Siddhis (yogic super powers)
video added

While I have completed my 200 hours of teacher-training and have been practicing yoga for over 2 decades, I am not a guru and I don't package myself as one. I'm just a dedicated practitioner sharing my knowledge, skill, and insight.

This sequence is an advanced hack on yoga - some are not in the books and it's risky especially if your practice is not strong. Ideally, you should be under the guidance of a guru or be initiated into the practice. I'm doing this on my own because I cannot find a suitable guru and I am comfortable studying established yoga books and weaving different practices into a seamless singularity (like a chef who creates an intuitive fusion-recipe with everything he knows about cooking). The fact that I'm posting this means I have already done it many times with only positive results. My unique practice has made me strong, vibrant and resilient from disease. Be advised that if you do this sequence, you are doing it at your own risk.

In yoga, siddhis are supernatural or magical powers that develop as the practitioner deepens his practice. There are 64 minor siddhis and 8 ashta siddhis (special siddhis). Siddhis happen involuntarily whether intentioned or not. Siddhis are not needed for enlightenment and can be ignored in pursuit of self-realization. Not all siddhis are desirable - depends if the yogi is ready.

YES
In an idealized practice, exhibiting siddhis or nurturing its development are discouraged because they are simply regarded as distractions from staying on the path - Patanjali. Siddhis get inside your head and the motivation to deepen your practice is gone - only the adulation of people begin to matter. You also lose your friends - they will wish for your health and happiness until it exceeds theirs.

NO
The Tantric yogis question why something inherent in us should be denied. By exhibiting Siddhis, you inspire other people to further evolution beyond the physical plane. With Siddhis, you do things from a position of empowerment and strength. Siddhis are tools - neither good nor bad.

All sutras (short aphoristic statements) by the sage Patanjali referring to siddhis are contained in one of his 4 books, Vibhuti Pada: The Book of Spiritual Powers. The book explains what these powers are and how to attain them. Moreover, the book talks about consciousness.

In the 8 limbs of yoga, Patanjali specifically points to the last three (dharana, dhyana, and samadhi) which forms samyama to be practiced simultaneously to gain full control of these siddhis.

Dharana and Dhyana
To tame the mind and stop it from behaving like a monkey-mind is called dharana. This is essential to achieve ekagrata citta (one-pointedness of the mind). One who stills his mind to ekagrata will have all the senses under his command and will develop all the siddhis. When the mind gets controlled, the indriyas (perception senses - 5 for expression and 5 for cognition) become internalized and will perform their activities from inside. Hence by controlling the mind, all the indriyas will come under one's control.

When Siddhi is activated, change happens at the cellular level - the person changes. Dormant energy (Kundalini shakti) awakens and surges throughout the body giving this person an uncanny radiance (everyone has this innate energy but remains dormant). People's perception of this person changes as well. They discern that there is something special about this person.

Kundalini and Sex
During sex, part of Kundalini energy is unleashed for reproduction. But the learned yogi, through Vajroli Mudra, diverts its passage from ejaculation to being re-absorbed along the Sushumna Nadi towards the Sahasrara Chakra, passing through and releasing the dormant energies along the chakra system (Svadisthana, Manipuraka, Anahata, Vishuddhi, Ajna).

There are many approaches to awaken Kundalini Shakti but using the "Kumbhaka-Bandha-Mudra" by the Nath Yogis, the following can be experienced:

1. Heat - when breath is held and bandhas engaged, heat is generated and the yogi begins to perspire even on a cold day (when I was waking up at 4am in Thailand to do my pranayama/kumbhaka/bandha/mudra, I would perspire even in Jan/Feb, the winter months).
2. Tremors/Nightmares - after the heat stage, tremors are felt across the body even outside the mat. Nightmares may happen. Why? The system is expunging negativity/toxins that no longer have a place in your system (at the time of my practice when I wasn't well-versed in what to expect, I panicked when I felt tremors and nightmares. Instinctively, it felt wrong. I stopped. And by stopping, perhaps I also stopped the momentum).
3. Fluid Steadiness - the heat and tremors are gone and instead, the yogi experiences a fluid steadiness in the practice - he is no longer struggling (I'm not there yet. Lately (Jan/Feb 2024), after an intense siddhi practice, I might wake up the following day feeling a mild tremor.

1. By birth - because of merits earned in previous lives, a person could simply be born with siddhis. This explains child prodigies who perform far beyond their years. Often times, siddhis remain inert until favorable conditions are met to unleash these gifts.
   
   Ramana Maharshi is a good example. At age 17, without wanting or desiring it, he became enlightened and consequently developed his siddhi (among others) of seeing the true nature of reality and teaching telepathically (he rarely spoke to his disciples).
   
