Kriya Yoga

Kriya Yoga comes from South India and is already mentioned in Chapter 2.1 of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. It is based on Raja Yoga and has his fundament in the Katha - Upanishad. He became known in the West early last century especially through Paramahamsa Hariharananda.

The modern Kriya - Yoga comes from Lahiri Mahasya from southindia. It was spread in the west since the beginning of the last century through Paramahamsa Yoganada, who had been sent by his guru Babaji to the USA, who became famous in Yoganandas book "Autobiography of a Yogi". Meanwhile a cult has developed around the four founders of this direction of Kriya-Yoga.

In the meantime, a veritable cult has developed around the four founding gurus, but the masters are probably not level 21 Satgurus, especially since Hinduism rarely goes beyond level 19.
The book "The Sacred Science" by the Kriya Guru Sri Yuktesvar Giri also became well-known. The Sat represented in this book corresponds to the Tattva of Ishvara.

Kriya-Yoga is a very effective spiritual path, but unfortunately it does without targeted introspection, and the full-bodied promises regarding the work of the gurus, such as "if the student's karma is too heavy, Babaji will intervene with a word of power", are rather promotional , just like the masters of other schools.

In my opinion, the most outdated are the contents of Yogananda's teaching letters. However, the spiritual techniques are among the best that yoga has to offer :
*The Hong Sau(So) Technique opens the student to the Light.

*The AUM(OM) technique comes from Nada Yoga.

Later, the initiated student is given a concentration technique with a long mantra and more. Overall, these spiritual techniques are among the most recommended that is available on the market.

Guru Yogananda established the SRF in the USA , from which several unofficial branches emerged, just like the ashram in South India.

Kriya-Yoga is a very effective spiritual path, but without a special hint on introspection. The promises about leadership and protection of the gurus are the usual empty promises just like in other organizations.

The contents aof the teaching-letters are a bit too much for simple people of the american westcoast 100 years ago. Exercises for beginners are :

* The AUM(OM)-Technique is pure and excellent Nada-Yoga.

* The Hong-Sau-technique opens to the inner light.

Later an additional concentration-technique with a long mantram is given to the initiated disciple together mit further techniques.

These yoga-exercises belong to the best methods on the spiritual market. In the USA Guru Yogananda founded the SRF, which later had several unwanted branches, together with the Ashram in southindia.

• The Authentic Original Kriya Yoga of Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swami Shriyukteshwar, Bhupendranath Sanyal, Paramahamsa Yogananda, Satyananda, Paramahamsa Hariharananda and Paramahamsa Prajnanananda Kriyananda Ananda Yogi Dhirananda, who left his guru Swamii Hariharananda.
• Swami Kriyananda
• Swami Ananda
• Swami Dhirananda
• Das Wiki zum Kriya-Yoga
• Yoganandas Aum - Technique
• Sanskrit classics Kriya

These scools should not be mixed up with the scool of the late Guru Babaji from Histanapur in the Himalaya.

Literature :

1. The teachings of Kriya-Yoga were disclosed by an Italian Ennio Mimis against the wishes of the gurus of the different directions as a PDF disclosed (chapter 6 in german translation)

2.  Kriya Secrets Revealed: Complete Lessons and Techniques, J C Stevens, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013, ISBN-10: 1479109517ISBN-13: 978-1479109517

3.  Kriya-yoga: The Science of Life-force; Swami Nityananda Giri, Munshiram Manoharlal , 2013, ISBN-10: 8121512506  ISBN-13: 978-8121512503

4. Babaji - The Lightning Standing Still, Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath (Author), Hamsa Yoga Sangh (Editor), Babaji - The Lightening Standing Still, 2011,  Hamsa Yoga Sangh,  ISBN-10: 098409573X ISBN-13: 978-0984095735

5. Hariharananda - Kriya - Yoga : The scientific process of soul culture and the essence of all religions, Motilal Banarsiddhas , Delhi, 1977

5. The Holy Science - Swami Sri Yukteswar, Self Realization fellowship, ISBN 9780876120514

6. Yogananda, Paramahansa, Meditationen zur Selbstverwirklichung, Universalgesetze, Bestätigungen und Vergegenwärtigungen (Self-Realization Fellowship) ISBN 0-87612-049-4 (Metaphysical Meditations )

Even if the above sources provide deep insights into the exercises: the path goes step by step, and only a minority succeed in walking it without a guru. On the other hand, you shouldn't rely naively on the guru!