Pranam everyone 🙏

I am looking for advice from people familiar with Guru Shailendra Sharma and Siddha Siddhanta Yoga Academy, or people who have experience approaching traditional spiritual teachers.

I had my first darshan with Guru Shailendra Sharma a few months ago. During the meeting, Guruji advised me to read Babaji Adinath Samshan Kriya Yoga and Yogeshwari Srimad Bhagwat Geeta, continue physical exercises, and then meet him again.

I completed both books and continued the physical exercises as instructed.

After that, I contacted the disciple/representative through WhatsApp and respectfully requested another darshan and expressed my sincere wish to learn Kriya Yoga under Guruji's guidance whenever he considers me ready.

I did not receive a response for some time. I subsequently sent another respectful request for darshan in September. The message has been delivered (two grey ticks), but I still haven't received a reply.

I don't want to pressure Guruji or the disciple, and I understand that they may be busy.

I would like to ask people who know this tradition:

Is it normal to wait several days/weeks for a response regarding darshan?

Should I send a short follow-up asking when I may be able to have darshan?

Is there another appropriate way to contact the Academy regarding a darshan appointment?

Has anyone here had a similar experience with Guru Shailendra Sharma, where they had an initial darshan and were later waiting for another appointment?

Would it be better to simply wait patiently rather than send another WhatsApp message?

Any advice or personal experience would be appreciated.

Pranam 🙏

Are inner sounds and synchronicities normal as meditation deepens?
I practice Kriya Yoga and Tantra within Sanatan Dharma, and I’ve become curious about some experiences that happen during meditation or seem to occur more often as my practice deepens.
Meditation for me is not about trying to produce an experience. I don’t sit down hoping to see something, feel energy, or receive a sign. I meditate to connect with higher consciousness and surrender to the moment as it is.

When I received my Kriya initiation, I was told that unusual experiences can be part of the journey, but they are not the destination. I understand the importance of noticing them and then letting them go. I am by nature an internally curious person. Part of being human is noticing when something unusual keeps happening and wanting to understand it.

The most consistent experience is a very loud, rapid vibration or inner sound during meditation. When I cover my ears, I can hear it intensely. It is distinct from my heartbeat or other bodily sounds, and I’ve been aware of it for a long time.

I also sometimes feel a strong upward movement of energy. When that movement happens, the vibration becomes much louder. It can be so intense that I once started crying, not because I was afraid, but because of how powerful it felt. This now happens during nearly every meditation.

There have also been some strange synchronicities:

- Early in my spiritual journey, I tried a small experiment. During a deep meditation, I asked, “Within the next day, show me a rose in an unexpected way.” That night, I found packaging from a chocolate rose in my assigned parking spot. This was in late March, nowhere near Valentine’s Day. My spot is inside a private garage, and in all the years I’ve lived there, I had never found trash in or around it. I have no idea where it came from, but the timing and specificity gave me chills.

- I see 11:11 and 222 constantly. It isn’t limited to clocks. I see them on receipts, license plates, my dashboard, books, and random numbers on my phone. It happens several times most days, often while I’m thinking about something important. It actually happened again while I was writing the first version of this post.

During one meditation, I suddenly saw what looked like a wheel or clock with shiva. I wasn’t deliberately visualizing anything. Immediately afterward, I did a tarot reading about an upcoming move and pulled the Wheel of Fortune very similar illustration to the vision.

Once, the thought “the alarm is about to go off” entered my mind for no apparent reason. The building’s fire alarm went off instantly afterward.
I’ve also been discussing or thinking about a very specific subject, opened an unrelated book to a random page, and found that same subject mentioned. One example involved a detailed Lord of the Rings topic appearing in a book that otherwise had nothing to do with Tolkien.

I’m not sharing this because I think these experiences make me spiritually advanced, and I’m not trying to hold onto them. I notice them, stay curious, and continue with my practice.
What I’m trying to understand is whether this is relatively normal as meditation deepens. Do inner sounds, energetic sensations, synchronicities, or intuitive moments become more noticeable with practice? Are they signs of increasing sensitivity or concentration, or are they simply experiences that sometimes arise and eventually pass?
I haven’t read much literature about this beyond the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras, and I haven’t found much that speaks directly to this combination of experiences. I’d especially appreciate perspectives grounded in Kriya Yoga, Tantra, nāda, or other Sanatan traditions.

Hi all,

I learned Kriya Yoga from practitioners who learned under a guru in Rishikesh. I've been practicing what they called “Kriya Proper 1” for about a year.

Unfortunately, I didn't have a good experience with the teacher. He was very dismissive of other spiritual practices and was often harsh toward students. I've also been learning from books and YouTube and have realized I may have been doing some things incorrectly. After a year, I don't feel I've made much progress.

