Question: Besides Guru Siyag’s mantra, I know several other mantras. Can I also chant these mantras? Will it cause me any harm?

As mentioned above, the vibrations of each type of mantra make contact with a specific plane of consciousness. Chanting of several different mantras can produce a clash of vibrations that may cause disharmony. For example, you switch to a new doctor and begin a new treatment under him when your efforts to get well through the treatment by the previous doctor do not yield positive results. However, if you start taking treatment or medicines from both the current and previous doctor simultaneously it may lead to no improvement or it may even cause your health further damage. When you accept someone as a Guru, it is necessary that you place your faith in him and follow the spiritual practice shown by him sincerely and regularly.

With proliferation of Yoga schools in the West, and the selective adaption of spirituality to modern life, many people follow an eclectic form of spiritual practice. They choose different aspects of several spiritual paths and combine these together. Guru Siyag discourages seekers from following such methods as it is not a wholesome form of practice and does not do justice to any path. He says, “Accepting someone as your Guru is not a formality or something to take lightly. When a Guru gives Diksha (initiation), you are born again. After taking Diksha if you continue behaving the way you did before then what is the point of going to a Guru? If you don’t get any results, then go to another Guru.” To experience the benefits of GSY, the practitioner should only practice the mantra Japa and meditation of Guru Siyag for a sustained period of time, and turn to other practices when no significant change in the personality is noticed.

Question: What kind of experiences can one expect during meditation under GSY?

In most cases practitioners experience a variety of involuntary yogic movements (Kriya) without their own willful efforts. Swaying or gyrating of body and rapid movement of head are most common. Various yoga asanas (postures), kriya (movements),  bandhs (locks),  mudra  (gesture) and  pranayam  (breath movements) may also occur. Others may have different experiences in the body like vibrations, sensation of electric current running along the spinal column, leaning forward or backward, rolling on the ground, contracting and expanding of stomach, irregular movements of hands, clapping, shouting, crying, laughing, singing, lying prostrate etc. Some practitioners even experience speaking foreign languages.

Some experience seeing divine light, sensing fragrant smells, hearing tinkling of bells or beating of drums or claps of thunder. Some practitioners witness events that have occurred in the past or those that will occur in the future like floods or earthquakes or events in their personal lives etc.

Many feel an indescribable joy during meditation that cannot be compared to any earthly experience.  Some others see or feel the presence of Guru Siyag or other divine entities during meditation. As the practitioner progresses on the spiritual path, he/she begins to get connected with various divine cosmic forces and imbibes rare experiences that are impossible to have in ordinary life and that which take him to higher levels of spiritual evolution.

However, a practitioner must remember that he should not break meditation due to over-excitement, joy or fear. These experiences are induced by Shakti Kundalini to free the body and mind from diseases, addiction and stress, and prepare the practitioner for his onward spiritual journey.

Question: Why do various yogic kriyas and asanas differ from practitioner to practitioner in GSY?

In conventional yoga practice, practitioners are made to perform uniform or similar yogic exercises by a yoga trainer because that system does not take into account each practitioner’s different physical, mental and spiritual background. Also, conventional yoga practice lacks divine element. It neither offers the practitioner any permanent health benefits nor leads him to self realization (Atmagyana) necessary to attain Moksha, which is the real purpose of yoga.

In contrast, anyone who observes Guru Siyag’s disciples meditating in a big group together is amazed to see each of them going through different and seemingly difficult yogic postures and movements during meditation without self-effort.

All individuals differ from each other in their physical and mental makeup. This is true even if they are from the same family or are closely related. Also, each individual carries in this life the burden of Karmas from his past lives. The Kundalini is a feminine divine cosmic energy force which is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. She knows every living creature’s past, present and future in detail, and is therefore called the Mother of the Universe. So when the Kundalini is awakened, she deals with each individual differently. Acting in accordance with the Siddha Guru’s influence, she induces only those yogic postures in an individual seeker which she knows are best suited to cure the limbs or organs in his body that are affected by any diseases, addiction or any other afflictions he may have. This is the reason why yogic movements induced by Kundalini differ from practitioner to practitioner.

