Isha Kriya

Isha Kriya is a simple yet potent process rooted in the timeless wisdom of the yogic sciences. Offered by Sadhguru, it has the potential to transform the life of anyone willing to invest just 12 minutes a day.

The purpose of Isha Kriya is to help an individual get in touch with the source of his existence, to create life according to his own wish and vision. Daily practice of Isha Kriya helps brings health, dynamism, peace and wellbeing. It is a powerful tool to cope with the hectic pace of modern life.

Today, for most people, the word “yoga” usually conjures up images of twisting the body into impossible postures. The physical aspect of yoga is only one facet of this multi-dimensional science. Yoga is a technology to bring the body and mind to the peak of their capabilities – allowing one to live life to the fullest.

It is Sadhguru’s vision to offer “one drop of spirituality” to every individual. Through the Isha Kriya guided meditation, the possibilities of a spiritual process can now be offered to every human being in the comfort of their own home.

Regular practice of Isha Kriya can enhance your life in many ways. Isha Kriya helps:▵ Develops mental clarity and focus
▵ Develop mental clarity and focus
▵ Create mental stability
▵ Create peace and wellbeing

Instructions which guide one through the practice, providing a complete package to experience higher dimensions of life.

▵ What is the benefit of this meditation?
Sadhguru: Where is the need to meditate, first of all? Starting the process of life was not your conscious choice, it “happened” to you. When you were born your body was so small, and now it has grown. So obviously, the body is something that you gathered. It is an accumulation. What you call as “my body” is an accumulation of food. Similarly, what you call as “my mind” is an accumulation of impressions.

Whatever you accumulate can be yours, but it can never be you. The very fact you accumulated it means that you gathered it from somewhere else. Today you could gather a 70 kg body, but you can decide to make it a 60 kg body. You don’t go looking for that 10 kg, because that was an accumulation. Once you drop it, it is gone. Similarly, your mind is an accumulation of impressions.

The moment you are identified in your experience, the moment you are identified with something that you are not, your perception gets distorted. The moment you start experiencing this body, which you gathered from outside, as “myself,” the moment you start experiencing the impressions that you have in your mind as “myself,” you cannot perceive life the way it is. You will only perceive life the way it is necessary for your survival and not the way it really is.

Once you have come as a human being, survival is very important, but it is not enough. If you had come here like any other creature on this planet, stomach full – life would be settled. But once you come here as a human being, life does not end with survival. Actually, for a human being, life begins only after survival is fulfilled.

Meditation gives you an experience, an inner state, where what is you and what is yours is separated. There is a little distance, there is a little space between what is you and what you have accumulated. For now we can understand this as meditation.

What is the use of doing this? It brings an absolute clarity of perception. You see life just the way it is – no distortions about it. Right now, your ability to go through this world is only to the extent that you clearly see it. If I have no clarity of vision but confidence and I try to go through this world, I am going to be a bumbling idiot. Whenever there is no perception, people try to overcome that by building confidence in themselves. People are trying to make up for the lack of clarity with other kinds of substitutes. There is no substitute for clarity.

Once you understand this, you naturally become meditative; you want to clear up everything and just look at life the way it is, because you want to walk through life with the least amount of friction, without stumbling on this or that.

▵ What exactly does this meditation do?
Sadhguru: This kriya will create a certain space between you and your body, between you and your mind. If at all there is any struggle in your life, it is because you identify yourself with these limited aspects of yourself.

So the essence of meditation is that it creates a space, a distance between you and what you refer to as your “mind.” All the suffering you go through is manufactured in your mind. If you distance yourself from the mind, can there be suffering in you? This is the end of suffering.

Now while you are meditating, there is a distance between you and your mind, and you do feel peaceful. The problem is that the moment you open your eyes, you are again stuck with your mind.

If you meditate every day, a day will come when you open your eyes, and you can still experience that the mind is there and you are here. This is the end of suffering. When you are no longer identified with your body and mind, you will be in touch with the source of creation within you. Once this happens, Grace happens.

That means your whole karmic bag – your past or unconscious mind – has been kept aside. It cannot have any influence over you. Once the past has no influence over you, life becomes a huge potential.

Every breath becomes such a tremendous possibility in your life, because the past is not playing any role in your existence here now. If you sit here, you are absolute life. Life becomes effortless.

