What is kriya? And how it related to the bandhas?
I have a book by Yogi Bhajan, kundalini yoga master, http://www.amazon.com/Praanee-Praanayam-Exploring-Technology-Kundalini/dp/0972011072/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277903182&sr=1-9
from my knowledge a kriya is either a mantra or breath pattern that is repeated to clear out a specific blockage. In the above book he has many breathing techniques, one in particular for when you have a fever to cool you down, worked very well for me when I was sick. A person certified in kundalini yoga may be able to help you with the cold and sinuses thing.
As I understand it, kriya is action. Bandhas may be classified as kriya though specifically they are “locks” applied in the physical body to control, manipulate, and apportion energy.
what about karma? it is action as well? if so, how does kriya differs from karma?
Thanks
kind of in the same way asanas differ or dont differ from karma. A vague example of a kriya would be 11 minutes of a breathing pattern to achieve a certain health benefit
Karma is not an action per se, though there may be other views. Rather it is a residue of choices (or leftovers) from previous (and current) incarnations.
Hey there!
Since noone mentions it, I had a look at Wikipedia and it seems that Kriya has a variety of meanings, however do I, in the context of Hatha Yoga, know it as and have seen it referring to the cleansing techniques:
neti,
nauli,
trataka,
kapalabhati,
dhauti and
basti
Personally I do Jala Neti, with very good results (right before an Asana session, really frees the nose). I also have the device for Basti, but, uhm, didn’t yet find the time to try it. :lol:
So, kriya basically is cleansing technique for mind or/and body…? And applying a bandha helps to engage those techniques?
From my understanding
when you do asanas you are working with energy, after or during the asana you do a bandha to move the energy, or to inhibit the escape of energy. if an asana works the pelvic region, the energy can go down and out of the body, or up the body. By applying root lock, mulbanda, you inhibit the energy escaping out through the root chakra. This allows the energy to only move up into the higher chakras. If you apply root lock and chin lock, this can allow the energy to be contained between the root chakra and one higher up. IA, Nichole at which chakra does chin lock stop the energy from escaping? You can think of a bandha as if you have a tube open at both ends, water can flow right through, so you pour in a cup of water and it goes right through, none is contained in that tube. By applying the lock on both ends, you are effectively capping the tube, the energy/water stay inside thee tube.
Yes, a kriya is a cleansing technique, could also be described as a cultivation of energy.
Some kriyas may have you do a lock/bandha. Those would tend to be a chant/mantra, or breathing pattern.
As brother Q pointed out, the six kriyas he mentioned are cleansing in nature and only one of those is a breathing kriya. Kapalbhati. Not all of those six he mentioned need a lock/bandha for example neti pot needs no application of a lock/bandha. There are MANY other kriyas beyond those six, single nostril breathing is an example of one.
a good book on that is by yogani, http://www.aypsite.org/books-dsa-contents.html Personally I like his books a lot, they are clear, concise, very informative and easy to read
Also, when you do the neti pot, after using kapalbhati helps to get the water out.
SO yes, from my understanding kriya is a cleansing technique, however not all use a bandha.
It is a lot to explain, but really not too complicated
[quote=Quetzalcoatl;31512]…in the context of Hatha Yoga, know it as and have seen it referring to the cleansing techniques:
neti,
nauli,
trataka,
kapalabhati,
dhauti and
basti[/quote]
Hello Everyone,
As Q and JW point out here, kriya are the cleansing techniques used to purify the body. The mind is another matter.
Beyond their location, the bandhas are difficult to put into words, but I will try. It’s one of three places in the body, in the throat, just below the navel, and between the pubic bone and sphincter, where the musculature just above and below the bandha can be rolled together and “folded” internally, one over the other, so they catch, or clasp together. It’s not unlike the hook and lever lock-type clasp shown here. The outcome is a shift of tension and suspension in the direction of upward and downward moving force within the body, among other things. See prana and apana.
I hope that helps,
peace,
siva
Thank you JustwannaB, I will check the book out!
Thank you for detailed explanation on bandhas.
I’d like to remind the original question.
[U]What is kriya?[/U] And how it related to the bandhas?
again, from my knowledge a kriya is either a mantra or breath pattern that is repeated to clear out a specific blockage. also as brother Q mentioned " had a look at Wikipedia and it seems that Kriya has a variety of meanings, however do I, in the context of Hatha Yoga, know it as and have seen it referring to the cleansing techniques:
neti,nauli,trataka,kapalabhati,dhauti and basti"
Some kriyas have bandhas, some do not. So bandha in relation to kriyas, is dependent on the particular type of krya
This may be of interest to others as a supplement to this conversation.
Hi,
Kriya means action.Although i often tend to view them as purificatory (or cleansing) practices or exercises…
Bandhas are psycho-physical ,energetic and/or muscular locks in the body designed to channel and direct energies.So uddiyana bandha causes it to fly upwards.They’re sometimes referred to as a sub-set of mudras.They may range from subtle to gross to imperceptible in terms of their application
A kriya could denote a combination of techniques used on one practice.If you look at kundalini yogi Bhajan’s practices a great bulk of them are often referred to as kriyas. Indeed he seems to have a kriya for nearly everything.See these Archives- Kriyas- Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga.
You can find though that alot of these & other yogic terms may be used inter-changeably.
I tend to refer to the six bodily cleansing or purification techniques as shatkarmas, integral to hatha yoga.See Hatha Yoga Pradipika & Gerhanda Samhita.
Jala Neti–nose,nasal passages, septum etc
Nauli–abdominal cavity ,digestive system,visceral organs,diapraghm
Trataka- the eyes,occiptal region(rear of brain)
Kapalabhati–Frontal lobes,lungs,nose etc
Dhauti & Basti–Colon,digestive system,oesophagus, small stomach(?),nose etc
.
Then there’s “kriya” yoga which can be a complete yoga in itself, that usually invovles combining the breath with the attention and typically focusing on parts of the body or nervous system such as the spinal cord and brain…They may or not be additional use of mantras.A kriya in the context of kriya yoga could just refer to one round of breathing mixed with attention,simple or more elaborate or consist of a compound of techniques as in individual KY practices…
How are they related- kriyas and bandhas.The loose definition of kriya could simply be a purificatory practice that may utilise a compound of techniques drawn from hatha & kundalini yoga and tantra.(Note:_yoga is generally subsumed under the term ‘tantra’ ,tantra being considerd older and where yoga originated from; usually covering most of the main yogas it basically uses every available means possible and regards all areas of life as potential spiritual territory treating the whole range of human experience as fair game for spiritual culturing & fertilisation.).
<<<<<<<<<<<<Yoga EXPANDS Consciousness.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Everything is Spanda(vibration/movement of consciousness/Osscilation)
Nothing exists without movement.