Siddha Yoga

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Siddha Yoga is a religious group teaching traditional Hindu practices in a way that is acceptable to people in the west. The group also goes under the name of SYDA Foundation. Central to its teaching is the ‘True Guru’ who is the latest in a lineage of teachers. The present Guru is a woman, Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (born Malti Shetty, 1955), most commonly known as Gurumayi. The group has its headquarters at a large country estate in South Fallsburg , New York State. Its original home was 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 60s and 70s. 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). It has recruited by word of mouth and personal contact and its western followers are predominantly educated middle class and wealthy. 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.

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 (Dharshan) and treat him/her with all the respect and awe one would give if in the presence of God. Devotees receive teaching or Satsang on the nature of the spiritual journey and overcoming obstacles. Satsang may be delivered by a local teacher or Swami, through video tape or by direct video link from the Guru.

Devotees practise silent meditation with attention focused on a mantra or the flow of breath across the perceived physical boundaries of the body.

There is also the practise of group chanting sometimes for long periods of hours or even days. This can induce trance like and ecstatic experiences.

It is believed that practising service or Seva 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

• http://www.siddhayoga.org/ Official site of the SYDA foundation. Information on ashrams, worldwide programs, and bookstore.

• http://leavingsiddhayoga.net/ - Site run to support people leaving Siddha Yoga and critical of its ethics.