How to Perform Sudarshan Kriya Yoga? Steps and 10 Essential and Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga for Beginners

How to Perform Sudarshan Kriya Yoga? Steps and 10 Essential Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga for Beginners

Table of Contents

What is Sudarshan kriya yoga?

Sudarshan kriya yoga in sort I will mention as SKY is a controlled breathing practice. It is connected purely with roots in traditional yoga and very much thriving in every part of the world for mankind’s practicality and helpfulness. The Sudarshan Kriya was shown by AOL (Art of Living) founder Sri Sri Ravishankar on September 17, 1981. From then he keeps on teaching us this health-promoting breath-conscious technique.

From my childhood, I know about “Sudarshan Chakra” of Sri Krishna, which I know from “Mahabharata” the great ancient epic. Sudarshan means ‘Good-looking’ and Kriya means in Sanskrit term as “Action”.
So the overall idea is to have “A positive appearance with purifying action”. It is an advanced form of rhythmic, cyclical breathing with slow, medium, and fast cycles.

SKY is publicized by the Art of Living Foundation to more than 7 million people in at least 150 countries worldwide. It not only provides relief from physical problems but a great solution for mental issues such as depression, anxiety, etc.

It is taught by some amazing personalities from the nonprofit organization “Art of Living Foundation” from Bangalore.

It is taught by skilled teachers only, where it is strongly advised not to learn from any video and any teacher who hasn’t trained from AOL or any Happiness program teacher.

Why Breathing Yoga Is So Important?

how to perform sudarshan kriya yoga steps

Most recently people are getting crazy about the situations they face in practical life. People are becoming victims of lifestyle disease, mental sickness, addiction, etc. all different types of diseases. One thing we are realizing that through breathing yoga we inhale the “Prana” or the life energy inside.

We do it almost all the time but unconsciously. If we are conscious about the overall breathing process from inhaling till we exhale and carefully observe we might know a hell lot of details about our own self.

Through SKY you not only grasp a lot of energy inside you also you are doing it consciously. Sudarshan Kriya lift up the life energy through which a huge amount of stress get released from our body as well as mind, every day.

Why Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Is Unique?

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga or SKY is primarily helping to bring happiness and joy for an individual irrespective of the thoughts and their mental state.

Sometimes we all fail to act accordingly with the situations and because of these life problems we lose track and become prey to physical and mental illness.

While performing gradually anybody can bring upliftment in their life energy as well as the better understanding of higher level of energy throughout the day.

It is unique in this way that through simple breathing process also we can achieve joyfulness, live and happy all the time. Any person with a regular practice can feel the difference within a month.

Detailed descriptions of main SKY breathing techniques are as follows.

This whole process follows through 3 stages.

Ujjayi Pranayama
Bhastrika Pranayama
Sudarshan Kriya

Ujjayi Pranayama

Ujjayi Pranayama or “Victorious Breath”: The technique is a shift to normal heart rate increases during inspiration and heart rate decreases during expiration.

How to Practice Ujjayi Pranayama

Sit in Padmasana preferably.
Now inhale slowly air through both the nostril to the full extent of your lungs capacity with a count of four.
This involves experiencing the conscious sensation of the breath touching the throat.
Now hold your breath for the count of four also the way you had inhaled the air.
Exhale in the same way, slowly with a count of six to the fullest.
Again you try to hold empty lungs for a count of two.
In a minute you try to complete two cycles of breath. This breathing practice has format of 4-4-6-2 format. It increases airway struggle during inhalation and exhalation.

Benefits of Ujjayi Pranayama

It controls airflow inside so that each of the breath cycles can be prolonged to an exact count.
Once you finish the whole cycle you will feel physical and mental quietness with alertness.
The Ujjayi practice makes the practitioner feel calm. It is also influenced by systematic and counted input, and by respiratory rate and volume.
This pranayama is a slow breathing technique that induces a change in blood pressure and is usually found in individuals with depression, anxiety, panic disorder, etc.

Bhastrika Pranayama

Bhastrika also called “Bellows Breath,” air is speedily inhaled and forcefully exhaled at a rate of 30 breaths per minute. It causes excitation followed by calmness.

How to Perform Bhastrika Pranayama:

First Sit in Vajrasana. Take a long breath. Inhale.
Put your hands in front up at the chest level.
Start inhaling slowly and lift your hands up and with a full inhale fill your chest with air.
Now with a certain force exhale and bring the hands below in the previous position.

Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama

The daily practice of Bhastrika provides a mild sympathetic stimulation much like regular exercise and thereby may increase the capacity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to respond to acute stressors without rapidly exhausting its reserves.

