Siddhamrita Surya Kriya – An Overview
There are two paths to awakening, of ascent and descent. Ascent is challenging and requires supreme efforts; ex. traditional pranayama involves purification of body-sheaths, gathering within (step by step) the life force and then raising it into the brain. Siddhamrita Surya Kriya is a path of descent like ‘divine grace’ – easier and supremely more fruitful. The life force is channeled into the brain from the readily available source, the sun. It descends, purifying and vitalizing all aspects of our being in the process. Work is done by the sun; all we have to learn is to channelize it within. An excellent kriya for the present times as it utilizes the best asset of man today: the brain (the root of the body-tree); shared with lakhs of practitioners in last 20 years to avail almost miraculous results in bringing a sense of well-being, treatment of many serious diseases and spiritual evolution.
This comprises 7 stages that involve various esoteric practices viz. Khechari, Shambhawi, Nauli, Kriya Kundalini Pranayama etc. The third stage culminates in the attainment of a completely healthy state of physical existence. The Seventh stage is proposed to culminate in the advent of the superhuman consciousness. However, this kriya is not Sun Bathing, Sun Gazing, or a form of Sun Salutation; it is rather purely a meditative technique based on Sun.
SSKYoga -A Miraculous Boon
Swami Buddh Puri Ji, once while camping at Sharti completed his daily routine a little early and came out of His room. It was just then that the Sun had started peeping up over the high mountains. There was some special charm in the Sun that day or probably He was inspired by some inner urge so that as soon as his eyes caught the glimpse of rising Sun they stayed glued to that for quite a few minutes. And in those few minutes, He experienced such an immense joy, peace, and a strong flow of energy in Sushumna which He had earlier felt only in deep meditation. He got the clue. For many long years, He had been asking people to breathe through eyes but no one could ever understand how. And He for himself was enjoying the practice but was unable to convey it to others as the very idea of using eyes for something different than its job of seeing was unacceptable. He recalled the great thinker Arvind who had once said, “if only we could find out some food full of light, we may progress to the next step of human evolution and transform this very body into a divine glowing one.” And lo, here just in few minutes He was full by merely using His eyes. Eureka! He may have shouted as He was so delighted by this enlightenment. He understood at once that time has come for the commencement of the next long-awaited human evolution, Man to Super Man.
It was the early day of May in 2002. Initially, He told a few of his sincere disciples to check out this finding for themselves. They too were excited by the idea and started regular practice just to figure out that it was much more than mere food. It was soon confirmed when back in Malke Ashram, two months after the discovery while the name Siddhamrit Surya Kriya Yog wasn’t yet coined and even the methods were not properly systematized, few families came to visit Him. Most of those visitors were very much devoted and dedicated to Sadhna, so Gurudev told them about this new invention and asked them to practice along with Him in the evening which they did. And it was a miraculous surprise for them! There a lady, who was in great suffering due to a hectic journey and exertion which has caused severe body ache and invoked migraine in her and was already maintaining low BP, recovered completely in that half-hour of practice. Everybody was amazed at the instant healing and Gurudev had the insight to further share the experiment with more than a hundred people of different ages, gender, lifestyle, and diseases. It was in September 2002 during the ‘Navratri Sadhna Camp’. In the very first sitting even without knowing what they were doing, all the people felt energized and relaxed at both physical and mental levels. Especially the old and diseased felt a significant improvement in their problems whatsoever.
Since then thousands of people worldwide have reaped the benefit of this practice in a variety of diseases both mental and physical and also spiritual. Most common diseases such as weak eye-sight, body pain and weakness, common cold and cough, headache, constipation and other digestive disorders, menstrual disorders, skin allergy, and sleeplessness were the first ones to be improved. While chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma, migraine, sinusitis, blood pressure problems, rheumatic pain, primary leprosy (white spots over the skin), depression, hypertension, phobia, and many other mental and physical problems showed notable recovery after few months of regular practice.
“Only a healthy body may have a healthy mind and that healthy mind is the basis of any spiritual development” Gurudev often says. And also that, “Spirituality or Religion doesn’t mean following a particular faith or dogma or sect or performing certain rituals, it means seeing the one spirit in all and help in its overall development as per the divine plan.” He quotes various scriptures as evidence that talk about the divine body or Superman hood and exemplify the lives of saints as proof who transformed their very physical body into divine one and left no trace of it behind. Obviously, this firm belief and extensive introspection made Him evolve this hidden knowledge in the form of Siddhamrit Surya Kriya Yoga (SSKYoga) for the overall development of the human race.
Siddhamrit Surya Kriya Yoga, this name completely conveys the process and the goal of this sadhana. ‘Siddha’ stands for divine or topmost; the top of the head is called ‘Sahasrara’ also known as ‘Siddha Kshetra’ and from there, all the fluids of life are being secreted to nourish the body and provide energy to perform all the mundane activities. In scriptures, it is named ‘Amrit’ while doctors & scientists name it hormones or juices and consider it essential for life. ‘Surya’ as we all know is the ultimate source of energy and the basis of this whole universe. However, in the body too, we have an energy center located in the naval region and that is also called as ‘Surya’ of the body. Normally, this sun or the energy center in the body is dormant or very dull; therefore the body is unable to get rid of all the mud and muck and rather keep on storing it as a result of food and other intakes through our sensory organs. Once awaken, this sun may set all this garbage ablaze. And then this sun may not be limited to the naval region alone, it will rather expand to cover the whole body and will reach till the Siddha Kshetra in the crown of the head. Then this heat will increase the secretion of nectar which in turn will further fuel up the heat so they both will feed each other. In this condition body will not require any food or alike from outside and would truly be called self-sufficient or ‘Poorna’. Then this very body would transform into a divine one and merge into that. But as we have seen this cannot happen on its own but some action or ‘Kriya’ is required for that. This is what SSKY aims at, adjoining of Shiv & Shakti or Siddha Amrit & Surya through action ‘Kriya’. This may also be called as awakening and advancement of Kundalini.