   "Reincarnation is a major concept in Eastern philosophy. The Hindus believe that although we are born in this world with a tabula rasa (blank slate) we carry in us a set of potentialities called Samskaras (the seeds of our actions in previous lives). These tendencies, they say, remain inactive and only manifest when the right conditions are present. Some people may be born with certain talents, abilities, or even spiritual powers, but unless the conditions are favorable to their development, these gifts cannot be ripened to their fullest expression. Additionally, I.K. Taimni mentions in his commentary of the sutras that some people whose moral and intellectual development are not very highly advanced are sometimes born with certain spurious occult powers. The reason could be that they experimented with Yogic practices in their previous lives."
2. Tapas (austerities) - my understanding of tapas is when you have an easy option and a hard option to do something, you do it the hard way. Why? It develops strength of mind and fortitude. But I was not aware it also develops siddhis. I practice tapas as a general rule. Result? Austerity is embraced instead of developing an aversion to, pain is observed equanimously instead of being left to suffer, downturns in life are viewed as part of a karmic process instead of misfortune. In short, with tapas, nothing hurts anymore.
   
   Example: you can take the flight of steps instead of taking an elevator, or you can take a cold shower instead of a hot shower, or you can walk the mile to the store instead of taking your car. This concept is somehow similar to the Japanese code of the Bushido - cry in the dojo, laugh in the battlefield. When you are used to austerity, nothing hurts. While other people may suffer and complain, you can take the punishment or the ordeal with ease and a balanced mind.
3. Psychedelics - Ayahuasca and mushrooms have been a popular alternative as a mind expander - but I doubt if they really produce siddhis apart from the spiritual insight gained from the experience. Moreover, the reward is not 'earned' and the person may not be prepared for the epiphany. I personally do not find this alluring. Why rely on something external when the answers already reside within? But this is only the humble opinion of someone who hasn't tried any of those - me.
   
   On the other end of this spectrum, Graham Hancock, an author, extemporaraneous public speaker and advocate of man's hidden story, a man I greatly admire and respect, pontificates that psychedelics reveal to us the hidden realities that can help us understand life and our role in it. He stresses that no world leader should even aspire for such position unless he/she has had 12 sessions of ayahuasca.
   
   "Psychedelics Drugs & Entheogens – Siddhis can be developed by using drugs, but they cannot be compared to the higher class of spiritual powers only attained through Samyama meditation. If you're really into this, I suggest that you read John C. Lilly (inventor of the isolation tank). He's one of the few well-known psychonauts who mastered the technique of sensory deprivation and the use of psychedelics to explore the realms of higher consciousness."
4. Mantra (uttering a spiritual sound) - a mantra calms the mind and brings about spiritual awakening. A popular example of a mantra is OM. It is claimed to be the sound of the universe itself. It is the only sound that can be pronounced without the use of the tongue. Most chakras have their own mantra - LAM for muladhara, VAM for svadisthana, RAM for manipuraka, etc. There are long mantras that are powerful. One such is the Gayatri Mantra.
5. Samyama - the collective for Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (meditative absorption) is Samyama. It takes a lot of dedication and years of meditation to reach Samyama. Samadi is on the highest level of the 8 limbs of yoga. Reaching samadi means having mastered yama (abstinences), niyama (observances), asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of the senses), dharana (concentration), and dhyana (meditation). When siddhi finally happens as a result of samadhi, the practitioner is deeply anchored with the foundations of yoga and the underlying gift is profound and powerful.
6. Initiation by a guru - when a guru initiates you into the practice, it's an important consecration where the guru takes responsibility for your spiritual evolution. It is not taken lightly. When one is initiated, he usually falls into deep meditation and comes out of it a very different person.
   
   e.g. When Naropa was initiated by Tilopa, Naropa fell into deep Samadhi for 7 days and came out of it a Siddha (perfected yogi with siddhis).
7. Kumbhaka, Bandha, Mudra - in Hatha Yoga as practiced by the Nath yogis, it is said that if you want strength and long life, do Asana and Pranayama. But if you want power and Siddhis, do Kumbhaka, Bandha, and Mudra
8. Emergencies - when you need to act immediately without thinking, like stopping a runaway car that can run over your child, you can run faster than a bullet and have such strength to stop that car
9. Occult practices - yoga is not the only way to harness powers. There are many non-yoga traditions into the occult that generate such powers - Theosophists, Hermeticism, Kabbala, etc.
10. Siddhi-specific practices - most books say you cannot practice on developing Siddhis - that you can practice on Kundalini awakening and energizing the chakras which both give rise to Siddhi activation. But in Tibetan Tantric yoga, initiates do the specific practice for specific Siddhis. For Long Gom Pas, they lock themselves up in a completely dark cave for 3 years and 3 months, sit cross-legged, and try to 'jump' as high as they can without use of arms

