The Kriya Yoga Podcast

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.

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.

Experiencing and understanding Chitta, what Chitta is, how to know it, and its relevance to your yoga meditation practice is necessary for the promise of yoga to give its final fruits. In this episode, we continue on from episode 7 and explore the nature of Chitta. Advised Reference Material Can be Found: Free Class on Chapter 1 (Pada 1) of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali The American Sanskrit Institute - 🌟 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.

This episode of the Kriya Yoga Podcast is recording from our annual June Kriya Yoga Solstice Retreat. Kriya Yoga teacher Ryan Kurczak explores ways to access the mystical state and what it is like to function and experience that state. Topics include: Imagining the Mystical Experience Allowing Yourself to Experience a Mystical State Losing Yourself in Mystical Experience Extreme Techniques Don't work for Real Mysticism The Psychological Key to Mystical Experience Jesus Attachment to Happiness in Meditation - 🌟 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.

This episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast is an excerpt from a talk given by Kriya Yoga Teacher Ryan Kurczak during the 2025 Kriya Yoga Online Solstice Retreat. The Discussion includes: Supportive Techniques from Chapter I: Sutras I.33–I.39 Patanjali offers auxiliary methods to stabilize the mind in Sutras I.33–I.39, forming a meditative ladder: I.33 – Cultivating attitudes of friendliness (toward the happy), compassion (toward the suffering), joy (toward the virtuous), and equanimity (toward the non-virtuous). I.34 – Focusing on the exhalation and natural pause of breath. I.35 – Meditating on subtle sensory experiences (such as inner energy or warmth). I.36 – Contemplating a state free from sorrow and full of inner light. I.37 – Meditating on the consciousness of one who is spiritually free. I.38 – Contemplating dream and deep sleep states. I.39 – Meditating on any object suitable to one’s disposition. These are not arbitrary suggestions, but a progressive structure. For example, I.33 helps remove emotional and psychological obstacles; I.34–I.35 deepen bodily and energetic awareness; I.36–I.37 open the door to spiritual radiance and guru consciousness; I.38–I.39 reflect the ultimate flexibility and maturity of the practitioner. The Goal of Samadhi and Spiritual Evolution The culmination of sustained meditative practice is Samadhi, described not as an escape from the world but as union with reality. The deeper forms of samadhi signify the dissolution of ego and personal identity, allowing pure consciousness to shine through. As described in Sutra IV.33–IV.34, transformation is a transmutation of form, as the field of consciousness evolves from gross (human) to subtle (divine). This spiritual evolution requires the practitioner to surrender personal likes, dislikes, and egoic narratives—attaining Vairagya (detachment) and Abhyasa (consistent practice), referenced in Sutra I.12. - 🌟 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 reflects on a conversation with yoga retreat attendees struggling to understand or experience what is "sacred." This sparks a broader exploration of how modern life—especially overthinking, distractions, and unresolved inner conflicts—prevents many from recognizing sacredness in daily life. Key Points: Invitation to Reflect: Listeners are asked to consider what "sacred" means to them personally—how it feels, and what blocks them from experiencing it. Modern Distractions & Impurities: Our technology-saturated, overly scheduled lives (including spiritual "doom scrolling") clutter the mind, making sacred experiences harder to access. Overthinking as a Barrier: Many overthink spiritual matters to the point of paralysis. Seeking intellectual proof or control keeps us from directly experiencing the sacred, which transcends logic. Importance of Simplicity & Stillness: Like in meditation, we must learn to let go of distractions to become receptive. Sacredness arises not through analysis, but through presence and quiet attention. Trust in Practice Over Proof: Spiritual traditions exist because they offer tested pathways to sacred experience. Rather than demanding proof (e.g., levitating yogis), one must engage the process sincerely and consistently. Skepticism vs. Surrender: While questioning is natural, endlessly asking “why” is a trap. Faith, curiosity, and practice are needed to move past doubt into lived experience. Sacredness in Relationship & Practice: True presence—whether with a child, an instrument, or in meditation—creates sacred moments. It’s not about doing more, but