I’ve been doing Sat Kriya daily for several years now and it’s amazing how you intuitively learn little things from the meditation and the changes that you go through.
When I first started, my right arm would fall asleep and I’d sweat like hell. When I got up to 31 minutes my legs would fall asleep pretty bad, even with a big pillow between my legs, but eventually the legs got stronger and even if they fell asleep a little it wasn’t so bad. They always got back to normal and it actually greatly improved the circulation in my legs. After some time in the practice though I began to notice great things. My navel was getting much stronger and my hips were opening up. My lung capacity has increased. Now that the energy was getting into the upper centers my meditiations, particularly while chanting in the morning began to go much, much deeper.
Here are some tips and pointers from my experience…
**Always Tune In with the Adi Mantra 3 times before beginning any Kundalini Yoga Kriya or Meditation. Click Here for instructions on the mantra.
How To Do It:
- Sitting on the heels in rock pose, interlace the fingers with the Jupiter (Index) fingers pointing straight up.
- Cross the thumbs: Females cross left over right and Males cross right over left.
- Raise the arms straight up and rotate the upper arms inward so that the arms are hugging the ears.
- In this position you will chant the mantra “Sat Naam” in the following way:
- Pull the navel point in* as you chant “Sat!” (Sounds like ‘Sutt.’)
- Release the lock as you chant “Naam.” (Almost like a sigh with the sound “Naam”)
- *Author’s note: When you pull the navel point in, the root lock, known as Mulbandh, contracting the navel, sex organ and anus, will naturally happen. However, the focus is on pulling the navel point in. Earlier I had written that you pull mulbandh from the start. It’s a subtle difference and there is some discussion about it because both ways are technically correct, but the teaching from the book is: pull the navel point on Sat, release on Naam.
Finishing:
- At the end, inhale completely and hold, squeezing the root lock and the muscles of the back and shoulders for as long as you can. Imagine that you are sending the energy up through the top of the head. Exhale.
- Inhale and repeat above step one more time.
- Then inhale completely and exhale completely then hold the breath out long as you can, while pulling the root lock and squeezing the muscles of the back all the way up again.
- Inhale, and relax.
Time: 3 minutes up to 62 minutes.
*One option is to practice for 3 minutes, rest for two minutes and repeat two more times for a 15 minute exercise, which will build stamina and a foundation for longer practice.
Rest & Relaxation:
Try to relax for about the same amount of time as the exercise. This isn’t always possible but just remember, deep relaxation after this kriya is a must and nearly as important as the initial effort. The body’s systems need time to regenerate and reconstitute themselves. So use your judgement but always rest sufficiently after.
This is a pretty tough exercise when beginning kundalini yoga. Practiced over 40 days this kriya can provide countless health benefits. Don’t be overconfident. This is a powerful kundalini exercise and should be approached with reverence and respect. Start slowly and build up.
**A special note: Yogi Bhajan has said that you can do Sat Kriya with the palms flat against one another, but only if you’ve never done drugs (damaged the nervous system.) My teacher explained it further in this way: Since the fingers represent certain planetary aspects (Jupiter, Saturn, Sun, Mercury) having them extended both releases and draws more of that energy in. If you’re not ready for it, then it’s like trying to drink out of a firehose. It’s a waste of time and inefficient. So unless you’ve practiced Sat Kriya for some time and you’ve also not done drugs in a while, then best to stick to the basics. There’s a lot to be learned in the way of mastery by starting from the basics and building up.
Some Finer Points of The Sat Kriya:
- Sat Kriya can be done quietly. This is probably the greatest boon to all dedicated Sat Kriya practitioners. Many people who consider doing Sat Kriya for an extended period of time, shy away because they inevitably see themselves in a situation where it would be inappropriate to chant too loud. The important part of the exercise is pulling the root lock and moving the navel. As long as you can hear yourself vibrate the Sat Naam mantra you’re still in line with the intent of the kriya. I’ve done it nearly silently in some situations. Now there’s no excuse. When you’re visiting your mother-in-law just take your sheepskin, go into the walk-in closet and get to it.
- When pulling the Mulbandh, I have noticed that pulling in on the navel first will cause the other two– sex organ and anus to contract in kind.
- You can go slow and easy at first– just by pulling in on the navel and watching the natural flow of it. I see my students, because they expect the kriya to be hard, they jerk the body and bounce up and down. This is totally unnecessary. These kriyas have subtle power in them. doing them is like driving a finely tuned automobile– if you do it right, it can be very smooth. So begin by just pulling in slowly on the navel and let the root lock follow. Once you’re warmed up and have some momentum you’ll really start to squeeze the root lock in rhythm.
