The Kriya Yoga Podcast

Twice each year, the Sun crosses Earth’s celestial equator, bringing the Northern and Southern Hemispheres into an approximate balance of light and darkness. Yet the equinoxes are also periods of powerful movement, when the Sun’s declination is changing most rapidly and Earth’s magnetic environment tends to become more responsive to the solar wind. In this episode of the Kriya Yoga Podcast, Ryan Kurczak explores the astronomical and spiritual importance of the March and September equinoxes. Drawing upon Kriya Yoga, Vedic astrology, the chakra system, and the Sacred Year, he explains how the March equinox carries receptive possibility toward action, while the September equinox carries refined understanding into relationship and embodied life. He also considers how the annual solar cycle resembles the ascending and descending movement of a Kriya breath. The episode concludes with practical guidance for meditation and contemplation during both equinoxes, inviting us to experience these celestial crossings as opportunities for balance, receptivity, and conscious participation in the greater rhythms of life. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this talk, Kriya Yoga Teacher Ryan Strong explores connection as an essential part of spiritual awakening. Beginning with a personal experience involving the Vedic ancestral practice of pitṛ tarpaṇa and an unexpected discovery about his own family lineage, Mr. Strong considers how meaningful connections, intuitive guidance, relationships, teachers, nature, and spiritual practice can support our return to our essential nature. Using the image of a great tree sending its roots toward water, Ryan offers a practical way to evaluate spiritual growth: Is your life expanding into greater connection, understanding, acceptance, and freedom, or becoming increasingly limited by fear, judgment, habits, and attachments? He discusses following the deeper guidance of the heart, drawing strength from the spiritual lineage, living according to truth and ahimsa, and having the courage to make changes when something restricts our growth. Ultimately, meditation provides the deepest restoration of connection, bringing awareness back to stillness and the recognition that the light we seek is our own essential nature. For more information on Ryan Strong's Kriya Yoga organization, teachings and events please visit the Living Kriya Yoga website: https://www.livingkriyayoga.org/ To join the weekly Kriya Yoga Sunday Service/Meditations visit: https://www.kriyayogaalliance.com/ - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In episode 27 of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Donelle Mason, a Kriya Yoga Teacher from New Zealand, offers a thoughtful talk on Yoga Sutra 1.30. This sutra names the obstacles that can arise on the path of yoga meditation, including illness, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sense craving, false perception, lack of progress, and instability. Donelle explores how these obstacles appear in practice and how sincere practitioners can work with them skillfully. Through practical reflection and yogic insight, this episode encourages steady effort, self-awareness, and patience as essential supports for meditation and inner transformation. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In episode 26 of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, host Ryan Kurczak reflects on what it means to be with a guru. Drawing from the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, Roy Eugene Davis, and his own years of spiritual practice, Ryan explores the guru as a dispeller of darkness and a living access point to wisdom, clarity, and spiritual freedom. He discusses how a sincere relationship with a teacher can support meditation, deepen discernment, and help practitioners attune to the inner guidance that leads toward liberation. This episode also considers how students can remain connected to their teachers through study, meditation, remembrance, sacred texts, recorded teachings, and the practical application of spiritual principles. Ryan emphasizes that being with a guru is ultimately expressed through attunement, integrity, devotion, and the willingness to live what has been taught. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

Kriya Yoga teacher Donelle Mason from New Zealand joins Ryan Kurczak for a thoughtful conversation on insight, Self-realization, lineage, Sanskrit, renunciation, ritual, and spiritual maturity. This episode explores the difference between genuine spiritual insight and mental understanding, the gradual or sudden recognition of Purusha, and how to understand the many branches and variations of Kriya Yoga after Lahiri Mahasaya. Ryan also discusses Sanskrit study, householder life, renunciate ideals, tapas, brahmacharya, desirelessness, kaivalya, and the role of ritual in yogic practice. The conversation concludes with reflections on what Ryan wishes he had known at the beginning of the path and how students may deepen from recognizing the Self to seeing the Self in all beings, as taught in the Bhagavad Gita. For students of Kriya Yoga, meditation, Yoga philosophy, the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Self-realization, and sincere spiritual practice. