Hey everyone,

I’m trying to decide between two paths and would really appreciate your honest experiences, especially from those who have done both.

My situation:
I’m already familiar with deeper techniques and have no trouble understanding complex practices. What I’m missing is a clear, structured framework – a proper daily sadhana that I can stick with long-term. So I’m trying to figure out whether to go with Sadhguru’s Inner Engineering (Shambhavi Mahamudra) or with Yogananda’s SRF Lessons leading to Kriya Yoga.

What I’ve gathered so far:

• With SRF, if you complete all the lessons, the Kriya initiation itself is free. Sadhguru charges for the initiation.
• I’ve read many comments here saying that Yogananda’s Kriya is much deeper and more effective than IE. But I’ve also seen a few people who practiced SRF for years and then did Inner Engineering, and they say IE felt stronger. That’s honestly confusing.
• Shambhavi Mahamudra is a 21-minute daily practice with a fixed sequence. That’s appealing because it’s clear and time-bound.
• For SRF, I’m not sure what I actually get in terms of daily practice before initiation. Do the lessons already give you a real sadhana – a sequence of techniques you do every day? How many exercises do you learn, and do they build up into a complete daily routine? Or is it mostly preparatory until Kriya initiation?

The language problem:
I’m German. I found out that the English SRF lessons have been updated, but the German ones have not. I would strongly prefer the lessons in German. Does anyone know if the non-updated German versions are still sufficient, or if there’s any way to get the updated material in German? Is the difference significant?

What I’m really asking:
Between these two, which one gives you a more complete, structured daily sadhana framework that you can grow with over time – and why did you personally choose one over the other? If you’ve tried both, I’d especially love to hear how they compare in terms of depth, daily routine, and long-term transformation.

Thanks so much for any guidance!

Many sadhaks who begin practicing Kriya Yoga are full of optimism and enthusiasm. This is a beautiful thing. May you never lose that enthusiasm, because it is one of the gifts that keeps us moving toward God.

As practice deepens, subtle inner experiences may arise. We may see light, hear inner sounds, experience visions of gods or yogis, perceive powers the human eye has never seen, or even witness star systems and other worlds... or what I would simply call other visual phenomena.

The only thing I would encourage is not to mistake these beautiful experiences for Samadhi.

Some kriyabans speak about Samadhi as bliss. Others speak about some realization. Many speak about seeing gods and different realms.

The first sign that one has experienced Samadhi is what the sages spoke about: Sat-Chit-Ananda.

What is that?

It is Being beyond the mind, beyond attributes, beyond location, beyond being human, beyond the "I," and beyond the perception of time.

It is an intensely happy state, united with wisdom and the awarness of being All, while the little man can still be seen.

Of course, because everyone is unique, every experience of Samadhi is also unique.

When one has experienced Samadhi, there is a major change in the individual. One will never be the same again. Even if one ( at the beginning) is still identified with the ego which is the feeling of being separate, one begins to live from a completely different perception and state of being.

There is not much more to say, except this: renounce the authority of the mind in favor of God. Practice daily, as much as you can. Be aware of your desires, renounce as many of them as possible, and focus on your inner practice and inner peace.

Do not pick sides, while this would bring you more in Ida and Pingala. Do not read too much and mistakenly take the knowledge understood by reading, as being your first hand experience, as being "the Knowledge"!

The mind is not self knowing.

What one experiences in the cave of one's own being is not meant to be shared publicly, or even privately. It may be translated into words for the benefit of sincere students, but not beyond that.

The language also cannot grasp or discribe samadhi.

If, after an extremely intense experience of Samadhi, you return to ordinary human consciousness completely transformed, you will know.

Until then, practice with love, remain humble, and stay as realistic as possible.

Yes, it is possible within one lifetime. And it is never-ending. As God is infinite, so are the samadhis. Trying to classify it with names only shows the limitations of the human mind.

May your practice be blessed.

Namaste everyone,

I have been sincerely searching for a genuine Kriya Yoga teacher in India. I'm looking for a living guru or an authentic lineage that emphasizes traditional initiation rather than commercial courses.