According to yogic texts, sanskara (deep impressions or seed habit patterns) of past lives and karma of the present one shape the course of our present life. These actions also result in Adidehik (physical), Adibhautik (mental) and Adidaivik (spiritual) diseases. The practitioner can be freed from this Trividhi-taap  (threefold affliction) by taking recourse to a Siddha Guru and practicing Siddha Yoga Sadhana (spiritual practice) regularly. Guru Siyag says, “Throughout the world only physical exercises are being performed in the name of Yoga. When I went to the United States of America I saw that there too, Yoga meant physical exercise. But the aim of the Yoga described in Vedic philosophy is Moksha or liberation from the cycle of life and death. In fact, Vedic philosophy does not speak of diseases at all. For instance, the Patanjali Yoga philosophy has 195 sutra (aphorisms) and none of them mention anything about diseases. The philosophy speaks of the ways in which the imprints (sanskara) of past lives can be destroyed.” Conventional yoga system or modern medical treatment can only provide temporary relief from chronic/terminal diseases but not lasting cure, which only spiritual practice can offer.

When the seeker’s body and mind is purified, he becomes aware of the true purpose of his life and progresses on the spiritual path under Guru Siyag’s guidance.

Question: Why do some people scream or shout or cry loudly during meditation?

There could be many reasons for these outbursts during meditation. Some of them could be:

• The practitioner is probably suffering from some vocal-chord/throat-related problem.
• It could also be a form of Pranayam induced by the Kundalini aimed at healing that or any other related affliction in the body through this kind of screaming.
• Many people have the tendency to suppress emotions due to social pressure or emotional conditioning. When they meditate, these suppressed emotions find release through screaming, shouting or crying loudly. Such people admit that they feel great relief after meditation.
• An apparently normal person sometimes behaves strangely or does something in a sudden fit of anger that he cannot explain later when he cools down. In all probability, he is momentarily possessed by a negative energy which prompts his strange behavior. People who are possessed by negative energies usually resort to screaming or shouting during meditation in Guru Siyag’s presence or even while meditating on his photo. Because Guru Siyag is an enlightened master, his divinity pervades the whole universe. Guru Siyag is always present with the disciple in subtle form even if physically he is away somewhere else. When the disciple begins to meditate, he is instantly connected with Guru Siyag. The negative energy in the practitioner’s body then cannot stand the force of Gurudev’s divinity. It tries its best to break the practitioner’s meditation by making him scream or shout in order to snap his connection with the divine power. However, the negative energy never succeeds and it has to leave the practitioner’s body. A negative energy is like a troublesome tenant who refuses to leave the house he is renting even if the lease period has lapsed and the house owner wants the house back in his possession. The negative energy then resorts to various dirty tricks to prolong his stay in the house that doesn’t belong to him. When a divine force tries to evict this spirit from the possessed body it creates a huge ruckus.

Question: Can I meditate on someone else’s behalf?

We are often asked if it is alright to meditate on someone else’s behalf.

The answer is: yes but only under specific conditions. Such a meditation can be done when the person concerned cannot meditate for various reasons such as:

• A parent or close relative can meditate for a child too young do it himself/herself. Normally, children over the age of five are able to understand the concept of meditation and can even meditate for short durations. For younger children, an adult can meditate on behalf of the child.
• Mental impairment or disability could prevent a person from meditating. A close relative could meditate on such a person’s behalf or aid them in meditation by sitting with them.
• A close relative can meditate for someone with reduced mental capacity: a person in a persistent vegetative state (coma) or in a semi-conscious state due to illness or under the influence of opiates that have impaired logical thought.

Who can meditate on someone’s behalf?

GSY works powerfully when the person you are meditating for is very close to you, whom you love deeply, and about whom you are deeply concerned. A parent, sibling, cousin, friend or relative who shares a strong bond with the person, can mediate on their behalf.

To meditate for someone else: Before you begin meditation, pray to Gurudev asking him to bless this person / ask for a solution to their problem. Then meditate in the same way that you do otherwise. If the person is suffering from a severe problem, pray for them during meditation and also at other times throughout the day.