about being more present. Mystics Weren’t Lazy: Saints and mystics across traditions achieved spiritual insight through rigorous and consistent practice, not casual dabbling. Realization is Beyond the Mind: True spiritual awakening can't be fully described or proven intellectually. It must be experienced directly. Curiosity Over Control: Rather than trying to control or understand everything, approach the spiritual path with wonder, awe, and dedication. Final Message: To experience the sacred, stop overthinking. Trust a well-worn path, stay curious, be present, and practice sincerely over time. Sacredness is found not through intellectual mastery, but through lived, open-hearted 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 of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, we explore the power of Kriya Yoga. The Power of Kriya Yoga: An Exploration of Self-Realization and Transcendence Kriya Yoga is a profound spiritual discipline that seeks to bridge the gap between the human experience and transcendence. This podcast delves into the reflections shared in a comprehensive lecture on the power of Kriya Yoga, touching on its transformative potential, philosophical underpinnings, and practical applications. Through the lens of a teacher's journey and insights, we explore the essence of this ancient practice. A Journey of Discovery Ryan recounts his initial encounter with Kriya Yoga, stemming from a deep yearning for spiritual clarity and understanding. Raised in a Christian tradition that did not fully satisfy his spiritual curiosity, he discovered the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda through the seminal work Autobiography of a Yogi. This exposure ignited a quest for enlightenment, leading to years of dedicated practice and mentorship under Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Yogananda. The transformative journey into Kriya Yoga begins with the premise that life is more than a physical or intellectual endeavor—it is a spiritual progression. Kriya Yoga offers a structured, "scientific" approach to transcendence, emphasizing direct experience over abstract philosophy. Philosophy and Practice Kriya Yoga is rooted in ancient Indian spiritual traditions, particularly the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita. Its philosophy underscores the alignment of mental, emotional, and psychological harmony as prerequisites for spiritual maturity. This discipline demands adherence to ethical principles (Yamas and Niyamas) and consistent meditative practice to unveil higher states of consciousness. Central to the practice is the idea of directing energy within the body along the spinal pathway, engaging chakras (energy centers) to achieve self-realization. By transcending the limitations of the root chakra—associated with basic survival instincts—practitioners progress through higher centers, unlocking creativity, love, wisdom, and eventually mystical insight. Mr. Kurczak emphasizes the role of action (Kriya) in this process. Transformation occurs through effort and discipline, aligning one's life with spiritual principles and fostering emotional and psychological balance. The Mystical Unknowing One of the most profound aspects of Kriya Yoga is its ability to guide practitioners into a state of "mystical unknowing." Rather than offering definitive answers, it cultivates faith and acceptance of the unknown. This "faith" is not a blind adherence but a trust born from direct experiences of spiritual support and coherence. Life's challenges are reframed as opportunities for growth, providing clarity and resilience through adversity. Ryan recounts moments of doubt and despair, only to find that persistent practice reveals the intelligence underlying life's difficulties. Meditation and philosophical study serve as tools to decode these challenges, aligning the practitioner's actions and choices with a higher purpose. The Human Journey Kriya Yoga positions human life as a bridge between primal instincts and divine transcendence. Drawing on the metaphor of the chakras, it describes the evolutionary journey from survival (root chakra) to spiritual illumination (crown chakra). This progression mirrors the transformation of unconscious living to a state of enlightened awareness. The speaker highlights the importance of personal growth as a foundation for spiritual advancement. Emotional and psychological maturity, cultivated through introspection and therapeutic practices, lays the groundwork for deeper meditation. This interplay between inner harmony and spiritual practice reflects the integrative nature of Kriya Yoga. Practical Implications Kriya Yoga's teachings extend beyond the meditation cushion. The discipline advocates for a life of integrity, authent