The Power of Siddha Yoga Contemplation

Excerpts from Lesson 1:
Siddha Yoga Five-Part Contemplation

Excerpt 1

The purpose of this year's study is to become so practiced and skilled at Siddha Yoga contemplation that you can:

• access the Self, the inner Heart, with greater ease;
• deepen your spiritual practices and understanding;
• attune your thoughts, words, and actions to the wisdom of the Self; and
• understand the Guru's words and the scriptures with greater clarity, illuminated by the Heart, the Self of all.

I was inspired to learn to contemplate because, fourteen years ago, I heard Gurumayi say that contemplation is essential for progress in sadhana. This statement grabbed my interest because, naturally, I wanted to progress in sadhana. Within days, I started to practice contemplation as I had been taught in Siddha Yoga courses. The methods of contemplation that I will be sharing in this course are the Siddha Yoga methods of contemplation—the result of years of development, teaching, and learning by Siddha Yoga teachers under the guidance of Gurumayi.

Excerpt 2

Siddha Yoga contemplation is not the same as thinking about something. The word contemplation is often used colloquially to mean "thinking," or sometimes, even to mean meditation; however, the spiritual practice of Siddha Yoga contemplation is distinct from both of these. Thinking is on the level of the individual mind. Meditation focuses on the universal Heart, the Self of all. Contemplation is the bridge between these two aspects—the universal Self and the understanding of the mind.

Excerpt 3

In the same way that the physical world is discovered through questioning, the inner world is opened to the one who has the humility to admit not knowing and the courage to question beyond the engraved habits of thinking. The Greek philosopher Socrates is still remembered for his enormous contributions to Western philosophy and intellectual tradition, not because he gave brilliant lectures or wrote profound books, but rather because he pursued the truth by asking penetrating questions. For millennia, the Indian spiritual tradition has honored the role of questions on the spiritual path. The Guru Gita is the generous answer to Parvati's questions to Lord Shiva, and the Bhagavad Gita is a dynamic dialogue between the questioning Arjuna and his Guru, Lord Krishna.