Note: For the complete lessons, see the AYP Books.

Lesson 76 - Q&A – Siddhis: Are powers real?

From: Yogani
Date: Sat Jan 10, 2004 4:31pm



New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of the
archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first
lesson is, "Why This Discussion?"

Q: Are the famed siddhis real?... in your experience, of course!
If they are, could these practices lead to experiences of them?
I know that many teachers warn that they are merely a distraction and
a trap for the ego, but for me it would be evidence of human ability
beyond what we have been taught.

A: Are you from Missouri, the "show me" state? Only kidding.

It is a good question.

If you believe the New Testament, and numerous other accounts, powers
are real. But I will not be flying through the sky or walking through
walls any time soon for you. Nor will I be feeding the 5,000, or
raising the dead. There is no claim of guru status here, so I don't
have to do any of those things. I'm just an ordinary bloke like
anybody.

It is important to note that we ordinary folks can cultivate constant
miraculous experience in our lives. There is a relationship between
this and siddhis in terms of practice.

As you may know, in Patanjali's "Yoga Sutras," a procedure known
as "samyama" is identified as being the source of siddhis. Samyama is
systematically initiating particular intentions within pure bliss
consciousness. But samyama isn't done for siddhis. It is done for the
purification it produces in the nervous system on the way to siddhis.
Samyama is a spiritual practice that can be integrated with all the
other spiritual practices we are discussing. The primary effects of
samyama are moving pure bliss consciousness and expanding ecstasy
within and beyond the body. Samyama is an expansion of everything
else we are doing in advanced yoga practices. It was mentioned in the
very first lesson, in the list of things to be covered, that we will
be "cultivating silent inner awareness outward in powerful ways."
This is samyama.

We will get into samyama in a few months. It will be for the further
expansion of pure bliss consciousness and divine ecstasy, not for
manifesting siddhis, though moving in that direction naturally. By
the time siddhis come, will we care? Life will be permanent ecstatic
bliss long before. Now that is a real miracle.

I understand your question and why you ask it. Will you settle for
pure bliss consciousness and endless ecstasy? That we can have in
abundance if we are willing to put in the effort. These lessons are
about that. You can get on the road to siddhis if you want to by
taking up advanced yoga practices. But you will probably not be very
attached to them by the time you get them. The ego will long since be
merged with the infinite.

The guru is in you.

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