Do Powers (Siddhis) distract you from Enlightenment?

In this short video, taken from the ‘Ask the Avatar’ session between Paramahamsa Nithyananda and Rajiv Malhotra (for full interview, follow http://bit.ly/29Xt5Y8), the topic of Siddhis and whether they distract or encourage us on our path to enlightenment. As Rajiv Malhotra opens the topic, he suggests that the Siddhis are a science. Appearing as a miracle or as magic to people who are unknowledgeable, but experienced as a science to those who have discovered it. In his reply, Paramahamsa Nithyananda states that there are people who simply disbelieve the possibility of siddhis, and others who feel siddhis are a distraction from enlightenment, which is not true. He then makes a very important distinction between siddhis as per Patanjali’s tradition, and the expression of powers in Sadashiva’s tradition, which is much older. In Sadashiva’s system, known as Shashtanga Yoga, Siddhi’s do not manifest on the way to enlightenment, but from the space of rootedness in enlightenment. Sadashiva revealed his science 60.000 years ago. Patanjali was actually a disciple of Sadashiva, and delivers his system from how he understands Sadashiva’s teachings and as required for the people of his time. Paramahamsa Nithyananda makes it very clear that all powers expressed by disciples of Nithyananda are not Siddhis as per Patanjali but Shaktis as per Sadashiva. The Shaktis do not stop someone from reaching enlightenment, they manifest only when someone is rooted in the enlightenment space. Someone who expresses powers as per the tradition of Patanjali, if you ask him how he does it, he will say he concentrates and centers himself, does pratyahara, dharana. But a disciple of Paramahamsa Nithyananda, if you ask him how he expresses the power, all he will say is he goes to that oneness space. That is the tradition of Sadashiva’s Agamas - based on Upanishads, practised as Agamas. It is not before enlightenment, it is after enlightenment. Paramhamsa Nithyananda continues by telling that many other guru’s criticise his initiation into healing or third eye. He explains however, that whatever he is teaching comes directly from the Agamas. And Sadashiva is very clear, manifestation of these powers happens when you experience oneness with Sadashiva. Patanjali declares all these siddhis are experience on the way to Nirvikalpa Samadhi, so they can be a distraction from Nirvikalpa Samadhi. But this is because his tradition is different, the structure and architecture of his system are different. Rajiv Malhotra comments that Patanjali’s system has become much more popular. Paramahamsa Nithyananda explains: Patanjali’s system became more popular, because Sadashiva’s system has the basic requirement of initiation by Enlightened Guru or Master - Shakti Pad. This requirement does not allow the tradition to be mass circulated. Even though Patanjali’s system has become more popular, no one has the right to say that other than that, no other thought currents exist. The people claiming that siddhis are a distraction from enlightenment have not reached the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi, so they do not have the insight and experience to tell there are other paths and possibilities. Sadashiva very clearly says: every pattern you complete and acchieve completion, manifests as a power. Shakti, playing with Shakti, manifesting Shakti does not distract but grounds you in oneness in Sadashiva’s tradition. Paramahamsa Nithyananda confirms that his disciples, when they are manifesting powers, are in that space of Oneness, the Turia state, where the brain is in a zone of ultimate awareness and ultimate rest.