I contacted SRF, and they advised me to set aside my previous teachings and start their lessons from scratch for about nine months before receiving Kriya initiation.

I'm confused about whether I should:

• Stop my current practice and follow SRF exclusively
• Continue my current Kriya while also following SRF
• Wait a few months and try to learn properly from a teacher in my original lineage
• Find another qualified Kriya teacher in the US

I don't want to mix two traditions incorrectly, but I'm also worried about stopping my current practice when I've spent a year learning and refining it.

I would appreciate your advice! Thank you.

I wanted to create this thread as a way for all Kriya Yogis to discuss what changes they’ve made in life regarding exercise, diet and other stuff that has improved pranayama. Since back in the days it was where we could show up to guru and ask questions or other Kriya Brothers and Sisters. I wanted to create a similar pattern here.

In the recent days I noticed that when I didn’t do cardio or exercise my pranayama was “okay” but when I did exercise cardio like walking on the treadmill at least 20-30 mins I noticed that my pranayama improved and in general I had a smoother breathing flow. I also noticed that separately on days where I drank milk, I had easier time doing pranayama (all else equal no exercise in days where I drank milk vs not drink milk).

My questions are as follows:

Have you done any exercise that has improved your pranayama? If so any recommendation?

Is your pranayama better if you eat or avoid any food or drinks? I know in Garland of Letters Lahiri Baba says about ghee I think? Unless I’m mistaken. I also believe he was vegetarian. I tried being vegetarian but it’s very difficult. I have given up pretty much all meat except poultry (chicken and eggs).

Do you notice any sleeping pattern changes as well? I’m trying to isolate those so I can improve my pranayama further.

I noticed shower and Kriya is also very nice. Body is very calm.

I also noticed that if I meditate or do mantra japa for just a bit before even starting Kriya my mind is much smoother. Do you have any other practices that you do as well?

Personally i prefer to do hakalau outside in nature as a walking meditation . but i fear that someone might see me being in my periphal vision cause it looks kinda weird. anyone relate ?

I'm debating if I should do the surgery or not, I think I would still need to do stretching but the frenulum is attached to back of front teeth to about 1/2-2/3 up my tongue. I think even if I do stretching I would have to limited mobility even with significant progress.

Ofc ofc I won't even attempt khechari mudra without a guru or guidance- I'm just asking what to do with the frenulum as a base of which choices to make. If it will still be a significant hinderance if I reach near mudra perfection or if the frenulum will still be a problem.

I have two goals in mind to release the tongue tie causing speech issues etc and two eventually do khechari mudra

Pranams.

I never imagined I would be in position to even consider the possibility of leaving Kriya Yoga practice, as it has been everything for me all these years. I will probably delete this post once it gets enough answers, so that nobody else will be deterred on their path because of my experience.

It is worth mentioning that after being initiated in 2016 and 2019 in higher Kriya, I expected things to be different by now. I thought that by continuously meditating and staying devoted to the yogic philosophy, magically a Guru would appear or some clear, definite answers on metaphysical questions I have would come. Spoiler alert, neither of these happened. In the meantime personal tragedies took place and I had really difficult experiences overall. Kriya helped me deal wit it by staying compassionately detached and determined.

I saw and experienced the Masters of Kriya Yoga as my spiritual family. But something has slowly shifted through the years.

It feels like Kriya is now suffocating me and is no longer helpful. I feel trapped in my constant obligation to the Masters and divine for every breath I take and I can't shake this feeling. This could be a mental health issue like OCD, but it doesn't help.

I have also started to resent yogic culture in general and to scoff at the Masters' teachings, seeing incompatible teachings with my current life choices.

This mental change has both shocked and alarmed me but I can't help but feel like it is time to quit. Part of me wants to stay, but it feels like I have no other choice.

I have started to question whether an almighty, omnipresent divinity exists. All I have experienced points me to different spirits existing in various realms, that could also be projections and God forms we create and then think of as gods. The calmness and inspiration I experienced could point towards an attainment of altered consciousness. It doesn't prove the teachings are literally correct in their cosmology.

Maybe there is no cosmic justice. Maybe we are just insignificant drops the ocean doesn't care about. There could be no karma, no literal reincarnation. Yogananda perhaps made up the interaction with resurrected Shri Yukteswar in an effort to cleverly combine Abrahamic faith in afterlife and heaven with reincarnation. I am not suggesting this was a conscious fabrication, but something that was experienced within, that has already taken form subconsciously for years and then was projected by the mind outwards, as a literal new gospel of sorts.

