3 Most Powerful Yoga Pranayamas and Kriyas – Sodarshan Chakra Kriya – Part 1

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya – Part 1

Most Powerful Yoga Pranayama Free Video

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya Video

YouTube Direct Link –> Kundalini Yoga Kriya Video – Sodarshan Chakra Kriya

 

Pranayama, the science of breathing and breath control, is undoubtedly one of the greatest arts one can learn and practice for spiritual growth and personal development.  It holds within itself the power to transform the lowest most gross to the highest most refined.  This transforming power of pranayama can act upon any and all levels of your being, whether that be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual (energetic).  This science has been perfected over the centuries in the East and was mostly kept secret, only handed down verbally from Guru to a deserving disciple.  Now, it is much more available to those who seek it, but I still feel that the knowledge really only finds those who are deserving of it.  Having said that, life has brought you here now, so take this opportunity and discover the tremendous power of the Science of Pranayama.

Most Powerful Yoga

The 3 Pranayamas I am going to present here are typically not for beginners.  Fortunately, all 3 have modifications, which you can start out with first before building up to the advanced techniques.  I will also present these modifications here and I strongly suggest you start with them first before jumping ahead to the advanced techniques.  In moving forward sanely, gently and systematically you will prepare the system to better handle the affects of the advanced forms.  This systematic approach is not only much safer, but is also better for extracting the full benefits of the pranayamas.  Part 1 of this series is about Sodarshan Chakra Kriya.  Before I go into Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, I want to give some quick guidelines that should be followed for all 3 pranayamas in this series.

Basic Guidelines for practicing Pranayama:

  1. Do not practice any advanced pranayama if you are unwell.  Only do light easy pranayamas.
  2. Clothing should be loose and should not restrict the movement of the abdomen.  Our breathing is already very shallow, we don’t need to compound the issue further by hampering the natural movement of our diaphragm.
  3. Your stomach should be empty.  Which means you need to wait at least 2-3 hours after a meal before practicing pranayama.
  4. If possible practice in the early morning.  Early morning is the best time to practice your sadhana (spiritual work).  For more information and help on this you can read The Secret on How to Become an Early Riser.
  5. You should sit in a comfortable position, preferably in some variation of cross legged (sukh asana).  For more information on  sukh  asana or other positions you can sit in (like a chair) see Silent Mind Meditation Program: Basic Meditations – Chapter 7.
  6. Most importantly, DO NOT STRAIN.  I cannot emphasize that enough.  Take your time, you will enjoy your practice more and you will be able to establish a regular routine as you will not dread doing your daily work.
  7. One last thing.  The pranayamas being taught here, when practiced sincerely over time, can bestow great power to the practitioner.  Normally, these techniques were not transcribed and as mentioned earlier, were taught only to those held in great trust, so I ask you to respect that trust and agree to not in any way misuse the powers obtained from the practices described below.

Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:

Background:  Sodarshan Chakra Kriya (set) was taught to me by my Kundalini Yoga teacher Ravi Singh who studied it under the guidance of Yogi Bhajan.  It dates back a few thousand years and is reputed among all the known Yogas, including Kundalini Yoga, to be the most powerful Pranayama exercise there is.  You will notice that it is called a kriya, although a kriya typically is a complete set of asanas and yogic exercises (see Introduction to Kundalini Yoga for more information on kriyas and how Kundalini Yoga works in general), it also applies in some cases to a single exercise, which is very complete in and of itself.  Sodarshan Chakra Kriya is a pranayama exercise that is exactly that, very complete and also very powerful.

Benefits of Sodharshan Chakra Kriya:  The superlatives describing Sodarshan Chakra Kriya are lavish to say the least.  In Yoga terms it will give you Nao Niddhi (the nine precious virtues) and Artha Siddhi (the 18 occult powers).  These 27 facets contain all of human life and in acquiring them you perfect all that can be perfected in a human.  Given this Kriya’s reputation for bestowing Psychic and Yogic Powers, it is is often practiced by those interested in acquiring these siddhis (powers).  There is no harm in this, as long the powers are used for the benefit of others and to assist you in your spiritual progress.  This kriya, though, is equally valuable to those interested in the final goal of human life – to see and merge with the Divine Non-Dual nature of Reality.  This is because, it is very effective in dissolving the blockages (granthis) caused by frozen emotional debris in the nadis (the channels for the movement of Kundalini Energy) and as the channels are purified greater flow of kundalini is facilitated allowing for the chakras (energy vortexes) to be activated and balanced.  In turn, the activation of the chakras and this greater flow of Kundalini Shakti (energy) leads to the refinement of awareness which allows one to penetrate the veil of illusion – that Reality consists of duality.