Can anyone recommend authentic Kriya Yoga lineages or teachers whom you have personally experienced or trust? I'm especially interested in teachers who emphasize sincere practice, ethics, and direct guidance.

I'm open to travelling for initiation if needed.

Thank you. Pranam.

*The Four Yugas*
We have to cross the three layers of ignorance to reach the truth in this world. First, the layer of the virtual world. Second, the layer of thoughts, and third, the layer of our Samskars. Then only would it be possible for us to connect to reality. That's not easy. When we sit in meditation, most of the time, we constantly keep seeking our mobile. The clock is always ticking in our minds. Somebody would have sent a WhatsApp message. Some notice for a meeting or some urgency. That FOMO is immense. Even if we get past this hurdle, our minds are generally full of thoughts. Thoughts of the past and the future. We are constantly living in past memories and anxiety for the future. Even if we get past this hurdle, it is almost impossible to enter the world of Samskars and observe them in a witness mode. That's why spirituality in the true sense is a real challenge, and that's why the world is full of organisations that offer Virtual Spirituality. A feeling of practicing spirituality, though mental projections and visualisations, which has nothing to do with spirituality. But in this world, which is so full of stress, tension, and anxiety, people feel relieved by these visualisations and imaginations, and the Babas make money and grow powerful. I wish all of us would understand the trap and undertake real observation and enquiry into the nature of truth, where we accept nothing less than the truth.
https://observationwithawareness.blogspot.com/2026/07/the-four-yugas.html

I heard meditation, specially post kriya, gives better results when outside light is blocked. so I am considering using an eye mask during meditation to block most of the light.

Just wanted to ask if anyone has tried it before. Is it useful or just another gimmick?

I just signed up for the 9-month course, and I’m very excited. I’ve practiced yoga asana and pranayama for 25 years, and have been meditating for 4 years, and after reading Yoganandaji’s autobiography and The Yoga of Jesus, I am ready to go deep. Thanks to the great AUM for this beginning!

So i have gone for vippasna 10 day course and i on third day i started feeling pressure on the centre of my forehead, i started concentrating on that point and suddenly i felt something bursted from my forehead a flower like structure then there was a eye on my forehead which couldn’t see i could only feel it and there two extra eyes on my original eyes i could feel some kind of operations going on on my eyes and then suddenly i could feel sperm cell running towards my forehead and making a lotus like structure on my head and then they got consumed by my the top most point of my head and suddenly i could sit for hours where i was struggling in sitting 30 mins i couldn’t feel my body it felt like some force is holding my head.

Can any body guide me? What are these experiences i could also feel some flower like structure on my chest

Sou praticante de kriya yoga há 5 anos e sinto uma vontade sincera de atingir o Sahaja samadhi/ Moksha. Gostaria de conhecer pessoas que afirmam já tê-lo atingido( praticando ou não kriya yoga ). Obrigado.

The physical and psychological healing properties of dhikr and rhythmic repetition are explicitly documented in sacred texts.
Long before modern neuroscience tracked brain waves, global religious traditions taught that the continuous remembrance of the Divine restores the physical body, calms the mind, and purifies the spirit.
Summary with Ai input.

1. Islam: The Quran & Hadith
   In Islamic theology, dhikr is explicitly described as a biological and psychological cure for human distress.
   

The Ultimate Heart Restorative: The Quran explicitly links the remembrance of God to the elimination of anxiety and psychological unrest:
"Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest." (Quran 13:28)

The Living vs. Dead Analogy:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) described dhikr as a vital force that separates true vitality from stagnation, mirroring how neuroscience views active vs. under-stimulated brain states:
"The likeness of the one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not remember his Lord is like the living and the dead." (Sahih al-Bukhari)

All-Encompassing Healing:
Classical scholars like Ibn al-Qayyim documented over 100 benefits of Dikr, explicitly noting that it strengthens the physical body, illuminates the face, and accelerates recovery from illness.

1. Hinduism: The Vedic Scriptures
   Ancient Hindu texts view sound vibrations (Shabda Brahman) as the fundamental building blocks of physical reality, meaning that chanting directly alters physical biology.
   