▵ What is the minimum age required for doing the Isha Kriya?
Anyone above 12 years of age can practice Isha Kriya.

▵ Why is this being offered online?
Sadhguru: A few years ago, I simply sat down and overflowed with ecstasy, without attempting anything, and for no reason. I thought, ‘What’s the big deal? Just sitting here, I am bursting with ecstasy. What’s the big deal? I am going to make the whole world ecstatic.’ It has been almost thirty years now, and I became like this (Refers to his beard) but people have not given up their misery. We have touched a few million people, but that’s not the whole world. My idea of the world is seven billion people.

Right now societies are getting freakier by the day because everything that one could do materially has been done. Now they don’t know what to do. All you can do is cut your hair or tattoo your body from head to toe. What other new thing can you do? People will start doing more and more life negative things, just because they want to do something new.

So society is overripe for spiritual process; it is overripe. If you don’t provide it now, it’ll burst. You have to provide a large scale, non-religious spiritual process which does not ascribe to any particular philosophy or ideology – just a simple process, which will turn them inward. Till now, maybe in small patches here and there, people have been touched, but it has not happened on a large-scale. Today with the technology available, we can make this happen.

This will be the most important thing that we as a generation of people can do. To have the privilege to do something large-scale for human consciousness.

If you do too much of external engineering, we will not have a planet left. It is time that human energies are turned inward so that they can engineer themselves and not cause any damage to the outside. There is lot of work to do inside. If we don’t open that dimension on a large scale to the effervescent, very industrious societies on the planet, their industry will destroy the planet.

▵ What is the importance of the breath? Is there more to breathing well than positive health effects?
Sadhguru: Breath is the thread which ties you to the body. If I take away your breath, you and your body will fall apart. It is the breath that has tied you to the body. What you call as your body and what you call as “me” have been tied together with breath. And this breath decides many aspects of who you are right now.

For different levels of thought and emotion that you go through, your breath takes on different types of patterns. If you are angry, you will breathe one way. You are peaceful, you breathe another way. You are happy, you breathe another way. You are sad, you will breathe another way. Have you noticed this?

Based on this, conversely, is the science of pranayama and kriya: by consciously breathing in a particular way, the very way you think, feel, understand and experience life can be changed.

This breath can be used in so many ways as a tool to do other things with the body and the mind. You will see with the Isha Kriya, we are using a simple process of breath, but the kriya itself is not in the breath. The breath is just a tool. The breath is an induction, but what happens is not about the breath.

Whichever way you breathe, that is the way you think. Whichever way you think, that is the way you breathe. Your whole life, your whole unconscious mind is written into your breath. If you just read your breath, your past, present and future is written there, in the way you breathe.

Once you realize this, life becomes very different. It needs to be known experientially; it is not something that you can propound. If you know the bliss of simply sitting here, the blissfulness of just being able to simply sit here, not thinking anything, not doing anything, simply sitting here, just being life, then life would be very different.

In a way, what this means is… Today, there is scientific proof that without taking a drop of alcohol, without taking any substance you can simply sit here and get drugged or stoned or drunk by yourself – no hangover. If you are aware in a certain way, you can activate the system in such a way that if you sit here, it is an enormous pleasure. Once simply sitting and breathing is such a great pleasure, you will become very genial, flexible, wonderful – because all the time you are in a great state within yourself. The mind becomes sharper than ever before.

▵ Why should my face be slightly upturned?
Sadhguru: Sitting with your head slightly upturned is not because you want to see something floating in the sky or imagine something. You keep your head upturned because when your system “looks” upward, it becomes receptive. It is like opening a window. This is about becoming receptive to Grace. When you become willing and receptive, your body naturally arches up.

▵ What effect does uttering the sound “Aa” have on me?
Sadhguru: When you utter the sound “Aa” (as in the “Aa” in Father), the maintenance center in your body gets activated. This is the manipuraka chakra, or the navel center. The manipuraka is just three-fourths of an inch below your navel. When you were in your mother’s womb, the “maintenance” pipe was connected there. Now the tube is gone, but the maintenance center is still in your navel.

