National Yoga Month
This month, yogis across the country are celebrating “National Yoga Month!” Designated by the Department of Health and Human Services, this official acknowledgement of yoga has been, according to the Yoga Health Foundation, “designed to build awareness of yoga’s proven health benefits and provide people with actionable guidance and tools to better their own well-being.”
It’s safe to say that the “proven health benefits” of practicing Yoga are recognized by mainstream America (as indicated by “National Yoga Month”); however, far less recognized are the emotional and spiritual benefits available to yoga practitioners. In honor of National Yoga Month (which we have chosen as our studio’s Theme of the month), we have interviewed two Being Yoga students who have been studying the philosophical side of yoga, or Kriya Yoga, for several years. By doing so, we hope to illuminate the more philosophical—and less understood—aspect of Yoga. Please read on to discover who these yogis are and what they have to say about the subject:
We interviewed no other than our very own Being Yoga’s Studio Directors: Robin Duffy and Kevin Fitzmaurice! Both Robin and Kevin have been studying under the tutelage of Kriya Masters Arley Gaines and Roy Eugene Davis for four years now, and both have recently attended week-long retreats at the Kriya Yoga International Headquarters, the Center for Spiritual Awareness, in Georgia. Here’s what they had to say:
Q: What is Kriya Yoga?
Robin: “‘Kriya” means action, and ‘Yoga’ means connection to higher realities; therefore, Kriya Yoga means taking action to move into higher realities. Roy Eugene Davis tells us that Yoga’s purpose is to liberate consciousness.”
Kevin: “Kriya Yoga is a method enabling you to take certain actions to hasten spiritual development. It includes regular meditation and observing the eight limbs of Yoga.”
Q: What has Kriya Yoga done for you and your life?
R: “It has enriched my life. I have a much better understanding of the eight limbs of Yoga which has allowed me to put them into action. For years, the spiritual aspect of yoga was more on the periphery of my consciousness and practice. Now, without question, it is at the core of my practice, life and being.”
K: Practicing Kriya Yoga has helped me to be more grounded and less reactive. I am more conscious of my thoughts, actions and words. I find I can be more mindful, and therefore more content, in my everyday life.
Q: What did you do on your retreat at the Center for Spiritual Awareness?
R: “We, of course, meditated, chanted and hung-out with other yogis on the Kriya Yoga path. It was uplifting and inspirational just being in the presence of Roy and Arley who are truly living their beliefs. They have such a handle on those things—you can learn about Kriya Yoga by just being in their presence.”
K: “We meditated and ate a lot of good vegetarian food. We also attended many lectures—about five hours a day.”
Q: Was there one major point you took away from the retreat?
R: “To surrender. There’s no question what I want to do or need to do. This is the path I am going down.”
K: “I have more of a conviction and faith in the path. I’m even more inspired by Arley and Roy—what they say and ‘how’ they are.”
Q: Has Kriya Yoga changed the way you practice your Yoga Asanas?
R: “Yes! Before, I didn’t realize the connection of concentration and the Samadhi [transcendant] state while moving through the postures. Now that I’m aware of what’s happening, it makes it more meaningful.”
K: “Since studying Kriya, I have been trying to bring the concept of God into my practice more. Kriya is a way of moving beyond the physical into the spiritual.”
Q: What advice do you have for students who would like to understand Kriya Yoga better?
R: “Commit to doing it. Just make up your mind and follow through with it. Come join us on Thursday nights at 8:30 to study and meditate with Arley. Also, Roy is coming to visit our studio on Wednesday, March 17. Everyone should definitely set that date aside!”
K: “Come hear Arley talk every Thursday night to get information straight from the source—from a spiritually connected human being. That way you can learn Kriya Yoga techniques and then apply those techniques the rest of the week. Also, as Paramahansa Yogananda said, ‘Read a little, meditate more, and think of God all the time.’”