It contributes strongly to the lungs.
It helps in allergies in breathing problems.
It prevents respiratory diseases like chronic cough sensation, whooping cough, etc.
The individual experience while practicing Bhastrika, followed by sensitive relaxing with mental activation and alertness.
It recovers the immune system in our body and protects us from the common cold.

The Universal Sound – OM

While performing Ujjayi or Bhastrika Pranayama always keep the sound of “OM” in your mind. It will lead to great benefits inside the mind. It controls the cortisol and dopamine content in a balanced manner.

“Om” is chanted three times with very prolonged expiration. Scientific studies on “Om” chanting suggest that the mental repetition of “Om” results in bodily alertness, increased thoughtfulness. It also provides feelings of rhythm and an increased sensitivity to physical level connection.

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga

I learned SKY in online as well as in-person from two different teacher from AOL, Subinoy Sir, and Banani Mam, working IISC., Bangalore. It was suggested for the business purpose of the happiness program, not to discuss or tell the whole process to anyone.

There are many different details am not writing and sharing. Many have written in Quora and other blogs about SKY. If you want to master it and want to know it well then the first time you must take training from a certified teacher, else don’t try.

Here am trying to give an overview of it. For details please register and I suggest everyone attend the SKY program from AOL.

In general, the program timing is in the morning and it continues for five days, every day around 3-4 hours. Teachers who drive the program instruct not to take non-veg foods and we have to practice once a day not more than that.

How to Perform Sudarshan Kriya Yoga

Instead of chanting ‘Om’ here, you will be uttering a sacred word “SOHUM”. Then Sudarshan Kriya Yoga starts.

This pattern of kriya involves three breathing patterns.

The total no of 20 times slow breathing you must do initially. It might take 3 minutes maximum. Now slowly take the air inside then hold it for that much time you can hold. Then you exhale and forward for the next breathing. Continue twenty times for the first phase.

The next phase is same procedure initially you had done but at a faster pace. Try complete 40 cycles of medium breathing.

The last phase is very fast 40 times fast breathing (same procedure with fastest pace).

The teachers who had usually vast experience used to guide for Long Sudarshan Kriya also only once in the week.

All these breathing techniques touch the inner cells and stimulate them, which is normally dormant. While in the process you might have a tingling sensation, headache, and nausea.

Don’t panic, it’s absolutely normal, No problem.

In my case, I was having a vomiting sensation just for once after Bhastrika pranayama. My instructor told me to rest for some time.

How do you feel after Sudarshan Kriya?

When I finished the whole process of SKY, my body started shivering and I felt a kind of light shock in my spinal cord and brain. It was like opening doors of energy inside me. I was able to realize it also. As for few months, I was practicing Brahmacharya also, a pool of new energies were all over my body.

I felt so exuberant that for at least an hour I was speechless. For the whole day, I was in cloud no 9, the feeling was something strange. It was the first experience and my mind was totally overjoyed, I was feeling about laughing. And I laughed also for a long time like I forgot to laugh for years.

Top 10 Benefits and Impact of Sky (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) on Bodily Functions

SKY consists of a specific sequence of varying breathing rates separated by brief periods of normal breathing. The effect can be felt in such a way as if an animal is overpowered in battle.
It prevents hyperactivity, increases brain activeness, increases attention, slows heart rate, restores energy, and prepares the animal to protect itself.
Many studies demonstrate the effects of yogic breathing on brain function and physiologic parameters, but the mechanisms have not been clarified. Yogic breathing with SKY causes vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).
It also affects heart rate, better awareness in Alzheimer’s disease, improvement for diabetic patients, etc.
During SKY, a sequence of breathing techniques of different frequencies, intensities, lengths, and with specific rhythm and timing have many effects on our nerves as well as joints.
These possibly influence many fiber groups within various nerves, which brings physiologic changes in organs, glands, the limbic system, cortical areas, etc.
SKY brings effects like the experience of calmness and relaxation combined with increased alertness and attention inside the body.
Sudarshan Kriya Yoga is an influential yet simple rhythmic breathing technique that brings natural rhythms in breathing, coordinating the body and mind, with thoughts and emotions.
The SKY technique removes all negative energies from the body and mind. This is why it very helpful for people suffering from anxiety and depression. Body stress, fatigue also relieves and makes the body energized.
Sudarshan Kriya brings a profound depth to life, unraveling its mysteries. It’s a spiritual breakthrough giving the experience of a glimpse of infinity.