As there is a physical body, there is a whole energy body… This energy that we generally refer to as either prana or shakti, flows through the body in certain established patterns; it is not moving randomly. There are 72,000 different ways in which it moves. In other words, there are 72,000 pathways in the system through which it is flowing. So nadis are pathways or channels in the system. They do not have a physical manifestation; if you cut the body and look inside, you will not find these nadis. But as you become more and more aware, you will notice the energy is not moving at random; it is moving in established pathways.

Sound “Aa” is the only vibration which spreads right across the body because the manipuraka is the only place where the 72,000 nadis meet and redistribute themselves. When you utter the sound “Aa,” you will see the vibration will start about three-fourths of an inch below the navel and spread right across the body. This vibration can assist greatly in energizing your maintenance center. Activating this center will bring health, dynamism, prosperity and wellbeing.

▵ Is the empty stomach condition applicable to Isha Kriya? What should the time gap be between eating and this meditation process?
An empty stomach condition is not necessary. There is no need to leave any gap after eating. With a full stomach however, you may tend to fall asleep.

▵ Should we meditate for a certain period of time, or should it be done every day for the rest of our life?
Meditation is a process that can become as much a part of your life as anything else that you are doing. It is just like brushing your teeth – initially someone had to insist that you do it – but once you understood the value of it, then it simply started happening without any thought. It’s the same thing with meditation ? once you see the value of it, then it will naturally become a daily part of your life without much effort. However, in order for this to happen, it needs some perseverance initially. That is one of the reasons the practice has to be done twice a day for the first 48 days.

▵ I have already taken the Inner Engineering course and am doing it daily. Is it necessary for me to do Isha Kriya along with Shambhavi Mahamudra? If I do both together, will it be advantageous for me?
It is good if you can do both practices on a daily basis. You will definitely benefit from them. However, if you get into time constraints, then it is best if you give priority to Shambhavi Mahamudra.

▵ I feel really good and vibrant after uttering the “Aa” sound. Can I utter this mantra more than 7 times or repeat this as a separate meditation?
You can do Isha Kriya a few more times if you want. However, if you want to utter the mantra for a longer duration, “AUM” would be more appropriate. If you can come to the Yoga Center, you can participate in the AUM chanting which is offered on a daily basis from 12.15pm – 1.30pm. Alternatively, see if you can attend the Isha Yoga or Inner Engineering Program held in your center and learn it then.

▵ Can everyone practice Isha Kriya? Or are there any illnesses during which one should not do the meditation? I have cervical spondylosis and wonder, if it is safe for me to practice Isha Kriya?
There is no problem if you have spondylosis and want to practice Isha Kriya. It is absolutely safe, and very beneficial for you. If you are unable to sit down in a cross-legged posture, you can alternatively sit on a chair or bench. Just make sure you keep your legs crossed at the ankles. Also, if you have any chronic ailments or certain physical conditions, there is no problem practicing Isha Kriya as long as you can manage to sit comfortably for the duration of the Kriya.

▵ Can I teach this meditation to my family and friends or do they have to watch the video too?
It is better that they learn the Kriya by watching the video themselves.

▵ When I make the sound “Aa” I feel the vibrations in my throat chakra and heart chakra, but not in my Manipuraka. What am I doing wrong?
Check if you have your mouth fully open. If you do, then you will definitely feel the vibrations in your Manipuraka. You may unconsciously be keeping your mouth somewhat closed. Open your mouth fully and see if you can notice the difference.

▵ Can I sit for Isha Kriya on a chair with my back upright since I cannot sit cross-legged?
Yes, you can sit on a chair with legs crossed at the ankles, (right ankle over left) and do it.

▵ Where should I do this meditation? I am living in a noisy environment. Do I need a separate place to practice this?
You can do this meditation anywhere, just be sure you are not physically disturbed for the duration of the Kriya. A quiet place would be good, but it is not a prerequisite. If there is no alternative, you can just do it wherever you are. The important thing is that when you sit to do the Kriya, you do not break in between as it will disturb the reorganization of energies that happen during the practice.

▵ I learned Isha Kriya online and was practicing it regularly, but somehow the continuity broke. I want to restart the practice again. Do I have to take a class online again or can I just continue to do what I have learned previously?
You can continue to do what you have already learned, provided you remember the instructions. If you are unclear about the instructions, it is best you learn the Kriya online again.