It should be noted that depending on the sect or tradition, the list of siddhis may vary. Tantric Buddhism, Sikhism, Samkhya philosophy, Vaishnavism, and Shaivism, all have their interpretation of siddhis. Below are the siddhis based on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: (caveat: siddhi listings and their power vary from one source to another. Many overlap and exist in more than one chakra. Take this only as a bird's eyeview guideline)

1. Anima Siddhi - aka animadi siddhi, ability to perceive the microscopic world
   mudra: mahadeva mudra - mula bandha mudra (anal squeeze) and bahya kumbhaka (breath retention on the exhalation) on uddiyana bandha (tummy-tuck). This increases the jathara agni (digestive fire) and gives rise to animadi guna siddhi (desired quality of animadi siddhi)
   statement: "I can become infinitely small and explore the quantum realm. Because the density in the body is changed, I can pass through solid objects. I am practically invisible."

Animadi Siddhi reduces your size to an atom


2. Mahima Siddhi - becoming infinitely large, having the ability to see the structures of the galaxies
3. Laghima Siddhi - becoming weightless or lighter than air (caveat: in Alexandra David-Neel's account of her exploits in Tibet back in the 1920s, she recounts an adept who had to weigh down himself in chains because he has become so light, a gust of wind could blow him away)
4. Garima Siddhi - ability to become infinitely heavy and be immovable by anyone or anything. You could have the weight of a black hole and pierce the fabric of space and time itself!
5. Prapti Siddhi - instantaneously travel or be anywhere at will. This siddhi removes the limitations of space which separate two objects from each other. It is said one will even be able to touch the moon with one's finger (i.e. the limitation of distance is removed) (note: We are on the 3rd dimension according to some ancient texts. It is said that when we evolve into the 4 th dimension [out of 9], time stops being linear but becomes a singluarity [no more past, present and future] and space is no longer defined by distance. Thus by inference, when we develop Prapti siddhi, we gain access to the 4th dimension)
6. Prakamya Siddhi - ability to manifest desires or realize objects out of thin air (note: the sankalpa mudra helps in manifestation. By practising this mudra, the prakamya siddhi is developed)
7. Isitva Siddhi - ability to create and destroy. Lordship over creation and annihilation (note: this means playing God. Can I trust myself not to use this against those who harmed me if I should ever develop it?)
8. Vasitva Siddhi - ability to control all 5 elements of nature (fire, air, ether, earth and water), and mind control such as hypnosis (note: ah, the fabled air bender)
9. Kama-avasayitva - complete satisfaction and freedom from desire (note: a life rooted in tapas [austerity] helps...when you only seek what is needed...nothing more)

Siddhis develop within their corresponding chakras, when these chakras are activated by Pranayama (together with yama, niyama and asana). However, it would seem that siddhis are not exclusive to one chakra - transcending time (Trikala jnana) is achieved when the Muladhara, Anahata, and Ajna chakras are activated (my contention here is that if the siddhi already happened in the lower chakra, then the siddhi remains when activating the higher chakras. Therefore, if Trikala jnana accurs at Muladhara, then it should no longer be mentioned that the same siddhi happens at the Anahata and Ajna chakras). Chakras are energy centers within the etheric body where nadis (energy pathways) converge - think of a bus terminal where all buses converge after going about their specific routes. There are 114 chakras altogether (note: all of them being a gateway to enlightenment, Buddha's enlightenment through awareness, being just one of 114), although only 7 are considered major chakras. Chakras are activated through meditation, asana, pranayama and bandha.

Muladhara Chakra

1. the body becomes tough
2. Laghima siddhi, the body becomes so light it gives rise to levitation
3. Darduri siddhi, jumping high and long, up in the air, (simulating flight). This was discussed in detail by Alexandra David-Neel as the Lung-gom-pas, in her book Magic And Mystery In Tibet.
4. Trikala jnana, memory of past lives, ability to transcend time - present, past and future
5. being disease-free
6. Prakamya siddhi / Sankalpa - ability to manifest desires
7. Vasitva siddhi - control over the 5 elements - air, fire, ether, earth, water
8. Mind control - similar to hypnosis
9. Kayakalpa siddhi - slowing down or reversal of the aging process by conserving Amrita (the nectar of life)
10. sense of smell is heightened
11. writing ability is developed
12. states of natural ecstacy happens spontaneously

Svadisthana Chakra

1. sense of taste is greatly enhanced
2. sharper intuition
3. disease-free
4. indefatigable
5. admirable (even from his enemies), freedom from enemies, deep inner peace and charisma
6. experience peace and violence will disappear
7. walk through the jungle at night and no wild animal will harm him
8. psychic powers, affinity with astral entities
9. control of the senses resulting in creative ability, reflective nature, perfection of relationships, eloquence in speech, clarity in thinking
10. the status of a lord among yogis
11. being unafraid of water, walking on water (water element)
12. sankalpa, ability to manifest desires

