ABOUT CHI KRI

1What does the name, “Chi Kri” and “Chi Kri Yoga” mean?

“Chi” is a Chinese word meaning spiritual power. This power exists in the soul, nature and all the elements. In the human being, chi is transmitted from the soul into the chakras, nerves, brain and the entire body. The flow of this energy is dependent on how these parts of your being are tuned, prepared and unencumbered.

In India, the same word would be called “prana”. And in Japan, it would be called “qi”.

In Vedic astrology, chi is the final sound of the universe, existing in in the Pisces constellation (at 356°40′ – 360°00′) and in the star, Zeta Piscium.
“Kri” is a Sanskrit root verb word. It can be found in words like karma and kriya. By itself, kri would mean action.

“Yoga” is also a Sanskrit word. It come from the root verb, “yuj”; which means to yoke (unite, join or link).

Together, “Chi Kri” means using your highest energy to perform all actions.

And all together, “Chi Kri Yoga” mean using your highest energy to perform all actions, for the specific purpose of uniting to your soul to Spirit (God).

2What is Chi Kri?

Chi Kri is known as “the way of the soul”. It is a lifestyle, path, practise and spiritual group. Chi Kri has evolved since its inception, but has always spread itself over eight limbs. These are: Physical Exercise, Diet and Health, Breathing Exercises, Inspiration, Science, Creativity, Service and Liberation. Anyone can join Chi Kri, through any of these eight limbs.

3Why did you start Chi Kri?

As a pre-teen, I was introduced to our family guru, Paramahansa Yogananda. By thirteen, I began DJing at parties with my cousin. By sixteen, I had learnt to rap, produce music, write poetry and create philosophies. By eighteen, I was starting to teach yoga and meditate. Then, in my twenties, I began learning martial arts and boxing (informally) and training my core and muscles in the gym.

By the time I was handed my mother’s yoga teaching work to take over, I was a mish-mash of Indian, Afro-American and White British cultures. I had grown up in the UK, but was deeply immersed in black culture and ancient Vedic traditions.

In the east, nobody really questioned the existence of a God, whether karma is fair, and things like this. But in the west, I noticed that everybody did. Along with musical tastes, language, diets and varying interests in the human body (everyone wanted flatter stomachs!), I decided to create a brand new system of yoga. One that incorporated the cultures, questions, needs, desires and quests of the world around me.

Chi Kri was then created to give my neighbourhood a path to follow, which would look a lot more like them. It became a platform, not only for my lineage, but also for my ideas, creations and philosophies. Eventually it became a place for Chi Kri graduates to express themselves and develop. And for some to start their own yoga careers and spiritual paths.

4When did you start Chi Kri?

Chi Kri carried on from my mother’s teachings and yoga classes. I just built a layer on top of it. However, as a project of its own, Chi Kri can be said to have begun when I first started teaching yoga. That would have been in 1990. I did this on the odd occasion as her cover teacher. The name, symbol and development into the limbs happened over the next couple few years. Everything began with the name. The name was used in two places at once in the early days. Firstly, it was “The Chi Kri School of Yoga”. It was soon followed by my rap’s group name, “The Chi Kri Sect” (inspired by “The Wu-Tang Clan”). By 1993, Chi Kri was well-established as a broad name for any project I was teaching, or leading, in the local area of Harrow, west London.

5What’s the purpose of Chi Kri?

I’ve always been a family man. I like the idea of families! Whether it was friendship groups, as a child, music groups, as a teenager, or yoga groups, as an adult, I always loved bringing the best people I knew together. For me, building bonds between people I love is an integral part of my nature. Not only is there is strength in unity, but also support, warmth, joy and security for all in this act.

So, Chi Kri was just an extension of that fundamental urge I have. I wanted to draw souls around me, who vibrated with my soul. And then feel that, together, we are empowering one another to go on and achieve personal and collective human goals. In the spiritual sense, the purpose of Chi Kri is to bring all that I can offer, to the table, and let everyone, who is hungry for what I have, come and eat. The purpose of Chi Kri is unite as many souls as possible to this teaching, to give them peace, resources, confidence, health, power and spiritual experiences.

6What is the aim of Chi Kri?

I have only ever had one goal – to touch the world with my soul. My second goal is - to bring peace into as many hearts and communities as possible. These things have been with me since my early twenties. As a twelve or thirteen year old, I had a vision of creating a hospital or orphanage in India. That remains something I will always make sure Chi Kri is involved with. My mother was close to starting a yoga centre in the 1980s, and that project has come to my door many times since. But it has never been exactly right for me - for one reason or another. But I remain open to it. I don’t have “aims” as such, other than these. I know the universe will guide the teachings, graduates, teachers and spirit of Chi Kri wherever God wants it to go – and not a millimetre short or beyond that! My job was to set this work up and get it moving. God will do the rest. I will work and sleep in exactly the same way regardless of what “aims” Chi Kri has, meets, exceeds or falls short of.