Shyamatara Das

In the Service of the Divine Mother

A Peak Meditation Experience

November 23, 2023 By Brian Leave a Comment

In September of this year, I attended a week-long retreat with my meditation teacher, Ryan Kurczak. The group in attendance meditated together for several hours each day, listened to discourses, enjoyed being out in nature at the lovely Laurelville Retreat Center, and had some time to just unplug and unwind from our responsibilities. On Thursday Evening Ryan conducted a beautiful Kriya Yoga Initiation. The entire week was a blessing, and an opportunity to deepen and strengthen our practice.

On Friday Morning, there was to be one final group meditation session before breakfast and the last Q&A of the week. I looked forward to the morning as a sort of summing up and farewell, but didn’t expect anything particularly profound or special. I had it figured that the prior night’s initiation was the highlight of the week, and that we would enjoy our last hours together and be on our way.

We gathered at 7 AM, and Ryan led us through a guided meditation, involving chanting through the chakras. There was nothing unusual about his demeanor, or the atmosphere in the meditation space. It did not seem that there was anything new or unique from what we had done all week.

At some point, as nearly as I can recall, he encouraged us to feel as if our shoulders and head were becoming light. A moment later I felt as if I was floating through a field of blue. My entire field of vision was filled with deep, bright blue, similar to this image.

Blue Rectangle

The light was so intense, that I opened my eyes to see if someone had actually turned the lights on in the room. They had not.

I don’t remember his other words, or much else at all about the meditation from that point forward, except for the experience of feeling weightless, and expansive, and joyful, and filled with light. In my younger years I spent a great deal of time using various intoxicating substances, and not once did I ever feel so high as I did on that Friday Morning.

He eventually coached us back to feeling more grounded in our bodies, the meditation was ended, and we headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

I was still a little disoriented for awhile. I remember trying to describe to my wife what had just happened, and finding it hard to put into words. I was holding the door for some other folks at the dining hall when Ryan arrived, and I remember looking him in the eyes and mumbling “Holy shit, Ryan.” He just chuckled and went on inside.

I wondered if Ryan had somehow planned this experience for the final morning of retreat. I’ve read many accounts of folks’ experiences with their gurus where this sort of thing happened. A touch on the forehead and they’re propelled into indescribable bliss.

It was so intense that I remember thinking that this must be the sort of thing that sometimes prompts people to toss their discretion out the window and follow a teacher or guru into unhealthy or cultish situations.

For Q&A that day, I asked about the experience. I mentioned that it had been almost terrifyingly profound, and asked if he knew this was going to happen, or if it’s something that he had “done to us” intentionally. He replied that he didn’t plan anything, that sometimes things just happen. He did not attempt to take credit for the experience, or claim any special powers or such. It’s just the sort of thing that can happen with regular practice.

He did encourage us to make note when we have an experience like this, so that we can remember it and use it as inspiration to continue on the path.

Since returning from retreat, I’ve not experienced anything quite so intense, but I’ll keep practicing. That Friday Morning gave me a glimpse into the great unknown, and I believe that I’d like to have a closer look.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Meditation, Ryan Kurczak

A Short Biographic Video of Mahavatar Babaji

August 21, 2023 By Brian Leave a Comment

YouTube’s algorithms brought this little gem to my attention. It actually does a decent job of conveying who Babaji is, and what he taught, all in under ten minutes.

What struck me about the video, though, is that at about 7:20 in there is a visual effect that very closely approximates what I see during Kriya Yoga meditation. I suspect that the similarity is merely coincidental, but still, it took my breath when it appeared on the screen

Spiritual Eye Illustration

I first noticed these clouds of light converging in the center of my field of vision occasionally in late 2019 during TM style silent mantra meditation. I learned later, as I began to practice Kriya Yoga, that the phenomenon sometimes accompanies the opening of the Spiritual Eye as one enters the superconscious (or transcendental) state. This occurrence has become more commonplace during Kriya Pranayama over the past few months, after having practiced the technique for a couple of years now.

For more information on Mahavatar Babaji’s legacy, and the practices of his Kriya Yoga lineage, I would highly recommend the Kriya Yoga Online YouTube channel of my teacher, Ryan Kurczak.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Mahavatar Babaji, Ryan Kurczak, Spiritual Eye, YouTube

Nadi Shodhana

February 24, 2023 By Brian

Yogi and Energy ChannelsWhen we sit to meditate, we attempt to still the fluctuations of the mind. Sometimes we do this by placing our attention on an object of meditation, which can be a physical object like a candle flame or murti, or something more subtle, like a mantra or even our own patterns of breathing.

