Kriya Yoga, Indias quick fix solution? Options

Have (once again) taken an intrest in yoga as an attachment, a compliment to cerimonial magic. So far I've skipped from a few yogic practices, never staying with one long enough to actually learn or gain something from it all which, looking back over the years is a shame. Was having a discussion with someone a while ago and Kriya was mentiond and I've since been doing my research on the practice only to find that its touted in a way that should send esteemed, respectable practicioners running... or at least contorting facial muscles into ways enough for a flow of prana to invoke a questionable and weary mind state regarding the matter.

"Ten (or so) minutes equates to (several) life times of spiritual evolution"

"The fastest way to world unity"

"Shortcuts"

And so on, alongside an air of secrecy surrounding special karmaic busting techniques only to be reealed once an oath, taken in this life time but extending over several is taken. Other than on the cover of various contently repetitive books on western occultism I've never seen such buzz-wordism or apt crass marketing and of course like a bug to a blue light I find myself drawn in, inquizitive, perhaps hoping for an instant zap and a near death state all the while scouring the ground looking for the smoking carcasses of those who've failed or been crippled by its kundalini type approach... or at least ripped off by a content looking yogi .lol.

Perhaps due to the oaths and varying viels of secrecy, cloaks and shrouds emanating from the clouds of the Himalayas there dosent seem to be much nets worth of information out there regarding the actual practice, do think its reccomendation was perhaps linked to the secret masters myth of certain occult schools thinking about it but yeah... thought it worth a mention on here as it dosent seem to be talked about much.

Anyone practice it? Can you vouch for its efficiancy? Can't see how it compliments cerimonial practice as Ashtanga is said to.

Peace
.M.

Kriya Yoga is the style of yoga used by Paramahansa Yogananda. He is the author of the classic book Autobiography of a Yogi. So it is a legitimate from of yoga. I haven't used it, but apparently it is effective. From what little I know, they circulate the prana through the body and cause releases of blockages which manifest as shaking or involuntary movement. I haven't really looked into it closely so am not sure of much more. But you mention that the only training you have found seems crassly commercial and involves taking oaths? hmm Yogananda set up a Self Realization Fellowship institute to spread it to the west back in thee 1920s. Just from looking at their site the books they offer seem to be fairly cheap price. They do have to make enough money to stay open. But according this this article, http://www.ananda.org/news/self-realization-fellowship.html the original SRF sued another institute for using a similar name and for copyright issues and effectively lost. It doesn't sound especially sinister though. Anyhow here is a link to the Yogananda's institution http://www.yogananda-srf.org/ and to the Wikipedia article on Kriya Yoga http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriya_Yoga

Hi, yeah.. read that the institute have their application at the back of the autobiography book but that lessons are leaked as in given in stages, the techniques are given only after an oath is taken or something .lol. By "apt crass marketing" I was being cheeky and speaking in a spiritual context in that the way books, courses and schools get around is by vieling what it is they do whilst making a noise about it, or by claiming they're letting you in on something that's hidden within the pages of a book, "the secret teachings of..." and so on.

Generally get the feeling that some yogic schools are latching onto western expectations, yoga as a fast food fix with promises of enlightenment via "shortcuts". Guess that people, authors adepts and gurus make room for, 9 - 5 work patterns and even consumerism at times, loosening the reigns on certain aspects of the work so as to not disturb peoples lifestyles whereas in reality its the culture of capitalism and consumerism that needs changing... big contradiction going around at the moment in stating that consumerist societies should, "go green" to save the planet... carry on consuming and expecting constant growth and expansion in your economics and go green to save the planet all at the same time. Is intresting.

Do you consider Kriya to be as effective as they say it is? Isn't unlike Qi Gong by the sound of it.