Questions about Hariharananda's Kriya Yoga practice

Meditationtime Forum Post

Date:  Posted 5 years before May 01, 2018

Alfredo 5 years ago

Answers below…

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Query:

Though I do have some questions as Hariharananda lineage and the techniques of him really interests me..

While the 2nd kriya pranayama is more advanced then the 1st, in what way is it more advanced? does it give more benefits or each Kriya have their own unique benefits? I am asking this as I see that the 1st Kriya pranayama puts more emphases on the crown and even the 8th chakra which is above the crown which might be a good thing?

Alfredo's Reply:

It is way more advanced. Although each Kriya may have its own benefit, and often Hariharananda and other Gurujis of that lineage stated that 1st Kriya package was good enough, the 2nd Kriya prânâyâma was the one insisted upon by Lahiri Baba himself upon his disciples and targeted for many rounds. If you review the letters I posted on the site, you will notice that some of them went the length of 1728 rounds that took them 10 hours or so straight. Can you do that? 1728 is a magic yogic number, sometimes referred to as Vivekananda’s number from his “Raja Yoga” whereas 12 seconds of total concentration means one Dharana, one Dharana  x 12 = 1 Dhyana (meditation or 2.4 minutes); one Dhyana x 12 = 28.8 minutes = one Samadhi, meaning it takes approximately 28 minutes in Dharana to complete Samyama and get into Samadhi.

I have repeatedly, through the years, done the 144 rounds of 2nd Kriya Pranayama, taking me approximately 1.25 hour. I have never mustered the courage to go the 1728 length, but believe me, I have entertained the idea many a time! 1728 = 144 x 12.

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Query:

There is 1st and 2nd pranayama, is there also a 3th and 4th Kriya he taught to his disciplines?

Alfredo's Reply:

Indeed, but he rarely taught above 2nd Kriya, only to a few people. When I was ready to ask for 3rd Kriya initiation from him, he passed away.

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Query:

Usually I give the Spinal Breathing at least 60 - 90 of minutes practice and after that I meditate on my crown and now also I added 30 minutes of the Seven Bows practice to my routine. In Hariharananda interviews he told to the viewers that one only has to practice the seven bows for 5 minutes a day which in my opinion is really nothing and I am not going to reduce the amount of time to that, but as you were his discipline, did he give out a certain amount of time to practice each Kriya?

Alfredo's Reply:

Practicing the Kriya Pranams or Bow for 5 minutes is very good. However, and again drawing from Lahiri Baba’s letters to his disciples, the Guruji sometimes prescribed more of those, depending on the person. Hariharananda’s package, whether 1st or 2nd Kriya usually takes one hour, but that is in group sessions. Alone, the Kriyavan is supposed to experiment, and, more importantly, elongate the Paravastha state, which is the meditation proper. Or he/she could also elongate the open-eye meditation, of which Swami Shriyukteshwar was quite fond of, also known as Shambhavi Mudra. Here a rare picture of Yoganandaji in lotus posture and Shambhavi Mudra.

As per the 2nd Kriya prânâyâma, as any other Kriya Yoga technique, it is conducted with the tongue rolled up, touching the upper palate = Kechari Mudra.

Poorak (Inhalation)

Sit with spine straight, inhale a little bit at each chakra, starting at bottom or muladhara, as you inhale, the lungs inflate, pronouncing the mantra Om-na-mo-bha-ga-va. Om at 2nd chakra (bottom chakra is launching place only) and up to Sahasrara, concentrating on the back of the spine.

Kumbhaka (Retention)

In the brain, hold breath, and bend head to front, to center, to left, to center, to back, to center, to right, to center, to front, to center. Each time, look for light in each hemisphere of the brain. How long to hold the breath here? Depends on practice, I can go up to a minute with this Kumbhaka.

Rechaka (Exhalation)

Now go back down through the front of the spine exhaling bit by bit at each chakra, starting with the throat chakra with: Te-va-su-de-va-ya. When arriving at bottom chakra use Ujjayi breath.

Do this slowly at first, then repeatedly.

devaPriya Yogini 5 years ago

Nice Alfredo~Thanks for posting.

Ill practice the kriya 2. I've done something similar but with bija sounds. i may like the om namo bhagavate vasudevaya better.

Alfredo 5 years ago

My pleasure Yogini Ji!

Please, let us know how it goes.

Alfredo 5 years ago

Query:

[A quick question about The Seven Bows, just to make sure,

Sitting on a chair, bowing down.. when touching the right knee with the right ear, I don't actually sit straight again but still in bowing posture and just getting close with my ear to the knee and bending my neck to the right side so the left ear will face the sky? and resuming to center is just bending the neck to the left side?]

Alfredo's Reply:

It is better not to sit on a chair.

The main instruction is squatting on the floor, but for those who have difficulty bending in such a posture like me (lotus, siddhasana, sukhasana, etc), then kneeling on the floor with the knees as apart as possible is the best option.

You are correct, once you bow the 1st time, continue down, so again:

Kneeling on floor, knees well apart, spine straight, inhale from the back of the spine, bottom, up to the fontanel and hold, bow to the center. Exhale and watch. You can watch for Naad sound or light or vibrations. Keeping the head low, turn to the right, bending the head so that the right ear touches the right knee, at the same time the right arm is bent behind the back and the left hand holds the wrist of the bent right arm in the back. Watch. Back to the center. Watch. Do the same to the left, now left arm is bent behind back and right hand holds the wrist of the left arm. Watch. To the center again. Watch. Inhale again from the bottom of the spine, hold on fontanel, go up, exhale and watch.

The idea behind the bow is to equalize Ida and Pingala (right and left nostrils) and start the process of opening Sushumna nadi.