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, we explore Yoga Sutra 1.38 and the practice of clarifying awareness through knowledge of dreams and sleep. Building on the previous Preparation for Samadhi teachings from Sutras 1.33–1.37, we examine how serenity, breath awareness, balanced prana, inner sensitivity, sorrowless luminosity, and freedom from attachment prepare the practitioner to remain aware through waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. This episode also offers practical guidance for gently cultivating awareness during naps, shavasana, and dream contemplation, helping us recognize the witnessing presence that remains steady through all changing states of experience. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode, “The Spiritual Importance of a Human Life,” we explore why human birth is considered so sacred within the yoga tradition. Human life holds a unique place in creation because it gives us the capacity for self-awareness, moral choice, spiritual discipline, and direct realization of the Divine. We carry instinctual forces within us, yet we also have the ability to refine the mind, awaken the heart, and consciously participate in the evolution of the soul. This episode reflects on the rare opportunity of human incarnation, the responsibility that comes with spiritual practice, and how Kriya Yoga helps us make use of this life for awakening, liberation, and a deeper relationship with Spirit. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Bryan Crigler shares a practical and insightful exploration of breathwork, pranayama, and their role in deepening meditation. This talk was recorded during the Kriya Yoga March Equinox Retreat and focuses on how the breath serves as a bridge between the physical body and the subtle experience of prana. Bryan combines traditional yogic teachings with modern breath science, offering clear guidance on how breathing patterns influence the nervous system, mental states, and meditative depth. He explains the importance of nasal breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, and respiratory efficiency, along with simple techniques to calm the mind, regulate stress, and prepare for meditation. This episode also introduces key concepts such as pranic sensitivity, the nadis (energy channels), and how breathwork supports awareness of subtle energy within Kriya Yoga practice. Listeners will gain practical tools to improve focus, reduce anxiety, and access deeper states of meditation through conscious breathing. Whether you are new to pranayama or looking to refine your Kriya Yoga practice, this episode offers grounded instruction that connects ancient wisdom with modern understanding. To learn more about Bryan Crigler's offerings as a Kriya Yoga Meditation Facilitator , please visit: https://www.kriyayogamidwest.com/ Note: This episode includes guided practice sessions. Be responsible and only practice in safe circumstances and with the approval of your healthcare providers. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Kriya Yoga teacher Donelle Mason offers a comprehensive introduction to Samadhi, the highest state of meditation described in classical yoga. This talk was recorded during the Online Kriya Yoga Equinox Retreat and presents a clear, practical understanding of how Samadhi develops through consistent spiritual practice. Donelle explains the eight limbs of yoga, including the importance of the yamas and niyamas as the foundation for meditation. She also breaks down the stages of Samadhi, moving from concentration on gross objects like breath and mantra to subtler states of awareness, including bliss (Ananda) and the sense of “I-am-ness” (Asmita). Common meditation challenges such as mental distractions, attachment to bliss, and the experience of blankness are also addressed in detail. Listeners will gain insight into key yoga philosophy concepts from the Yoga Sutras, including abhyasa (practice), vairagya (non-attachment), and the role of disciplined effort in achieving deeper states of meditation. This episode also highlights how Kriya Yoga integrates meditation, action (karma yoga), devotion (bhakti yoga), and knowledge (jnana yoga) into a complete path toward self-realization. Whether you are new to meditation or a long-time practitioner, this episode provides practical guidance on how to deepen your practice, overcome obstacles, and move toward direct experience of Samadhi. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Ryan Kurczak is interviewed by student and Kriya practitioner Pushya Mistry in a thoughtful, in-depth conversation that explores the inner mechanics of spiritual practice and the realities of walking the Kriya Yoga path. Drawing from his own sincere inquiry, Pushya brings forward questions that many practitioners quietly carry—about technique, imagination, intuition, realization, lineage, and the long arc of spiritual maturation. Ryan responds with clarity shaped by a couple decades of practice, teaching, and personal experience, offering insight that is both grounded and reflective. Topics explored in this episode include: The role of imagination and contemplation in meditation and higher states of awareness How and when to work skillfully with subtle inner experiences without falling into fantasy What enlightenment and liberation actually mean within the Kriya Yoga and Yoga Sutra framework The difference between momentary spiritual glimpses and stable realization The importance of lineage, fidelity to practice, and embodied understanding The most challenging and most rewarding aspects of a lifelong spiritual journey Practical guidance for both new practitioners and emerging meditation teachers The conversation unfolds as a genuine dialogue rather than a formal Q&A, allowing Ryan’s responses to touch on loss, faith, discipline, discernment, and the quiet confidence that develops through sustained practice. Pushya’s questions give voice to the concerns of serious students navigating depth, distance, and devotion on the path. This episode is especially valuable for listeners seeking a mature, unsensational understanding of Kriya Yoga—one that honors both inner realization and the patience, humility, and steadiness required to live it. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, we explore a question many meditators quietly wrestle with: Why does life sometimes feel less interesting as meditation deepens? As spiritual practice grows, interests, motivations, and relationships can begin to shift. Activities that once felt exciting may lose their pull, while inner life becomes richer and more compelling. Is this a healthy sign of spiritual development—or could it be a form of withdrawal from life? This conversation examines how to recognize the difference between genuine spiritual maturation and subtle avoidance. We discuss how meditation naturally reshapes priorities, why it’s normal to outgrow certain habits or environments, and how to remain engaged with family, work, and creativity while still honoring a deeper inner calling. The episode also touches on the role of self-reflection, the importance of psychological healing alongside meditation, and how a balanced spiritual path allows both inner realization and meaningful participation in everyday life. If you’ve ever wondered whether losing interest in the noise of the world means something is wrong—or whether it might signal a deeper transformation—this episode offers clarity, perspective, and practical guidance. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Ryan Kurczak sits down with Bryan Crigler for a grounded, wide-ranging conversation on what it actually looks like to build a mature Kriya Yoga practice over time. Bryan shares his winding spiritual path—from early curiosity, martial arts, pranayama, and psychedelic exploration, to discovering Kriya Yoga as a steady, embodied way of realization. Together, Ryan and Bryan explore how disciplined daily practice evolves into something natural and enjoyable, and how surrender, curiosity, and consistency shape long-term progress. Topics discussed in this episode include: Developing pranic sensitivity and body awareness through breath and attention The role of imagination in working skillfully with pranayama and subtle awareness Navigating plateaus, distractions, and shifting expectations in meditation The difference between peak experiences and stable inner development Psychedelics and spirituality, and why steady practice offers deeper integration How meditation naturally reshapes lifestyle choices, relationships, and habits Working with surrender vs. effort in advanced stages of practice The practical value of the yamas and niyamas beyond moral rules Creating less outer drama to support deeper inner stillness Throughout the conversation, Bryan reflects on how sustained practice gradually raises the baseline of awareness, allowing meditation to remain accessible even on difficult days. Ryan adds context from lineage teachings, emphasizing patience, embodiment, and fidelity to practice over chasing experiences. This episode is especially valuable for practitioners who are past the beginner phase and are learning how Kriya Yoga integrates into daily life, relationships, and long-term spiritual maturity. Learn more about Bryan Crigler: https://www.kriyayogamidwest.com/ - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of the Kriya Yoga Podcast, Ryan Kurczak responds to a thoughtful question many sincere practitioners ask. What happens when we enter the Kriya path through clarity, discrimination, and philosophical coherence—yet feel hesitant around devotion? When Sāṃkhya’s precision builds trust in the process, the Bhagavad Gita offers a first glimpse of theistic meaning, and Krishna appears as a guide rather than a belief—how do we understand devotion without forcing symbolism or sentiment? Ryan explores how devotion unfolds organically on the Kriya Yoga path, especially for those whose orientation begins with insight rather than bhakti. He speaks to the natural maturation of devotion as practice deepens, the subtle shift from conceptual understanding to experienced inner relationship, and the role of patience, honesty, and inner readiness. This conversation gently addresses whether devotion should be cultivated intentionally through study and openness, or allowed to arise on its own through sustained