Affect on sadhna by Guru Siyag’s ascension? 

As most GSY practitioners and visitors of this page know, Guru Siyag departed from his mortal body on June 5, 2017. Since then, a number of disciples have expressed concern over the state of their Sadhana (spiritual practice). They feel that since Guru Siyag is no more, the mantra and meditation will become powerless, and also that their connection with the Guru will come to an end. The following post is to assure all disciples and practitioners that their Sadhana will be unaffected by Guru Siyag’s passing, and everyone will continue to reap the benefits of GSY and progress on its path as before.

• The Guru Does Not Die: Many years ago, a disciple asked Guru Siyag how he managed to do his Sadhana since his Guru, Gangainathji, passed away soon after giving Diksha to Gurudev. To this Gurudev replied, “Gangainathji may be dead to you but he isn’t to me. To me, he is immortal. Even after his body has perished, he continues to guide me from the subtle plane.” From Guru Siyag’s response it is clear that the Guru’s grace is not something that is regulated and dispensed by the physical body. It comes from a higher consciousness and guides, protects and motivates the seeker. The path of Japa and meditation shown by Guru Siyag remains as powerful as before, and he continues to guide devoted seekers.
• The Mantra is Empowered: The mantra given by Guru Siyag has been empowered not only by Guru Siyag but also by the lineage of Gurus before him. Each Guru, through his tapasya (spiritual discipline) further strengthened the potency of the mantra and passed it on only to chosen disciples. Guru Siyag gained the mantle of Guru at a time when the world was in great strife, and in much need of spiritual succor. With the blessings of Gangainathji, Guru Siyag did not limit the dissemination of spiritual knowledge only to a few disciples but gave it freely to everyone. At first, Guru Siyag gave the mantra en masse only in person on Thursdays. Later, in 2009, recognizing the limitations of his aging body and the growing crises in the world, he permitted his disciples to pass on the mantra through different electronic mediums such TV broadcast, Youtube, Facebook, Whatsapp etc.
• The Guru is Within You: The Guru is also not just the physical being we see externally. He is within all of us. Guru Siyag explains this, “Who is a Guru? A Guru is not just the individual you see in a mortal body. His mortal body will wither and meet its end one day. But the Guru (is the divine force which) never dies; he is eternal and ageless. The Guru grows within (the inner depths of the seeker’s consciousness). In our yogic science, time and space have no value. You are within me; and I am within you. Whenever you remember me, you will find me within you. If a Guru is a genuine one, he is omnipresent (he is present simultaneously everywhere; he is not constrained by the limits of time and space). When you come to me to receive Diksha, I don’t give you anything special. In fact, no Guru has the power to give you anything or take anything away from you. Any Guru who makes a claim otherwise is only fooling you. During Diksha I only introduce you to the Guru within you. It is your job to form a bond with this Guru, and the only way to do this is through mantra Japa and meditation.”
• Guru’s Image Induces Meditation: Guru Siyag is unique because he has realized God in both states — Sagun (with form and relevant attributes) and Nirgun (without form – infinite, eternal and supreme consciousness that is present everywhere but can’t be seen). Even when Guru Siyag is physically absent, spiritual seekers can experience deep meditation and amazing yogic movements when they meditate on his picture. This is because Guru Siyag is not a physical body but a consciousness that is present everywhere. Anyone who prays to Him by heart and meditates on His image will experience the same divine blessings that they would have when Gurudev was in his physical body. Sri Aurobindo has said that if a yogi is able to attain both the Sagun and Nirgun in one lifetime, it would lead to the resolution of the entire crisis faced by mankind. If one person attains this twin spiritual power, then this spiritual transformation is replicable in all mankind.
• New practitioners report profound experiences: A number of disciples in India and around the world who had received Diksha after Guru Siyag’s ascension (departure from the physical realm), and who were unaware of this development, reported deep meditation, yogic movements and profound experiences during meditation. This only goes to show that the connection with the inner Guru (and subsequently Kundalini Shakti), remains unaffected by the physical absence of Guru Siyag. His grace continues to bless practitioners and disciples from the subtle sphere.