An Experiment on SKY (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga) practitioners

To study the long-term effects of SKY on brain function, EEG changes were recorded among 19 SKY practitioners and compared with the EEG patterns of 16 participants who did not practice SKY, yoga, or meditation.

Significant increases in beta activity were observed in the left frontal, occipital, and midline regions of the brain in the SKY practitioners, as compared to controls. These results indicated increased mental focus and heightened awareness in SKY practitioners.

It is striking to note that SKY practitioners displayed significantly greater mental alertness (beta activity) than the control group of physicians and medical researchers, whose profession requires the development and daily use of these very skills.

FAQs

How Does Sudarshan Kriya Work For Happiness?

Two main ingredients for our mind are thoughts and emotions. We take a lot of time to overcome our own thoughts and emotions. We think our thoughts have prime value and we cannot easily come out of any emotion. Good or bad whatever emotion we might have through SKY you have a profound experience of strong self-determination to overpower your emotion.

What Is Sudarshan Kriya Yoga And How Is It Done?

Sudarshan Kriya Yoga primarily consists of a combination of Ujjayi, Bhastrika, and essentially the Kriya itself. These are breathing techniques starts with slow breathing in and out and with a certain count gradually to a series of rapid breathing. The word “Sudarshan” means Vibrant Appearance and “Kriya” is an act of refinement.

Is Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Effective?

According to a 2009 research paper a study of Harvard Medical School, Sudarshan Kriya yoga works amazingly for anxiety and depression. The method is helpful in bringing a subtle positive nervous change in your mind-body connection.

Is Sudarshan Kriya Dangerous?

Till now I am practicing SKY and in my experience, I never had felt any discomfort while performing SKY. I had seen many people feel a bit of discomfort in their body, and a bit of uneasiness but it is suggested that initially, you must practice it with a teacher.

What Are the Six Kriyas?

Let us discuss the six types of kriyas and their benefits:

Kapalbhati – The inner activity inside the brain and lungs are purified by stimulating the brain and body cells.
Neti – This kriya is practiced to cleanse the upper nasal portion.
Trataka – This is performed for benefits in our Eyesight.
Nauli – Nauli kriya is a basic kriya for improving digestion. It improves abdominal muscle and Viscera of the body.
Dhouti – This kriya is also practiced for improving appetite and digestion. It mainly cleanses the intestine.
Vasti – People with issues like piles, fistula, etc in the rectum area are suggested to perform this kriya for cleaning of the Rectum.

Can I do Sudarshan Kriya Twice a Day?

Sudarshan Kriya should be practiced only once a day, preferably in the morning. There are two suggestions in this issue as Sudarshan Kriya is advised to be done once a day, and the longer duration of Sudarshan Kriya is recommended to be done once a week. You must be performing SKY initially by a teacher from AOL.

Can Sudarshan Kriya Cure Anxiety?

Various research found that by regularly practicing Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY), patients suffering from depression and anxiety have a great positive effect on the mind. A whole lot of profoundness in the activity slowly even relieves and cures both anxiety and depression.

Does Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Reduce Blood Pressure?

Hypertension is one of the most discussed issues for peoples above 50 years of age. SKY provides amazing improvements while it reduces the cholesterol and impurities from the body. It is noticed within 30 days of consistent practice of SKY the lipid profile also comes n a balanced state.

How Sudarshan Kriya Yoga Changed My Life?

If you are asking me, well I had done this course online and the teacher I had was Subinoy Sir and Banani Mam, from IISC, Bangalore who are well-known teacher of AOL. I had been in Yoga for the last 20 years of my life and this SKY technique has given a lot to me.

I was feeling the positivity in every work and the compassion I have for any work. It definitely changed a lot in my life as you have to involve in the process without thinking of the result. I am still thankful to Sri Sri and my teachers as I give 100 percent of myself in any work.

References

https://www.artofliving.org/sudarshan-kriya
http://www.isca.in/rjcs/Archives/v1/i9/14.ISCA-RJCS-2011-205.pdf
https://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2013;volume=6;issue=1;spage=4;epage=10;aulast=zope
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3276928/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3573542/
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235730217_Sudarshan_kriya_yoga_Breathing_for_health
https://www.aiims.edu/hi/2015-01-02-12-02-49/medical_oncology_research.html
https://www.ijmr.org.in/article.asp?issn=0971-5916;year=2015;volume=141;issue=1;spage=90;epage=99;aulast=Mawar;type=3
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15750381/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32799993/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16131297/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405947/

How to Perform Sudarshan Kriya Yoga? Steps and 10 Essential Benefits of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga for Beginners

What is Sudarshan kriya yoga?