Kriyā Yoga
A term whose textual definition and lineage-specific uses must be kept distinct.
Introductory source-based synthesis. External references were consulted for the stated scope; specialist peer review is not claimed.
Start with the textual formulation
Yoga Sūtra 2.1 introduces kriyāyoga through tapas, svādhyāya and īśvarapraṇidhāna. These terms are commonly discussed as discipline, study and orientation toward Īśvara, but their interpretation calls for commentary. A three-word gloss cannot reproduce the full argument or its practical setting.
Read the next step
Begin with 2.1 and continue into the surrounding discussion of afflictions and practice. Note how the chosen commentator explains each term and how that explanation connects to the aims of Yoga. This reading task supplies context without teaching a technique.
The name is not a universal protocol
Modern and living lineages also use the name Kriyā Yoga. A shared name alone does not establish that their methods are identical to one another or exhausted by this sūtra. Specific teacher histories and techniques need separately attributed sources. The present page does not transmit breath practices, authorize initiation or assert affiliation with any lineage.
A possible beginning
- 01Read the linked introduction and identify its textual setting.
- 02Choose one named edition and follow a connected passage.
- 03Record the commentator’s argument and your unresolved questions.
- 04Seek tradition-specific guidance for practice beyond public study.
Sources & further reading
- 01Heritage IITKanpur · Yoga Sūtra 2.1primary source
Sanskrit formulation of kriyāyoga consulted; no lineage-specific technique is supplied.
Consulted 2026-11-07 - 02Edwin Bryant · The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali · Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophyscholarly secondary
Reference consulted for the introductory account; follow the source for its full context.
Consulted 2026-11-07