This 21-Minute Kriya Changed My Life. Here Is How.

My goal is to always provide you with the best tools, techniques, and ways how to improve your mental health and well-being. Therefore, I am sharing my experience with Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya, a 21-minute yogic practice and what happened to my mind and body after doing it daily for 40 days. 

I first learned about Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya while watching one of Sadhguru’s videos, an Indian mystic and a yogi. 

The kriya consists of pranayama (breathing exercises), vipassana meditation, and chanting. Since I had some background studying yoga and meditation, I understood and experienced the positive effects of different pranayamas like Kapalbhati or Nadi Shodana. Therefore, I wanted to know more. 

At first, I did my research. I found a study about the effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya. I learned that incorporating the kriya into everyday life significantly reduces stress and improves sleep and mindfulness in as little as 6 weeks. 

To become a practitioner of the kriya, the person must get initiated into this process. The program can be done either in person or online. I chose the online version that came in 7 steps. At first, I went through the first 6 steps. Those were videos I could do at my own pace. The kriya initiation took place online in real time. 

Once I completed the 7th step, it was time to practice the kriya. For the first 40 days, the practice is done twice a day since that is the length of time for the kriya to be established in the system. After that, a person can do it once or twice a day.  

The entire process of kriya is very particular, and it comes with precise steps on how to do it. Making any adjustments to it is a big no-no. 

The kriya itself takes 21 minutes. There are 3 simple preparatory asanas that a person must do beforehand. The whole process takes approximately 35 to 40 minutes.

The first 10 to 15 days felt like a trial period when I tried to find my way to do the practice correctly.

Sometimes, I lost count of the chants, other times, I went over 21 minutes, and there were times when sitting in Ardhasidasana felt like an eternity. My legs and knees were hurting, and I couldn’t wait to get out of the pose. 

After about 20 days, I settled down and paid more attention to what I was doing. Instead of trying to rush through the process, I consciously focused on the steps and allowed myself to slow down. 

I began to see the kriya as an offering of gratitude for learning such a potent practice. 

Halfway through the initial 40 days, I observed a subtle yet noticeable shift in my emotional state. There was always this lingering fear that lived within me. It wasn’t an obvious feeling but one that brought a sense of unease and a constant hypervigilance. 

After practicing the kriya, this feeling began to subside. Although I still felt unreasonable worry from time to time, it wasn’t as overbearing as it was before. 

This drove me to practice the kriya with even more devotion and discipline. 

When I reached the 40th day, I experienced a major shift. It felt as if my internal system, my body, my mind, my internal organs – it all somehow adjusted and became more balanced. 

Words only go so far as to explain the subtle, yet profound difference I began to experience after the 40-day mark. 

Here are some of the changes I’ve noticed in my mind and body. 

1. My sleep improved 

I struggled with irregular sleep cycles and nightmares. For almost a year, I would wake up every night feeling bewildered and scared because of my dreams. Eventually, this disturbance in my sleep became my new normal.  

However, after practicing kriya for 40 days, my nightmares were gone and haven’t returned ever since. I sleep like a baby unless I experience hormonal imbalance due to my monthly cycle. And even that has improved. 

2. Kriya helped with my anxiety  

My life before practicing the kriya was one big episode of anxiety. Even when things went well, I always found something to worry about. My body adjusted to feeling anxious, and it was the only way I knew to exist. 

Nonetheless, with a regular practice of kriya, my anxiety significantly subsided. When it shows up, I can see it for what it is – irrational fear about the future that doesn’t exist. 

The best way to explain it is this: one part of me is experiencing those emotions while the other is the observer of them. This conscious state allows me to step back and reevaluate my thoughts and feelings. 

3. Heightened awareness 

Since practicing the kriya, I became more aware and less reactive to things happening around me. 

Instead of jumping to conclusions or being taken aback by my emotions, I remain still and aware of my inner triggers. 

I am more mindful of my thoughts and emotions like judgment, guilt, or frustration and faster at stopping them in their tracks. This state of inner equilibrium allows me to respond instead of react. 

At the time of this writing, I have been practicing the kriya for 126 days, and the positive effects are only increasing. Knowing that there is such a potent practice fills my heart with gratitude and hope that more people take advantage of it and experience a deep sense of joy, ease, and peace in their lives.