Sodarshan  Chakra Kriya also dramatically improves your physical wellbeing.  In fact, as you practice it you will start to feel quite invincible over time.  It expands your nervous system, respiratory system and helps your digestive system.  I find that the most profound health benefit is a boost to the immune system when I practice this kriya regularly.  Overall the kriya promotes peace, joy and strength.

Description of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  Sit up straight, have your spine erect and bring head back slightly (not up) so your chin is subtly drawn in and back like a soldier at attention.  This aligns your spine with the back of your head and is also called Jalandhara Bandha.  Your eyes should be 1/10th open looking down at the tip of your nose.  Rest your left hand on your left knee.  Block your right nostril with your right thumb and have the remaining fingers pointing upwards.  Now breathe in deeply through the left nostril filling your lungs to capacity.  Lower your right hand now and place it on your right knee.  With your breath held in (Antar Kumbhaka) begin to pump your stomach (pulling in the abdominal muscles) to the mantra “Wahay Guru”.  You will pump your stomach 3 times for each iteration of Wahay Guru.  Once for Wa, once for Hay and once for Guru.  The mantra should be chanted mentally of course, since the breath is held in.  Chant for a total of 16 Wahay Gurus, so for a total of 48 stomach pumps with the breath held in.  Then raise your right hand, close off the left nostril with your right pinkie and breathe out of your right nostril.  This completes 1 cycle – breathe in through left nostril, hold and pump, breathe out through right nostril.  Continue to repeat this cycle for the duration of the kriya.

Duration:  There is no formal time duration for Sodarshan Chakra Kriya; it is left up to the practitioner to determine what is right for them.  Below I will give the recommendations when I discuss the modifications.

Beginners Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  Modify kriya as follows:  Do only 1 pump for each chant of Wahay Guru.  So in total with your breath held in you will do 16 pumps per cycle.  Also, reduce the force of the pump to where you are comfortable.  Start with 3 minutes and build up to 11 minutes.  The kriya should be practiced daily.

Intermeditates Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  Modify kriya as follows:  Do only 2 pumps for each chant of Wahay Guru.  One for Wahay and one for Guru.  So in total you will do 32 pumps with your breath held in per cycle.  Pump your stomach with a moderate force.  You should try to do 11 minutes, then go to 22 minutes and then to 31 minutes daily.

Advanced Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  Do the kriya as described above in the description section.  You should be pumping your stomach with full force and you should do 31 minutes daily.  The commitment should be to do 40 days without missing a day, 31 minutes each day.  This was exactly the requirement by Ravi for his Kundalini Yoga teacher’s training course as well.  If you miss a day, you go back to 1 and start over till you complete 40 days.

Perfected Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  Yes there is more, you are not done yet :-D.  To do the perfect and complete kriya and thus extract the maximum benefit and reach super human caliber, the requirement is to do 62 minutes per day and build it up to 2 1/2 hours everyday.  If you can discipline yourself to do that, the kriya will provide everything needed in all areas of your life.

Design of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya:  This kriya bestows its many blessings by taking full advantage of many important aspects of Pranayama and Yoga numerology.  Below are some of the details behind this successful design.

  1. Breathing in through the left nostril activates the right hemisphere of the brain.  This hemisphere is responsible for your meditative, creative and artistic powers.  Activating it helps unleash and grow these aspects of your nature.
  2. The number 16 is associated with the Ajna Chakra, also know as the Third Eye, Divine Eye or the Eye of Shiva.  Chanting the mantra Wahay Guru 16 times activates Ajna Chakra, which is responsible for many psychic abilities and the power of intuition and wisdom.
  3. The mantra itself, Wahay Guru, means ecstasy beyond words and represents one’s higher consciousness.  Chanting this mantra attracts this divine energy towards one.
  4. Pumping the navel helps ignite and awaken Kundalini Shakti so she can make her ascent up the primary Nadi (Shushumna) all the up to the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra) activating, rejuvenating, balancing and healing all the other Chakras and associated organs in her path.

In part 2 and 3 of this series I will describe and detail 2 more powerful Yoga Pranayamas that I hope will be of value to you in your spiritual growth and personal development.

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342 replies
« Older Comments
  1. Ankush
    Ankush says:

    Hello Sir, when you mention 31 minutes or 62 minutes a day , then does it mean 31 or 62 minutes in one sitting or throughout day?

    Thanks for all sharing all knowledge

    Reply
  2. Nate
    Nate says:

    This is truly wonderful my friends, I’ve been doing meditation guided retreats for a few years now since my full inner enlightenment began, I have to say it is amazing how most of the things we westerners are taught are myths happen to be real and some of the most powerful experiences and life changing internal transformations a person can hope to experience.