- Relax the entire body except for the muscles you’re using. You’ll be surprised at the power that’s saved and recycled back into the kriya when you relax your shoulders and thighs and the other parts you’re tensing because your mind is having a fit. .. “How much longer are we going to do this? Are we going to die soon? What is this kundalini yoga anyway– is it really good for you? What kind of name is Sat Kriya anyway? Isn’t this a lot like a cult? What would your friends think of this stuff?” (please note your mind’s garbage chatter may be different!)
- Speaking of the mind… Sat Kriya is a great meditation for taming the mind. As the mind wanders, as in any meditation, just bring it back.
- Just let the breath follow naturally from the movement. I’ve heard many people say different things about the breath, but if you just chant and pull the locks as prescribed, a breath will follow.
- Listen to your own sound. This goes for any chanting. The vibration of your own sound will take you deeper within yourself and the kriya will begin to teach you things.
- Really stretch the arms up and hug the ears and try continually to keep that posture perfect. Just as when the mind wanders you bring it back, when the posture slips, correct it. As you stretch up on the spine, you will get a different pull on the navel. It will be higher and more energy will go up especially around the heart. The hips will open more. Because Sat Kriya is difficult, people tend to shrink under the weight of it. This is another layer of meaning in Yogiji’s brilliant mantra: “Keep up and you will be kept up.” You’ll go deeper and you’ll be happy about it.
- Sat Kriya works both ways. I was sitting in a group workshop with my teacher and we were doing a sort of roundtable assessing each other and prescribing kriyas for individual sadahanas. My teacher had assessed this one young woman and said that coming from her eyes was a very powerful soul and that in order for her to bring that power more fully into her body and use it’s full potential, she should do Sat Kriya. Then he asked the group, “Why?” I have no idea where it came from, but before I knew it, I had said, “Because Sat Kriya works both ways.” And that was it. We normally think because of the posture, pointing up, that we’re taking the energy of the lower triangle through the heart and up through the subtle centers of the upper triangle. However, Sat Kriya actually works both ways. We’re also pulling the cosmic energy in through the crown and down and circulating it back up. That’s another one of the brilliant wonders of the technology that is Sat Kriya and moreover, Kundalini Yoga.
- Always use the mantra Sat Naam, as it is integral to this kriya. Sat Naam means, basically: “Truth is my whole identity.” Sat=”Inner truth,” and Naam =”the whole identity.” Another way of looking at it is, “I agree to the truth within.” Mantra is a projection of the mind using sound, so basically this mantra vibrates the higher self in the sub-conscious so that later, when you’re re-engaged in the world, the mind is reverberating on the truth of the self, on auto-pilot, working for you.
- Mama said there’d be days like this… If doing the kriya for an extended period of time, just know you’re gonna have good days and bad days, just like life. Keep up and you will be kept up. The only way to have any real experience is to do something and master it over time. It’s the only way to truly know something. So dive in, the water is fine. Sat Kriya is one of the premiere kundalini yoga exercises because it covers everything and moves the energy very quickly. Use it on your way to self-mastery.
A Few of The Benefits of The Sat Kriya:
- Rock pose (sitting on the heels) is the basis of Sat Kriya and it aids digestion… it is said that sitting on the heels one can digest rocks, hence the name. This pose combined with the tension of the Mulbandh (root lock) further stimulates the stomach, intestines and the overall digestive tract.
- Sat Kriya directly stimulates the sexual-creative energy and redirects that energy upward, through the upper chakras causing a balancing of the energy system. This redirected sexual energy is very healing to the entire body.
- Balances the shadow aspects of overactive sex drive and sexual phobias through this redirecting of the sexual creative energy through the heart and upper chakras, which relate to the transcendant god-aspect of the human being. This physical movement of the sexual energy upward becomes a meditation which causes you to look upon the others with the perspective of the heart and the grace of the higher self, as opposed to an object of sexual desire only.
- Stimulates the glandular (endocrine) system, particularly the lymph glands which remove toxins from the body.
- Strengthens the heart through the rhythmic increase in blood pressure which results from the pumping movement of the navel point.
- Increases and strengthens the nervous system for overall well-being and radiance.
- Makes you look good… especially if you follow the tips to good posture outlined above.
The Yoga Boot Camp Sat Kriya Challenge:
Do Sat Kriya for a minimum of three minutes daily for a period of forty days and record your experiences. Come back and share them here as comments on this page.
Jai Gopal
6 Feb 2013If by perfect pose you mean easy pose (cross legged position) then yes. I have heard of a modification where you can do Sat Kriya in easy pose. You can also do it in Lotus Pose.
Jai Gopal
6 Feb 2013Sat Nam GS
You should try it for just 3 minutes a day. Go for 40 days straight and see what happens. I believe it will help you. Depression is when the energy in the system is slow but the mind keeps pushing thoughts incessantly. It creates a pressure– a de-pression. Exercise and lots breath and fresh air is very helpful. Let us know how it goes. We’re cheering for you and sending you all our support. http://kundaliniyogabootcamp.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php?spammed=7&ids=927%2C926%2C924%2C922%2C913%2C899%2C898&mode=detail&comment_status=all#comments-form
Jacqueline
13 Feb 2013Hi there,
I am excited to begin a 40 day practice of Sat Kriya and would really like to understand how to end the practice properly. I need you to spell it out for me, I am a beginner. I am going to begin with 11 minutes. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank-you for sharing your knowledge.
