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Siddha Yoga is a spiritual group teaching traditional Hindu or yogic practices both in India and notably in the west in a way that is appreciable to Westerners. The group has an organizational foundation by the name of SYDA Foundation. Central to its teaching is the notion of the Guru Principle or ‘True Guru’. The guru who is the latest in the lineage of teachers of Siddha yoga is a woman, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (born Malti Shetty, 1955), most commonly known as Gurumayi. The group has its headquarters at a large country ashram composed of former Catskill Jewish summer resort hotels in South Fallsburg , New York State. Its original home remains its ashram at Ganeshpuri in Maharashtra, India.
History
The group’s success in the west is founded on the work of Gurumayi’s predecessor Swami Muktananda (d. 1982) who brought the practices of chanting and meditation to a spiritually hungry west in the 70s and early 80's. The group has always kept a fairly low public profile shunning the limelight sought by others such as Rajneesh , Hare Krishna and Transcendental Meditation (TM). Students of Siddha Yoga come to it primarily by word of mouth and personal contact and its followers are from diverse social and economic backgrounds.
Siddha Yoga has been quick to adopt the modern technology of the international video link and internet as ways to keep its world-wide network of ashrams and meditation centres part of its global community. Currently there are centers in countries on each continent, western, eastern, and in First World, Second World and Third World countries.
Beliefs and Practices
The Guru is a realized human being who by a mixture of spiritual work and grace from the preceding Guru has achieved full realization of the Divine in their lifetime.
Followers of the Guru are called Devotees.
Devotees pay homage to the Guru’s physical or symbolic presence (in a traditional Hindu practice known as Dharshan, or "witnessing truth") and treat him/her with all the respect and awe one would give if in the presence of God. They practice the same with each person as well. One of Siddha Yoga's core teachings was Muktananda's aphorism, "See God in yourself, then see God in each other."
Devotees receive teaching on the nature of the spiritual journey and overcoming obstacles.
Satsang, a group meeting or program, (Satsang means, "Keeping company with truth")are held at the centers or ashrams and talks and teachings may be delivered by a local teacher, a Swami, through video tape or by direct video link from the Guru.
Gurumayi also tours and gives programs at various centers and ashrams as well as public programs outside Siddha Yoga facilities.
Devotees practise silent meditation with attention focused on a mantra or on the flow of breath across the perceived physical boundaries of the body.
There is also the practise of group chanting. On holiday or special occasions chanting sometimes continues for long periods of hours or even days. This can induce trance like and ecstatic experiences.
It is believed that practising service or Seva (also known as Karma Yoga) to the Guru can draw blessings and spiritual progress. Much of the organization is run on the work donated free by its followers.
Press article
- Lis Harris' article, "O Guru, Guru, Guru", Nov. 14, 1994, The New Yorker
External Links
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