Why do I get bored?

It is quite common to hear disciples say, “When I first began doing GSY, I was very enthusiastic and meditated and chanted the mantra with complete sincerity. Few months down the line I have found that my interest in GSY has waned and sometimes I even forget to chant the mantra and skip the meditation for days.” Why does this happen?

There are several reasons for this. Some are mentioned below:

• Getting bored of an activity after a few weeks is a part of human nature. This is especially true if one is doing the practice with a dedication that borders on the obsessive OR if the practice is being done in a careless manner. Let us understand this with an example some of you may be familiar with: if you wind the strings of a guitar very tight, they will be too taut to produce any sound. Similarly, if you wind the strings quite loose, they will be too slack to produce any sound.
• In the first instance, if GSY is practiced in an over-disciplined and regimented way, the stress will cause one to grow tired of the practice. These types of seekers are often found to cut themselves off from social life, have inflexible meditation times, will wake up before dawn to meditate, will analyze every experience in minute detail, and will isolate themselves to chant the mantra. While their efforts are appreciable, such a practice cannot be sustained over a long period of time. Such practitioners fall into a spiritual exhaustion and sometimes need a break from spirituality!
• In the other instance, some practitioners are not disciplined with their daily practice – they don’t set aside time for meditation or try to compensate for it by cramming in many meditations over the weekend, sometimes they don’t notice they have forgotten to meditate, if they go on a holiday or to stay with friends / relatives, they neglect to meditate, and in many cases they don’t chant the mantra at all etc. Quite obviously, these kinds of practitioners don’t see any noticeable change in their personality, and their interest begins to wane.
• Instead of falling into these two extremes, it is best follow a practice that is disciplined and yet non-stressful. Make a mental note that you need to meditate once in the morning and once in the evening. While the time at which you meditate is flexible, make sure you follow through with this daily regimen. Set reminders on your phone or put up post-its around your most frequented spots that remind you to chant the mantra during all waking, non-occupied hours. Please read our earlier post on tips and tricks to chant for ways to strengthen your practice.
• Finding people who share or resonate with your interest in spirituality is a beautiful thing. The exchange of experiences acts as an inspiration that encourages you to keep advancing on your spiritual path. However, when we don’t have anyone around us to share experiences with or even discuss problems / obstacles in spiritual life, we begin to feel very isolated and discouraged. Sometimes people turn away from a practice only because they have no one else to talk to about it. This is why we often find people thronging to spiritual “courses” because our need for community is so strong. While GSY may not have ashrams or communes in different parts of the world, it does have a large network of seekers residing in many countries.
• Seekers with a deep thirst for spiritual experiences read a variety of books on numerous yoga paths. When they begin the practice of GSY, everything they have read converges onto it and they begin to have high expectations of what they must experience during meditation. They forget that experiences are often a result or rather a carryover from sadhana done in past lives. This is why Anubhutis (spiritual experiences) don’t follow a specific pattern, and are different for each individual. When expectations are not met, the seeker begins to feel disinterested in the practice of GSY. This is not to say that one must not read about Yoga. Necessary reading should be done with the caveat that everything one reads is not necessarily applicable to GSY. Since the methods, approach and philosophy of each Yoga path are different, the experiences of each will be different too. When one begins the practice of GSY, this fore-knowledge must be suspended for a little while.
• Some disciples say that the initial days of beginning GSY are filled with profound experiences. Each meditation is completely different from the next: variety of Kriyas, visions, sensations, revelations etc. However, this begins to taper off and after a while the seeker seems to hit a plateau. They have experiences now and then but not like the constant stream as before. Seekers feel disheartened by this change in pace and begin to slack off. When a disciple once mentioned this to Guru Siyag he said, “A practitioner’s spiritual progress does not stop when he / she dies. It is only the body that perishes. In the next life when the practitioner begins Yoga, they pick up from where they left off in the past life. When this connection is made, the seeker experiences a sudden unlocking of consciousness. They experience a constant flow of many Anubhutis. Once this connection is firmly established with regular practice, the seeker begins to ascend in consciousness and so it seems like their experiences have slowed down. In reality, they have graduated to a new level of consciousness. It is best to not be attached to particular experiences and keep moving forward.” From Guru Siyag’s teaching it can be understood that Anubhutis are only the beginning of the spiritual journey. To continue to progress, the seeker must devote themselves all the more to the practice. In fact, like other spheres of life, spirituality too requires hard work and dedication. Guru Siyag often said, “Moksha is not child’s play. It is not a gift the Guru hands you willy nilly. It requires surrender, focus, hard work and dedication on the part of the practitioner.”
• There are other seekers, on the other hand, who have no experiences at all. They too lose interest in GSY because they look around them and see people experiencing yogic Kriyas and mudras, diseases being healed, stress being relieved but they haven’t undergone any noticeable change.

