Talk:Kriya Yoga

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[edit] Kriya Yoga as a generic term

Hello, I had recently updated the Kriya_Yoga WIKI page with some links and info and noticed in the history that you removed them stating the page was only for the direct lineage of branches originating from Lahiri Mahasaya. I have a question: Isn't 'Kriya_Yoga' all but one generic branch as revived by Mahavatar Babaji and which should encompass all the lineages and more importantly, present any one searching for information on it with the complete picture and as much information on it as possible?

Hi Ravindra, The vast majority of people associate the phrase "Kriya Yoga" with that taught by the Lahiri Mahasaya lineages. "Kriya" is certainly more generic, and refers to other types of kriya practices. The Lahiri Mahasaya line is where Babaji 'revived' Kriya Yoga. There should probably be a page for the half-dozen (and growing) recent direct-from-Babaji kriya teachers. I don't think it should be here, though, because those other 'kriya yogas' vary, often radically, from the practice that Babaji revived through Lahiri Mahasaya. It gets confusing to have every new teacher who teaches Kriya based on their (claimed) direct vision of Babaji.

If you go the Kriya page, you see that it's a 'disambiguation page', which you can learn about here: WP:DAB. Those pages are used "when a single term can be associated with more than one topic. In many cases, this word or phrase is the same natural title of more than one article. In other words, disambiguations are paths leading to different topic pages that share essentially the same term in their title." I believe that if there is a special page for all of the newer, non-lineage 'kriya yoga' teachers, it should be linked from there.

Also, the Sadguru_Yogiraj_Sri_Sri_Mangeshda article needs some serious work to meet Wikipedia standards. If needs to be written as an encyclopedia article, rather than a promotional piece.

Please sign your posts with the four tildes ( ~ ) so people can see who is talking. ॐ Priyanath 02:55, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Hi Priyanath, While I agree with you that the vast majority would associate Kriya Yoga to that propogated via the Lahiri Mahasaya lineage, the reason being that the world had but one abundantly available reference to that branch of Yoga in the form of the 'Autobiography of a yogi'

However, the fact that still remains that it is the same ancient knowledge as handed down by Babaji himself, regardless of lineages and other relative (lesser important)details. As long as that fact holds, It is the same topic and not an ambiguity

Also, how and what an enlightened Guru should teach is upto the divine will and not for lesser mortals like myself to discuss so I would just say, that the very fact that Kriya Yoga needed 'reviving' by Babaji should be a case to consider in itself; for knowledge as all other things in the flux of time, does tend to erode and change form as suited for different times.

So then, why should it be surprising to learn that some of the enlightened Masters choose to do somethings a bit differently? Kriya Yoga is a scientific technique applied to actually perform actions that bring transformation at many levels in a being. So the science is of essence and not the application, the latter being just an external manifestation.

Thanks for your feedback on the Sadguru_Yogiraj_Sri_Sri_Mangeshda article, though I see it as more of an information page than promotion, with Sadguru's guidance someone will inspect it in the light of Wikipedia standards and update it as suitable

Hari Om. Ravindra18 07:49, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Hi Ravindra, There is no evidence or reference, except personal claims, that this is "the same ancient knowledge as handed down by Babaji himself." Since Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, everything needs references and citations. Claims and visions are not good enough. See: Wikipedia:Verifiability, especially: "The threshold for inclusion in Wikipedia is verifiability, not truth. "Verifiable" in this context means that any reader should be able to check that material added to Wikipedia has already been published by a reliable source. Editors should provide a reliable source for material that is challenged or likely to be challenged, or it may be removed." and "If an article topic has no reliable, third-party sources, Wikipedia should not have an article on it." By these standards, the article Sadguru_Yogiraj_Sri_Sri_Mangeshda should be deleted entirely, and is in danger of being deleted by other editors. The section you added to the Kriya Yoga article could be deleted on the same grounds, though in this case it was also deleted on the grounds that the article is about the Kriya Yoga through the Lahiri Mahasaya lineage. ॐ Priyanath 15:28, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Hi Priyanath, So it would seem that one cannot publish information here about anything unless a neutral person (don't know how that is determined) writes / has already written a book or an article about it Ravindra 17:08, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Hi Ravindra, I suggest the best thing to do is to educate yourself about Wikipedia. I'll post a notice on your talk page that is often given to new editors here. The best thing you could do would be to go to the links posted there and learn about Wikipedia. Also, these links have helpful information: WP:NOT and WP:VERIFY. Another thing that you could do is to start editing articles on which you have knowledge and sources. It would give you a good understanding of editing here, and the process of resolving editing disputes. ॐ Priyanath 18:50, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

Fellow Kriyavans, I have added meditation to the category list in order to give wider exposure to the Kriya Yoga article.

Gentle editors, I have inserted a quote that I think makes a number of salient points about Kriya Yoga and contributes to the overall interest and polish of the article. Here Yogananda gives a rare glimpse of the internal workings of Kriya pranayam, their grand cosmic scale and the notable effect the practice has on the sadhaka's spiritual evolution.Jzkramer 10:27, 14 November 2006 (UTC)

Jz, I swapped out the quote for a clearer one from Autobiography of a Yogi. There is also some question regarding exact quotes from God Talks to Arjuna, since it was so heavily edited for 45 years that some don't consider it a reliable source for Yogananda quotes. The Autobiography of a Yogi is considered unimpeachable by everyone, however. ॐ Priyanath 15:55, 14 November 2006 (UTC)