Manipuraka Chakra

1. no food, no water, body subsists on prana alone
2. skin becomes radiant
3. impervious to fire (fire element)
4. freedom from diseases, never encounter any physical or mental afflictions. These afflictions will flee his presence
5. will be able to face any disaster or accident with mental fortitude
6. he develops divya drishti (divine perception)
7. experience the bliss of identifying atman (universal self) as a separate entity from the body
8. all organs or parts of the body function at their proper strength. Body becomes lean
9. Trikala jnana, memory of past lives, ability to transcend time - present, past and future
10. can enter the body of another
11. can make gold
12. Isitva siddhi - power to create and destroy

Surya Cakra

1. optimizes digestion, no disease in the gut

Manas Cakra

1. increases the power of intuition
2. expands intellect (Manas and brain have a special connection)

Anahata Chakra

1. pranic healing is developed
2. stuck energies flow again, giving rise to affection, devotion and love
3. arouses Nada (inner sound)
4. becomes radiant. His presence can light up a room
5. becomes endearing and loved by all. Women are drawn to him
6. can practice with high levels of concentration and focus
7. can articulate his ideas into powerful words
8. Isitva siddhi - power to create and destroy
9. can enter his body and other people's bodies at will
10. Prapti siddhi - removes the limitations of space, can instantaneously travel or be anywhere at will
11. awareness of one's karma, clairvoyance ability
12. Laghima siddhi - the body becomes so light it gives rise to levitation
13. seeing God in everything (not a concept but the actual seeing) occurs. Sensitivity to all, compassion for all and love for all

Vishuddhi Chakra

1. body becomes impervious to suffering
2. voice becomes melodious (good for singers)
3. Laghima, the power of levitation
4. occult competence
5. speech is greatly articulated (gift of gab), communication, command of speech and mantras
6. enhancement of artistic virtues
7. attraction by ganas (disembodied beings)
8. freedom from disease and old age
9. destruction of dangers
10. obtains calmness, serenity, purity
11. understanding of dreams
12. masters entire self
13. becomes unconscious of the outer world and enjoys the inner realm
14. supreme reasoning overcomes the heart
15. transcends to a state of non-judgment
16. begins to hear Nada sound (unstruck sound)

Ajna Chakra

1. knowledge and wisdom are attained
2. past karma is forgiven (really? I thought karma must be paid)
3. destruction of karma (past lives)
4. able to be in a continuous state of samadhi (realized non-duality)
5. visions of past, present and future
6. desires come true
7. internal and external changes cease to be a problem
8. seeing all events on the planet without moving

Sahasrara Chakra

1. perfection is attained
2. knowledge, knower and known become one and liberated
3. feelings, emotions and desires are dissolved into their cause. Union is achieved. Non-dual consciousness occurs
4. all siddhis are obtained
5. transcends the desire to use those siddhis or manifest his desires
6. no separation between the experience and the experiencer (I am that)

