Updated on 09.09.2025

What is Kriya Yoga?  

Kriya Yoga is an ancient science, yet it is so relevant and necessary today. The word kriya actually means mental activity. In kriya you are not trying to quieten the mind or curb mental fluctuations like in many meditation practices, but rather purposely create activity in the mind which leads to an awakening in consciousness. Kriya yoga practices enable us to understand and overcome our physical and mental difficulties and transform our personality because all the faculties of the mind are harmonized and blossom into their fullest potential. 

Sitting still and concentrating for most people in a yoga class is challenging. Sri Swami Satyananda tells us that “most people have too many disturbances in their minds to be able to concentrate….Any attempt on our part to subjugate the consciousness and make it dwell on one point imposes strain on the mind resulting in tension and frustration at our failure to curb its wandering tendency. “[1]  

Our  minds are constantly being  distracted. We are bombarded with so much sensorial stimulation making it difficult to truly relax. How can one concentrate on one point?  

Sri Swamiji explains that “Concentration of mind or meditation practiced with effort can never lead to real meditation, but only to tension and deep sleep. This is the problem of yoga and the problem everybody who has been trying to practice meditation for a long time has come across.”[2] 

This is where kriya yoga comes to the rescue. It is exactly what modern people need; easy and powerful. When practicing kriya, you do not need to sit still in one position nor concentrate the mind. In fact, you move the mind from one point to another in a particular order. What is important is that you are aware of this movement. Sri Swami Satyananda expounds on the meaning of awareness used in yoga: 

“What do we mean by awareness? By awareness we mean conscious attention of thoughts or of objects either external or internal, without necessarily being one-pointed. Simultaneously, and this is most important, the word awareness implies that the individual knows that his attention is at a particular place or on a train of thought. The word[awareness]implies a relationship between the activity of perception and the perceiver. If a person does  not know he is perceiving something, then he is not aware. Awareness implies that the individual does not try to suppress an ever-arising stream of thoughts, even if they have nothing to do with his direction of perception; he merely lets the thoughts arise and disappear, remaining as a witness to them. …When a person is sufficiently relaxed , especially in the deeper layers of the subconscious mind, then awareness will lead to one-pointedness or concentration.” [3] 

How do you define “Kriya”?  

“Kriya” is a Sanskrit word that means “action,” “deed,” or “effort.” It comes from the root “kri”, which means “to do” or “to act.” Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati[1] explained that Kriya Yoga is one of the most powerful and easily practicable sciences known to us which does not demand that you sit in a steady pose for a prolonged period of time, nor do you need to quieten the mind. In fact, you do not withdraw your mind to one point but instead move the mind from one point to the other, in a particular order which it should not lose sight of. For example, in the kriya called chakra anusadhana,(the discovery of chakras), your awareness/consciousness ascends the frontal passage of your body starting from mooladhara chakra (at the perineum) moving up to swadhisthana (at the pubic bone), manipura at the navel, anahata at the sternum, vishuddhi at the throat and across to bindu at the top back of the head and to ajna (eyebrow centre). Then the awareness slips down the spinal passage going through the psychic centres and finishing at mooladhara. This rotation continues in a constant flow of rounds. [2] 

Origins of Kriya 

Kriya yoga is a part of Tantra and it was given to humankind more than 6,000 years ago but no one trace the exact sources. Tantric texts refer to the practices of which there are seventy-six kriyas. Only twenty-seven are practiced today by specialized teachers; the others are not widely known. It is said that the great yogi Babaji living in the Himalayas re-introduced kriya yoga for those seeking wisdom in the kali yuga (the dark age) that we are living in. [4] 

There are only two systems of kriya yoga which are recognized all over the world today; that of Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati and that of Paramahamsa Yogananda (1893-1952). 

