Easy Meditation Technique for Total Stress Relief | Shabd Kriya
Simple Meditation Technique
Shabd Kriya – Kundalini Yoga Meditation
It has been some time since we added a core Kundalini Yoga Meditation to our collection and to end that drought, today I will detail for you Shabd Kriya, which is a nice easy meditation technique for helping you relieve stress and relax. This meditation will join other powerful meditations from Kundalini Yoga such as Sodarshan Chakra Meditation, Infinite Energy and Prosperity Meditation Technique and Tantric Sat Kriya for Transmuting Sexual Energy, that are already part of the website and can be found in the Free Online Kundalini Yoga Meditation E-book.
These meditation techniques were taught to me by Ravi Singh, in my Teacher’s Training Class and were taught to him by Yogi Bajan. I thank both of them, and the masters before, for passing on this wisdom to us so we can all benefit and grow using it.
Easy Meditation Technique – Shabd Kriya Overview
Although Shabd Kriya is quite an easy meditation technique, it does use many powerful aspects of Kundalini Yoga to bestow it’s many benefits. These mechanisms include, the power of mantras, hand and eye positions (mudras), mind power, naad yoga (yoga of sound), pranayama and more. In particular, it’s use of pranayama is the main reason for any cautions, for anytime you are going to look to manipulate and control your breathing, you need to make sure you are not over straining or over doing it.
The following 2 documents will give you the necessary guidelines to practice this meditation technique safely and successfully, please do follow them: Beginner’s Guide to Yoga Practice and Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Practice.
DIRECT YOUTUBE LINK –> MEDITATION FOR STRESS RELIEF
Benefits of Shabd Kriya – Easy Mediation Technique:
- Excellent meditation for stress relief and relaxation.
- Helps the body rejuvenate and regenerate.
- Helps build mental focus and concentration.
- Excellent meditation to promote sound sleep, especially if done before going to bed. This meditation is often a part of sets designed to help you fight insomnia and restless sleep.
Design of Shabd Meditation Technique:
- This meditation utilizes 2 fundamental mantras from Kundalini Yoga. It uses the Sa Ta Na Ma Mantra and the Wahey Guru Mantra. Sa Ta Na Ma meaning Existence, Life, Death and Rebirth and Wahey Guru meaning, Ecstasy Beyond Words. You will find a nice Wahey Guru Hymm to help you with the pronunciation in the following free MP3.
Wahey Guru Serenity Hymm Free MP3 Download
- This meditation also uses a variation of Cosmic Mudra, which is explained in the “How To Do” section below.
- Finally, Shabd Kriya uses Nasikagra Drishti (nose tip gazing) and Pranayama as well, as explained below.
How to Do Shabd Kriya – Easy Meditation Technique:
- Sit in any cross legged posture. You can also do this meditation sitting on a chair.
- Elongate your spine and tuck your chin in slightly (like a soldier at attention).
- Place your hands in Cosmic Mudra with your Left Hand Underneath and Right Hand on Top. The Thumb Tips should be meeting, but the only difference is that they should be a little more forward than up. You will find an illustration of traditional Cosmic Mudra in the following article, just modify it slightly as I have mentioned above.
- Have your eyes 1/10th open looking down at the tip of your nose. Only hold this eye position for as long as is comfortable. Release it whenever necessary and continue with the meditation, reapplying it once ready.
- Now begin the following Breath/Mantra Cycle. Inhale in 4 equal parts. By the fourth inhalation your lungs should be full. As you inhale chant SA TA NA MA mentally. So you inhale to a total count of 4. In total, one chant of SA TA NA MA during one inhalation broken up into 4 parts. Next, hold your breath in and chant SA TA NA MA 4 times slowly mentally. So you hold your breath in and use the 4 cycles of SA TA NA MA to complete a count of 16 Finally, exhale in 2 parts, which chanting Wahey Guru mentally. So you exhale to a count of 2.
- All counting should be slow. All chanting should be mental and the breathing cycle should be 4/16/2. 4 counts to inhale, 16 count breath retention and 2 count exhalation. Please note if holding the breath in for 16 counts is too much, cut it down to 8 and build up slowly. Do not over strain. With all breath retention progress should be gentle and systematic.
- Continue the above mantra/breathing pattern for the duration of the meditation, which should be typically 11 minutes and built up to 31 minutes over time. If you are just starting out even 3 minutes is fine.
Summary of Simple Meditation Technique – Shabd Kriya:
This meditation is very good for inducing deep relaxation and helps the entire body de-stress and de- compress. Thus, it is great for doing before sleep and to fight insomnia. For more free easy meditations and yoga sets be sure to check out the Free Online Guided Meditation Techniques E-book and the Free Illustrated Kundalini Yoga Kriyas E-Book as well.
Hi Anmol
Attempted to look for when exhaling Wahe Gurunon the counts of two,is it done via the mouth or still the nose?
Shall be grateful for the clarification.
Namste
Hi-I found the video you have made and the text on How to do Shabd Kriya in odds with each other .So I started looking for cosmic mudra poses before I saw the post from Mila and your comment about the correction. Most of them say the left hand on top of the right.Including the pictures in your “How to meditate.” One site mentions using your dominant hand to cradle the other. So before I start this meditation , I would like to know for sure which hand is on top .Or does it not matter which is on top and which at the bottom?
Really your site is a perfect place to learn meditation techniques. I like your points and I’ll also try to follow your techniques to fit my body.
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Hi,
I’m Sébastien from France and I’m a beginner in yoga. I have a little problem since yesterday night after I practiced Shabd kriya. It seems I overstrained a bit and it’s as if I had bubbles of air stuck in my lungs. How can I soothe this?
Great technique.
very much usefull for a stress free healthy life.
thanks for sharing.
Hi Mila,
Thanks for catching that, I have made the correction.
Best,
Anmol
Great kriya only small correction:it is right hand on the top of the left.
Best,
Mila
Thanks for the technique. It worked well for me, but I did have a bit of trouble keeping my eyes 1/10th open!
Kim,
Do the Spinal warm up and gentle neck rolls.
All the best,
Trupti
Hi – love the kriya for stress – I have huge neck and shoulder tightness – any good kriya and meditation for that. I did the lymphatic kriya and not sure if the shaking the head left and right has increased the tension? In fact my neck feels like its in a spasm? Any suggestions?
Hi Anmol ,
What shines out from your web site is your willingness to give from your heart and your determination to share the wonderful tools and practices that you have acquired with those that need them. You exemplify the true spiritual attitude of when ‘ one ‘ benefits ‘ all benefit ‘. I wish you many blessings and keep shining forth you light in these dark times.
Absolutely loved the free mp3. So soothing, thank you.
Too bad it’s so short!
Benjamin,
Welcome!
Glad to hear that you have been meditating :-)
Remember – start slowly and work your way up – especially where breathing and postures are concerned.
All the best,
Trupti
Thank you for this. I will have to try it. I am so used to freestyle meditation (i.e. just sitting) and I have friends who swear by guided and self-guided meditations such as this. He is a Yoga Instructor so it makes sense. I have resisted any “formal routine” and yet I have an old book on Yoga and have played around with some of the postures with a great deal of success. I have chronic tension in my left eye and am just getting relief from it through just sitting and breathing naturally. I will have to try some of these techniques. Thank you again for the post.