Brahmaguha (Lalata) Chakra

1. the power to change your destiny

1. Clairaudience: Knowledge of the Sounds-Language of All Beings
2. Knowledge Of Past Lives Or Previous Births
3. Telepathy: Knowledge Of The Minds Of Other Beings
4. Foreknowledge Of The Time Of Death
5. Strength Of Any Attitude (Such As Friendliness)
6. Super Strength (Such As That Of An Elephant)
7. Clairvoyance: Knowledge of Subtle, Hidden, & Remote Things
8. Knowledge Of Other Worlds, Realms, And Universes
9. Knowledge Of The Arrangement Of Stars And Planets
10. Knowledge Of The Movement Of Stars And Planets
11. Full Knowledge Of The Systems Of The Body
12. Freedom From Hunger And Thirst
13. The Power Of Steadiness Or Immobility
14. Visions of Siddhas (Perfected Beings)
15. Intuitive Knowledge or Spontaneous Illumination
16. Knowledge Of The Nature Of The Mind
17. Knowledge Of Pure Consciousness (Spirit/Purusha)
18. Extra Sensory Perception: Activating Your Psychic Abilities
19. Entering And Controlling The Bodies Of Others
20. Radiating Light Around The Body (The Luminosity of Auras)
21. Super Hearing (Hearing At Vast Distances)
22. Ability To Travel Through Space (Teleportation)
23. Vision Of The Light Of The Universal Mind
24. Mastery Of The Elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether)
25. Making The Body Atomically Small, Indestructible, Perfect
26. Perfection Of The Body In Beauty, Strength, And Brilliance
27. Mastery Over The Five Senses Of The Body
28. Quickness Of The Mind (Instantaneous Cognition)
29. Omnipotence & Omniscience: Mastery Of All States Of Existence
30. Knowledge Born Of The Awareness Of Ultimate Reality
31. Intuitive Discernment: Ability To Distinguish or Differentiate All Things
32. Higher Knowledge And Wisdom
33. Absolute Freedom: The Perfect Spiritual Life
34. The Psychic Abilities Described as the Hindu Siddhis
35. Anurmi-Mattva: Undisturbed by anger or other emotions
36. Dura-Sravana: Ability to hear far away sounds
37. Dura-Darsanam: Ability to see faraway things
38. Manah-Java: Moving the body to follow thought
39. Kamap-Rupam: Assumption of any form
40. Para-Kaya Pravesanam: Entering other's bodies
41. Sva-Chanda Mrityuh: Dying when desiring
42. Devanam Saha Krida Anudarsanam: Seeing the past times of gods and angels
43. Yatha Sankalpa Samsiddhihih: Meeting one's objectives
44. Ajna Apratihata Gatih: Being obeyed without objection
45. Aeromancy: Interpreting the shapes of the clouds
46. Afterlife communication: Connecting with the dead
47. Alomancy: Reading patterns of salt thrown in the air and cast on the floor
48. Apantomancy: Interpreting the meeting of encounters with animals
49. Astral Projection: Out of body travel
50. Aura Reading: Interpreting the auric field
51. Automatic Writing: Writing a message from an outside intelligence through the subconscious mind
52. Bibliomancy: Interpreting a passage from a book chosen at random
53. Catoptromancy: Telling fortunes with a mirror
54. Channeling: Delivering a message from an outside intelligence that enters the body of the interpreter
55. Chirmancy: Palmistry – Divination from the lines of the hand
56. Clairalience: Ability to smell that which is not present
57. Clairaudience: Ability to hear events
58. Claircognizant: The sense of clear knowing
59. Clairempathy: Sensing other's emotions
60. Clairgustance: Ability to taste that which is not present
61. Clairsentience: Ability to sense other's feelings or senses
62. Clairtangecy / Clairsensitivity: Ability to read energy from objects
63. Clairvoyance: Psychically see nonphysical realities
64. Cleromancy: Divination through casting stones, bones or dice
65. Crystallomancy: Seeing the future through a crystal ball
66. Deja vu: Sensing events have already happened
67. Demonomancy: Summoning demons to answer questions
68. Divination: Using gifts to obtain answers
69. Dowsing: Using an instrument to locate water, metals or other things underground
70. Dream Interpretation: Interpreting the meaning of dreams
71. Empathy: Sensing other's feelings, illnesses, sensations, knowledge and more
72. Exorcism: releasing of negative entities
73. Feng Shui: Manipulating the environment to bring about certain outcomes
74. Gyromancy: Divination by perimeters with an alphabet (ouija board)
75. Healing: Creating more wholeness within another
76. Horoscopy: Astrology
77. Hydromancy: Divination through observing water
78. Hypnosis: Creation of a trance state for healing or answers
79. I Ching: Ancient Chinese form of divination
80. Intuition: Catch all term for managed use of psychic abilities
81. Levitation: Floating the body or objects
82. Libanomancy: Interpreting shapes in smoke
83. Mediumship: Serving as a conduit for other worldly beings
84. Megagnomy: Ability to use an ability during a hypnotic state
85. Oculomancy: Divination through looking into eyes
86. Past-Life Regression: Using a meditative state to explore past lives
87. Precognition: Ability to foretell the future
88. Prophecy: Knowledge of divine will
89. Psychometry: Gaining knowledge through touching objects
90. Pyrokenisis: Sparking fire with the mind
91. Scrying: Using an object to see psychically
92. Tarot Reading: Use of tarot cards to prophesize
93. Tasseography: Reading tea leaves or coffee grains
94. Telekenesis: Moving objects without touching them
95. Telepathy: Hearing mind to mind information
96. Transfiguration: Superimposition of a face on a medium
97. Voodoo: Practices from the Voodoo religion
98. Xenoglossy: Speaking a language that is not one's own

There are 3 psychic knots known as Granthis that block the flow of Kundali rising and thus, get in the way of Siddhi activation.

1. Brahma granthi - this psychic knot resides in the Muladhara and Svadisthana chakras. Attachment to material things causes this knot. By non-detachment and viewing everything as impermanent, one dissolves this knot.
2. Vishnu granthi - this psychic knot resides in the Manipuraka and Anahata chakras. It is caused by fear - fear to leave a dysfunctional relationship, fear to leave a tenured job for loss of benefits even though it doesn't excite anymore, fear of venturing out beyond your comfort zone. This knot is dissolved by coming to terms with your fear - like taking the bull by the horns.
3. Rudra granthi - this psychic knot resides in the Vishuddhi and Ajna chakras. It is caused by obsession with psychic powers/siddhis. Solution? Just practice to perfect your yoga...not for Siddhis. Siddhis are inevitble anyway.

