Stephen Sturgess - The Supreme Art and Science of Raja and Kriya Yoga: The Ulitmate path of Self-Realisation

THE SUPREME ART AND SCIENCE OF

RJA & KRIY
YOGA

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THE SUPREME ART AND SCIENCE OF

R JA & K RIY
Y OGA

The Ultimate Path to Self-Realisation

Stephen Sturgess

Foreword by Dr David Frawley

LONDON AND PHILADELPHIA

Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and to obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The author and the publisher apologise for any omissions and would be grateful if notified of any acknowledgements that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

First published in 2015

by Singing Dragon

an imprint of Jessica Kingsley Publishers

73 Collier Street

London N1 9BE, UK

and

400 Market Street, Suite 400

Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA

www.singingdragon.com

Copyright Stephen Sturgess 2015

Foreword copyright David Frawley 2015

Kriy Yoga symbol used on the title page copyright Stephen Sturgess

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing it in any medium by electronic means and whether or not transiently or incidentally to some other use of this publication) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 or under the terms of a licence issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd, Saffron House, 610 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Applications for the copyright owners written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher.

Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Sturgess, Stephen, 1951

The supreme art and science of Raja and Kriya yoga : the ultimate path to self-realisation / Stephen

Sturgess.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-84819-261-4 (alk. paper)

1. Yoga, Raja. 2. Yoga, Kriya. 3. Self-realization. I. Title.

BL1238.56.R35S78 2015

204'.36--dc23

2014047510

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 978 1 84819 261 4

eISBN 978 0 85701 209 8

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book with love and gratitude to Swmi Pragyamurti, my very first Yoga teacher back in 1970, who set me with my feet firmly on the authentic Yoga path. And to those four great souls whom I was personally taught by, who were direct disciples of Swmi Sivananda of Rishikesh (18831963):

Swmi Satyananda Saraswati (19262009)

Swmi Vishnudevananda (19271993)

Swmi Ventakesananda (19211982)

Swmi Satchidananda (19142002)

They taught me all about Patajalis Eight Limbs of Yoga and more.

To Swmi Atmananda Saraswati (19392003), who was the first teacher to give me the Ashram experience of discipline and austerity with love.

To His Divine Grace, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swmi Pabhupada (18961977), who gave to me blessed food ( prasadam ) from his very own hand in the Krishna temple in Mypur, West Bengal, in India. And who initiated me with the Sanskrit name Vratabrighu in a dream a year after he passed away.

To Dr Swmi Gitananda (19061993) of Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, India, who taught me all about pryma .

To J. Krishnamurti (18951986), whom I personally met in 1981, who opened my mind to a deeper understanding of living in awareness.

To Derek Ireland (19491998) and Radha Ireland, who taught me the rejuvenating Aga Yoga Primary Series One , a dynamic flow of Yoga postures, in an intensive two weeks on the Greek island of Skyros in 1986.

To Swmi Kriyananda (19262013), who first initiated me into Kriy Yoga and who spiritually guided me for 30 years. And to Roy Eugene Davis, who in 2011 ordained me as a Kriycarya (Kriy teacher) to teach and initiate others into Kriy Yoga .

To my line of great spiritual Masters: Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Swmi Sri Yukteswar, and Paramhansa Yogananda, at whose feet I lovingly and humbly bow.

To all my spiritual brothers and sisters ( gurubhais ) at Ananda.

DISCLAIMER

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained in this book is correct, but it should not in any way be substituted for medical advice. Readers should always consult a qualified medical practitioner before adopting any complementary or alternative therapies. Neither the author nor the publisher takes responsibility for any consequences of any decision made as a result of the information contained in this book.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Yoga contains much depth and many dimensions that go far beyond the common Yoga classes that have now spread throughout the world. Many Yoga teachers know this, but few have mastered the deeper teachings of Yoga and can teach these in a comprehensive manner. The Supreme Art and Science of Kriy and Rja Yoga is by a modern Yoga teacher from the West, who has articulated the deeper art and science of Yoga in detail and shared it in a practical and lucid manner.

There are many branches and traditions of Yoga and many styles of sana practice. Often Yoga is divided into its higher meditational practices, Rja Yoga , and its foundational practices of sana and pryama , Haha Yoga . There is considerable overlap between these two sides of Yoga and both are part of Yoga as a whole, but we must remember that the outer practices are preliminary to the inner, not an end in themselves. More accurately, we can speak of the outer Yoga of sana and physical practices, and the inner Yoga of meditation or psychological practices, with meditation being the essence of Yoga.

One of the most important modern Yoga traditions in India and worldwide is the Kriy Yoga tradition that goes back to Mahavatar Babaji and Lahiri Mahasaya in the nineteenth century. The Kriy Yoga line is reflected in millions of followers today, particularly through the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, the veritable father of Yoga in the West, who lived and taught in America in the twentieth century for over 30 years. Ancient aspects of this Kriy Yoga tradition may spread back through such great yogic figures as Gorakhnath, Shankara, Patajali and Lord Krishna. This book explores and explains the greater tradition of Kriy Yoga , particularly in the modern context.