This episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast is an excerpt from a talk given by Kriya Yoga Teacher Ryan Kurczak during the 2025 Kriya Yoga Online Solstice Retreat.

The Discussion includes:

Patanjali offers auxiliary methods to stabilize the mind in Sutras I.33–I.39, forming a meditative ladder:

• I.33 – Cultivating attitudes of friendliness (toward the happy), compassion (toward the suffering), joy (toward the virtuous), and equanimity (toward the non-virtuous).

• I.34 – Focusing on the exhalation and natural pause of breath.

• I.35 – Meditating on subtle sensory experiences (such as inner energy or warmth).

• I.36 – Contemplating a state free from sorrow and full of inner light.

• I.37 – Meditating on the consciousness of one who is spiritually free.

• I.38 – Contemplating dream and deep sleep states.

• I.39 – Meditating on any object suitable to one’s disposition.

These are not arbitrary suggestions, but a progressive structure. For example, I.33 helps remove emotional and psychological obstacles; I.34–I.35 deepen bodily and energetic awareness; I.36–I.37 open the door to spiritual radiance and guru consciousness; I.38–I.39 reflect the ultimate flexibility and maturity of the practitioner.

The culmination of sustained meditative practice is Samadhi, described not as an escape from the world but as union with reality. The deeper forms of samadhi signify the dissolution of ego and personal identity, allowing pure consciousness to shine through. As described in Sutra IV.33–IV.34, transformation is a transmutation of form, as the field of consciousness evolves from gross (human) to subtle (divine).

This spiritual evolution requires the practitioner to surrender personal likes, dislikes, and egoic narratives—attaining Vairagya (detachment) and Abhyasa (consistent practice), referenced in Sutra I.12.

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🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice

If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program.

📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon.

🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda.

🔗 Explore more resources:

• Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga

• Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com

• Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/

• Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline

Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

This episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast, When You Know Samadhi explores the philosophical and practical aspects of meditation within the framework of Kriya Yoga and the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The main topics include:

1. The Purpose of Meditation Meditation is presented not as a relaxation technique but as a means to access one's true, timeless essence. The goal is the cessation of mental fluctuations to recognize the stillness and fullness at the core of being.

2. Commitment to Practice The importance of long-term dedication is emphasized. Students are encouraged to remain engaged with the practices over time, as deep realization requires persistent application rather than brief exposure.

3. Letting Go of the Ego True yoga involves dissolving the ego—the "personage" that clings to identity and personality. The path is one of surrender and relinquishment of attachments to fully experience spiritual freedom.

4. Outer and Inner Limbs of Yoga The essay delineates between the outer practices (yamas, niyamas, asana, pranayama, pratyahara) and the inner practices (dharana, dhyana, samadhi). Mastery of the outer limbs is seen as foundational for accessing the inner experiences.

5. The Mechanics of Meditation Meditation (dhyana) is defined as uninterrupted focus on a single object. This focus must be maintained for 12 breaths to be considered meditation, and 144 breaths to reach samadhi. These thresholds offer a concrete structure for understanding meditative depth.

6. Modern Distractions and Spiritual Focus The essay criticizes modern distractions like social media and “spiritual doom scrolling.” Instead, it advocates for focused, authentic engagement with traditional texts and practices to cultivate concentration and spiritual discipline.

7. Spiritual Transformation and Evolution Spiritual growth is described as a transformation akin to evolution—from human to divine being (deva). This requires pouring the energy and habits of the old self into a new, higher mode of being.

8. One-Pointedness and Daily Practice One-pointed focus (ekagrata) is vital not only in meditation but in daily activities. Practicing concentrated awareness throughout life enhances the capacity for deeper meditation.

🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice

If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program.

📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon.

🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda.

🔗 Explore more resources:

• Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga

• Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com

• Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/

• Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline

Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.

In this episode of The Kriya Yoga Podcast Ryan reflects on a conversation with yoga retreat attendees struggling to understand or experience what is "sacred." This sparks a broader exploration of how modern life—especially overthinking, distractions, and unresolved inner conflicts—prevents many from recognizing sacredness in daily life.

Key Points:

1. Invitation to Reflect: Listeners are asked to consider what "sacred" means to them personally—how it feels, and what blocks them from experiencing it.

2. Modern Distractions & Impurities: Our technology-saturated, overly scheduled lives (including spiritual "doom scrolling") clutter the mind, making sacred experiences harder to access.

3. Overthinking as a Barrier: Many overthink spiritual matters to the point of paralysis. Seeking intellectual proof or control keeps us from directly experiencing the sacred, which transcends logic.

4. Importance of Simplicity & Stillness: Like in meditation, we must learn to let go of distractions to become receptive. Sacredness arises not through analysis, but through presence and quiet attention.

5. Trust in Practice Over Proof: Spiritual traditions exist because they offer tested pathways to sacred experience. Rather than demanding proof (e.g., levitating yogis), one must engage the process sincerely and consistently.

6. Skepticism vs. Surrender: While questioning is natural, endlessly asking “why” is a trap. Faith, curiosity, and practice are needed to move past doubt into lived experience.

7. Sacredness in Relationship & Practice: True presence—whether with a child, an instrument, or in meditation—creates sacred moments. It’s not about doing more, but about being more present.

8. Mystics Weren’t Lazy: Saints and mystics across traditions achieved spiritual insight through rigorous and consistent practice, not casual dabbling.

9. Realization is Beyond the Mind: True spiritual awakening can't be fully described or proven intellectually. It must be experienced directly.

10. Curiosity Over Control: Rather than trying to control or understand everything, approach the spiritual path with wonder, awe, and dedication.

Final Message: To experience the sacred, stop overthinking. Trust a well-worn path, stay curious, be present, and practice sincerely over time. Sacredness is found not through intellectual mastery, but through lived, open-hearted experience.

-

🌟 Stay Connected & Deepen Your Practice

If you’d like to participate in future live sessions, consider joining the Kriya Yoga Online Patreon Community or applying to the Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship Program.

📘 For continued inspiration and instruction, check out Ryan Kurczak’s latest book: An Essential Guide to Kriya Yoga Practice, available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon.

🧘‍♂️ Your host, Ryan Kurczak, is a Kriya Yoga meditation teacher and author, authorized to teach in 2005 by Roy Eugene Davis, a direct student of Paramahansa Yogananda.

🔗 Explore more resources:

• Patreon Community: Support the work & access live sessions 👉 https://www.patreon.com/KriyaYoga

• Kriya Yoga Apprenticeship, blog posts & books: 👉 https://kriyayogaonline.com

• Online Classes for All Levels: 👉 https://kriya-yoga.teachable.com/

• Hundreds of free videos on YouTube: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/user/KriyaYogaOnline

Thank you for listening, and may your path be filled with clarity, strength, and peace.