Kriya Yoga

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Introduction To The Kriyas:

In contemporary language, the term kriya is used in many contexts. In Sanskrit, kriya means action or effort. In classical yoga, kriyas are purification techniques, which thoroughly cleanse all nadis and help to enhance the process of awakening the kundalini. Kriyas also balance the tridoshas and trigunas. Although there is a similarity between ayurvedic pancha karma and yogic kriyas, kriyas are very easy to practice. In addition, any individual can practice these basic purification methods to purify their gross and subtle channels.

In the fifteenth century, Sage Gheranda wrote that human body is like an unbaked earthen pot and that it should be conditioned by tempering it with the fire of yoga. He explained seven aids for preparing the human body. One crucial limb is shodhana or purification. Hatha yoga targets the tridoshas, especially kapha dosha, which prevents spiritual advancement. Yoga describes how to overcome these abnormalities with the help of kriyas. According to Patanjali, physical purity gives rise to repulsion for ones own body and disinclination to come into physical contact with others. Mental purity leads to purity in sattva guna, a cheerful mind, concentration, control of the senses and fitness for the vision of the self.

Physiology Of The Kriyas:

When practicing kriyas, a person is cleansing those passages of the body which are responsible for excreting metabolic wastes. Naturally, the body has a tendency to cleanse the passages when accumulation takes place or when a foreign body accidentally enters into the wrong passage. For example, sneezing helps to clear the sinus and vomiting eliminates unknown objects or residues from the abdomen. The entire process depends on the reflex mechanism of the body, which stimulates the particular organ or group of organs, and provides maximum relaxation. This is the specialty of yogic purification.