Introduction to blog 5 – Siddha Yoga

Blog five is about the fourth section/component of Om Divine Grace Yoga. Blog one is the introduction and overview to this yogic pathway. I have written about the topic of Siddha in my previous books. This blog provides a revised version of that material with commentary and guidance. It is designed to enable practical use by a spiritual practitioner interested in this pathway. Of course anything here can be approached as just reading matter of interest.

The contentious issue regarding Siddha is:  are you ready for a Guru who will make you change one way or another?  Historically, this pathway is approached via a Guru for initiation and guidance.  In our modern world this might not be feasible or practical, given the nature of this dark era (Kali Yuga). It may not be possible to get a guru who can assist you in this area.

It is necessary now to offer this spiritual pathway and process as an option for any practitioner, desiring spiritual progress. Guidance also comes from the Inner Guru, which can be accessed to get “initiation” and awakening. This Siddha component is an important requirement for this Om Divine Grace Yoga  pathway, and can be understood with right guidance. I have written information and instruction on this topic Also if inner Divine Guidance is received,  there will be appropriate additional clarity. (This guidance can also be accessed via surrender to ones chosen Deity). Good intent and practice is required for good results.

Siddha

What is a Siddha Yogi?

A yogi van be a renunciate monk a person who has renounced the world and become celibate. It can also be anybody! (Who does the required practice).

The Swami is usually a celibate monk. However it literally it means someone who has transcended the ego – swa (give up or surrender), me (myself).  So, Swami is really about a person’s attributes and not what color cloth they wear. Traditionally a swami wears ochre red or similar colour robes, signifying a body and mind that is being “burnt up” by the fire of renunciation. So color is important up to a point. What color car do you prefer? More importantly what is your favourite color & how do you use it?

The word Siddha, means a perfected being and one with spiritual powers. Therefore the Siddha is one who is a spiritually enlightened being with sufficient power or abilities  to enable the transformation of others, and not one who has merely attained some personal yogic state or power.

A true guru is a Sat (true), Guru (teacher) – a Sat Guru. A Perfected Teacher, who is a Divine being as one who has reached the state of oneness with the Divinity, (sometimes known as God).

Some see this sort of human as a being who is an incarnation, as God becomes human. Thus people may worship such a human but Divine form. This may be Jesus or the Buddha, or one’s own Sat Guru. Perceived as a human being made perfect by his/her own endeavour, (or from birth). One who has entered the state of Nirvana.  Nirvana or Moksha is a state of both enlightenment and freedom, (from birth and death). Thus some see such a one as their own teacher, of whatever spiritual path or religion they have chosen. (Whether their perception is logical or not is the subject of much debate, especially where leaders of sects are concerned).

In India there are many holy persons who practice austerity and penance, meditate and follow a variety of spiritual paths, while garbed as a swami, or holy person. There are quite a few who are seen as Siddhas by their devotees, and a number who have a large international following. Some others though attain the Supreme goal and become perfected, in the eyes of their followers, without necessarily presenting in a monastic role or environment. They are considered perfected in the eyes of their adherents, whatever religion, country, and role they manifest in and are present in.

All such beings, (if they are not in it for the money & power), can teach humanity to be, not just “ordinary”, but also themselves strive to attain the same place where they sit. A place of Divine state of awareness.

Siddhas should teach, (in my opinion), that any of us can and should attain a state of spiritual perfection whilst remaining in the human condition.

The caveat is that the Siddha is more than and dominates any human role. Therefore the soul that has that Siddha power and ability, and is in the enlightened domain, does not need really need to follow the typical practice or external presentation of a monastic practitioner.

One who has achieved that state quite naturally is in renunciation mode, and is not swayed by the external world- particularly by desire, greed and lust. Therefore that soul does not need to wear red, as the fire burns fiercely inside.

He or she can be in any predicament or situation, or country or lifestyle, or role in the external world.

The Siddha being transcends the external world, which is seen as Maya. The Sanskrit word Maya means illusory, transient or temporary, in terms of the world which as a place of delusion and dream.

But the Siddha is like a swan on the water floating and staying dry. In Sanskrit this is known as a Paramahamsa (Great =Param, Swan – Hansa).  In mythology the Paramhansa can also separate milk from water.  That is to say the one who’s in the world but not in the world – just floating on and above it. Still a human being, but with a certain supreme spiritual attainment. This does not deny the reality that the person who achieves this may have been previously a so-called “ordinary” human being, and is also one who still has the potential to present as an ordinary human being.