Warning !!! (the dark side of Kundalini awakening)
The yogi must be strong in his practice before attempting to awaken Kundalini. There is such a strong surge of energy that if the yogi's mind and body are unprepared, panic may ensue and catastrophic results can happen.

1. Not all Siddhis are wanted - you don't know what Siddhi comes out from your practice. The Siddhi that comes out may not be desirable to you
2. No free meal - Siddhis are not something you work on and get to use without paying a price for it. The Long Gom Pas of Tibet, yogis who can run faster than a horse and not get tired, become so light that they have to weight themselves down with heavy chains. While they are running fast in a state of trance, if they are stopped or interrupted before they reach their destination, they die. So locals in Tibet never get in the way of the Long Gom Pas.
3. Amplified trauma - if you suffer from emotional disturbance or mental imbalance, these trauma are amplified if you are not ready - this can drive you to the nuthouse.
4. Schizophrenia - if you rush Kundalini awakening before the mind/body/emotions are ready, you may suffer from the energy rush that you can't control or contain, causing mental imbalance. Imagine a 100-watt bulb plugged into a high voltage.
5. Seeing the Unseen - you tap into your psychic abilites at a heightened level that you see the disembodied bodies, demons, non-gods and elementals that look horrifying (I've met such people and they all say these entities look so hideous it's horrifying. Thus some of them see Kundalini awakening as a curse, not as a blessing). Siddhas and realized yogis create these beings for company. But when the yogis die, what they created are left to roam the other dimensions.
   
   If you are not ready, they are scary. If you are strong in your practice and ready, they are just denizens of another world...no biggie.
6. Hearing the unheard - you open up your sensory perception at a heightened level that you hear sounds not heard by the common man. Again, when the practice is not strong enough, you may panic.
7. Scourge to humanity - the most heinous crimes committed in human history are by people who have acquired Siddhis with no moral foundation - Hitler, Napoleon, Genghis Khan, George Bush (W and Sr). Be established in the Yama and Niyama while practicing yoga from the start (even though the Nath Yogis dismiss this).
8. You can lose it - misused Siddhis could be lost. Use it wisely. Healers who overcharge eventually lose their healing powers.

Siddhis are a tall claim, especially the ones that are bigger than life - defy aging or even death. Why? Because all these sages, yogis and ascendant masters aged and died. Are siddhis real? From a personal perspective, yes, they do exist to a point where they are still within human range - increased articulation, clearer-faster-sharper-expansive thinking, resilience to disease, delayed aging, increased strength, synchronicities, exorcising your demons, etc. These enhancements come with deepened practice. But I haven't met anyone with superhuman abilities. Even if there are those who possess these magical gifts, I don't think they'd like to come out in the open. For one thing, it diverts their practice because public adulation will be intoxicating. Secondly, people regard them as not-normal - they lose their boy-next-door accessibility. People will hound them for whatever needs they have.

Personally, I toyed with the idea of having these supernatural gifts. But what would I do with them? If I had the ability to reverse Çovid, would I? Perhaps not. I see these things as karmic episodes that need to happen for a purpose beyond my limited comprehension. Who am I to get in the way?

Candidly though, if I do develop a siddhi, I would like it to be an animadi (to be infinitely small) so I can take the size of a photon. Another siddhi I'd like is prapti (traveling at the speed of thought) so I can travel at the speed of light, like that of a photon. This is my burning desire. Why? Because photons are quantum-sized particles traveling at the speed of light. It's not so much the speed per se, but how time and space warp at that speed. Time slows down (time dilation) as you near the speed of light. But at the speed of light, time itself stops - you are not leaving the past behind and you are not approaching the future. Both past and future are contained in the present. Science claims that all 3 elements of time are a singularity. But our minds cannot comprehend that because we experience time as linear - leaving the past, experiencing the present and heading into the future. But as a photon, you actually experience the singularity of time. I find this more fascinating than walking on water. And if I ever develop that siddhi, my lips will be sealed.

There is a story about Buddha meeting a siddha (yogi with perfected Siddhis) who was meditating for 25 years by the river bank. When asked what he has gained from all that meditation for such great length of time, the siddha said he can cross the river by walking on water. Buddha exclaimed that for a sheer coin, he could have taken the ferry and spent his 25 years doing something else.

1. Siddhi: An Essay on Yogic Power - a short documentary/essay on the subject of Siddhi in the The Yoga-Sūtra of Patañjali by Georgi Krastev
2. Vibhuti Pada (Siddhis) - Patanjali's 3rd book on his Yoga Sutras
3. Siddhi (08-09): 8 Major Siddhis - Hatha Yoga Pradipika
4. The Secret Natural Abililties of Man - by likeanangel

1. Advanced yogis - ideal integration for those who have many years of yoga practice, strong in their asana, pranayama, kumbhaka, bandha and mudra
2. Intermediate - 1 to 2 years practice, you should be strong in your practice and ready to dip your toes into this new realm of moving energy
3. Beginners - 6 months to one year practice, you're not a newbie anymore. But this is still too advanced for your practice. However, this will give you a blueprint, a working knowledge and muscle-memory for what's ahead when you are ready to level-up.
4. Newbies - this is not for you. Practice Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama first.