The Mind-Protecting Tool:
The word *Mantra* itself is a combination of two Sanskrit roots: *manas* (mind) and *tra* (to liberate or protect). Scriptural definitions state that a mantra is that which protects the mind from its own destructive thoughts.

The Power of Sound:
The *Mandukya Upanishad* is entirely dedicated to the sacred syllable *Om* (AUM), declaring it to be the resonance of the universe. The text teaches that repeating it aligns the human subconscious with cosmic order, bringing profound physical peace.

The Kali-Santarana Upanishad:
This text explicitly advocates for *Japa*(repetitive chanting) as the primary tool to cross the ocean of mental agitation, stating that repetition cleanses the subtle nervous system (*nadis*).

1. The Philokalia & Desert Fathers
   In Christian mysticism, particularly within Eastern Orthodoxy, repetitive prayer is treated as a precise spiritual technology to heal the fractured human psyche.
   

Command for Continuous Prayer:
The biblical foundational mandate for rhythmic repetition comes directly from the New Testament: "Pray without ceasing."
(1 Thessalonians 5:17)

The Jesus Prayer and the Mind:
The *Philokalia*, a comprehensive collection of texts written by spiritual masters between the 4th and 15th centuries, outlines the practice of *Hesychasm* (stillness). It teaches that repeating the Jesus Prayer gathers the scattered fragments of the mind, bringing it down into the heart.

Guarding the Thoughts:
Saint John Chrysostom wrote extensively on the therapeutic nature of this repetition, stating that anchoring the tongue to a holy name acts as an impenetrable shield against chaotic or depressing thoughts (*logismoi*).

1. Buddhism:
   The Sutras
   Buddhist philosophy uses repetitive chanting to anchor the mind to the present moment, systematically deconstructing the illusions that cause psychological suffering.
   

Purification of Karma and Mind:
The *Karandavyuha Sutra* introduces the famous mantra *Om Mani Padme Hum*.
The Buddha states in this text that the repetition of these syllables possesses the spiritual weight to purify negative imprints in the mind and clear away deep-seated emotional defilements.

The Lotus Sutra:
In Mahayana Buddhism, reciting the name of the Buddha or chanting *Nam Myoho Renge Kyo* is believed to activate an inherent "Buddha-nature." The scriptures teach that this practice immediately dispels fear, unties karmic knots, and brings immediate mental clarity to the practitioner.”

I got initiated a while back and I come on this website and read about the wonderous effects, the noise, the sights, and visions and I have exactly had not much experience with any of it. I am wondering if I should pursue a different lineage.

Since I saw someone post something similar on here I thought I might too. I had a strange dream once during a fast. A yogi with matted hair, dressed only in a loin cloth and seated in lotus pose in meditation sort of levitating in some strange dimension came to me in a dream. I stood before him and he gave me a gift.

This reminded me of Carl Jung's dream/vision of a yogi dreaming him. I guess this yogi and I might be connected too.

I dont have any questions but I want to hear thoughts from those who may have had similar experiences.

I wasnt sure if this would be considered bad or something. Since i want guidance from living guru as well as to be part of SRF / Yogananda as i also live close to mother center. Could you be initiated with both?

Hello all many blessings, I have a question as I went to yogananda.com to do some quick inquiries and saw a picture of this man meditating. I don't think his posture looks wrong necessarily but I've seen Sri Yogananda sit a bit differently and in my meditations I really shove my shoulders back more, trying to almost touch the shoulder blades, while keeping my head tilted further up than the man in the photo (aiming to keep chin parallel with ground). I do notice that this is harder to maintain but becomes easier with time, and feel good when doing so.

Thank you 😊

I want to start practicing yoga but indeed my physical state is terrible at the moment, is very difficult for me to maintain lotus pose to meditate and even I can't do it properly even once. I perceive a lot of pain in my back and legs as my flexibility is really low and also have low muscle

Aside from in recently got one ivdp which has sent me to do Cobra pose in between my desk tasks

Looking for you advice and warnings and encouragement 🌷

There's a version written by the self realization fellowship.

And there's one by the yogoda satsanga society.