    Reply
  3. prince
    prince says:

    You are making me fool that this kriya will give sidhi power( yogic powers) have you earn this or you have any proof that this kriya will give powers have you any proof tell me.

    Reply
  4. Erenora
    Erenora says:

    Hi, to everyone and thank you for sharing this great video!

    After 3-5min of advanced version sodarshan chakra kriya I feel terrible pressure in back and center of my head. I’m applying full neck lock. Pressure would fade in 1 hour, but I’m feeling dumb through the day.

    Could someone help?

    PS In yoga for years, kundalini fully awakened year ago and last six months into kundalini yoga training daily for 1-2hr.

    Reply
  5. Lua Kahlua
    Lua Kahlua says:

    Sat nam, Anmol (and everyone else)! I have been doing SCK on and off since 2011 but for the last month or so I have been doing it on a daily basis as a sadhana, and I am loving every part of it. Except for one thing which I have googled without any luck.. Sometimes when there is a lot of energy building up in the navel area when I am doing the pumping, it gets so intense (but not uncomfortable) that when I exhale and the energy just bursts in my abdomen, I actually can’t control my bladder ad start to pee involuntarily… It is so embarrassing and I don’t know what to do. Am I straining the kriya when this happens? Because in general I dont feel any sraining nor discomfort. This happened in the past and that’s why I’ve always stopped doing SCK, but I have loved it so much and always gotten back to it. And the same thing happened this week and I panicked and stopped the meditation. But I discovered that when I feel this building up of energy in my abdomen during the pumps, I lessen the pumps and try to do them more light, which has helped.. Anyway, my question is: WHAT is happening to me, and is it a bad thing?

    Best regards, Lua

    Reply
    • sivasakti
      sivasakti says:

      maybe you aren’t applying muladhara bandha correctly or you could be drinking too soon before your sadhana, try peeing before your sadhana and don’t drink 2 hours before your sadhana

      Reply
    • Ashok Reddy
      Ashok Reddy says:

      Hi,
      You are blocking your navel area during kriya, it should set to be free to flow energy freely.It’s an accumulated energy, not having proper channel to spread in to your body. Give some breaks after completion of every cycle and practice safe it may cause prostate problems.

      Reply
  6. Harwinder
    Harwinder says:

    I have one question.so many people think that during menses a lady should not perform any religious activity.i am interested in sck.bt really dont know wether i should perform it during my menses and during pregnency.also m interested in sidhies not to acquire them but to experience them.please help me in this regard.

    Reply
  7. naser
    naser says:

    Hi
    Please help me.
    A year ago I did the Sodarshan Chakra Kriya breathing. Every day for a month I did this breathing. I follow this breathing until intermediate level. After a month, a night before sleeping I felt sever nausea but it soothed immediately. At first this nausea happened tow days a week but this problem continue and became more and more bad. It coincide with dizziness. Now after a year I have a nausea yet, this problem really knock out me. Please please help me. Is there any way to solve this problem?

    Reply

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  1. […] Information can be found on this site: Mastery of Meditation & Yoga (A true treasure trove of yoga videos, advice and generosity of wisdom)  https://anmolmehta.com/2007/03/29/3-most-powerful-yoga-pranayamas-and-kriyas-part-1/ […]

  2. | SCHOOL OF SMILING says:

    […] https://anmolmehta.com/2007/0… (free article with full details). The King Kong of yoga exercises and yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) is the powerful So Darshan Chakra Kriya. This exercise is know for bestowing psychic powers (yoga siddhis) and supreme health. Beginner version is included for those new to yoga and interested in learning this incredible technique. More details are available for free on www AnmolMehta (dot) Com. 1810 […]

  3. […] can find a tutorial of the meditation here. (Thank you Anmol Mehta for your […]

  4. What’s it Like to Complete Forty Days of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya? | OMTravelers says:

    […] Back in 2009, with the inspiration of one of the many Kriyas that Anmol publishes on this website, I decided I was going to commit to forty days of Sodarshan Chakra Kriya. […]

  5. […] for Beginners | Basic Yoga PosesUltimate Tantra Yoga Technique to Raise Sexual Energy – Sat Kriya3 Most Powerful Yoga Pranayamas and Kriyas – Sodarshan Chakra Kriya – Part 1Free Online Kundalini Yoga Kriyas E-BookEffective Tantra Breathing Technique to Prolong Sexual […]

  6. […] length of two add breaks, or two songs.) I never knew what I would experience went I sat down to do Sodarshan Chakra Kriya, which consists of silently chanting a mantra – Mahay Guru – 16 times with the breath […]

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