Yoga has an infinite array of asana, pranayama, mudra and bandha. But in this class, only the components essential to Siddhi-activation are factored in.

Asana

1. Sirsasana Kriya - on a headstand (Sirsasana), the most powerful chakra, Sahasrara chakra, is activated. This is where energy and consciousness unite, where Parvati and Shiva unite, where prana no longer flows along Ida and Pingala but along the Sushumna. All Siddhis are acquired with Sahasrara activation.
   
   Since the heart no longer fights gravity, there is more oxygenated blood pumped to the head and pineal gland (Ajna chakra).
   
   It's a tall claim to say Sirsasana can overcome birth and death. But I would like to interpret this as attaining a level where you become a "non-returner" or an arahant - a person who is no longer reincarnated after death because he has attained a level of spirituality where all karmic debts have been paid.
   
   Additionally, Sirsasana reverses the flow of Amrita (the nectar of immortality) and thus reverses/slows down the aging process.
   
   I consider Sirsasana as part and parcel of a inversion kriya (a sequence of Asanas with a specific objective). The kriya is sequenced as follows: Sirsasana, Halasan (as primer for Sarvangasana), Sarvangasana, Halasan (yes, again), Karnapidasana, Urdhva Padmasana, and Pindasana. As a series of counter-poses: Mathsyasana, Uttana Padasana, Pachimottanasana.

Sirsasana Kriya

Sequence

2. Sirsasana - headstand, up to point-of-failure, but time it. Breathe slow as this is also a mudra
3. Halasana 1 - plow, an expression of Jalandhara bandha, short primer for Sarvangasana, so we can establish the reach of our hands on the back
4. Sarvangasana - shoulderstand, an expression of Jalandhara bandha (so focus on the Vishuddhi chakra), hold as long as Sirsasana (that's why you had to time it)
5. Halasana 2 - full expression, do Maha Bandha Mudra
6. Karnapidasana - an expression of Jalandhara + Maha Bandha mudra
7. Urdhva Padmasana - inverted Lotus pose
8. Pindasana - do with Maha Bandha mudra

Counter Poses

9. Mathsyasana - head is pressed on its Bindu chakra
10. Uttana Padasana - head is pressed on its Bindu chakra
11. Pachimottanasana - until satiated

Pranayama

12. Pranayama - In Hatha Yoga Pradipika, it is said that to be strong and live a long healthy life, you need to practice Asana and Pranayama. However, if you want Kundalini-awakening and Siddhi activation, you need to practice Bandha, Kumbhaka and Mudra. But you cannot do these without Pranayama. The Pranayama we'll do in the class consists of Ujjayi, Kapalbhati, Nadi shodan and Wim Hof breathing.
13. Surya bhedan - prevents old age and increases the body heat and awakens kundalini. (it's interesting that its counter part, Chandra bhedan is not included as a siddhi-activating pranayama)
14. Kapalbhati - Kapalbhati is so powerful it's not just a Pranayama but also one of the Shat Kriyas to purify and prime the system for Siddhi activation. It also rejuvenates tired cells and nerves, keeping the face young, shining and wrinkle-free


11 mins

Manas Mudra (mudras on the head)

15. Khechari mudra - When the tongue constantly presses the nasal cavity, fatal diseases, old age are warded off. This can be done together with asana, pranayama or with other mudras. If the practice of Khechari mudra can be perfected, the process of degeneration in the body is reversed. Khechari activates Bindu flow and wards off old age and manifests Siddhis. The yogi who remains with the tongue going upwards for even half a second is freed from toxins, disease, and old age. In the Yoga Kundalini Upanishad, it is even stated that practitioners are 'freed from old age and death'. Hatha Yoga Pradipika claims that if you can only do one mudra in all of yoga, let it be Khechari mudra). If you encounter a sage who knows and practices Khechari mudra, choose him to be your guru.
    
    
    (Khechari mudra) is extreme and very invasive. I don't practice it, thus it's not part of this class. I posted it just the same because it's a powerful mudra to activate Siddhis. As a gentler substitute, I do the Nabho / Manduka Mudra instead (below).
16. Manduka / Nabho Mudra - this is a gentler form of Khechari mudra. The tip of the tongue is pressed against the soft palate (Nabho) or pressed left to right on the soft palate (Manduka). Both prevent aging and will not allow greying of hair. These mudras are not as powerful as Khechari mudra, but they are the next best thing providing essentially the same benefits. But if you really want to do Khechari mudra, you can cut-off your frenulum and pull your tongue long over the years.

