Kirtan Kriya-The Ultimate Meditation

Here are my ramblings about  Kirtan Kriya

Feel free to skip the ramblings and just do it 

Kirtan Kriya 

Tune In  Take a few deep Breaths,  

• Sit in easy pose or in a chair with feet flat on the floor (This can also be done walking just be sure to keep a strait back.)
• Arms should be stretched out with the back of the hands resting on the knees, or at your side if you are  walking.  
• Eyes should be closed and focused at the brow point also called the 3rd eye.
•  Mudra- changes start in Gyan Mudra (Thumb  and pointer  pressing with the other fingers  outstretched and together). Move the  thumb to the middle finger,  then ring finger, and  little finger and pressing the thumb and finger as you say each sound of the Mantra.
• The Mantra  Sa Ta Na Ma  
• The breath  should come  naturally during the spoken parts of the Meditation and should be in and out in a slow steady rhythm during the silent portions.  
• As you meditate  visualize  white light energy coming down through the top of your head and out through  your third eye in a L shape. This will help eliminate head aches.  
• The order of the meditation is: Chant Sa Ta Na Ma for 1 min, whisper it for 1 min,  chant it silently in your mind for 1 min, Then work your way back up  by continuing your silent chanting for 1 min, whisper it for  1 min,  and chant for 1 min. Next stretch arms out wiggle fingers as you suspend your breath for  three breaths. Then let your hands fall  to  knees in receptive pose (hands cupped) and sit in stillness and quiet your mind for one minuet.

Beginers start with 7 min.
 1 min for each  portion ( 1 min chant, 1 min whisper, 1 min silent then work your way back out, 1 min of silent, 1min of whisper, 1 min chant. ) Follow with one 1 minute of stretching the arms over your head and spreading the fingers wide, shaking them out, circulating the energy, inhaling and exhaling 3 times. Relax.

IF that is easy try  it for  14min
 2 min for each  portion ( 2 min chant, 2 min whisper, 2 min silent then work your way back out, 2 min of silent, 2min of whisper, 2 min chant. ) Follow with one 1 minute of stretching the arms over your head and spreading the fingers wide, shaking them out, circulating the energy, inhaling and exhaling 3 times. Relax.

Work up to  31 min
Begin the kriya by chanting for 5 minutes; then whisper for 5 minutes; then go deep into the sound, vibrating silently for 10 minutes. Then come back to a whisper for 5 minutes, then aloud for 5 minutes. The duration of the meditation may vary, as long as the proportion of loud, whisper, silent, whisper, loud is maintained.
To End: This sequence will take 30 minutes. Follow with one 1 minute of stretching the arms over your head and spreading the fingers wide, shaking them out, circulating the energy, inhaling and exhaling 3 times. Relax.

 Start out  with  One min for each set and then build up, adding  one  or 2 min at at time to each set, always keeping the stretch and quieting of the mind at the end  1 min regardless of how much you  add time  to the sets until you have  built up to 31 mins.  Why do you want to build up your time? Read more  about that  HERE 

 For your convenience here is a good meditation  Timer . There are many more online and many apps for your device.        

SA  Infinity or God          - Pointer Finger           Stimulates knowledge, wisdom, receptivity, & calmness

TA Life, Birth,                   -Middle Finger           Promotes patience, discernment, and commitment.

NA Death and change       -Ring Finger               Revitalizing energy, health, and vitality

MA Re-birth                     -Pinky Finger            Creates capacity to clearly and intuitively communicate

                                               

                                                 -Thumb                       corresponds to your Ego

 

* IF you want to  think Heavenly Father as you touch your pointer,  Jesus Birth as you touch your  middle finger,  His atonement and Death as you touch your ring finger, and  His resurrection as you touch your pinky finger. Making this connection to the plan of salvation during the silent  portion of this meditation has been so  uplifting for me.