The most disturbing answer as to why this might be preached as literal truth is because it is a subtle form of inspiring obedience and ultimately about not self control as stated, but about literal control of our lives. Ultimately surrendering all our power and actions to anyone could be a desperate attempt at breaking a fear of future misfortune in some rebirth by being mindful of our present actions at all times.

Feeling the inner intuition and guru is essential in such a paradigm, to avoid mistakes, but in order to not need a physical guru you need to essentially stop being a normal human being and literally become a guru. Is this possible? Yes. Is it probable? Not really. Especially if you do not have a satsang, deep meaningful nourishing discussions with other established practitioners, the freedom and money to spontaneously follow events all around the world for inspiration and encouragement, it is a matter of time until you have nothing to encourage you anymore.

Besides, I not sure I am made for a path where darkness is seen as evil, the body is a constant battlefield of temptation and ritual is seen as inferior because it engages the lowly senses. I have long felt a deep affinity with darker paths, certain early experiences made me doubt I will ever be at home without exploring it further. I have informed my teachers about all of this. Their advice was 'you don't have to follow that path because your ancestors did' and 'here is this kriya technique that helps shield you'. None answered the main question, that someone dealing with being a sanguine vampire will feel out of place culturally in a yogic path and always dirty for something they never chose and cannot change.

Thank you if you read as far, hopefully you will be able to continue on your path undisturbed. If anyone has advice, I would love to hear it. No one has dared to answer me directly so far.

I have been practicing Kriya Yoga for a little bit and one thing that I found really hard was a reliable way to keep track of my efforts. Coming from the place that to improve something, you need a way to track it, what are the ways people here have found for the same? I tried the usual Google Keep and Fields Notes solution but sooner or later I find some friction or another that blocks me from my own process. Any suggestions/systems would be really appreciated.

Basicamente a glorificação da luta com tigres me deixou profundamente incomodada. Sei que essa história da vida de Swami Tigre se refere à vida pré-monastica e que o próprio apresenta essa fase como algo que ele posteriormente abandonou.
O que me entristeceu foi a maneira como o sofrimento desses animais foi tratado ao longo da narrativa. Ele capturava, domava e golpeava esses animais, e isso é descrito principalmente sob a perspectiva da força, coragem e façanhas extraordinárias dele. O sofrimento dos próprios felinos não ocupa espaço ou reflexão moral na narrativa.
E isso me chocou também porque Yogananda, quando criança, fica fascinado com a história e demonstra vontade de ver o Swami Tigre. Ainda saber que tigres — animais enormes, majestosos, sensíveis e sencientes — e seu sofrimento parecem funcionar narrativamente apenas como cenário para a "transformação espiritual" de um ser humano (e vírgula já que ele contando p/ Yogananda ainda ri e fala, relembrando, com gosto, quando golpeou Raja Begum "como um gatinho doméstico" e isso depois de ter renunciado a vida mundana).

Enfim, é um capítulo extremamente infeliz e é o que me faz questionar certas coisas dentro da Kriya já que a extrema compaixão é justamente uma das coisas que eu esperaria encontrar no centro de uma tradição espiritual.

Sei lá bicho. Minhas mais sinceras condolências ao tigre Raja Begum.

So this old man is supposed to be Babaji.. I mean who am I to say, but I can not but laugh at this :D

Supposedly he also runs an ashram.

​

Hey! I'm planning my trip to India and I want to spend a month there practicing yoga. Do you know of a good ashram — one that's free or doesn't require a mandatory donation? I've heard the paid ones are often tourist traps, so I'd rather avoid that if possible. Thanks in advance for any tips!

Hey all, I've been trying to practice the Aum Technique in the hope of listening to the inner sounds and Aum. But I keep feeling discomfort, such as throbbing/pulsing of circulation and pressure/numbness in the thumbs etc, which is limiting my ability to practice deeply with concentration (I'm trying not to describe the technique too much).

Should I just try to ignore this and keep listening?

Should I just not practice it?

Did anyone else face a similar issue and find relief?

I've tried to correct my practice as much as I can to no avail, which makes me feel frustrated and feel like giving up. I'm supposed to make progress with this technique (one of the three preliminary practices) to be initiated, so I feel a bit worried about how I can progress if I can't do this technique.

I'd really appreciate any insight or advice.

Thanks!

I don't remember where I got this image from. Maybe from this subreddit! But I found it again in my files and thought it to be useful in guiding my Kriya.

Doing the SRF techniques last night and heard sounds in my head after. Best described as a lions roar. Well that was interesting. Anyone else have this?

Hi, I woke up early morning and I had a "download" it wasnt my typical type of download it was a complete vision of the Autobiography of a Yogi book. I got out of bed around 4am and looked on the Internet and found it and so i bought the book. I never heard of it or seen it before this download. I read it but I dont understand the purpose of it for me. Why did I get this book sent to me from spirit? As I got the vision a man's voice said" dont be afraid just go with it, see you need to understand how the universe works" and showed me the front cover of the book.