▵ What is the proper time to do Isha Kriya?
You can do it at any time that is convenient for you, but please avoid doing it around midnight.

▵ How many times in a day can I practice Isha Kriya?
Ideally twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening. However, if you have the time and want to practice the Kriya more often, you can.

▵ Why should we do this meditation for 48 days?
Forty-eight days is a period of time which is generally known as a mandala, a time period when the system goes through a certain cycle. This is also the reason why in Ayurveda for example, medicine is usually given for 48 days.

It is the length of time that is needed for the medicine to take root in your system. The same is true for the Isha Kriya. It is important that you do it without a break for that period.

I went to hear Sadhguru (the founder of Isha Yoga) speak in March this year, on the recommendation of a friend. I had no previous experience of meditation and only a little of yoga. The experience of the meditation technique he taught at that session was really quite amazing. Just that one small exposure has given me a sense of inner calm that has enabled me to handle a difficult period in my personal life far better than I could have ever thought possible. Sadhguru has a sense of humour and view of life and the world that I think everyone would do well to learn from.– Alida Horne, Legal Secretary, Pennsylvania, USA

Isha Kriya has been a transformative experience for me. I practice twice a day, every day and have not missed a day for the last 11 months. I am healthier, mentally clearer, emotionally much more stable and happy, and more focused. I have noticed that I am less reactive to ‘unpleasant’ situations, which allows me to find solutions that are less emotionally charged. I have also had some profound insights while doing the Kriya. I have been able to feel the visceral difference between what is me and not me. I have discovered that I was creating a lot of what was bothering me previously. I have also had some very profound blissful moments of connection that left me in awe and wonder. I am so grateful and happy that Sadhguru has made this so widely available.– Amy Raymond

Thanks to Isha Kriya –
I feel well – (I have had cancer and am disabled)
I feel young – (I am 82)
I feel joyful
I feel gratitude
I feel immense devotion
I feel Love– Terry Gray, UK

With Isha Kriya I experience a very blissful sensation while meditating. At first I was skeptical about how effective the technique would be, but now I can assert that Isha Kriya is truly effective. I feel less egoistic and self-centered now. I have become more active, my sleep cycles have regularized, I now prefer eating healthy food rather than junk food, and I am becoming more confident and cheerful day by day.– Himal Dwarakanath, India

Since learning Isha Kriya I feel less agitated, I have more clarity of thought and I find it easier to complete tasks that before appeared to be too difficult. I have more energy, more patience with people and I feel less angry with the world – more appreciative of things generally. I also feel lighter and much more motivated to attempt and complete tasks. I feel calmer and more at peace – definitely less volatile. Also, more importantly, l am questioning why I tend to be feel heavy and serious most of the time, which tells me that now I am aware there is another way to be. Thank you.– Ann Turton, Cyprus

I could not imagine my life now without Isha Kriya. Its main benefits are: peace of mind, emotional stability, mental clarity and an ability stay more in the present. Isha Kriya is a great blessing. I no longer get drawn into the turmoil of everything that is going on externally. It is like the balance from Isha Kriya pervades me, and holds me throughout each day. And the longer I have been practicing this, the deeper it gets. I wouldn’t miss a day, no matter what. It is my Anchor.– Tara Horan, Ireland

Life has started to change. Small things in life solve themselves so easily. I have noticed that people have become so nice towards me, and so have I myself, because all I see in them is just life, and just love. And that is what I am getting back from them. Life has become one joyous experience, just without any reason. It is very rare now that I experience sad moments.– Sigita Jungbliutaitė, Lithuania

I just practiced the Isha Kriya meditation and was surprised how powerful this meditation with Sadhguru is – even through an online video! I certainly felt a sense of inner peace, balance and a separation from attachment.– Olga Avila, Holland

I went through the Isha Kriya process today and felt tears welling up in my eyes….I felt something – sort of an urge to enjoy it longer.– Aparna, India

Thanks, Sadhguru, for helping me. I took the Inner Engineering course last July in Florida and came away settled and at peace. But after a knee replacement surgery in December, my whole body and my mind has been so difficult to deal with. Just listening to the Isha Kriya has made it possible to feel that same peace again.– Gill Jones, USA

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