Gurudev has divided this SSKY into seven distinct stages, the first three of which aim at holistic health (physical, mental & social) and require very little time and effort while the remaining four are designed for spiritual development and require complete devotion and strong determination. The best aspect of this sadhana is that anybody can do this with equal ease despite the differences in health, environment, and mental development. The people who are in poor physical condition may omit the postures and mudras if unable to perform and they may do the practice sitting on a chair or a bed depending upon their health and reap the benefit while the mentally incompetent or handicapped may be guided by their attendant and still benefit equally. On the other hand, the people with sound bodies and mind may opt for regressive training and may serve the society with SSKY in addition to their personal practice which will add fuel to their spiritual evolvement as well. The steps are described here in brief.
Step One:
Anyone and everyone can start at this level. The best option for a novice is to join a week-long camp held either in their city or in the ashram to get an insight about SSKY. At this initial step half hour at a time is enough but regular practice of both times (morning & evening) is essential. The ideal time for practice is when Sun has just turned orange in the morning and when it is bearable in the evening. One should sit in any comfortable posture keeping the spine erect with bare minimum clothes on the body. Closed eyes and bare head must be directly exposed to Sun. One important precaution to note is that one must have an empty or light stomach for this practice. First of all palming and a few other eyes exercise are recommended to relax and strengthen the eyes which are the primary vehicle of light to enter the body. Then three-step breathing technique is practiced to achieve complete yogic breathing. Agnisar also stimulates light absorption till deep down in the body. After this Shakti Mantra and Surya Gayatri Mantra are chanted in different postures and gestures. Finally, lie prone and rest in Shithilasana.
This simple practice works wonderfully in correcting digestive disorders, deepening sleep, improving eyesight, healing headache and other body pain, recovering weakness, and many other diseases physical or mental. Tension and depression also get cured especially by getting deep sleep and developing a strong stomach.
Step Two:
Once through with this step one and after reaping all its benefits one may advance to the second level. The initiation for this step is generally given in ashram in routine workshops as there are certain tests to qualify beforehand. One may enter this level in much more or much less than six months depending upon the physical & mental state and also the experiences gathered through SSKY. This level requires at least nine months of regular practice for one hour twice a day. In addition to the practices taught in level one, aura cleaning and energizing techniques are introduced at this level. Exercises of ear, tongue, and neck are also added. Agnisar is increased in repetition up to 500 times and gestures are also modified. The main addition at this level is a slight opening of the eyes. Starting with a single minute, the time of keeping the eyes open is gradually increased by one minute every week till one reaches to half an hour of practice with half-open eyes and that too without blinking.
Regular practice removes the dirt and filth long collected in nerves and opens them up to receive pure energy. This loosens the grip of all diseases and ailments. Body shows improvement even in long term & chronic diseases. Now Sun rays penetrate the body a little deeper and help in getting rid of anger, lust, greed, and other such wicked temperaments. The need for food and sleep gradually decreases but concentration and inner peace step up.
Step Three:
Once the eyes remain steady for half an hour in a slightly open position, one may look for level three. This may be called as a transition level as here one may choose to just stay as a physically, mentally, and socially healthy personality or may dare to tread the unbeaten path of self-realization by advancing to the next levels.
The initiation for this level is granted only in a special session held for the purpose but before that, it is indispensable to attend at least one special meditation workshop here in the ashram. At this level, the exercise of sense organs is more emphasized. Agnisar is slowly augmented to 1000 repetitions now with Ashwini Mudra and practice of Nauli is encouraged. Chanting of Aakar, Eekar & Uukar are given preference to the mantra. Even the importance of gestures is also reduced at this level. Eyes are wide open and turned upwards in Shambhavi Mudra. Mukha–Pan is also introduced here. Full yogic breathing must be perfected to obtain complete results.
One and a half hours of regular practice for one year, at both times makes the body free from all sorts of diseases and maladies. Enhanced amour propre, self-confidence, and inwardness leads to a complete change in the personality, both in and out. At this stage, the practitioner hears divine sounds (Naad) within and also gets the hint of ever flowing nectar (Rasa) more clearly. These experiences open the door of the other world for the aspirant and he acquires energy from these divine experiences so that his dependence on food reduce remarkably.
Step Four to Seven:
These steps are meant only for serious practitioners who want to achieve the goal of life in this very life. This requires extensive practice with devotion and dedication without any expectation. It includes various techniques of the different systems such as Hath, Raj, Gyan, Bhakti, and many other Yog systems. Such a man of action gradually reaches beyond the limit of hunger, thirst, heat, cold, pain and grief, and finally merges into the ultimate becoming one like him.
THOUGH THIS ALL SEEMS VERY EASY BUT STILL THERE ARE LOTS OF INTRICACIES INVOLVED IN THE PROCESS SO ITS IMPORTANT TO LEARN THIS FROM THE AUTHORITY AND PRACTICE UNDER THEIR GUIDANCE TO SURELY ANT COMPLETELY BENEFIT FROM THIS.
For step-by-step guidance, read here :
a) in English : Surya Kriya English Book with detailed FAQ
b) in Hindi : Surya Kriya Hindi Booklet