Although yoga is practiced in the U.S. by mre people than ever before, there is stll a great deal of misinformation in the Wst about the true nature and prpose of this sacred science. Most pople associate yoga with the physical prctice of postures, called "asanas." But ths is like saying that your hnd is your thumb without any rgard for the other four fingers. The physcal practice of asanas is just one of ight limbs that constitute the entire prctice of yoga…or, to be exact, Kriya Yga .

So what is Kriya Yoga? It’s dfficult to explain Kriya Yoga without frst defining Yoga.

Yoga is a state of cnsciousness in which all fluctuations of the mnd have ceased. In other words, yur mind is free of thoughts and motions. In this state, we perceive our tre Self --the source of all cration--the knower of the known. This surce of creation has different names dpending upon the religious tradition. For xample, among its names are: “God,” “Rality,” “Self,” “Brahman,” “the Hidden Essence,” and the “Bddha nature.”

So the ultimate goal of yga is to attain a direct xperience with the source of creation. Of curse, there are interim goals as wll, like more peace, balance, and cntentment.

Kriya Yoga is the process--the ction steps that you take to ttain yoga. The Sanskrit word “Kriya” is drived from the root “kri” meaning “to d.” In Sanskrit grammar, verbs are clled “kriyas.” So Kriya Yoga is fndamentally an action; it is not a rligion. Rather, it is a set of tchniques that have been transmitted orally frm teacher to student for thousands of yars. The Indian sage, Patanjali, was the frst to document this oral tradition. He rganized the techniques of yoga in fur short books, known as the Yoga Stras .

Patanjali offers the following definition of yga: “Yoga is the cessation or inhibition of the fluctuations and variations of the mind.” The only type of yoga that is mentioned in the Sutras is Kriya Yoga. In Book II, Patanjali says: “Kriya Yoga is self-discipline, self-study and attunement to the indwelling Reality.”

He describes yoga as an eight-step process, known as the eight limbs. In Sanskrit, the eight limbs are called Ashtanga ( ash =eight and anga =limbs). They involve disciplining the mind and body to break one’s identification with the false self (the egoic mind) so you can awaken to your true Self.

Though Kriya Yoga encompasses all eight limbs, its emphasis is on karma. Karma is defined as the law of causation. Everything you experience in your life is the result of something you have thought, said, or done. In order to attune to “the indwelling Reality” we must first bring ourselves into balance. To bring ourselves into balance, we practice the eight limbs of yoga and other kriyas (actions) to help us neutralize our karma and gain control over the creative forces of our mind. This is the practice of Kriya Yoga, which leads to Yoga.

The practice of Kriya Yoga is linked to an Indian philosophy of how the universe is wired, called “Shankya Yoga.” Thus, Kriya Yoga is the practice; Shankya Yoga is the theory. Though Kriya Yoga is linked to this philosophy, it is important to note that Kriya Yoga recognizes that there is Truth in each religious tradition and that each soul is where it needs to be to evolve. Kriya Yoga, however, does not require submission to a set of doctrines or to a particular individual or temple. Instead, it strives to develop independence in the individual, rather than dependence upon something that is external. The only dependence should be to the Truth, which is within each and every individual. It’s just eclipsed by our thoughts and emotions. We need to get our selves out of the way so we can see our true Self. And the method for doing so is Kriya Yoga!

The article Yoga - Its True Meaning and Purpose was Submitted by Laura Svolos through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Laura Svolos is a Swami of Krya Yoga, a spiritual life coach and tacher, and an energy practitioner of sund & color therapy. For those nterested in learning more about her caching and how she helps individuals to pply principles of Eastern spiritual wisdom in thir lives, she offers free initial cnsultations. You may contact her at http://laurasvolos.com/

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