Bandhas / Mudras

17. Mula bandha - the 3 most powerful nadis (Ida, Pingala and Sushumna energy pathways), together with the dormant Kundalini Shakti, reside in the Muladhara Chakra. Engaging Mula Bandha activates the Muladhara chakra. This pushes up Apana vayu to unite with Prana vayu. This also generates heat to awaken the Kundalini shakti. Mula bandha is instrumental in un-knotting the Brahma granthi (psychic knot) in the Muladhara and Svadisthana chakras, caused by attachment to worldly possessions.
18. Uddiyana bandha - Uddiyana, when it is done regularly, even an old person can become young again. Uddiyana can slow down the natural process of degeneration and aging and make even an old person look young. Uddiyana bandha is instrumental in un-knotting the Vishnu granthi (psychic knot) in the Manipura and Anahata chakras, caused by fear - e.g. fear of leaving your comfort zone for something that excites more, fear of leaving a dead relationship simply because you'd been together too long, etc..
19. Jalandhara bandha - Jalandhara regulates the flow of Amrita, the Nectar of Immortality. It prevents Amrita to flow back to be burned at the Jatara Agni (digestive fire) and instead, to be distributed in the body as Bindu (energy uqually as powerful as Prana).
    
    Additionally, Jalandhara stops the looping of prana from Ida to Pingala, and instead, redirects Prana to flow along the Sushumna nadi where Siddhis are activated.
    
    Jalandhara bandha is instrumental in un-knotting the Rudra granthi (psychic knot) in the Vishudhi and Ajna chakras, caused by attachment to the power of Siddhis and psychic powers.
20. Maha Bandha mudra - When the two opposite poles of energy unite in the navel center, the decaying, degenerating and aging processes are then checked and every cell of the body is rejuvenated. Raising the apana upward and bringing the prana down from the throat, the yogi becomes free from old age and appears as if sixteen years of age. Engaging the three bandhas, the body is influenced in such a way that degeneration no longer occurs. By contracting the perineum, performing uddiyana and locking ida and pingala with jalandhara, sushumna becomes active. Prana and breath become still. Thus old age and sickness are conquered.
21. Maha mudra - the symptoms of old age are either annihilated or reduced
22. Maha vedha mudra - in its practice, wrinkles, grey hair and the trembling of old age are evaded. The symptoms of old age are either annihilated or reduced
23. Maha mudra, Maha bandha and Maha vedha mudra - individually, they are powerful (that's why they are called mudra). But together, they are synergistic. I practice them as a Kriya - bundled together towards a specific outcome. They are the three great secrets which destroy old age, increase the digestive fire and bestow the siddhis

Mantra Chanting

24. Bija Mantra chanting - Siddhi activation is a function of Chakra awakening. Additionally, mantra chanting is one of the many ways to activate Siddhi. So, for the Mantra component of the workshop, Bija Mantra chanting is done. Every chakra has a seed mantra. e.g. LAM mantra for the Muladhara chakra, etc. Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om, Om

Meditation

25. Nada - Goraknath was partial about Nada meditation for his Siddhi development. Thus, out of the many ways to meditate, we choose this method. When the body is already exhausted (from asana), when the mind is already still, and the emotions already emptied out, one can focus on subtle sounds emanating from the head. These sounds are Nada - the unstruck sounds.
26. Sambhavi Mudra Meditation - in Siddhasana or Padmasana, close the eyes and fix awareness on the 3rd Eye. Don't intensify the concentration. Just focus your attention on that area. As the mind is stilled, you may feel some kind of sensation. Observe that sensation without reacting to it.

Homework

27. Vajroli mudra - sperm retention. This is very powerful but cannot be done in class. This is an entire course on its own, but in a nutshell, it redirects Bindu back for assimilation. This can be done as a homework.
28. Tapas - try to integrate Tapas in your day-to-day life and embrace the discomfort. Cold showers, taking the stairs, walking instead of riding a car, etc.
29. Neti pot - bring the 'pot' to class. This rids the sinuses of old mucus, but it also makes one attractive and prevents the aging process from occurring
30. Nauli - bring 1 liter of water. This is one of the shat kriyas and essential in purifying the system

Jay
(Nov 27, 2023) Facinating compilation and insightful comments. I have a lot of observations but this is the one I'll make... The listed Sidhhis are extremely difficult to attain for most people albeit very real. Very few are fortunate to walk this path of simply being aware of these things in today's times. You are a medium that is spreading the awareness and perhaps you might have a greater role to assume later in life. You're desires might change once you feel even a single Saadhna's fulfilment. Visit the Himalaya when you feel the urge.