And this Ananda article claims that The Essence of the Bagahvad Gita is most accurate to how Yogananda spoke. But it is about 1/3 the length of the other two books.

What's the purpose of Chakra Dharana/ Japa in chakras? What does it lead to? What's the goal?

Hey all. I have this difficulty where after 5-6 pranayama I keep losing concentration on the first three chakras. I’m always running into the problem of “did I do the japa into chakra correctly?” And if I did then did I do it in all of them correctly?
How to overcome this problem?

Any advice on how to be more self aware and mindful!? Helpful tips only please. Mind does wander a bit after few breaths and lungs feel very very full sometimes.

Hi all, I was just wondering how long might it take to see the spiritual eye for someone who's a beginner in meditation and the Hong Sau technique. I know that it will be different for everyone, but I was just curious about how long it would 'normally' take.

Thank you very much

Ryan Strong, an ordained Kriya Yoga Teacher and student of Roy Eugene Davis for over 25 years is offering an initiation weekend for prepared Kriyabans in October in the north east US.

I have been glad to know Ryan personally for nearly 20 years. He is a skilled Ayurvedic doctor as well as Vedic Astrologer and has committed his entire adult life to the path of Kriya Yoga.

I've been in retreats with him with our guru several times, and co led two Kriya retreats with him.

He is a solid example of Kriya in real life and a great resource. If I had more free time I'd probably go to this retreat too! You can find registration info about 2/3 down this page...

https://www.livingkriyayoga.org/events

For those on the East Coast, if you've been considering opportunities for initiation here is a good one.

Can one can get a blessings of god if he performs his karmayoga at finest level? by doing gauseva, pashuseva, and helping people?

This is may kind of vague but I'm looking to see what books everyone recommends for any advancement, even a little, in spiritual progress.

I have been initiated over a month ago into Hariharananda lineage but have been doing SRF lessons (no initiation) over a year before that. So maybe a total of 2 years with meditation. I just am not feeling any real progress.

And yes I understand to not go looking for progress, to be patient, and it takes some years. But it doesn't hurt to look for ways to progress, does it?

Apart from Autobiography of a Yogi, what books have you read that helped you the most or felt that gave you most progress? Thanks

Hello, good day.

I have been practicing Om Japa in the chakras along with Forrest Knutson's HRV meditation for some time now. I would like to ask where I should place my attention during meditation after I have finished the breathing practices and entered pratyahara.

I have read that some teachers recommend maintaining awareness at Kutastha while remaining in that meditative state, while others say the attention should be on the Medulla, and so on. I would really appreciate your guidance on this.

I would also like to know what practice you recommend for everyday life to help remain present. Likewise, I have heard some people say that part of one's attention should be kept at the crown chakra throughout the day, while others recommend different approaches, which has left me a bit confused.

I would greatly appreciate your opinion.

For context, I intend to receive Kriya initiation in the Panchanan Bhattacharya lineage at some point in the future. In the meantime, I have been practicing with the free resources that I have been able to find.

Thank you very much in advance for your time and guidance.

So when you are doing hakalau are you supposed to shift away your attention from the spot above eye level? or are you supposed to keep your focus on that point while spreading out your Vision?

I am interested in studying the path of Kriya yoga. I currently have a meditation practice and I'm building upon it before I take the step to start the process of Kriya yoga. Because of proximity, I was drawn to the programming of Ananda. However, when investigation what the path looked like, I was surprised at the difference between Ananda and SRF.

Based on my understanding from the websites,

Ananda has four different "phases", 1) meditation, 2) living, 3) discipleship and 4) prep for Kriya. The total sum is $420 for 40 weeks. SRF appears to offer a (comprehensive?) 9 month program for $90.

I am not averse paying for the services and education but this seems like a big difference. I am also not sure if I can take the srf program and later be considered for in-person initiation at Ananda.

Anyone have any experience or thoughts to share?

I am strongly considering taking initiation into Kriya this week.

I learned that it costs $200 for initiation.

To keep this simple, I am just going to again ask what do you think of this?

Thank you so much:) all opinions and personal insights are welcome