practice—and how both approaches can harmonize within a yogic worldview. A grounded, clarifying episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, Bryan Crigler sits down with Kriya Yoga Teacher Ryan Kurczak for a wide-ranging, candid conversation that blends practical technique, experience, and the deeper questions that naturally arise on a committed spiritual path. This episode unfolds as a thoughtful dialogue shaped by Bryan’s real questions—many of them drawn directly from his own meditation practice and from conversations with fellow students. Together, Bryan and Ryan explore how Kriya Yoga actually shows up in daily life, especially once the practice begins to mature. They dive into nuanced territory, including: Working skillfully with Yoni (Jyothi) Mudra, subtle awareness, and internalization The role of imagination, emotion, and feeling as bridges to pranic sensitivity How to understand and relate to siddhis without distraction or ego inflation Cultivating and trusting intuition through truthfulness and embodiment Navigating dharma, social responsibility, and inner equanimity in a turbulent world Why spiritual practice often reshapes relationships—and how to meet that with clarity and compassion Letting go of alcohol and old social patterns while rebuilding healthy community and sangha Applying yogic principles to the most challenging arena of all: intimate relationships Throughout the conversation, Ryan offers grounded perspective drawn from decades of practice, teaching, and personal transformation, while Bryan brings the voice of a sincere, questioning practitioner who isn’t afraid to ask what many are quietly wondering. This episode is especially valuable for students who are moving beyond the basics of technique and beginning to grapple with how Kriya Yoga changes perception, priorities, relationships, and identity itself. Honest, reflective, and deeply human, it’s a conversation about what the path really looks like as it starts working. Learn more about Bryan Crigler: https://www.kriyayogamidwest.com/ - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this opening Kriya Yoga Online Sunday Service of the year, we explore a question that sits at the heart of the spiritual path: What part of us doesn’t feel pain? While pain is an unavoidable part of human life—experienced through the body, emotions, relationships, and changing circumstances—yogic wisdom points to something within us that remains untouched by suffering. This episode reflects on that deeper dimension of our being: the seer, the witness, the Self. Drawing from the teachings of Kriya Yoga, this talk examines why most people come to spiritual practice through difficulty, dissatisfaction, or a sense of lack—and how meditation, when practiced with the right intention, leads not just to relaxation, but to direct recognition of our essential nature. We explore: The difference between meditation as relaxation and meditation as realization Why zoning out or calming the mind is not the same as knowing the Self How repeated glimpses of the witness gradually transform the way we experience life Why suffering doesn’t disappear on the spiritual path, but loses its grip How challenges, loss, and change become teachers rather than obstacles This episode also reflects honestly on the nature of the human world—aging, loss, impermanence, and uncertainty—and why spiritual maturity begins with understanding life as it actually is, not as we wish it to be. Rather than encouraging escape from the world, this talk invites a deeper presence within it. When awareness shifts from what changes to what is changeless, we discover a center of clarity, peace, and wisdom that supports us through every phase of life. Whether you are new to meditation or have been practicing for many years, this episode offers a grounded reminder: the part of you that doesn’t feel pain is not something to be created—it is something to be recognized. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of the Kriya Yoga Podcast, we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) can support deeper meditation, psychological integration, and an authentic experience of divine communion. Drawing from yogic philosophy, contemplative practice, and modern therapeutic insight, this talk examines why sincere meditation and devotion sometimes feel blocked—even after years of practice. The core insight: spiritual realization flourishes most naturally when the inner world is coherent, stable, and Self-led. Internal Family Systems offers a practical framework for understanding the “parts” of the psyche—protective managers, reactive firefighters, and wounded exiles—and how unresolved inner conflict can quietly interfere with meditation, prayer, and daily spiritual life. When these parts are listened to, integrated, and guided by the Self, inner noise settles and spiritual practice becomes more effortless, spacious, and alive. The episode connects IFS with key yogic principles such as Īśvara Praṇidhāna (communion or surrender to the Divine), samādhi, and Self-realization, suggesting that psychological healing is not a detour from the spiritual path, but often a powerful accelerator of it. This conversation is especially