The Practice of Babaji’s Kriya Yoga in the light of recent advances in neuroscience (A summary of an article written by M. G. Govindan)
Neuroscience teaches valuable lessons for yoga enthusiasts. Thanks to MRI, scientists have unraveled the brain’s complexities, shedding light on the roots of suffering and ways to enhance well-being. Our brain’s evolution, spanning three million years, reveals a delicate balance between primitive and modern functions. Cooperative traits like altruism and empathy developed gradually, shaping our social interactions.
Ever heard stress shortens life? Nobel laureate Dr. Elisabeth Blackburn proved it by linking stress to telomere shortening. A pilot study by Dr. Dean Ornish and Blackburn suggests lifestyle changes, including yoga, impact telomeres positively. Mind changes lead to brain changes; by directing attention intentionally, we reshape our brain’s activity and structure. Yoga, according to neuroscience, fosters new nerve structures, crucial for modern, stress-filled lives.
Neuroscience also delves into emotional circuits, explaining the balance between positive and negative emotions. Meditation’s impact on brain hemispheres challenges the notion that our brain’s structure is unchangeable. Did you know your brain, a tofu-like three-pound organ, contains 1.1 trillion cells, including 100 billion neurons? Neurons communicate through electrical and chemical signals, forming neural networks. Mental events are based on temporary synapse coalitions, while lasting circuits strengthen connections.
The brain and mind, a co-dependent system, evolved to help survival but also contributes to suffering. Our three primary survival strategies—separation, stabilization, and seeking pleasure—sometimes lead to distress. Human brains, complex enough to create significant distress, produce anxiety, pessimism, and self-inflicted suffering.
The sympathetic(SNS) and parasympathetic(PNS) nervous systems play vital roles. Chronic activation of the sympathetic system due to modern stressors results in health issues. Balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems through yoga practices promotes well-being.
Developing equanimity, not reacting to reactions, is a goal achievable through self-awareness and compassion. Reshaping the brain and mind involves controlling attention. By focusing our attention, intentionally directing the flow of energy and information through our neural circuits, we can directly alter the brain’s activity and its structure. Various Kriya Yoga practices, including breath control, visualization, and concentration exercises, contribute to this transformation.
Change your Mind – Evolve your Brain
The following practices in Kriya Yoga will, when done regularly, enable you to build new positive neural structures and to maintain an optimal state of balance between the PNS and the SNS. These practices are taught in a progressive series of initiation seminars.
- Kriya Kundalini Pranayama. Its long exhalation activates the PNS.
- While practicing asanas, emphasizing the exhalation, making it longer than the inhalation, while mentally visualizing the energy being directed through tight, resistant parts of the body.
- “Letting go” of painful memories, and negative habitual thinking though the practice of the first Dhyana Kriya.
- Developing positive visual images and emotions such as love, courage, and peace, during the practice of Kriya Dhyana Yoga, to balance the tendency of the mind’s bias toward negative memories and worries; to build new positive neural structures.
- By practicing the 18 asanas in pairs, activating the entire central nervous systems, and all members of the endocrine system, promoting optimal hormonal secretions, and assimilation with relaxation after each posture, and deep relaxation using the 18th posture.
- Directing the flow of the circulation towards the head through inversion postures.
- Directing the flow of prana towards the upper chakras with visualization and the breath during any of the 18 asanas of Babaji’s Kriya Yoga.
- Repeating the bija mantras regularly, to eliminate negative thinking, and to awaken the chakras.
- Using Arupa Dhyana Kriya to resolve problems, and to overcome emotion driven suffering, using intellect, and intuitive wisdom.
- Cultivating love and compassion through the practice of Kriya bhakti yoga, with devotional practices.
- By practicing Yoga Nidra, to deeply relax and heal the body, the entire central nervous system and the brain.
- By practicing concentration exercises such as Eka Rupa Dhyana Kriya, and mantra repetition, one avoids mental dispersion, and replaces it with inner joy.
- By cultivating continuous awareness in daily life, with presence, equanimity and joy, as taught during the second initiation, and Nityananda Kriya.
- By seeing the Divine in others, being empathetic and compassionate for their suffering.
- By practicing those kriyas taught in the 3rd initiation, one enters into Samadhi, at will, slowing metabolic processes, and rejuvenating all systems, inducing fast gamma-waves in large areas of the brain, inducing identification with boundless awareness, replacing identification with the physical body and the movements of the mental and vital bodies.
- Continued….. in the full article (see below.)
Maintaining an optimal balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is essential. Regular practices like Kriya Kundalini Pranayama, positive visualization, concentration exercises, and daily awareness contribute to this balance. The ultimate goal is achieving equanimity, a state found in advanced yogis. You can achieve this same state as well. The first initiation seminar, taught by Dharmadas, will give you a daily routine to achieve results.
In conclusion, intentional practices, awareness, and perseverance enable positive changes in brain structure and mind function. By practicing the techniques in Babaji’s Kriya Yoga, we can actively contribute to the positive evolution of our brains and bring joy, love, and wisdom into the world.
I recommend that you read the full article from M.G. Satchidananda in the Kriya Yoga Journal
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