"Although Kriya Yoga is not a "Direct Path" tradition, as Kriya does not immediately point towards nonduality, I find that I practice what I have been given more now than I did years ago. I just enjoy it."
~ Eric Putkonen
Some people may want to receive initiation into Kriya Yoga, and so he freely offers Kriya initiation to sincere students who come to him. If interested, please contact him at eric@awaken2life.org
Who initiated you? Where does this come from?
What is Kriya Yoga?
There are other groups that teach different "kriya" practices - what is the difference?
Why can't I just learn Kriya from a book or online?
Do I need to renounce my church and religion in order to receive Kriya initiation?
More questions? Please email Eric at eric@awaken2life.org
Often these are questions that come to mind. So Eric will briefly tell his story with Kriya here.
"My spiritual path and search began with reading "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda. Later, I took the Self Realization Fellowship lessons, although I never was initiated by SRF. After spending the year or so taking the lessons, I lost interest in going through their initiation process. It was not something I felt drawn to anymore.
Furthermore, my connection and devotion was not to Yogananda; he seemed more like a brother than my guru to me. I was drawn to Lahiri Mahasaya. I always felt a deep connection with Lahiri whenever I saw a photograph of him. In meditation, one day many years ago, I asked Lahiri Mahasaya to teach me. During the meditation I was initiated into Kriya and a technique was taught to me. I practiced this.
A couple years later, I met Sam Podany. He was offering Kriya Yoga initiation, as given to him by a man he called "Master George" - a direct disciple of ParamahansaYogananda. What he shared with me was the exact same technique Lahiri Mahasaya taught to me in meditation. Sam also said this is only the first technique, but this is the only one conveyed physically by another. He said all further instruction comes during meditation. This sounded right to me, and possible considering my first Kriya initiation originally came during meditation."
Kriya Yoga is a technique to accelerate human evolution by mentally directing the life energy to revolved around the six spinal centers. Paramahansa Yogananda said that one-half minute of Kriya equals one year of natural spiritual unfoldment.
There are other techniques that are part of the Path of Kriya Yoga. Some teach several techniques to prepare the aspirant to receive the transmisison of Kriya (not only verbally, but also vibrationally). Eric teaches Kriya as he learned it from Lahiri Mahasaya in meditation, which is the same Kriya he later received from a disciple's disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda.
Kriya Yoga must be received not only intellectually, as in written or spoken form, but also vibrationally. Like a magnet can be created by close proximity to another magnet...or how a tuning fork that is struck will make other tuning forks of the same note also to start vibrating. There is an attunement that must take place as well. Something is passed to the one being initiated that is beyond the words.
No, Kriya yoga is a practice that can be done regardless of religion. Lahiri Mahasays initiated Hindus, Christians, and Moslems into Kriya. Paramahansa Yogananda also taught people of many faiths.