It is considered in Hinduism that the human birth is the place where one has potential to achieve what is called Nirvana or Moksha, and thus the final birth – with freedom from the bondage of endless cycles of birth and death.

This human life thus has spiritual meaning when used for all endeavours that led to transcendence the human condition. Thus humanistic service orientated endeavours are also seen as uplifting and beneficial.

Other religions, even if not acknowledging or agreeing with this philosophy and perspective, still exhort us to use our lifespan for spiritual and religious purpose.

A born-again person is deemed to have rebirth into a spiritual world, whilst still experiencing and journeying through the physical and mental spheres.

There are of course certain activities and practices that have to be followed if one is to attain the highest spiritual goal whilst traveling in the world.  Spiritual endeavour and practice is required. There are also certain conditions and circumstances that are required to achieve progress on the spiritual path

I will later describe the experience and areas of practice regarding Om Divine Grace Yoga that ensued in my past 60 years, including an initial 10 years as a monk in India. This is not autobiography, (which is written about in my other books), but an insight into how Om Divine Grace Yoga came to be. I have found it both necessary and beneficial to base my practice in the way of the Siddha on information gleaned in those 10 years, and on a further 50 years study and development.

This way of Om Divine Grace Yoga described is based on Siddha Yoga, Tantric Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Mantra Yoga, plus other western and eastern religious and spiritual practices. Plus the worship of a personal deity or Goddess/God, and the realities of life experience in the human world.

This is also a personalised summary, provided to assist any person on the spiritual path where possible.

There is no content which is entirely historically and scripturally, but it’s more of a “personal recipe”! There are also many texts books and sources of information available to anyone who wishes to study in depth the topics touched on. Therefore I am essentially describing my own spiritual adventure and progress, in terms of what I have experienced studied and learnt. Everyone’s journey will be different, and I make no claim to having the “right path”.

There is a planned written continuation of all these themes, of seeking and practising the path towards one’s own spiritual goals.

The Components of Siddha Yoga

One

A guru – the true guru or Sat Guru

A human connection is usually needed to facilitate easily access the Divine, (as the inner soul or the external deity), and the true guru manifests energy by grace. This enables the journey to proceed. For some this guru is the teacher who is recognised as an Incarnation first and human second. (In one such as Jesus or the Buddha).

For others this being is someone who is still here foremost as a human, albeit Realised. One whom they can follow and receive instruction from. For others an amalgamation of a number of teachers is experienced. For others guidance comes from within – an inner teacher or a force that seems to be external. The Siddha embodies a human based form of Divinity, but some will talk to God or other “angelic” or similar manifestation through an Inner Voice mechanism, that does the work of Guru and guidance for that individual.

The guru is “one who dispels darkness”, which is the center core function of a Siddha

Maybe not totally, or maybe in some areas, (in the case of a “partial” Siddha with power and ability to a limited extent), the energy sought will be that which is needed for the guidance of the individual at a particular time.

Therefore there may be several teachers who each guide in their own specific and special way. There is always a lineage of some sort except in the case of exceptional teachers who seem to materialise out of nowhere for the sake of the century, or multiple centuries.

Either way or whatever the scenario, turning a human to the Divine makes the guide process work so much more spontaneously and effectively. If the one who seeks has an understanding of the guru function and purpose, then the Divine or Divine perfection, Siddhi powers will “intervene”. Even for material gain, (if one seeks this), as all developments are more accessible with the receipt of the guru’s Grace. This grace dispels “darkness”, negativity, “stuckness”, and even gloom and despair.

Even if you want to learn a trade, get a degree or make some money, there is always a need for a guide/teacher.

Two

In the path of the Siddha there is a need to understand the spirit force that flows through the body

In the traditional meditation on kundalini, this energy is seen as coiled at the base of the spine like a serpent, and it arises to pass through the chakras upwards. It arises in a sinuous movement that can cause the practitioner to to feel semi-automatic movements of the body, with an external sinuous “dance” taking place.

This energy is also known as a form of Shakti (power or energy), and is an energy manifested in the human form, which has significant connection and contexts with the Goddess powers within.