Jai Gopal
15 Feb 2013Sat nam Jacqueline,
To end sat kriya you inhale, hold the breath and squeeze the root lock (tightening rectum, sex organs and navel.) Squeeze the energy up the back. Exhale. Then Inhale a second time and hold again as you squeeze the lock one more time. Exhale. Then finally Inhale completely, exhale completely and hold the breath out and squeeze the lock. Then relax.
Remember to tune in with Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo 3 X before beginning the kriya and at the end chant long sat naam 1-3 times. Good luck with your practice. Let us know how it goes. ~Jai Gopal
Sylvaine
5 Jun 2013H!, i’ve been doing sat kriyafor a couple a weeks and lately ive been having a terrible bad mood!! I wonder if it has something to do with it,…did it happen to you as well by any chance or have you hear of any experiences like this? I know everyone is different, but it would help just to get some feedback…thanks!!!
Jai Gopal
9 Jun 2013Sat nam Sylvaine,
If negativity comes up while doing meditation then you are progressing. The mind is releasing sub-conscious thought patterns. Take it as a compliment and keep going. Keep up. Keep up. Keep up.
Jai Gopal
Sammy
30 Aug 2013Hi, I have had the same bad mood as Sylvaine sometimes, and a bit of a quick mood changes for a male :). Not worried about it though. Most reliefed to hear that others have same feelings.
Tere Rendon
29 Jan 2014Hi, I hope you can help me. I started doing the sat kriya 2 days ago. (I do it with the help of a video). I’ve felt very good, but after I finish (i do the tune in, kriya and relaxation) i notice pain in the back of my neck ( mostly the part where the neck meets the head). I’ m worried that I may be doing something wrong and it could be damaging. What do you think? Is this kind of “normal” because of the pose and the effort or could this be dangerous. Thanks in advance!
Rebecca Clow
9 Feb 2014Hello,
I am about to start the 40 day Sat Kriya, is there a more beneficial time of day to practice? Most days I will practising in the morning but afew days a week I may be doing an evening practice.
Thanks 🙂
dr ajay
10 Mar 2014sir i have read this article and seen videos on you tube. i have one query . while chanting SAT do we inhale and have rootlock with thrust to naval or we should exhale while chanting SAT and inhale while chanting NAM
kindly guide
waiting for reply
thanks
JAI BABA SWAMI
dr ajay
Jai Gopal
27 Mar 2014HI Rebecca,
Ideally it’s best to practice in the early morning. Specifically up to 2 1/2 hours before the sunrise. That’s pretty early for most people. The reason this time is more powerful is because the angle of the sun is about 60 degrees below the horizon and it is a very calm time energetically. It’s known as the amrit vela, or “thinning of the veils.” During this time meditation is about 40 times more powerful than other times during the day. The second best time is in the evening between 4-8 pm, for similar reasons during the sunset. That said, all times are good to practice meditation. Some are slightly better. The most important thing is to do it! And keep up. : ) Good luck.
Mike
23 Apr 2014Hello, I am starting day 1 on the Sat Kriya. I am 55 years old and have suffered terribly for the past 7 years from what the doctors call GAD.(generalized anxiety disorder) I don’t know where it came from or why but It’s been awful and I have had to be on meds for them. I do the Kirtan Kriya for 13 minutes every day and I also swim very hard for an hour a day. I have no doubts that I am getting benefits from this but the daily anxiety creeps up at some point every day. It’s a joy stealer and I’m starting to get depressed that it’s here with me for the rest of my life. (as the doctors suggest) Will the Sat nam kriya (in your experience) help to rid myself of this anxiety? I know you can make promises but what is your best guess> And would 3 minutes a day be enough? Thank you!!! Sincerely
Mike Fleischman Thank you.
jp
13 May 2014Thanks so much for sharing the wisdom you’ve gained through experience. Sat Nam to Infinity!
zuza zak
14 May 2014i finished a 120 day practice of a kriya for strenthening the aura last month and it changed my life completely! been looking for another basic kriya to commit to – this seems perfect. i’m gonna try and do this for 1000 days – aaargh!!
dr ajay
13 Jun 2014sir can i do Sat kriya if i am suffering from hypertention and heart disease and palpitations and anxity. pls guide me .
thanks. waiting for reply.
dr ajay
dr ajay
13 Jun 2014can a haeart disease patient with hypertention and palpitations do this kriya and will be haelthy.
pls guide me .
dr ajay