relevant for long-time meditators who feel stalled, seekers struggling to sustain inner peace beyond the cushion, or anyone interested in bridging therapy, yoga, and contemplative spirituality in a grounded, discerning way. Referenced text includes No Bad Parts by Richard Schwartz and prior Kriya Yoga Podcast discussions on psychological wellbeing and spiritual practice. The Kriya Yoga Podcast 202 Spiritual Counseling Spiritual Practice The Kriya Yoga Podcast 95 Healing Blockages of the Heart Chakra - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of the Kriya Yoga Podcast, Ryan Kurczak explores the essence of yoga as the practice of Samadhi—a theme that will guide all classes, retreats, and offerings throughout 2026 as we celebrate a “Year of Samadhi.” Ryan shares upcoming opportunities for study and practice, including a monthly Patreon series on the preparatory processes in the Yoga Sutras, a six-week Samadhi Yoga Book Study Group, and a June Solstice retreat at the Himalayan Institute. Drawing from Vyāsa’s powerful statement that “Yoga is Samadhi,” Ryan walks listeners through the foundational principles that make Samadhi both the heart of yoga and an attainable experience for sincere practitioners. He highlights the importance of daily meditation, present-moment awareness, sattvic living, and Patanjali’s contemplations in Sutras 1.33–1.39 as essential tools for cultivating a serene, one-pointed mind. This episode offers inspiration, structure, and clarity for anyone committed to developing a direct, meaningful experience of Samadhi. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast we talked about Merchant to Mystic, Isha Das’ powerful re-telling of the life of Francis of Assisi—not as a distant saint, but as a true hero whose journey mirrors our own. We explored how this young, privileged pleasure-seeker from medieval Assisi transformed into one of history’s most beloved spiritual figures, and how failure, mission, community, meditation, lifestyle change, and surrender shaped his inner evolution. We also reflected on the pivotal role of Clare of Assisi, the way Francis embodied Christ Consciousness, and how his death reflected the purity of the life he lived. What makes Isha Das’ perspective so compelling is the depth of love and lived experience behind it—his forty years as a psychotherapist and mystical teacher illuminate Francis’ story in a way that feels immediate, human, and deeply relevant for modern seekers. You can find Isha Das' new book, Merchant to Mystic: The Hero's Journey of Francis of Assisi here: https://a.co/d/dUOzUFs - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast I speak with David McGrath, author and Kriya Yoga teacher. David and I discuss his most excellent and engaging commentary on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, Pada 1. David has written one of the most lucid and helpful modern commentaries on Patanjali's work. It is well worth the read for any serious student of yogic meditation. You can find David's new book, Yoga Sūtra of Patañjali: Book One – Samādhi Pāda — Concentrated Absorption here: https://a.co/d/1CvtSnK Learn more about Mr. McGrath's teachings here: https://www.davidmcgrath.ie/kriya-yoga ...and if you'd like to join us on retreat in Ireland, mark your calendar for fall of 2026. David and I will be hosting a week long retreat, just south of Dublin. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

The Burning Present Moment On the spiritual path, enthusiasm often gives way to what one teacher called “the icky middle”—that in-between place where the excitement of beginning meets the challenge of transformation. It’s here that we learn: awakening isn’t just about peace or bliss. It’s about endurance, sincerity, and courage to live in the truth of the present moment. To experience what’s real, we must let go of the small, familiar self. The process can feel raw—like peeling off layers of identity that have clung to us for years. At first, it may even hurt. But that sensitivity marks the beginning of true presence. Just as Plato’s cave-dweller must adjust to sunlight after a lifetime of shadows, we too must learn to bear the brilliance of awareness. Many retreat back into the dark, but those who stay discover a new world waiting in the light—a world of clarity, love, and direct experience. Letting go of old patterns, relationships, and self-images brings a natural grief. Yet this too is sacred. We honor what we’ve outgrown without turning back. In that surrender, space opens for joy and freshness—the pulse of Spirit in the present moment. In Kriya Yoga, our practices—breath, mantra, meditation—are the steady work of freeing ourselves from the cave. When the chains fall away, we begin to sense freedom not as an idea, but as a living awareness. The invitation then is simple but profound: Stay with the light. Live in the burning present moment where Spirit is always now. - 🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program . 📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon . 🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda. 🔗 Explore more resources: Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/ Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.