranic and kundalini experiences etc. And the secrecy! Yoga should not be kept secrect! NO MORE SECRETS! The "my guru can beat up your guru" wars! For that reason I am very grateful to Yogani for freely publishing his knowledge for everyone to use and experiement with themselves. |
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Kyman
530 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2006 : 11:57:13 PM
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| Yes, I would agree. This approach is obviously an 'evolution'. |
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blackmuladar
USA
17 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 05:45:48 AM
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| i've been down wit SRF for 'bout 7yrs,and did hong-sau like a mad fool at every time i got. then the kriya of pulling&droping(open mouth). it seems the results are slow i guess. then i hooked up wit Babaji's Kriya Yoga,this organization is doing very important work w/the 18 Siddhas. the results are happening faster here. i guess SRF was designed for a conservative westener during 1920-50. besides,Babaji of Nagaraj prophecy was fulfilled through Swami Paramahansa Yogananda Giriji. now,i'm new to AYP,it seems there is similarities to Kriya Yoga(Babaji,Lahiri) probably because there advanced techniques which is partly what KY is. anywhat,i'm thankfull 2b here. sorry 4 going off topic. |
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Blue Opal
33 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 06:48:17 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by LittleTurtle
I've been a member of SRF for several years. I'm grateful to the organization for it's publications, but I'm fed up with "true believers" who never question anything even when the obvious is staring them in the face, the ignorance among the monastics of true pranic and kundalini experiences etc. And the secrecy! Yoga should not be kept secrect! NO MORE SECRETS! The "my guru can beat up your guru" wars! For that reason I am very grateful to Yogani for freely publishing his knowledge for everyone to use and experiement with themselves.
This could have been written by me, because I have had the exact same experience with SRF monastics. 
I am not grateful to Yogani for anything because I haven't bothered to read any of his teachings.  I do not understand how the AYP teachings are free. This site seem like an advertisement to market his books. However, I admire his guts for not pretending to be a Self-realised guru (I could be wrong about this, though), and I suppose he's the only teacher who encourages everybody to listen to their inner voice.
Yogani, the guru is me bows to the guru in you.
(A very sceptical yogi) |
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emc
2072 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 06:57:34 AM
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| About free teachings... All Yoganis lessons are free and available here on this site, on internet. You don't have to buy a single book to get into AYP-practices. The main book is actually the internet lessons gathered in a paper copy! And the other books are just clarifications and additions to the main lessons, exept the story about Wilder... |
Edited by - emc on Mar 21 2007 06:58:46 AM |
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gumpi
United Kingdom
546 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:18:55 AM
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| It seems obvious to me by reading the comments on this site that the AYP teachings are superior to anything in SRF. The mantra meditation alone seems much better than any other technique. It is similar to the TM mantra technique which really seems to be about relaxation and very little effort of concentration. Suitable for everyone i reckon! |
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alex
Netherlands
1 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 4:07:36 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by LittleTurtle
I've been a member of SRF for several years. I'm grateful to the organization for it's publications, but I'm fed up with "true believers" who never question anything even when the obvious is staring them in the face, the ignorance among the monastics of true pranic and kundalini experiences etc. And the secrecy! Yoga should not be kept secrect! NO MORE SECRETS! The "my guru can beat up your guru" wars! For that reason I am very grateful to Yogani for freely publishing his knowledge for everyone to use and experiement with themselves.
well, I also was a member of SRF, not for long and also not very intens because from the beginning, something bothered me. I was seeking something and now, here, I feel 'at home'. I really enjoy the openness and taking responsibility for your own proces. I am very greatfull! |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 7:22:03 PM
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AHA! you guys have finally discovered the big secret about AYP: All of the info is available free online except Secrets of Wilder. Therefore, this whole site and the forums must be advertising the Secrets of Wilder book! ha ha just kidding. AYP is run from donations, and the energy source that is Yogani.
Here is the big difference between AYP and SRF for your information,
from the kriya yoga topic in the topic index:
We make a distinction in AYP between awakening ecstatic conductivity and cultivating inner silence -- pure bliss consciousness. For the latter, we use deep meditation, which does not come from kriya yoga, but from mantra yoga. This is a huge difference between AYP and kriya yoga.
While traditional kriya yoga uses mantras in spinal breathing, AYP
does not, switching the meditation process to be with a single mantra ("I AM") in a separate practice done right after spinal breathing. In this way ecstatic conductivity and inner silence are cultivated separately, which is appropriate because it is not possible to fully cultivate both at the same time!
These two aspects are the male and female energies in us all, and there's a lot more written about this subject in the lessons. |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2007 : 11:10:30 AM
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| This is coming from someone who really knows very little about Kriya yoga...but I was on Yogananda's site before trying to find information and in the forums I was not a big fan, turned off somehow, by how they revere him almost as a living diety. "Master does this" "Master's brother does that..." That I think is another thing that really appeals to me about Yogani and AYP. He knows what he's talking about and that's it. He doesn't request or initiate that we all revere him and worship him as they do traditional gurus, he just tells it like it is and wishes us the best. I think that is a true evolutionary step in the right direction for yoga and any spiritual teaching. |
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matangi
USA
53 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2007 : 1:22:22 PM
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After the path that I had followed for 20 years crashed four years ago (2003), subsequently tearing my worldview and belief foundation assunder, I researched tons of paths and practices.
At one point in my search of various paths, I sent away to SRF requesting info. The white envelope arrived completely empty! The envelope was somehow torn in its journey and the contents fell out/were taken??
Regardless, for me the message was clear: SRF would be empty for me and/or at the very least not necessary.
I value teachers/spiritual guides but the teachers I value most are the ones that recognize and honor that the guru is within.
And on that note - a most heartfelt thank-you, Yogani.
-matangi
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SuperTrouper
USA
49 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2007 : 3:58:23 PM
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lol wow, there've been some excellent posts on this topic!
Matangi, your anecdote is so funny and yet so poignant with meaning.
LittleTurtle, I think everyone who's now here can fully relate to what you've said.
I studied the SRF lessons all the way to the first kriya initiation pledge, but the pledge definitely turned me off completely. So, I didn't renew my membership and left it at that, feeling like if that was the case then it really just wasn't for me to be with SRF doing their kriya. Within the last week, I happened to find that someone copied the SRF lessons on a scanner and put it into PDF format, including the first kriya initation... to which I'm grateful that I didn't make the pledge, because the way kriya is taught by SRF doesn't appeal to me. I've also had many negative run-in's with his "devotees", some of which were more on the scary side. I've often wondered how the organization will survive, once all the remaining devotees and monastics who actually knew/met PY have passed away. Its continuance seems to be based on these remaining people's reflections of their time spent with him. |
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Yogananda and Kriya
