“To move in the right direction and make the appropriate effort, you rely on the Scriptures, on the teachings of the great Masters. These teachings energize your path, energize your efforts. Their words are like torches that help you discover the inner path, the inner path that leads to your God. “
Excerpt from the book We Have Met Before by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
The tradition of Siddha Yoga draws much of its teaching from the Indian yogic texts of Vedanta, Kashmir Shaivism, Bhagavad Gita and holy poets.
These works describe the highest state that human consciousness can reach and the methods of achieving it. Many of these yogic scriptures are accounts written by those who made their way to the inner realms and discovered the gem of Self-realization. Their words provide a context for the experiences that unfold in us after receiving shaktipat. They provide us with a map of the trip, telling us where we came from and reminding us of our true destination. The study of the texts of yoga allows us to understand and appreciate in depth the value of our inner experiences.
Based primarily on Eastern philosophies, the tradition of Siddha Yoga includes the universal teaching of brotherhood and respect for others, expressed by one of its major teachings: See God in everyone .
The texts of Vedanta
Vedanta is one of the six traditional schools of Indian philosophy. Siddha Yoga meditation emphasizes Advaita, a non-dualistic school of Vedanta, which emphasizes that a single supreme principle is the foundation of the universe.
The Upanishads
A collection of inspired teachings, visions and mystical experiences from the ancient sages of India, the Upanishads constitute the last part of the Vedas. Through an immense variety of forms and styles, these texts (there are more than a hundred) provide the same fundamental teaching: the individual soul and God are one.
The Vedas
Among the oldest, most revered, and most sacred scriptures in the world, the four Vedas – the Rig Veda, the Atharva Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Yajur Veda – are considered the divine revelation of wisdom. eternal.
Vivekachudamani or The Crest-Jewel of Discrimination
This philosophical commentary on Advaita Vedanta, written in the eighth century by sage Shankaracharya, exposes the teaching that only Brahman, the Absolute, is real.
Yoga Vasishtha
Very popular Sanskrit text on Advaita Vedanta, probably written in the 12th century and attributed to the sage Valmiki. Vasishtha answers the metaphysical questions of Lord Rama on life, death and human suffering. He teaches that the world is as we see it and that illusion ceases as soon as the mind finds peace.
The texts of Kashmir Shaivism
One of the major sources of the tradition of Siddha Yoga, Kashmir Shaivism, is part of the Shaivite philosophical tradition which explains how Shiva, the formless Supreme Principle, manifests as a universe. This tradition recognizes the role of the Guru and that of shaktipat in spiritual development. It also describes the ways or practices that allow us to relate to our inner divinity.
The Shiva Sutras
The Shiva Sutras are the scriptures of reference of Kashmir Shaivism. This Sanskrit text revealed by Lord Shiva to sage Vasugupta in the 9th century, comprises seventy-seven sutras or aphorisms which describe the nature of Consciousness.
Pratyabhijnahridayam
Literally translated as The Heart of the Doctrine of Recognition , it is an 11th century treatise written by Kshemaraja. It essentially establishes that the individual has forgotten his true nature by identifying with the body. Realization is the process of recognizing or remembering one’s true nature, the inner Self, imbued with supreme bliss and love.
Spanda Karika
This is one of the fundamental texts of Kashmir Shaivism; this collection of fifty-three verses composed in the 9th century, describes how the yogi, who remains vigilant and awake, can perceive the divine vibration – or spanda – at any moment of his daily life, and thus recover the vision of the consciousness of the ‘unit.
Vijnana Bhairava
An exposition of the path of yoga, originally composed in Sanskrit before the 9th century, which presents one hundred and twelve dharanas or techniques of concentration, each of which provides the immediate experience of union with God.
Kularnava Tantra
This ancient treatise sheds light on the mysteries of the Guru, the disciple, the mantra and the devotion, which are the cornerstone of our spiritual evolution.
Other important texts
Gurumayi Chidvilasananda often refers in his speeches and writings to the texts cited below. They contain much of the teaching of Siddha Yoga.
The Bhagavad Gita
Essential text of the Scriptures of India which counts among the treasures of the universal spiritual literature; this is a section of the Mahabharata epic in which Lord Krishna instructs his disciple Arjuna on the nature of the universe, God and the Supreme Self.
Jnaneshwari
This is a masterful verse commentary from the Bhagavad Gita , written by Jnaneshwar Maharaj at the age of sixteen. This is the first original study written in Marathi, the language spoken in Maharashtra, India. It is both a great poetic work and a source of spiritual transformation.
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
The sage Patanjali wrote this classic suite of yoga aphorisms in Sanskrit. He explains the different methods to be followed to reach the state of yoga or samadhi, in which the fluctuations of the mind cease, allowing the yogi to establish himself in the Self, the state of supreme bliss.
The holy poets
The great principles of Indian philosophy have spread among the people thanks to the songs and words of the holy poets. All over India, and particularly in the west and south of the country, these saints composed songs revealing the secrets of the mystical path.
The Bhakti Sutras
The sage Narada composed this classic treatise on devotion. Bhakti Yoga is the path that leads to union with the divine, based on the perpetual offering of love and constant remembrance of the Lord.
Indian epics
The Mahabharata is a great epic poem in Sanskrit, composed by the sage Vyasa. This immense tale is a treasure trove of secular and spiritual knowledge of India. The Bhagavad Gita is located in the last section of the Mahabharata.
The Ramayana, one of the great epic poems, is attributed to sage Valmiki. The Ramayana chronicles the life and exploits of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu. This story of great spiritual depth has been transmitted in many ways since ancient times. Children participating in Siddha Yoga retreats performed it in performances called “The Golden Tales”.