Simply placing our attention on the breath as we inhale and exhale can be a powerful meditation technique. Part of the power of this practice is that it goes beyond “quieting the mind.” As we watch the breath rise and fall, we are actually working with our life’s energy pathways. This is called “pranayama.” Although this term is often translated as “breath work” or “breath control,” attention to the breath is really just the vehicle for direction or influence of the life force energy, prana.

In the West, we tend to think of the “nervous system” as something materially tangible, like the wiring of a house. In India, the emphasis goes beyond the physical structure to the flow of energy itself. It’s as much about the electrical current as it is the wiring.

Our patterns of current or life force energy can be thought of as pathways, roughly corresponding to the structure of our physical nervous system. The representation of these patterns or flows of energy are called the nadis.

What are the Nadis?

Nadi is a Sanskrit word for “channel.” The tributary channels of pranic energy in our system converge in patterns that form three main channels which weave around what we know as the Chakras (our seven major cerebral and spinal energy centers).

In Kriya Yoga practice, much attention is given to the Sushumna Nadi, which is the central, spiritual energy channel that corresponds most closely in location with the spinal cord, and represents the most direct journey of energy between the first chakra and the crown.

For energy to flow effectively through the central channel, the other two channels must also be balanced and free of blocks. These channels are:

1) The Ida Nadi, which flows to the left from the Root Chakra, weaving around the chakras until it terminates in the left nostril. This nadi is considered the left channel, and rules the left (or lunar) side of the body; and,

2) The Pingala Nadi, which flows to the right from the Root, terminating at the right nostril, ruling the right (solar) side of the body.

At the very beginning of nearly every meditation session, I spend some time breathing in a strategic way to clear and open these twin energy channels. This pranayama technique is called Nadi Shodhana. The phrase means “channel clearing” but it is often rendered in English as “alternate nostril breathing” (for reasons that should become obvious as you read the description of the technique). Some traditions call the practice “purifying breaths.”

Nadi Shodhana Technique

Sit quietly and relaxed with your spine straight. Close your eyes and take a few soft, deep breaths.

  1. Bring your right hand up so that your palm is in front of your mouth. Your index and middle finger will be just in front of your forehead, right above the eyebrows.
  2. Press your thumb in gently on the right side of your nose, blocking off the passage of air, and inhale through your left nostril. As you inhale, place your attention on the rising of the breath, and the left side of your body.
  3. Release your thumb from the right nostril, and press the tips of your ring finger and pinky into the left side of your nose to block the passage of air. Exhale, feeling the air moving out through your right nostril, and the sensations on the right side of your body. Pause briefly before inhaling and sensing the breath rise on the right side again.
  4. Finally, switch sides with your fingers and thumb once more and complete the cycle by exhaling through the left nostril as the breath descends on the left side of your body.

This four-step process of breathing in left, breathing out right, breathing in right, breathing out left is considered one cycle of Nadi Shodhana. Most of the time I will do twelve cycles at the beginning of a meditation session (although for Green Tara Sadhana instructions are specific to do nine purifying breaths at the beginning). The cycles can be counted on your free hand, using the twelve finger bones in that hand as if they were mala beads. Move your thumb to the next bone as you complete a cycle. When you reach the tip of the last finger, you’ve done twelve cycles of Nadi Shodhana.

Benefits of Nadi Shodhana

From an immediate, practical standpoint the practice of alternate nostril breathing as described above brings an almost instant sense of calm and centeredness. Respiration and heart rates decline, anxiety dissipates, cortisol and cytokines are reduced, oxytocin is released. Even five minutes of practice can reduce stress and increase mental focus. Over time, longer or more frequent practice (and incorporating other techniques such as mantra meditation) can quell inflammation, reduce blood pressure, relieve depression, enhance memory and mental clarity, promote optimism, stimulate creativity and generally improve one’s outlook and quality of life.

Beyond the immediate benefits, for the committed yogi, clearing these channels is essential preparation for more intense practices such as Kriya Yoga Pranayama, where the life force is directed to the higher cerebral centers in search of awakening, liberation and consciousness of God.

