Spiritual Courses

Rooted in the Upanishads

How meditation is taught here

Meditation at Achala Ashram is designed to change the very nature of a person's thoughts, leading toward a more peaceful, contented way of being. The technique itself traces back to the Upanishads, and unfolds through five meditation Kriyas known as Bhavas.

This is specialised instruction that only a Guru can give. Initiation, called Guru Deeksha, is a core part of the Guru Parampara — the bond formed between Guru and disciple to undertake the spiritual journey together. Anyone with a genuine will to learn is welcome as an adhikari (a qualified seeker), on the understanding that they commit to a moral, socially responsible life.

The four stages

A sequence, each stage opening the next

Sankhya Bhava Kriya

Drawn from the Dhyana-Bindu Upanishad, this is the foundational initiation — a first, careful look at the body, mind, intellect, chitta, and ego. It cleanses the mind and prepares the seeker for the inner work ahead, through a powerful cleansing pranayama that awakens the Kundalini energy, taught directly under the Achala Guru's guidance.

Hamsa Panchakshari Bhava Kriya

Open to those who have completed Sankhya Bhava Kriya. Hamsa represents the union of Prana and breath — the mind understood as a product of Vayu Tattva, governed by the prana vayu that moves through the chest, lungs, and heart. Here, disciples learn to direct prana vayu with precision, combined with two forms of Kumbhaka, gaining real mastery over the mind's key driving force.

Taraka Bhava Kriya

A tranquil mind, free of worry and discomfort, makes true happiness possible even in difficult conditions — but the mind's restlessness has to be trained first. Taraka Bhava Kriya teaches the practice of observing the observer, drawing on unique methods from the Mandala Brahmana Upanishad (also called Nirguna-Taraka or Amurti-Taraka). This stage introduces the direct experience of bliss, supported by Antar-Drishti, inner vision.

Amanaska Bhava Kriya