The teachings presented on this page are those of the Siddha Maha Yoga Parampara, as transmitted by Swami Vishnu Tirtha, Swami Shivom Tirtha, Swami Sahajananda Tirtha and Paramguruji T. Sreenivasulu, and as I received them from my Guru, Sadguru Hagi. The sources are in the library.
What is Yoga?
Yoga means “union” in Sanskrit. All schools of Yoga and all the sacred texts of India share a common denominator: Moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, Samsara. Jnana Yoga (knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Karma Yoga (selfless action) and the Raja Yoga codified by Patañjali are the four traditional paths open to the seeker at the beginning of the quest.
These four paths are paths of effort. Siddha Maha Yoga, the Great Supreme Path, embraces and transcends them. They must be travelled, in this life or in previous lives, before the Guru appears to the disciple and Kundalini is awakened by Grace.
Kundalini and its direction of rotation
Put simply, Kundalini is Shakti, the universal cosmic energy, as it resides in the human body, at the level of the sacrum. In ordinary times it turns outward and thus projects the veil of illusion, Maya, fed by the wheel of our Karmas.
The awakening of Kundalini, as we understand it, does not consist in activating something that did not exist: everything is already Shakti. Through Grace and the process of Shaktipat Deeksha, the direction of rotation is reversed for ever. Rather than projecting illusion, Kundalini turns inward and gradually dissolves the Sadhak's Karma, as the Sadhak surrenders to their Sadhan.
As the moon reflects the rays of the sun, the Guru allows the Sadhak to see the light that has always been within. The Guru is a mirror. The Guru is also a candle that lights other candles without losing any of its flame.
Shaktipat Deeksha
Receiving the Deeksha and advancing on the path of Siddha Maha Yoga is like boarding a high-speed train that makes no intermediate stops. This awakening is for ever, for this life and for all those that follow, until liberation. It is the fruit of good Karmas accumulated over many births.
The Deeksha is conferred by an authorised Guru of the Parampara, who exercises their free will to that end. It may be given in person or at a distance: cosmic energy knows no borders. It cannot be obtained through any reading, any exercise, any technique. It is free of any financial cost and always has been in our lineage: it is neither sold, nor conditional on a donation, nor offered in successive levels.
Even if a Sadhak decided to stop sitting, the process would not stop: it could be slowed down, never interrupted.
Kriyas
After the Deeksha, the Sadhak is invited to surrender to the energy so that it may express itself, in particular through Kriyas: involuntary movements brought about by Shakti. Rotations of the head or the body, Mudras formed spontaneously by the fingers, Yoga postures never learned, altered breathing, cries, chants, tears, thoughts, visions. Everything depends on the Karma accumulated, in this life and in the countless lives that preceded it.
These Kriyas are the visible symptoms of Karma dissolving, the tip of an iceberg whose depth no one can measure. A Kriya is always auspicious and right; it is not always pleasant. It is not sought, not forced, not stopped. And after the Deeksha, the whole of life becomes a Kriya.
Sadhan
We say Sadhan rather than meditation, for there is nothing to concentrate on and nothing to empty. The Sadhak sits regularly, at a fixed time if possible, invokes the Gurus of the lineage, visualises their Guru, lets the Mantra received at initiation turn in the mind, then surrenders completely to silence, in the attitude of the witness, Sakshi Bhavam, before whatever Shakti decides to manifest.
With time, the distinction between the sacred moment on the cushion and the noise of life fades. Dispassion settles in: not an aversion, but the expression of a universal love, a detachment that grows as the ego dissolves. One does not renounce one's loved ones: one loves them more, in freedom.
Living in the world
Sri Yogananda, Paramguruji T. Sreenivasulu, Sadguru Hagi, and your humble servant, have all chosen to go on living in society. It is entirely possible to advance on one's spiritual quest while fulfilling one's moral, family and professional duties; it is even a necessity. Seeking a false haven of peace made of bricks is not the best way to proceed.
After initiation, everyone may continue their religious or spiritual practices if they wish. Nothing is forced, nothing is required. Yoga must never serve as an escape from one's obligations: that would be lying to oneself, and the Divine cannot be deceived.