Resources

Here’s a great, short demonstration of the practice from Banyan Botanicals.

There’s also a good thread on the Nadis from V Shuddhi on Twitter.

My teacher, Ryan, also speaks about alternate nostril breathing in this video about preparing for Kriya Yoga Initiation as he describes the Kriya Meditation that he was taught by his guru, Roy Eugene Davis.

I’d love to hear from you with questions, or your own experiences with Nadi Shodhana and other pranayama practices. Leave a comment below or hit me with an email.

Filed Under: Blog, Daily Practices Tagged With: Essential Practices, Kriya Yoga, Meditation, Nadis, Pranayama

Finding Kriya Yoga

January 30, 2023 By Brian Leave a Comment

Hariakhan BabajiIn February of 2019 I began to wake up. I cannot explain it, except for the grace of God. I wasn’t looking for anything, and didn’t expect to find anything, let alone the sort of transformation that has ensued in the four years since.

I found my way, almost by accident, to a daily meditation practice on April 5th of that year. Once that practice was established, I spent a great deal of time researching the subject, learning about the techniques and philosophies of various lineages, experimenting with my own practice, reading, studying, listening and growing.

One of the guru lineages that resonated most deeply with me was that of Paramahansa Yogananda. I began serious study of the Self-Realization Fellowship lessons in the Autumn of 2020. By the time I completed their series of lessons in the Summer of 2021, I was still not entirely sure if the Kriya Yoga path was the one for me. I had a good understanding of the philosophy and techniques of SRF, but practicing within their framework seemed overly dogmatic and prescriptive. I continued to practice and study, but was not ready to commit my remaining years to their discipline.

I happened across Ryan Kurczak’s Kriya Yoga Online YouTube Channel, and began to learn informally from him, eventually reading some of his books and joining his Patreon Community. I briefly considered applying for his Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship last year, but decided that I was not quite yet prepared for the anticipated rigor.

In Mid-December of 2022, insight came. I realized that at this point in my life Kriya Yoga is my path, and Ryan is my teacher. Once this realization occurred, everything else surrounding my spiritual life became clear. I had been holding on to some things out of habit or sentimentality that weren’t serving me anymore. These fell away almost immediately, and I now feel a great sense of peace and order.

You can learn more about this Kriya Yoga lineage at Kriya Yoga Online. I would also highly recommend Ryan’s Kriya Yoga Meditation Beginner’s Guide playlist on YouTube.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Grace, Kriya Yoga, Ryan Kurczak

Next Steps in Kriya Yoga

June 25, 2021 By Brian 1 Comment

In early November of last year, I began studying Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship home study lessons. I just finished reading the 17th lesson in the series yesterday, and will complete the final one some time early next month.

The lessons are an introduction to an entire way of life, introducing Yogananda’s philosophy and theology, along with the practices and techniques of his lineage of gurus. They give instruction in three of the essential practices of SRF (Hong Sau Meditation, Energization Exercises and AUM Meditation). They form the foundation and preparation for the fourth, and purportedly most powerful, practice – Kriya Yoga.

So, as I complete the course of study, the question is posed. Do I wish to proceed on the SRF Kriya Yoga path, formally accepting Yogananda as my guru, and placing myself under the direction and discipline of his teachings henceforth?

The Guru/Disciple relationship is something that is not well understood in our Western culture, principally because the sort of commitment that it requires is also rather foreign to us. One’s guru is not the only light in one’s life, but is one’s principal light, teacher, guide and master. It is a sacred obligation on the part of both parties, which goes beyond the simple desire of one to learn from the other.

Although I have the highest regard for Yogananda and his teachings, and have been a serious student these eight months, I’m not prepared (at least not at the moment) to adhere to the Kriya Yoga path as my sole discipline and way of life.

I take it as a sign of maturity that I can show this sort of discernment. I have tended to be a “joiner” for much of my life, and the temptation to remain on this path (particularly following these many months of study) is great. I do find that the teachings make sense, and the techniques and practices are powerful and valuable, but I cannot picture myself putting the SRF at the center of my life. Also, although I find no contradiction in a being a faithful Roman Catholic and practicing the yogic techniques taught by Yogananda, I suspect that becoming his disciple in a formal way would be inconsistent with my Catholic Faith. The SRF reveres Jesus, along with Krishna and the four Kirya Yoga gurus (Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yyukteswar and Yogananda), but their ideas about him depart from Catholic dogma. In my heart of hearts, I suppose that my beliefs are actually closer to those of Yogananda than they are to many of the teachings of the Catholic Church, but being “faithful anyway” is the biggest part of being a faithful Catholic for me.

