Aahar (right food), Vihar (balanced working), Aachar (right behavior), Vichar (right thinking). These four are the basic foundation of yoga.
Aahar (right food)
Kriya practitioner should choose his food very carefully. He should chose sattvik food to eat. He should not eat stored food prepared earlier, sour or too spicy food. He should not eat too much or too little. He should eat that type of food which he is able to digest quickly. He always do kriya practice with empty stomach or after three hours of meal.
Vihar (balanced working)
Kriya practitioner should not roam around too much or do hard physical work. If he has to then takes some rest then do kriya. He should not sleep too much or too little. Remember one thing “अति सर्वत्र वज्रयेत “. Overdoing should be avoided always.
Achar (right behaviour)
Kriya practitioner should try to be truthful and honest in everthing. He should never use harsh words. He should respect everyone and try to see God in everyone. “SiyaRam May sab jag jani karhu pranam jori jugprani” (ramcharit manas) means in mind he should belive that everything is God and bow to everyone. He should not be egoistic.
Vichaar (right thinking)
This is the most important foundation of yoga. If you do sadhana for 2 to 3 hrs and then let your mind think whatever he wants then your progress become slower. If your goal is self-realization then whatever you do your mind should be fixed on your goal. For that in your free time read some spiritual books, do satsanga, meet spiritual people, chant God’s names, avoid gossips and keep complete faith in God and Guru. As Lord Krishna promised in Gita that “mayaaev prapdhante mayametam Tarantite” He who comes in my shelter and surrender me unconditionally comes out from illusion.
I will end this article by below shloka from Gita (6.17):
“Yukta aahar viharsya, yukt cheshtasya karmashu
Yukta svapn bodhsya, yogah bhavti dukhha”