Sioban

I think it is fair to say that the course exceeded my expectations! It was my first Zoom course, the set-up and communication was excellent.

There were clearly experienced practitioners alongside beginners and it was so warm and friendly – I felt welcome from the start!

The course itself was well-structured and progressive, giving time to learn and practice each stage of the breaths before moving on to the next. Swami explained and demonstrated the action and function of each of the breaths clearly, with precise pointers on how to feel the breaths physically, as well as providing detailed instruction on the movement of the breath through the chakras and the resulting effect upon them. I came to understand Kriya Yoga as a process for clearing the chakras and opening the mind and heart to a very sacred space.

As well as learning the practical aspects of the breathing techniques, Swami treated us to several vivid guided meditations and visualisations to help us connect to a sense of self that was beyond my previous experience.

After practicing the breaths I feel calmer, more present in the moment and a sense of relief from anxiety. I am able to access a deeper state of meditation using the Kriya breaths than any other technique I have tried before. I feel I am on the edge of something that only further exploration will shed light upon. That makes me feel excited, which in turn makes me feel very grateful for all the above!

I feel more grounded. My self-esteem has improved. I have been connected through Swami’s teachings to a sense of sacredness that I did not have before. I feel I have a sense of purpose and, whilst I don’t know exactly what it is yet, I do feel that the practice of Kriya Yoga will help me get closer to it.

I am trying to practise every day. The practice itself is easy to follow and the benefits are (almost immediately) tangible.

The accompanying materials sent after the course are brilliant, Swami recorded a message of further guidance to encourage practise after the course and I have felt welcome to join the weekly sessions to connect with others and receive further teachings. It is the warm welcome and the feeling of being in a deeply supportive environment whilst at the same time being on an independent and personal journey that helps me the most. I’m not sure I could ask for more than that! I intend to join the Thursday session regularly.

I would recommend the course to anyone who is seeking to find a connection to the sacred, or anyone who (like me) feels that there is something ‘missing’ or that they are just not “getting” from their current spiritual practice. I am very grateful to Swami Aliananda Paramahansa for holding that sacred space for beginners like me and providing a bridge through the words of her teachings and crystal clear visualisations from material to sacred experience. I have needed a guide to begin to understand my own connection to that which is sacred and Swami made it easy for me to see. It has been a very powerful and moving experience – life changing, in fact!