FAQs
| Question (summary bold) | answer |
| In terms of the Yogic energy system, what are the effects of doing prolonged practice of SCK for a few hours per day? | This is a triangulating question because if I don’t give a spectacular answer people walk away (as many did already), but if I do tell you fascinating stories, the focus here will be on me rather than on the Kriya; and what I want to avoid at all costs is to breed yet another cult. |
| Any mistakes in Yoga could be harmful (like any other powerful systems) and it is recommended that advance practice requires a guide (Guru). Many Gurus demand unquestioning obedience and devotion from the disciples. Many ‘modern Gurus’ promise short-cuts with some combo (or derivatives) of Raja Yoga, Bhakti (Devotion) Yoga and Karma Yoga to suit their ulterior motives. In my opinion, all short cuts are actually ‘long cuts’ in Yoga. | I actually did take Yogi Bhajan’s word literally which is why I did dedicate 26 years to SCK, but at one point the Kriya itself woke me up and made me aware that he was flawed. The problem that hardly any sincere guru is found nowadays is the reason why I did device 3 plans to grow into SCK safely without the disastrous consequences I had to endure: * One to do each day a virtual second more (meaning every 2 months one more minute or every year 6 minutes); * one as described in the SCK-course in which people self-cerfity themselves by accomplishing tedious steps of 120 days non-stop (and if they fail they have to redo it because that means that they weren’t ready); * and this very fast 3-year emergency course because with the coronavirus we are forced to sit still and panick will come up, and that is the fastest someone can grow into SCK without damaging themselves. |
| What is the basis for the combo in SCK– inhaling from left nostril and exhaling from the right (and pumping the belly while holding the breath)? | You yourself answered that by saying: “Many forms of Pranayama are in circulation, though the Sutras mention only alternate nostril breathing. In the context of SCK, two are relevant: one is forcible and sudden exhalation (pulling the belly ‘in’) and the other is pumping the belly very fast. The left and right channels nurture opposites: sun-moon, heat-cold etc. It is a well-known fact that our self-regulating and self-governing biological system keeps switching the dominant nostril. As per my understanding, alternate nostril breathing balances the energies and fosters equanimity.” Also see my article about hidden breathing methods. |
| “I can’t meditate more than for a few minutes” | see previous lesson |
| “Am I on the slow or fast path?” | You will alternate between both ways like a tide does go back and forth. |
| Why are other limbs of Raja Yoga excluded? “I don’t understand why it needs 12 long audio lessons when Vivekananda’s book was only 150 pages short” | Again you answered yourself: Because Yogi Bhajan did miss out on Raja Yoga I do include 12 long audio lessons to make up for what students of 3HO are missing out upon. |
| What is the justification to claim SCK to be the highest kriya and what is the motive behind it? | You did answer that partially yourself by saying: “Another relevant aspect is the energy system of Yoga, which is also described in the Sutras. My teacher once said that the method of forcible exaltation stimulates ‘Mooladhara Chakra’. The three major nerve channels run along the spine (central, left and right). The left and right channels nurture opposites: sun-moon, heat-cold etc. It is a well-known fact that our self-regulating and self-governing biological system keeps switching the dominant nostril. As per my understanding, alternate nostril breathing balances the energies and fosters equanimity.” And I also wrote an entire series on the principles SCK does all deal with – I just did not get around yet to relate it to SCK. |
| There is no mention of rituals or religion in the Sutras. Why is religion part of it? | I agree, which is why I explained in previous article why and how I did take religion out of SCK. |
| “It seems that Yogi Bhajan has made up this Kriya or at least added the belly pump to it” The salient point is that they are true to the Sutras and don’t exclude any part. In my opinion, they preserve the integrity of the Sutras. I find it difficult to trust Yoga practices when such integrity is compromised. | You yourself answered that partially by saying: “The mudra for alternate nostril breathing is ‘Nasagra Mudra”. The thumb of the right hand is placed on the right nostril and the ring finger, along with the little finger, is placed on the left nostril. The other two fingers may be folded towards the base of the thumb or placed between the eye brows.” Additionaly to what was said in previous lesson I did research sources within the Siri Grant Sahib, and YB himself told me that his teacher made him do SCK, so it seems not to be him who invented it (which makes sense as he declared it to be stronger than (his version) of Kundalini Yoga. |
Just as I was starting the course the entire 3HO community was shocked, which I best show you in that video:
To me that is no surprise at all, because I wrote an entire series on articles about this exactly two years before her book came out already, but it was either overlooked by the “love&peace”-spiritual community or I was shunned aggressively by 3HO about it who never spoke to me again: Here it is.
Unfortunately YB did yoga as such in the long run a very doubious favour because on one hand he drew people into it but on another hand most will turn their backs on 3HO-yoga in the long run because they lost respect.
Also bad is that he damaged the reputation for men in general because I now hear many Kundalini-chicks saying that “many men did abuse women and that it is all about returning to the divine feminine”. Thereby he has contributed to the rise of a men-despising feminism within spiritual communities.
