I thought you meant that you had tried a form of Kriya from outside SRF known as Babaji's Kriya Yoga, the one we were discussing. I forget where I read it, but I believe Lahiri Mahasaya said that mystics will always be able to "revive" Kriya, so yes, there are other ways of learning Kriya. Also, there are yogis who don't think the same thing as the mainstream in Kriya about "accepting" Yogananda and Gurus as one's own gurus.
To answer your questions, I learned Kriya from traveling acharyas in the Babaji's Kriya Yoga school, which is headquartered in Quebec. See <http://babajiskriyayoga.com/>. This is what I thought you said you had done too. I don't consider the Acharyas my guru, and honestly, the BKY tradition probably just considers Babaji the guru for anyone who has been initiated by default, though I don't think the beliefs about what it means to accept someone as a Guru are the same as other Kriya lineages. There hasn't been much hint from other yogis about "this is your guru, whether you accept it or not."
One of the Acharyas I met was happy that J.C. Stevens has written "Kriya Secrets Revealed." I have an earlier edition of the book and am less than wowed by it, but I think the point is people are starting to treat Kriya as an open spirituality, and that this is a good thing.
Thanks for the link BKY. i read this part with interest:
"A devotee is one who is seeking a path or a teacher. This stage may continue for a very long time, until one is ready to make a commitment to one teacher or discipline. One may hop from one teacher to another, listening, watching, and experimenting a little, like a comparison shopper. At the end of that stage, one becomes a disciple, when he/she becomes committed to the practice of the teacher’s prescribed spiritual discipline. Attainment from any spiritual discipline requires persistent effort over an extended time. One needs to have faith in the efficacy of the practice, perseverance, the support of a teacher, and divine grace. If the teacher is authentic, he or she will always be ready to respond to the students request or to find someone who can. And divine grace is always available to one who is open to it. What is problematic is acquiring faith and perseverance. The teacher can give understanding of the techniques, how to do them properly and how they transform the student and will instigate the process through initiation and provide inspiration and encouragement, but the student must consistently apply him/her self with confidence and faith.
Can one effectively learn the kriyas or techniques without initiation? Understanding what has been discussed above, the answer is, it depends on the qualities and karma of the individual, but it is highly unlikely. It would require Divine Grace and unrelenting faith. There is an essential sacred transmission of consciousness and energy, which empowers the techniques. That is why initiatory traditions have managed to pass the direct experience of truth from one generation to the next so effectively. Their strength lies in the power and the consciousness of those who have done the practices intensely and so realized their truth. We honor our highest Self when we honor our initiation by putting into diligent and regular practice what we have learned and received in them.''