The awakening of the kundalini is also connected directly with the Sat Guru, because it is the guru who can bestow Shakti-Paat. This is a transmission as a kind of  “beaming out”  of the gurus power, which awakens another person’s kundalini. This is a key Siddhi, (power), of the Siddha guru. With this “power shower” to awaken the source, one can have the kundalini awakened directly, to rise up through the chakras, and travel beyond the final chakra in the crown of the head.

Otherwise personal experience of this energy may be problematic, because there may be traumatic issues involved in the passage of this energy through the chakras, where this is awoken without direction, guidance and oversight.  (Would a student doctor perform complex surgery?)

However whatever scenario is involved, once practice takes place, the attainment of Divine realisation through Kundalini Yoga still requires full attenuation of awareness, and astute management of the process, to experience the kundalini energy in only positive and beneficial ways.

Three

In Sanskrit, spiritual practice is called Sadhana. This is necessary to enable the practice of going within to flourish. It is also necessary to practice when seeking the Divine force as manifested externally.

There are many views of what God, is or how the Higher Power, the Divine spiritual being, can be attained.

Religions are many, and there are many single or multiple options are available for the spiritual practitioner to choose from. One needs to not just to choose some way, but to get actively moving along ones chosen path.

Some say you must follow only one path only or one way. In reality many people follow different paths at different times in their lives. It does seem logical to keep on one focused way, but then human life is not always logical.

People also change their religion.

However, what is advisable is to have guide, so that whatever paths/s are taken, they can be followed with some certainty, just as if one has one has a map to read.

It is somewhat similar to treating disease. The correct medication has to be found, and sometimes it is necessary to change or adjust medication and the dosage. Therefore it is not uncommon to have more than one spiritual teacher. Or to change or move on from a particular teaching.

So what is best-is what works for you, as long as you do the practice.

Within spiritual practice there is also need to adopt specific methods that work for each unique individual. One travels paths, but one also uses different means to attain movement. Such as car, a horse, or a camel. What form of meditation or specific type of yoga will you personally adopt? One could ask a similar question in Christianity -will it be Methodist or Catholic or some other?

The traditional path of the Siddha Marg, the perfected being pathway, in Hinduism, has been to use the power of the kundalini and of mantras, (sacred word or sounds). In this Dark Age, (Kali Yuga), the repetition of the chosen mantra is deemed to be the easiest way to obtain spiritual power and focus for self-realisation.

Japa is repetition of a mantra whereas dhyana is meditation on what that mantra means. It is a distilled form of a complex chant or prayer and a simple form that can be repeated at any time silently mentally, verbally, or on even on a subtler levels.

Four

A force not often mentioned, is that is that of life experience, as a force that has “power over us”.

Without life in our experience we do not exist, we do not get to achieve some of our desires, nor do we partake of spiritual paths. Also human lives seem to present us with lessons and a means to move from gross experience of the body mind to subtler levels.

There is a powerful spiritual force behind our life, if we accept the challenge of our problems. That means including mental disorders, addictions, relationship and psychological problems. In other words, the whole gamut of what can seem “just insane”. If we deal with life as it is and allow teachers in, we can also move through and find a purposeful momentum or motivation to walk the spiritual path.

Everything can have purpose for our spiritual destiny, even whatever seems bad or desperate. What is seemingly devoid of any credit may also have its purpose, or may produce a lesson. To learn about what is painful is a start. Not all knowledge necessarily comes from good things, nor understanding from doing what is right.

The personal journey is a very popular subject and there are many bestsellers in this field.  People want to deal with their lives and become happy or at least not be unhappy, sooner or later. 

I have written about my own experience of life, especially regarding the connection to going deeper into my spiritual search and practice

In summary the Siddha is a beacon for the path to both God and to perfected development of the human purpose. The Siddha is a representative of the divine, and the Siddha path is a way set for us by the lineages and the numbers of Siddhas who have made themselves servants to our spiritual development.

. This is about life here, but also about transcending it.

Off – floating above the sea of life- the Paramahansa.

Parama means great and Hansa means swam. The “Great Swan”, can float on the water without getting wet, and the Paramahansa guru thus is in the world but “untouched” by it. Or this “swan” can separate milk from water, or separate the cream from the whey – as per mythology!