Sir,
How is Kriya Yoga related with Advaita Vedanta?
What is relation between Kriya Yoga and other yogas like Raja, Gyana, and Bhakti Yoga?
Can any one of them lead us to Self-realization, or we must practice them all?
—ajay dange, india
Dear Ajay Dange,
The teachings of Kriya Yoga and Self-realization are, as Yogananda wrote, based on Sankhya, Yoga, and Vedanta (including Advaita Vedanta). Deep Kriya Yoga leads the yogi to the realization of Advaita Vedanta: “Only ONE exists, duality is an illusion.” That vision of oneness can only be experienced when duality is overcome, which is possible only when our inner energy enters from ida and pingala into sushumna, resulting in breathlessness. Kriya Yoga is that art of breathlessness. If the current doesn’t enter into the sushmuna channel, a true Advaita Vedanta-experience of oneness is impossible, remaining only a philosophical speculation.
Kriya Yoga is a path of Raja Yoga, which includes Bhakti Yoga, Gyana Yoga, and Karma Yoga.
All yogas can take the sincere seeker to Self-realization, but Raja Yoga is the royal path, the fastest one. Kriya Yoga is an advanced Raja Yoga technique, an “airplane route,” according to Yogananda, as it directly works on the inner life-force, which Bhakti and Gyana Yoga don’t do. Yes, we should practice some form of Bhakti (devotion) and Gyana (wise discrimination), but our emphasis is best to be Raja Yoga (meditation).
“Silence is the altar of Spirit.” May you find that altar inside, in your body temple, made silent by Raja Yoga practice.
In divine friendship, jayadev
