Yoga is about the union of the body, mind and soul

Yoga is not performed, it happens. It’s merging one’s self-consciousness with cosmic consciousness — a union of the soul with God. It is like a flower which opens spontaneously or the fruit that results from a process of maturation. Just as plowing, sowing, watering and tending are important activities towards the ripening of the fruit, yoga comprises eight organic steps that result in a complete evolution of the soul. The asht-anga, or the eight-limbs of yoga, are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyan and samadhi. The preliminary steps prepare the body, mind and soul for samadhi.

Performing asanas and doing pranayama are essential activities but can’t replace the lush fruit that hangs from the tree when it ripens. Yoga in its ultimate dimension is the enjoyment that occurs when the soul ripens and matures into God.

A misconception is that yoga is only about physical exercise whereas it’s about a physical, emotional, mental, intellectual and blissful impact altogether. Correction or healing done at higher levels is relayed downwards into the lower levels, and miraculous recoveries from even crippling disorders are known to have taken place. But this happens only when the focus moves away from the physical self and a deeper, more inward journey of the soul has begun. Kriya Yoga is based on the philosophy of ashtanga yoga and has achieved an extraordinary integration of all the necessary steps so that even a beginner is able to make quick and rapid progress in very little time.