Unlocking Bliss at the Ajna Chakra: A Real Kriya Yoga Experience of “Eating Air”

Sometimes, the most unexpected experiences during breathwork reveal deep truths. What started as a simple observation during my Kriya Yoga practice became a subtle, yet profound moment—where breath didn’t just fill the body but seemed to nourish the soul.

Let me share something that might feel familiar if you’ve walked the path of breath and awareness.

The Subtle Discovery

While practicing Kriya Yoga, I noticed that when I simply filled air into the belly, it didn’t bring any blissful satisfaction. It felt like air was just going in—mechanically, lifelessly. But then something shifted.

I gently turned my inner gaze upward toward the Ajna Chakra—the space between the eyebrows—while breathing in. To my surprise, it was as if some vibrations moved upward, along with the breath. And suddenly, a blissful satisfaction emerged, as if I was eating the air itself. Not just inhaling it—but receiving it, drinking it, being nourished by it.

It wasn’t forced or imagined. It came naturally, like a soft wave of fulfillment that appeared when breath met inner attention.

What I Realized

After reflecting deeply (and with guidance), I came to see what was really happening.

1. Belly-only breathing works with the lower pranic force—Apana Vayu—which is grounding, but not necessarily uplifting or blissful.
2. When the gaze moves to the Ajna Chakra during inhalation, another current awakens—Udana Vayu, the upward pranic force that supports clarity, spiritual lift, and subtle joy.
3. This combination creates a moment where the inner prana (life-force) begins to move upward through the Sushumna Nadi, the central channel described in yogic texts.
4. The Ajna Chakra, in that moment, seems to “drink” the air like amrita (nectar), giving rise to what I experienced as “blissful satisfaction of eating air.”

It wasn’t just a technique. It felt more like an inner shift in the way the body and soul relate to breath. This deepened my Kriya practice naturally—not by force, but by noticing what was already trying to happen.

How I Refined My Practice

From this, I created a refined variation of Kriya Yoga that worked with this blissful “air-eating” phenomenon. Here’s how it unfolds:

1. Preparation (1–2 mins):

• Sit upright and still.
• Let the breath settle.
• Gently turn the gaze inward and upward, resting attention between the eyebrows.

2. Inhale: Sip the Breath Into Ajna

• Inhale slowly through the nose.
• Imagine the air being drawn through the Ajna Chakra, not the nostrils.
• Let the belly expand naturally, but keep 80% of awareness at Ajna.
• Feel a wave of coolness or subtle bliss, as if the air is being “tasted” by the inner eye.

3. Optional Pause:

• Briefly pause at the top of the inhale (1–2 seconds).
• Let the Ajna “digest” the prana.

4. Exhale: Let the Awareness Rest

• Exhale slowly.
• Let awareness descend into the heart or belly.
• No effort—just presence and letting go.

5. Repeat (9–18 cycles initially):

• With each cycle, the experience deepens. The mind becomes still, the body light, and a subtle bliss lingers like a fragrance.

How Many Cycles? What’s Safe and Effective?

To keep it gentle yet deep:

• I started with 12 cycles per session.
• When it felt grounding and calming, I went up to 24–36 cycles.
• When energy felt too intense or “floaty,” I scaled back to 6–12 and added grounding.

Important Signs I Watch For

Positive indicators:

• Mental clarity
• Stillness and ease after practice
• Gentle bliss at Ajna without pressure or force

When to scale back:

• Head heaviness or spaciness
• Restlessness or emotional shakiness
• Feeling too detached or ungrounded

On intense days, it’s better to do fewer cycles or balance it with grounding techniques—walking barefoot, warm food, or awareness in the lower belly.

What I’ve Not Yet Reached, But Walk Toward

Though I’ve had brief inner openings and unmistakable experiences of bliss during practice, I do not claim to have entered Nirvikalpa Samadhi or any final stage of realization. These glimpses feel like whispers from the deeper Self, not destinations. There is no need to exaggerate or label these moments. I remain a seeker who’s simply watching what unfolds naturally.

What I do know is this: The path gets more real when small things—like a shift in gaze or breath—open inner doors.

Closing Reflection

You don’t need to chase big spiritual fireworks. Sometimes, the truth gently rises like breath into the Ajna, bringing with it a moment of fulfillment so real, it feels like eating air.

If you’ve practiced Kriya Yoga or even just mindful breathing, try this:
Turn your gaze inward. Let the breath come in like a gift to your Ajna. Don’t force. Just receive.

You may discover, like I did, that the air we breathe isn’t just oxygen—it’s subtle nourishment, a sacred food for the soul.