Avahan
An invocation of grace, often sung by the Siddha Yoga Guru as the opening of a talk. See also Siddha Yoga.
Chiti
A Sanskrit term for “Consciousness,” the all-pervasive supreme power that creates, sustains, and dissolves the entire universe; also, the power that conceals and reveals the Truth in human beings. Often personified as the Goddess, and sometimes more specifically as Kundalini Shakti, Chiti is also the power of spiritual evolution in a human being. See also Consciousness; Kundalini Shakti.
Consciousness
When referring to Chiti, Consciousness is the luminous, self-aware, and creative Reality that is the essential Self of all that exists; a name for God, the Absolute, the supreme Truth. See also Chiti; Self.
Gurudev Siddha Peeth
The Siddha Yoga Ashram in Maharashtra, India; the first Siddha Yoga Ashram. The name means “the sacred abode of a Siddha, a Guru who is one with God.” The Ashram’s original three buildings were constructed for Swami Muktananda at the command of his Guru, Bhagavan Nityananda, in 1956, near the village of Ganeshpuri. See also Siddha Yoga.
Kashmir Shaivism
A philosophical tradition propounded in the ninth through twelfth centuries by sages from the region of Kashmir in northern India, which explains how the supreme Principle, known as Shiva, manifests as the universe. Together with Vedantic philosophy, Kashmir Shaivism forms part of the body of scriptural teachings that are central to the Siddha Yoga path.
Kundalini Shakti
The primordial power, or shakti; also, the power of spiritual evolution as it manifests in a human being. The Sanskrit word kundalini literally means “coiled one,” while the Sanskrit word shakti literally means “power, energy, strength.” Kundalini Shakti is so named because the dormant form of this spiritual energy is represented as lying coiled within us in a subtle energy center near the base of the spine. This energy—when it is awakened and guided by the Siddha Yoga Guru and its progress is aided by the seeker’s own disciplined effort—brings about the seeker’s purification on all levels, physical and subtle, and leads to the permanent experience of one’s divine nature. See also Shaktipat; Siddha Yoga.
Mantra
Sacred syllables with the power to purify, protect, and transform the one who repeats them. A mantra received from a Siddha Guru is enlivened by the power of the Guru’s attainment. The Siddha Yoga mantras include Om Namah Shivaya, Guru Om, and So’ham. See also Siddha Guru.
Namasankirtana
Repetition of the divine name in song. On the Siddha Yoga path, the Sanskrit term namasankirtana refers both to the practice of chanting the divine name and to the chant itself. A namasankirtana is often chanted in a group in a call-and-response fashion with musical accompaniment. One can also practice namasankirtana individually and a cappella. Namasankirtana is a core Siddha Yoga practice. See also Siddha Yoga.
Namaste
A Sanskrit greeting of respect in India that means “I honor the divine light within you.” The salutation is traditionally made with the hands gently pressed together in front of the chest, palms touching, fingers pointing toward the sky. It is accompanied by a slight bow of the head to indicate respect.
Pratyabhijna-hridayam
An eleventh-century treatise in Sanskrit, whose title means “The Heart of Recognition.” Written by the Kashmiri sage Kshemaraja, it expounds on the yogic practice of pratyabhijna (recognition). It teaches that individuals, who have usually forgotten their true nature, can once again recognize the divinity of their own Self through the Guru’s grace and an experiential understanding of supreme Consciousness as the essence of all creation. See also Consciousness; Kashmir Shaivism; Self.
Raga
A collection of melodic patterns having characteristic phrases and embellishments, used as a basis for improvisation and composition in Indian music. The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word raga is “color.” Raga is traditionally described as “that which colors the mind and heart” because a raga evokes specific qualities and moods in both the listener and the performer.
Sadgurunath Maharaj ki Jay!
An invocation in Hindi that means “Hail to the true Guru!” On the Siddha Yoga path, it is uttered at the beginning and completion of a satsang, Siddha Yoga practice, or auspicious moment, to invoke the Guru’s grace and express gratitude. See also Siddha Yoga.
Sadhana
A Sanskrit word that means “leading straight to the goal; a means of accomplishing (something); spiritual practice.” The sadhana of Siddha Yoga students includes committed engagement with the essential Siddha Yoga practices and focused study of the Siddha Yoga teachings. The goal of Siddha Yoga sadhana is spiritual transformation that leads to Self-realization. See also Self-realization; Siddha Yoga.
Samadhi Shrine
The final resting place of a realized yogi’s body. Such a shrine is a place of worship, permeated with the saint’s spiritual power and alive with blessings. Baba Muktananda’s Samadhi Shrine is in Gurudev Siddha Peeth, the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Maharashtra, India.
Sannyasa
Monkhood. Also, the ceremony and vows of monkhood.
Satsang
A Hindi word (from the Sanskrit satsanga) that literally means “the company of the good; the company of the Truth,” and by extension “the company of spiritual seekers.” A satsang is a gathering of seekers for the purpose of meditating, chanting, listening to scriptural teachings, and discussing spiritual topics. A seeker can also have satsang by keeping their own good company through doing spiritual practices, holding good thoughts, and cultivating the divine virtues.
Self
The pure Consciousness that is the divine essence of a human being and of all created things. See also Consciousness.
Self-Realization
The state of enlightenment in which the individual merges with all-pervasive Consciousness. See also Consciousness.
Shaktipat
A Hindi term (from Sanskrit shaktipata) that means “descent of power; descent of grace.” On the Siddha Yoga path, shaktipat is an act of grace—the initiation (diksha) by which the Siddha Yoga Guru transmits divine energy to an aspirant and awakens that person’s Kundalini Shakti, the inner spiritual energy. Shaktipat diksha signals the beginning of Siddha Yoga sadhana, an inner journey that culminates in Self-realization. See also Kundalini Shakti; Sadhana; Siddha Guru; Siddha Yoga.
Siddha Guru
A perfected spiritual Master who has realized his or her oneness with God, and who is able both to bestow shaktipat initiation and to guide seekers to spiritual liberation. Such a Guru is also required to be learned in the scriptures and to belong to a lineage of Masters. See also Shaktipat.
Siddha Yoga
The spiritual path taught by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda and her Guru, Swami Muktananda. The journey of the Siddha Yoga path begins with shaktipat diksha (spiritual initiation). Through the grace of the Siddha Yoga Guru and the student’s own steady disciplined effort, the journey culminates in the constant recognition of divinity within oneself and within the world. See also Sadhana; Shaktipat.