The Satyananda Yoga System of Kriya  

The practices of Kriya Yoga were taught by Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati from secret teachings described in the Yoga and Tantra Shastras which were passed on to him by his guru, Sri Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh. He developed the Satyananda Yoga system of kriya which continue to be run at the Bihar School of Yoga, founded by Sri Swami Satyananda in 1963. Swami Niranjanananda, (the successor of Satyandna Yoga) has designed an intensive sadhana course on kriya yoga which is taught over a period of three years. The in-depth kriya yoga course is divided into three categories: pratyahara kriyas, dharana kriyas, and dhyana kriyas. One gradually moves through the various states of mind beginning with pratyahara (training the senses to follow the mind within)  then moving into  to dharana (concentration) and then dhyana (meditation), which brings one to experience the end result of kriya yoga, that of unified awareness. [5]  

Core techniques  

Preparation for the Kriya Yoga intensive course teaches the theory and practice  of core techniques which requires the practitioner to be able to do efficiently before beginning kriya yoga. Below are the core practices: 

Asanas: sarvangasana and vipareet karani, padmasana and siddhasana. 

Pranayama: ujjayi 

Mudras: shambhavi mudra, khichari mudra and bhoochari mudra, mahabheda mudra and mahamudra mudra. 

Bandhas: moola bandha, jalandhara bandha and uddiyana bandha 

Meditation practice: ajapa japa 

Chakras: an understanding of the chakras is necessary as well as knowing their location on the body and being able to visualize them. 

Understanding and mastering the Kriya Yoga technique  

Although some practitioners have greatly benefited from their kriya yoga, there are others who have been practicing for years with few results. Why? Sri Swamiji explains that it is because the kriyas need to be practiced in a certain sequence otherwise the practice will lose its full power. Each kriya is closely related to the one that goes before and after it. So, sequence is of utmost importance.  

Another mistake people make is that they start yoga with the kriyas , but their bodies and minds are not ready for this. One needs to have done both hatha and raja yoga for a period of time before taking up kriya yoga. A full preparation is vital, otherwise nothing or very little is gained. [6]  

Sri Swami Satyananda encouraged his students to do their kriya practice with joy, without any expectations and  not to intellectualise the practices. “Do your kriya yoga sadhana with regularity and intensity, but without any expectation. Expect nothing and you will gain everything and more.” [7]  

Preparation for kriyas  

In his lectures, Sri Swami Satyananda emphasized that one needs to have good health and body control so as to perform the practices with ease. However,  there are no restrictions as to one’s diet, age, religion or social position.  

Another aspect which Sri Swami Satyananda called attention to was to perfect awareness of the breath. When one is not aware of the breath, one loses themselves in thoughts and performs activities automatically. When breath awareness is developed, one becomes the witness of their mental and physical activities, and lives in the present moment. Sri Swami Satyananda illustrates the significance of perfecting breath awareness in preparation for kriya yoga in a lecture given in 1968.  

“First, I will explain breath consciousness in a few words. With your eyes open or closed, with your mind concentrated or oscillating, in lotus posture, standing or sitting – as you like, just become aware of the fact ‘I am breathing in and I am breathing out’. Keep this consciousness of breath uninterruptedly for three minutes at one stretch and then take a break. You don’t have to sit separately or exclusively for meditation. Even now while you are listening to my speech you can maintain this awareness of your breath uninterruptedly and then after three minutes you can stop the breath awareness. 

When you are aware of breath you are aware of your mind; awareness of your breath is awareness of your own consciousness and it is awareness of your awareness. Whether you concentrate or not it does not matter, but remember the moment that you become aware of your mind, of your consciousness, you are aware of your awareness. This point you must remember again and again.”[8] 

Discovering the psychic passage through which the breath moves up and down (along the spinal cord) as well as knowledge of the location of the chakras on the psychic passage is also very important to develop and refine when preparing for kriya yoga There must be awareness of the movement of the breath, up and down the psychic passage, and it is this very movement which is called kriya in yoga.[9] 

Kriya Yoga: Benefits and how it enhances well-being  

Improved focus and efficiency  

In kriya practices, one works with the mind, not against it. If you cannot sit still, then move your body, if you do not want to close your eyes, keep them open. The beauty of kriya, says Sri Swami Satyananda, is that you have only to remain relaxed and let the mind move naturally and spontaneously. Inner awareness will awaken and will automatically become one-pointed. [10] 

Kriya helps people who have very restless and disturbed minds, who find it extremely hard to concentrate even for a little. Those who practice their kriya sadhana (spiritual daily practice) notice that their mind becomes more focused, there is greater clarity of thought and improved memory.  

