Yoga Siddhis Techniques

Siddhi is a Sanskrit word meaning "perfection" or "attainment." According to Swami Amritananda Saraswati, yoga siddhi techniques are methods used to derive your own psychic powers. Access to these powers are usually given by a Guru, also known as a teacher. However, there is no scientific proof that these powers exist. Consult with your doctor before practicing siddhi techniques.

Benefits of Yoga Siddhis

While some believe siddhi techniques help you tap into your psychic powers, some of the techniques may be useful for the average person who has no desire to be psychic. Techniques used to achieve these powers involve breathing exercises, chanting, mantra practice and chakra activation. Practicing these techniques may also be helpful in improving memory, productivity, energy levels and sleep.

Brahmari Pranayama

Brahmari Pranayama is a breathing exercise used to activate psychic powers as well as improve memory. Sit comfortable and close your eyes. Close your ears with the palms of your hands and inhale through your nose. On the exhale, open your lips slightly and allow your teeth to come apart. Hum the sound "Om," and exhale fully. In the yoga tradition, it is believed that this sound creates a vibration in your body that changes the mental patterns in your brain, potentially making you more balanced.

Siddhi Mantras

The practice of mantra, reciting a word or a phrase, is often used as a siddhi technique. Many use a mala, a string of sacred beads, while practicing mantras. As you state the mantra out loud or in your head, you slide your fingers over one bead for each repetition. Once you have received a certain level of proficiency with a particular mantra, it is called "Mantra Siddhi." This means you have achieved power associated with the mantra. A minimum of 125,000 repetitions must be performed to achieve "Mantra Siddhi."

Additional Cautions and Considerations

Be wary of gurus or teachers that make unrealistic claims about their teachings in siddhi techniques. The techniques taught by Maharishi in transcendental meditation, a technique introduced to the United States in the 1970s, rumored to have promised supernatural powers such as levitation. Keep an objective eye when studying and practicing yoga siddhi techniques.