Few reasons for the lack of spiritual progress –

What if you have not experienced any Kriyas, subtle inner movements or changes in your attitude, personality and lifestyle? What could you be doing wrong? As promised, in today’s post we will talk about the mistakes you may be making in your Sadhana that hinder the progress of the Kundalini or even her awakening. Below are a few reasons for the lack of spiritual progress:

Incorrect Practice: Make sure you are pronouncing the mantra correctly when chanting (silent, mental repetition). A combination of sounds makes the mantra potent. If even one sound is incorrect, the mantra will not have any effect. If you are unsure of the mantra pronunciation, mention your email in comments below and we will send you the mantra video clip along with an explanation on pronunciation. Similarly, it is important to follow the meditation technique used in GSY correctly. If you would like a detailed and step-by-step method of meditation, mention your email below and we will send it to you.

Inconsistent Practice: Guru Siyag advises seekers to meditate twice a day for 15 minutes each and chant the mantra given by him round-the-clock. Many practitioners neglect to do one of these; chanting is usually overlooked. Practitioners chant only during meditation and then forget to do it the rest of the day. Guru Siyag says that chanting is the key to the awakening of the Kundalini. If you don’t do it enough, the Shakti will not respond. Similarly, meditation done in brief spurts does not have the effects desired by the practitioner Deluding Oneself: It is important to be forthright with yourself. Very often, practitioners will not accept that they are not disciplined in their Sadhana (spiritual practice and discipline) and try to find shortcomings in GSY. This is a very harmful attitude because it means that the seeker is not ready to take any responsibility for his / her personal growth and is looking for the Guru or Yoga practice to do all the work for them. Usually, these kinds of practitioners abandon one spiritual practice in favour of another without fully devoting themselves to either.

Knowledge Overload: A lot of times people will cram themselves with knowledge about Yoga philosophy, tantra, meditation, techniques, schools of thought, Chakra activation / cleansing etc and try to apply that to GSY. Sometimes they will also try and tweak the GSY technique in some way! Often, people fall between this gap of material knowledge and practice and lose their way — they cherry pick particular experiences they’d like to have or create certain goals that need to be fulfilled. When these expectations are not met, they grow dissatisfied and blame the practice. Since these individuals are so focused on a particular experience, the actual changes they are going through go unnoticed. While referring to these kinds of Yoga seekers Guru Siyag once said, “People unnecessarily complicate the Yoga. It is simple and straightforward. In their quest to awaken Chakras, people lose themselves.”

Question: Why is it necessary to concentrate on the third eye, Agyachkara (also known as Ajnachakra), during meditation?

In his own words below, Guru Siyag explains the importance of the Agyachakra:

“Where do you focus your mind during meditation? You are the vast universe; so which part of your body should you concentrate on while meditating? To solve this problem, ancient sages sectioned the human body in two parts: the upper part begins at the crown of the head and goes down to the center of the forehead; and the lower part starts from center of the forehead and goes down to the tip of the anus. The lower part consists of nine openings (sensory organs) or ‘Nau Dwar’ (nine doors – eyes, ears, nose, mouth and the two private parts from where human waste is discharged).