So in a nutshell do this every day for 40 days and you  will feel closer to God in many ways. Your prayers will become deeper, you will have a better  out look on life, you will be more  calm in situations where you would normally  lose your temper or be stressed, and you will start to  notice the Energy of the Atonement surround you as you  go through out your day. 

Read more on :

Head Covering Here 

Sadhna  Here

Sat Nam  Here 

https://www.3ho.org/files/pdfs/KirtanKriya.pdf

Sadhana

SADHANA

What is a Sadhana?

Sadhana means daily spiritual practice.  One should  Tune in,  and then a sadhana can be any combination of  Kundalini Yoga,  meditation(s), Prayer, and or scripture study, and then tune out.  The best time to do your Sadhana is during the "ambrosial hours"  or the 2 and 1/2 hrs before sunrise.  IF you can’t get up that early then just do it when you can.

“One part of sadhana should stay constant long enough for you to master, or at least experience, the changes evoked by a single technique. Each kriya and mantra has its individual effects, although they all elevate you toward a cosmic consciousness. Learn to value the pricelessness of one kriya, and all others will be understood in a clearer light.” 
–Yogi Bhajan,

How many days do I need to keep a sadhana?Here is an article about  40,  90, and 120 day sadhanas.  Link
And here is a wonderful explanation of why we meditate- why we do it for 40 days or more- and how meditation can help cleanse us from the blood of this generation. 

You can find it here if my video isnt working https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxcimeKrfpU&list=PLr2N5U9Tj2jElkYDLsf8wRT_KfhCUrJ5M&index=4&t=14s

Cool stuff Huh?! And if that blows your mind  try my post on Cleaning ourselves from the blood of this Generation. HERE

  Harold B. Lee was quoted in the article "Filled with Life and Energy," Here is what he has to say  about Sadhana.

“If you are to be successful as a General Authority, you will need to be inspired. You will need to receive revelation. I will give you one piece of advice: Go to bed early and get up early. If you do, your body and mind will become rested and then in the quiet of those early morning hours, you will receive more flashes of inspiration and insight than at any other time of the day.”

Additional blessings are pledged to those who follow the Lord’s counsel on sleep. Consider these incredible promises: “Cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated” (D&C 88:124; emphasis added). Invigorate means “to fill with life and energy.”

Here is what my Sadhana looks like on a good day. 
Wake up at 4:30am, Tune in, during  the quiet  part of tuning in I pray and ask  Father in Heaven to help me meditate well and to teach me as I study. Next I do my  kundalini yoga- HERE is one of my favorite sets. 
Then I do a few   short meditations, The first is eliminating anger and negativity, The next one is  the removing addictions meditation. The church defines addictions as any thing that  keeps you away from Christ, so mine are mismanagement of my time and sugar addiction right now. Both of those meditations are great and you can find them online or who knows I might post a video how to on those some day.   
In the next post I do Kirtan Kryia - that is your Sa Ta Na Ma  meditation, Click the link to  read more or see me do it. After this I have  put my body in an alert royal  posture, this is called easy pose, I am free from anger and negative thoughts and energy, I spend time trying to remove addictions  and put off the natural man, I have then cleared my  subconscious and meditated on the purpose of Christs life and the cycle of life.  Now Im ready to read, study and ponder the scriptures.
I  usually spend about 25-30 min  doing yoga and about 30 min total to meditate  this leaves me about 30 min to  study and ponder  my scriptures, church lessons, the Ensign or conference talks. I then tune out and I am positively charged up to meet my "5 smiling sunshines" who wake up at 6 am.  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eMJ6ZDCAp4 

Sadhana is a way of   doing the work for your daily bread. The manna was there but they had to  go gather it. The blessings are there if you are willing to  get up and  gather them. 

The Mahan Tantric of Kundalini Yoga has said, "Sadhana is a willful effort to prove you are not lazy about your own Infinity. When the sun rises early in the day, even idiots rise. But blessed are those who rise before the sun and prove that they are the children of the Almighty."