Kriyas and Meditations

In a class of Kundalini Yoga as Taught by Yogi Bhajan®, kriyas and meditations are the “meat and potatoes” (or “beans and rice” for vegetarians) of the experience.Pranayam and warm-up postures may precede the kriya, which is typically followed by relaxation in corpse pose and a meditation.

WHAT IS A KRIYA?

The word kriya means action. It is an action that leads to a complete manifestation such as a seed to bloom, a thought into actuality, a desire to commitment.

In Kundalini Yoga a kriya is a series of postures, breath, and sound that work toward a specific outcome. Practicing a kriya initiates a sequence of physical and mental changes that affect the body, mind, and spirit simultaneously. There are kriyas that support the liver, balance the glandular system, make you radiant, stimulate the pituitary, increase the flexibility of the spine, and many more. Each kriya has a different effect, but all work on all levels of your being.

WHAT IS MEDITATION?

Meditations in Kundalini Yoga contain specific, practical tools that carefully and precisely support the mind and guide the body through the use of breath, mantra,mudra, and focus. The range and variety of meditation techniques in the Kundalini Yoga tradition is truly extraordinary. Yogi Bhajan passed on hundreds of meditations tailored to specific applications. There are meditations that reduce stress, work on addictions, increase vitality, and clear chakras, to name a few.1 While there exist many, many styles and approaches to meditation, what sets this approach to meditation apart is its precision, effectiveness, and practicality.