“The lower part of the body, consisting of nine outlets, is the world of Maya – the illusory cosmic force (which binds us to worldly existence and shuts us off from our true divine self). When the mind is focused on any portion of the lower body, it is called the worship of Maya. This kind of worship is beneficial but the benefits that it yields are short-lived because they are material in nature. So you will enjoy material benefits (for a while) but you will not be freed from the endless cycle of birth and death. Only when you connect with the eternal divine, will you realize your true self.

(Now, about the upper part of the body) “You may have seen pictures of Lord Shiva that depict him with a third eye in the centre of his forehead. All of you — men and women — have this third eye on your forehead (though it is subtle and not visible). This is the ‘Dasva Dwar’, the 10^th door or opening located in the upper part of the body. This is the divine light. This is the only door that opens within (into the inner spiritual world). All other doors open outside (to the external physical world). This is why I make you focus on this third eye. It is called Agyachakra. When this door opens during meditation, you will delve into your inner self. All the other nine sensory organs or openings look out. So they don’t provide any scope for turning your gaze inward. It is only when the 10^th door is opened that all your problems are solved. This is why the mind should be focused on the Agyachakra. If this door remains closed, you will not experience anything — you will neither be able to meditate nor will you attain Moksha (freedom from the cycle of births and death). So meditate on your Agyachakra.

Question: What is the significance of meditating on Guru Siyag’s image during GSY meditation?

Guru Siyag is a Siddha – A perfected spiritual master who has attained both the divine states Sagun (God in visible form and qualities) and Nirgun (God in invisible state without any Gunasor attributes). Gurudev’s divine powers are not restricted to his body alone. His divine powers exist everywhere in the universe in invisible, subtle form, and so meditation on his photograph has the same impact as his personal presence. Meditation on Guru Siyag’s image is an invocation of his grace. Guru Siyag says, “The Guru is a gravitational force. This body is not the Guru. This body will die in a few years. The Guru is within you. The science of yoga does not value time and space. I am within you and you are within me. Whenever and wherever you remember me, I’ll be present. If a Guru is a true Guru, then he is omnipresent.”

Once a seeker receives mantra Diksha (initiation) from Gurudev either in person or via electronic mediums (such as the internet, TV, CD or a video-clip by email) and becomes a disciple, he establishes a permanent contact with Gurudev on the subtle level. Gurudev is therefore always present with the disciple whether he is near Gurudev or somewhere far away. Gurudev’s protective presence and guidance is always available to the disciple whenever he remembers or prays to Him wholeheartedly. This is why a mere picture of Gurudev is as effective as his blessing the disciple in person.

Question: When a disciple meditates on Guru Siyag’s image, his Agyachakra becomes active and energized. How does the disciple then get the other chakras activated?

To answer this question we need to first understand the spiritual composition of the body:

God dwells in the human body in the male and the female subtle-form at two opposite ends. Over the crown of the head is a subtle, invisible point called Sahasrara, where male God Shiva dwells. At the base of the spinal column is another subtle, invisible point called Muladhar (the supporting root of the body) where Goddess Kundalini dwells. Between these two divine centers there are five subtle, invisible chakras – cosmic energy hubs – which are placed vertically upon each other at brief intervals in a subtle column called Sushumna that runs parallel to the physical spinal column. These chakras start upward from the point near the bottom of the spinal column and then go up to the throat. Beyond the throat chakra is another key point at the centre of the forehead, the Agyachakra or the Third Eye. All the five chakras are connected with a vast but invisible network of 72,000 NAdis (tube or pipe-like channels through which vayus – winds or airs – flow) spread all over the body.

The Agyachakra is above all the Chakras, and is the final gate through which the Kundalini reaches Shiva, which in turn leads the practitioner to Moksha. When a disciple mediates on the Agyachakra and chants Guru Siyag’s mantra, his divine grace prompts the Kundalini to rise through Sushumna and pierce all the six chakras in the body one by one before reaching and energizing the Agyachakra. The disciple does not have to make any special effort to activate the other five chakras; they are effortlessly stimulated by the Kundalini.