So for people who doubt SCK and Yogi Bhajan I want to quote what two people said who are very involved in Yogi Bhajan’s exercises since decades:
So Darhan Chakra Kriya has been around in many forms for thousands of years.
It is described, as you know, in the the Holy Book of the Sikhs.
Yogi Bhajan as he did with so many things, updated it a bit but adding the stomach pumping.
The allegations against Yogi Bhajan are true and 3HO as we’ve known it is over.Nevertheless, that doesn’t diminish Yogi Bhajan’s supreme contribution with regard to Kundalini Yoga.
Somehow the Universe has found ways to transmit perfect Teachings through imperfect people.
The personality work which we might call “feeling work” is a necessary component of work on oneself the absence of which makes it possible for cults to develop.
A cult makes it easy for one to step into a ready made identinty without having to do the sticky behind the scenes work required to be a whole human.
How many minutes a day are you doing So Darshan?
My answer was that I totally agree to everything they said and that I am doing 2.5 hours of SCK since a year. To sum up my ambivalence here:
I started this kriya in the hope of total liberation and set myself a goal to master it properly, meaning to do 1000 days of 2.5 hours before I judge it; so I will finish it, because I don’t believe in spiritual channel hopping.
Meanwhile – for as long as I continue that project I put it out to all of you and give any sincere interested person a helping hand even though I am very frustrated with the non-response in the 6 years of trying unsuccessfully to motivate others to participate (as you can read on my long comment in my last post).
What will happen now with Yogi Bhajan is that the community will split in:
1. People who turn their backs on him in aversion
2. Just as what has been done to the teachings of Jesus – a church-like-hardcore 3HO-community will do all they can to hold up his image for the simple reason that they invested all their life into his teachings and their entire status would crumble if their teachings turned out to be have a foundation on the sand; and finally
3. Directions dedicated to specific kriyas, such as this website will emerge as “the Sodarshan-school” etc.
Now you know what you are getting into and that in opposition to many of 3HO I am not trying to paint a glorified picture of Y.B. at all. This was so far the fastest Karma-cleanser I experienced, so I find it perfect for an emergency situation such as the one we are in right now, because we simply can not affort right now to sit on our hands waiting for some enlightenment to probably show up within a decade. Either you do it, or you don’t – both is ok, but if you do not do any sincere spiritual practice beyond a comfort-level then to me it is likely that you won’t be able to ride the corona-wave in serenity which seems to hit us from behind.
A really good description of the “nuts and bolts” of SCK; it appears to strengthen and enhance the area of the vagus nerve
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Great to hear from you again, David!
And thank you for bringing my awareness to Premka’s book of the golden chain.
This turned out to be the most difficult time to start my final SCK-course,
because just when I started this book came out and then on top the coronavirus came,
which made normally calm readers question everything in nervosity.
That’s why those first 3 lessons were all over the place but as you say,
it might literally bring out a focus on the essence of what is important.
As for me: SCK really does serve as a tremendous anchor in times like ours now.
More power to you and your beloved ones! ❤
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Thanks, dear Amar.I still am not clear about
1. The version reported by Jayadeva doesn’t have stomach pumping. When was it added and by whom?
2. In pranayama, the ratio of inhalation- hold- exhalation is important. SCK appears to leave it out. Why?
3. In the stomach pumping pranayama that I mentioned, with each pumping, breathing also happens. In SCK, the breath is held during stomach pumping. Why?
4. Because 3 & 4 above are contrary to what I know, I wonder if there could there be adverse effects of prolonged practice
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Yes, JV, in my understanding the stomach pumping does activate the third chakra just as the Omphaloskepsis does in the Jesus prayer as described here: https://sodarshanchakrakriya.com/2014/12/13/a-western-version-of-sodarshan-chakra-kriya-from-the-13th-century/
As I see it, there are a bunch of principles and if some skilled yogi can combine them all the kriya overall seems to be as effective as a traditional kriya.
Having said that, I think if you do “Nasagra Mudra” in its traditional framework it will have the same effect,
so I don’t think that you especially have to practice SCK.
In my opinion the most important is that one does practice the combination of meditation and a “holistic” pranayama, such as alternate breathing (not just any pranayama).
And as for the breathing ratio: This is why I did include it in my series, because at a later stage I want to add it to SCK (which can easily be done without even altering the kriya). But first I want to tune into the classic version also to make it totally clear which my alterations are.
So whilst initially my goal was to advertise SCK, it now is to add the aspects Yogi Bhajan (who in my eyes was a skilled nerd with certain lacks) did miss out upon to prevent damaging aspects and refine the kriya to become holistic.
Thinking about the two different angles we come from I thought that together we even could search for the most valuable aspects of yoga in order to gear towards a most effective practice – you maybe by sticking to traditional kriyas and me by finding the most efficient combination.
I think it is always necessary to re-evaluate old teachings as you see me re-evaluating Y.B’s teachings because as I see it, all teachings – even the most traditional ones are based upon teachings which may have been the best at their times but may be finetuned with further knowledge.
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