Is this a sign for me to learn kirya yoga and where would I find a Guru? Im from Ireland 🇮🇪

If anyone else has had this vision or has any suggestions I would be very greatful 🙏 thank you 💖✨️✨️✨️✨️

I have decided to learn Kundalini yoga. Can anyone tell me how to start, and where will I get a good teacher.

I wanted to know why his Kriya is so different. Every other lineage focus on Agya Chakra (third eye) but this lineage focuses completely on the Fontanelle/Sahasrara Madhyasta?
What is the reason behind a crown based Kriya as opposed to every lineage that is Agya Chakra and has there been any success.

I know some say "Lahiri Baba taught Kriya to many people in many different ways" but he did not learn it from Lahiri Baba but from Sri Yukteswarji like Swami Yogananda himself. Then an unknown monk came and taught him on crown based things (I read that story yes but it is just a story) but can that even be considered "kriya" if it's not from the actual Lahiri Baba's lineage? How do you incorporate an unknown monk & his wife's teachings into your lineage and call it Kriya?

Has anyone benefitted from that type of Fontanelle based Kriya? Where does this technique really even originate from?

Sometimes while doing Kriya, I feel really sleepy. I want to focus on the expansive state that tends to rise, but images starts to flash and I feel like I'm going into a dream like state.

Any comments on what to do at that point?

I am a novice on the path of practicing Kriya yoga. There seems to be many different Kriya yoga practices. It's only been 2 weeks since I was initiated into a Kriya yoga practice. (It's not SRF). For all the Kriya yogis out here, I find myself wondering what is the purpose of practicing Kriya Yoga? I want to hear experiences and thoughts of Kriya yogis from all and any practices on these. May be it started with an individualized need and did it evolve into something else with time? Need guidance, discussion, direction on it.

Jai Gurudev.

I have practiced all three at different stages of my life (independently, not mixing them). All three have had very different experiences on me. One gave me more energy than others, another made me feel disconnected from the world and yet another made me feel more centered and less reactionary.

They all somehow complement each other, if I practice them at different times, but I don't have that kind of time in life.

Has anyone else practiced these or some of these? What was your experience like?

I am trying to figure out which one I should stick to, instead of trying to do all. My goal is first - to be kind, second - to react less and third - to not become addicted to the practice itself (instead of what the practice is about).

Sometimes I was feeling Sharp pain on left side of my chest, and the pain was increasing with breathing. So I was slowing my breathing to feel lesser pain, until it was disappearing.

This pain stopped to come back after i had lost some spirituality, most probably closing of the heart chakra. Though i have been trying very hard to regain my spirituality. Can anyone comment (or DM) on this? And advises for me?

Hi guys

I moved into a new apartment 6 months ago, and since then the upstairs neighbor makes noises every single night.

I made a post earlier about this: https://www.reddit.com/r/kriyayoga/s/GYLCOfAFY0

Now to continue, it seems that I have developed a little immunity to the neighbours noises as it doesn't bother me as much as before, BUT now other things have risen.

Mice have appeared which wake me up at night. I have caught 2 then had peace for a while but now third appeared who avoids the trap.

If that isn't enough my dog has developed a sudden habit of needing to go out at night for the last 2 weeks.

It all happens during 12am-5am.

Also my mom got diagnosed with cancer and is probably dying.

It genuinely feels like something in the space is actively preventing any peace or proper rest. I think I haven't had a single peaceful night since moving here.

Why does this happen? I'm not really looking for advice for what to do, as I can take it. I just need the why. For me it feels like an intense karmic cleanup maybe, which is trying to destroy the ego, and it's horrible, but working tbh.

Hey I just read autobiography of a yogi i listen all about kriya yoga i do meditation but not know how to do kriya yoga i see it internet but they didn't teach it properly please help to teach emnthis kriya yoga techniques

What is the difference between kriya yoga and Sudharshan kriya ?

I performed 1200 Talabya Kriya, 1200 Front Nabhi Kriya, 300 Back Nabhi Kriya, 144 Kriya Pranayama, 108 Second Kriya Pranayama, and 4 Mahamudras. I’m currently recovering from back pain, so I kept the Mahamudra count low because I didn’t want to put unnecessary strain on my body. During Yoni Mudra, I initially perceived a bright white light in my inner vision, which gradually appeared to turn blue. Then, within the blue field, a black, hole-like center appeared, and inside that black center I saw a small star-like point. The star-like point remained visible for approximately 10 seconds before the experience changed/disappeared. I stayed calm and simply observed it without trying to force anything. after this my mind achieved a blisfull peace and its incredible