Still, I have found the basic practices taught in the SRF lessons (particularly Hong Sau Meditation and the tension exercises) to be incredibly helpful, and intend to continue to grow and learn in their practice. I also wanted to learn more about the Kriya Yoga technique than what was available to the general public from “official” sources such as SRF or Ananda (a schism from Yogananda’s lineage). Fortunately, as you might guess, there is a lot of information available online these days about these once secret techniques and practices. Careful research is necessary to find the reliable and authoritative sources, but after sifting through all of that, I was delighted to find Ryan Kurczak’s writings and YouTube Channel.

I’m nowhere near ready to begin actually practicing the advanced Kriya Yoga techniques at this time, but I’m finding a wealth of practical, actionable wisdom in Kurczak’s work. His video shared at the top of this post especially resonated with me, and seemed almost as if it had been produced to address my own particular situation at the moment with regard to further study.

Isn’t it funny how that sort of thing happens? We find the thing that we need, at just the time that we need it.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Sadhana, Self-Realization, SRF, Yogananda

An Introduction to Self-Realization

November 9, 2020 By Brian Leave a Comment

SRF Lessons CoverI recently watched AWAKE: The Life of Yogananda and it got me interested in his teachings. So many people on the spiritual path have mentioned his Autobiography of a Yogi as the prime inspiration for their journey, but I had never picked it up before. After watching the film, I downloaded the Kindle version and am now about halfway through.

Paramahansa Yogananda was the final guru in a lineage that began with the “Deathless Yogi” Mahavatar Babaji. Yogananda came to the United States in 1920 and toured extensively, lecturing and teaching yoga, which he often referred to as “the science of religion.” He also began to publish a series of lessons which were made available by mail, intended to help the reader begin with meditation along the path toward learning Kriya Yoga (the practice taught by his lineage).

The Self-Realization Fellowship is the organization that he established in the US to carry on his work. They still offer his lessons by mail. The content was updated after Yogananda left the body by his disciple Sri Mrinilini Mata, to whom he had entrusted the project. She considered it her life’s work, and the revised series was finally launched in 2019. It remains faithful to the original series, but offers some additional depth, incorporating some of Yogananda’s later writings and quotes.

The introduction to the series is available to read for free at this link.

Highest Achievements Through Self-Realization

I am just beginning to study and practice the meditation techniques taught by Yogananda. I don’t know yet whether or not I will adopt them as my principal practice. They are quite a bit more involved than the simple silent mantra meditation that I have been practicing. I am definitely interested in exploring them further, though, and will report back as I progress.

If you have had experience with Yogananda’s teachings or have practiced his methods, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Meditation, Self-Realization, SRF, Yoga, Yogananda, Yogoda

ༀ་ཏཱ་རེ་ཏུཏྟཱ་རེ་ཏུ་རེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།

Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

Mother of Liberation, Guide and Protect Us

Contact

admin@shyamataradas.com

About Shyamatara Das

Bookmarks

  • Daily Word from Unity
  • Deva and Miten's Gayatri Sangha
  • His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama
  • Key City Kirtan
  • Krishna Das
  • Kriya Yoga Online
  • Liturgy of the Hours
  • Love Serve Remember
  • Seva Foundation
  • Tara Mandala

Topics

Behind the Veil Bhakti Change Your Mind Chants Devotions Essential Practices Facebook Live Grace Green Tara Guitar Habits Hanuman Healthy Foods HH Dalai Lama Hindu Japa Key City Kirtan Kirtan Kriya Yoga Maha Mantra Maharaji Mantras Meditation Morning Devotions Music Neem Karoli Baba Plant Based Meals Prayer Prayer Beads Ram Recipes Ryan Kurczak Scripture Self-Realization Shyamatara SRF Sub Ek Tibet TM Tulsidas Vegan Vegetarian Cooking Yoga Yogananda राम राम

Photo Credit

Website Background Photo: Mount Kailash from Barkha Plain by Jean-Marie Hullot