KRIYA YOGA

Paramahansa Yogananda taught a form of meditation called Kriya Yoga, which he considered to be a powerful and effective method for achieving inner peace, spiritual growth, and self-realization. Here are some of his teachings on the best way to meditate using Kriya Yoga:

1. Sit in a comfortable position: Find a quiet, peaceful place where you can be secluded and undisturbed during meditation. Create your own sanctuary exclusively for your meditation practice. Sit on a straight chair or cross legged on a firm surface — cover that with a woollen blanket and/or a silk cloth. This insulates your seat from the downward pull of subtle earth currents.
2. Correct Posture: One of the first requisites for meditation is correct posture. The spine should be erect. When the devotee is seeking to direct his mind and life force upward through the cerebrospinal axis to the centres of higher consciousness in the brain, he should avoid stricture or pinching of the spinal nerves caused by improper posture.
3. Repeat a mantra: Now, close your eyes and gently lift your gaze upward, without straining, to the point between the eyebrows — the seat of concentration, and of the spiritual eye of divine perception.
4. Visualize the spine: In Kriya Yoga, the spine is considered to be the channel through which spiritual energy flows. Yogananda advised practitioners to visualize the spine as a beam of light, with each vertebra glowing with divine energy.
5. Practice regularly: Yogananda emphasized the importance of regular practice for achieving deep states of meditation and spiritual growth. He suggested meditating for at least 30 minutes each day, preferably in the morning and evening.

Overall, Yogananda believed that the best way to meditate is to cultivate a deep connection with the divine within oneself, through focused attention, visualization, and devotion. And to Know more about Kriya Yoga and its Meditation Techniques, You can visit YSS of India and get updated about Yoga and Meditation.