1. I am initiated elsewhere already and am happy practicing it. But I want to learn kriyayoga as well. Would I need to renounce my earlier initiation for that?
2. Is there any age bar for kriya yoga, as I am a senior citizen.
—Jayanti Basu, India
Dear Jayanti,
Age is no barrier to taking kriya initiation. Initiation into kriya yoga is diksha, initiation by the guru. It is more than just a meditation technique. If you are happy with what you are doing and feel loyal to the initiation you have taken, it may perhaps be best to stay with that. Whatever technique a true guru gives a person is enough for that person’s spiritual journey. It’s really not whether one technique is better than another. It is what is the right relationship to God for each person.
The spiritual path consists of that which is right teaching, teacher, and technique for the soul’s progress towards liberation (moksha). So while it’s not a question of renouncing anything, it is a question of discipleship. One teacher or path can be a doorway to the soul’s next step. So if you are interested in kriya, it would good to learn more if necessary about Paramhansa Yogananda (have you read his Autobiography of a Yogi?) and the Ananda Sangha India (www.AnandaIndia.org) to see if this is your spiritual family and home. If so, then taking kriya initiation is a natural step. Okay?
Blessings to you,
Nayaswami Hriman
