Yoga is an ancient practice, which is more than 5000 years old. The term Yoga is derived from Sanskrit origin and the literal meaning of the word is union. It is a practice that connects mind, body and soul through different postures or asana, meditation and controlled breathing.

Yoga is not only about twisting or bending the body or even holding your breath. It is defined as a mechanism that brings you in a state of mind where you allow all your energies to become exuberant and expand your senses thus enabling you to experience the whole universe as a part of it and making everything into one.

Yoga if practised, has countless benefits that affect you physically and mentally in a very positive manner. The very first thing that yoga does for you, is that it enhances your blood circulation which means better transportation of oxygen and improved blood flow which leads to healthier organs. Yoga also involves a lot of controlled breathing and thus it improves the oxygenation in the body and also lowers the heart rate resulting in higher cardiovascular endurance. Practicing yoga regularly increases the immunity system in your body making you resistant towards diseases and enhancing every cell.

The main aim of the yoga is to fine tune yourself by creating a perfect harmony between your mind, body and spirit. Although yoga is a single concept, there are a number of different methods of practising it. Kriya Yoga is one such method.

Kriya Yoga

Kriya yoga is defined as the modern version of all the conventional yoga. According to the Sanskrit term, Kri means “to do” and Ya means “the soul”. In Kriya yoga, there is a strong focus on meditation and it inculcates a spiritual development, bringing you closer towards self-realization and making you aware of the cosmos.

Kriya yoga was initially associated with religious activities, but now it is practised for health-related benefits. Compared to all other forms of yoga, this form is much simpler to practice.

The Technique

Kriya yoga is very simple to practice, earlier it was taught by gurus who were the practitioners and they introduced many yogic exercises as stimulation for kriya yoga meditation.

Follow these simple steps to start your kriya yoga.

1) Make yourself comfortable on a plain flat surface, you may even use a yoga mat according to your comfort zone. Sit down with your knees crossed below the pelvis.

2) Position your arms comfortably and sit in the lotus position with fingers entwined and your thumbs touching each other.

3) Keep your body in a relaxed position and make sure that the spine is held straight.

4) Calm your mind and channel yourself by concentrating on a single thought.

5) Follow the practice for about 20 minutes.

The Benefits

Yoga itself has a number of health benefits and according to a recent article from Stanford, research has shown that breathing techniques from kriya yoga resulted in reduced anxiety. The immediate benefit of kriya yoga includes an improvement in your health and this includes both physical as well as the mental aspect

The Mental and Emotional Benefit

In one of the studies conducted by Stanford institute, it was found that Kriya Yoga was able to bring down hypertension in patients. It also has shown some amazing results when it comes to treating depression.

Because it involves breathing exercises it aims at calming a patient’s mind and reducing anxiety and depression by almost 67%. In short Kriya Yoga also influences the mood in a positive way and uplifts your mood instantly.

The Physical Benefit

Kriya yoga can improve your physical fitness, this form of exercise usually involves stretching your muscles that leads to increased flexibility. It has also been noticed that this method of practice has resulted in a remarkable reduction in the serum urea, diastolic blood pressure etc.

This form of yoga imparts a natural and controlled breathing, providing oxygen-rich air to your lungs and giving a boost of energy.Kriya yoga can unblock energies in the body offering long-term changes in your body.

To conclude, kriya yoga is safe to practice which can be done by anyone. It can transform your life and broaden your horizon in ways you never imagined – something that is certainly worth trying, don’t you think?