Bringing inner peace and harmony  

The regular practice of kriyas diminishes fears, phobias, false ideas, depression, and harmonizes the whole mind. It also induces a “dynamic ” relaxation, where one can do a lot of work with more energy and efficiency, no stress and with enjoyment.  

Sri Swami Satyananda had been teaching and lecturing on kriyas for decades, travelling all around the world where thousands of people took part in his seminars and benefited greatly. He wrote one of the most comprehensive text books on Kriya Yoga that has been used by practitioners all over the globe, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques in Yoga and Kriya. In this book he writes that the purpose of kriya yoga is to transform your entire life into a continuous expression of joy, bliss and wisdom.[11] 

Kriya yoga benefits in modern life  

In today’s world, where there is so much stress, anxiety and insecurity about the future, kriya yoga can be seen as a panacea offering a range of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits. For example, pressure from work, tech overload and fast-paced living can be managed with various kriyas to bring about clearer thinking and better decision-making. Chronic fatigue and burnout can be overcome with controlled breathing (pranayama) enhancing oxygenation of the brain and body, increasing energy and reducing fatigue. Personal transformation and discipline can be achieved in a world where most people feel a lack of direction by cultivating self-awareness, purpose, and spiritual discipline, helping individuals live with more intention and integrity. Finally, the world today is one dominated by materialism and existential emptiness, and kriya yoga can offer a structured path toward self-realization, inner peace, and a deeper connection to something greater than oneself. 

Is Kriya Yoga dangerous?  

There are certain requirements when doing kriya yoga that need close consideration. If you have a serious physical illness or mental upset, do not begin kriya yoga as it may worsen your condition. Similarly, if you have been practicing kriyas and become ill, stop the practice and take up other branches of yoga such as hatha yoga until health is restored.  

Always seek a well- established yoga school where there is a yoga master or guru when you start your kriya course. Do not begin the kriyas on your own. There needs to be full support and supervision from experienced instructors to whom you can report on any changes that you notice in your physical and mental state once you begin the practices.  

Practitioners may notice changes in their physical body, their thoughts, emotions or mood, for example, they might experience surges of extreme energy, others lethargy, others may break out into a rash, others may notice changes in their personality. All these changes must be managed  and expert guidance needs to be readily available.   

At Satyanandashram Hellas, Kriya courses are offered and require participants to train and prepare for an entire year, and then come and stay on the ashram for a period of time to receive their instruction in the kriyas. If you are interested in taking part in a Kriya Yoga course contact the ashram for further details:  info@satyanandayoga.gr 

[1]  Swami Satyananda Saraswati, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques in Yoga and Kriya, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, India, 2004, p. 10 

[2] Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Early Teachings of Sri Swamiji Kriya Yoga,  

http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2010s/2010/1007/1007ear4.html 

[3]   Swami Satyananda Saraswati, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques in Yoga and Kriya, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, India, 2004, p. 10 

[4] Ibid. p.699 

[5] https://biharyoga.net/kriya-yoga-training.php 

[6] Swami Satyananda Saraswati, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques in Yoga and Kriya, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, India, 2004, p. 11 

[7]Ibid. p.704 

[8]  Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Early Teachings of Sri Swamiji Kriya Yoga 

http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2010s/2010/1007/1007ear4.html 

[9] Ibid 

[10] Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Kundalini Tantra, Bihar School of Yoga, India, 1996, p.86 

[11] Swami Satyananda Saraswati, A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques in Yoga and Kriya, Yoga Publications Trust, Munger, India, 2004, p. 700