1) I'd like to start by introducing you in the piece. Can you give me a brief summary of how you got on your current spiritual path and became acquainted with the teachings of the Siddhar Sages?

 

About two decades back, just after the suicide of my foster father in London, I began to sense my own death coming for me. I had returned to India.  One day, I heard a knock on my door and I opened the door to see a young saint with fire in his eyes. He told me, "You have death coming for you. Lord Siva has sent me to bring you to Him. Will you come with me now?". Without hesitation I went with him to the forest. He took me through my 'death' through a night long ritual and the next day, I was crying out of extreme joy, a state of happiness that I must have searched several lifetimes for. "I" felt my huge elephant -like expansive being inside a little body. It was an initiation into the secretive path of the Siva Siddhars. Thereafter, every breath of mine was focused on retaining and enhancing the sublime state of bliss of being the spirit in the body. This led me to my deep journey through the wilderness of India where I had several masters waiting to guide me. I realize that it was a previous journey I was continuing this life time and the larger purpose of this birth knowing each breath in its divine moment.

 

 

 

2) What sort of wisdom can be found in the teachings of the Siddhar Sages?

 

This is an ancient wisdom passed through a lineage of over thousands of years. The Siddhars are the enlightened yogis who journey beyond the thresholds of human limitations gently prodding the human civilization to greater heights. It is from the Siddhars (also called Nath/Natha in North India) that hatha yoga and tantra teachings come. The diluted versions of the yogic practice of the Siddhar yogis have been adapted by the Brahmin tradition of India. The Siddhars discard belief systems and set social norms for truth based on experience. "Religion" is called a bad word since we then seek to limit ourselves and become prisoner to a set belief system that is the source of ego and conflict. The Siddhar teachings are devoid of collective intellectual ego due to its origin from intense meditation guided by the lineage linked as guru and disciple. Since this wisdom is in tune with the moment of now, without judgment and controlling factors of belief systems, the teachings enhance our lifestyle in all levels in its evolving grace and the freedom that we search from birth.

 

 

 

3) Onto SIVA SIVAA. What can the listener expect to experience by using

the CD?

SivaSivaa is the journey within through each chakra, the energy centers that lead to inner and outer transformation. SivaSivaa, the journey is:

a. An initiation into the ancient lineage of the Siddhars through the mantras.

b. The teaching builds a solid platform on which the spiritual journey begins. This solid platform is built by activating the base chakra that is key to our career, love, home, sexuality and health. It is this base chakra that evolves us as humans.

c. The meditative journey is with the rich wisdom of the yogic Sages guiding us into the harmony, well being and abundance when awakening the kundalini fire.

d. Pranayama (breathing techniques), bandhas (energy locks to enhance meditative depth) and visualizations enable empower the mantra chants and the proper guidance through the awakening process.

e. Siddhars mention that to perform in the real world, meditation most often is wonderful until our descent back into the realities when we feel we are like a car with its wheels removed.

SivaSivaa instead enables us to see our larger purpose and when we are back in human reality- we are inspired and connected to Source each thought to enable manifest the larger vision.

f. SivaSivaa enables the experience of intense meditation as that of the yogis who dwell in caves for years. If the Sages sit before a lamp not eating or even sleeping, for months together, they must be doing something superlative or enjoying that phenomenal joy to not want to come out! SivaSivaa gives us an experience of this joy and the meditative journey.

 

 

 

4) How have these chants/mantras affected you personally in your life?

 

Yes, in every aspect of my life. Each day was surrender into the process after my death experience two decades back. The mantras opened ancient doors of the mystical pathway and enabled me to see the larger vision and my purpose.

 

Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa was asked by his disciple to show him God. The saint said, "Take a bucket of water and put your head into it. Do not come out till you have seen God". In our Siddhar teachings, this means, "When reciting your mantra, do not let go till the deity you wish to invoke comes to you. Go beyond breath and unite yourself to that Supreme Presence". This is what a mantra is. Siddhar mantras are powerful since they are sound based, needing very less intellect to recite it. Our whole focus becomes that single-pointed Oneness- much like a magnifying glass converging sun rays to transform the epicenter to heat.

 

Each day unfolds and the vision and its purpose inspires!

 

 

5) What sorts of things should one do to prepare for the meditative journey on SIVA SIVAA?

 

 A child like mind is the only essential requirement- to desire deeply for the divine and the eternal joy. SivaSivaa is simple in its teachings though powerful and transforming.  It does not require a lot of thinking. Just flow with CD One keeping the booklet as reference.

After your journey through CD One, utilize CD Two as many times over. It is pure chants with inner energies that work with you on subconscious levels. SivaSivaa leads the listener to an empowered meditative mind through enabling the single-pointedness and energies of Source.

 

 

 

6) In the liner notes, you give in depth explanation as to what is happening every step of the way. Can you give me a general overview of what is presented on the CD?

 

SivaSivaa is a journey that begins with creating the room for sacred energies by the sound resonance of "AAAH". We awaken the root chakra, the muladhara that enables us as in the human to evolve. We keep the root chakra fire awake as we grow this fire upwards through each chakra. As this kundalini fire grows upwards, it blossoms each energy center of ours. This transforms us on each level ,i.e, above the navel- the body consciousness is dissolved helping the mind to free

itself and be able to concentrate; the heart chakra- to experience 'love' and the blossoming of the heart chakra that enables the upward journey; the throat chakra where the karma is- dissolving karma of the past, present and future enables a hassle free life in the external world and in the inner world- dissolving the veil between the Source and us.

SivaSivaa leads us into the third eye and the teachings of manifestation. The journey ends with our descent back into the intellect with specific techniques that enable us the energies that sustain, heal and guide us.

 

 

 

 

7) What is the meditation useful for?

SivaSivaa is a meditative journey through each chakra, awakening each chakra through the process so that we can transform our inner and outer worlds on all levels. The Siddhar Sages say that our human birth is too precious. We have taken birth for the sole purpose of evolving. SivaSivaa helps fulfill our inner most desire, enables us to unfold our larger purpose, removes hurdles of karma and ignorance, inspires our daily journey with the 'knowing' and connects us to Source through each thought. SivaSivaa teaches that every moment, we are on fire- a meditative journey.

 

 

 

8) What is the meaning of the words Siva Sivaa?

Since Siddhars discard belief systems. The wisdom perception of the millions of Gods and Goddess worshipped in the Hindu pantheon are different facets of countless minds seeking divinity.

Brahma, the creator is our ego located below the navel. Vishnu is our mind that sustains us- located above the navel and beyond the heart. Siva is the Holy Ghost, our Supreme Self, the Soul that is the eternal yogi. When we experience Siva, our divine Self, we are awakened and as spirit, we are in tune with Source. This is what SivaSivaa means. To know ourselves as Source, connected to Source and the extension of Source.

 

 

 

9) How often should one practice the meditations on the CD? Is there a

learning curve?

This meditative journey is best accomplished in its teaching and guidance by adopting a mind that is relaxed and brought to a calm state. After purchasing the CD, it is recommended to read the booklet and wait for the inner call before getting started. Doing CD One once should be enough as CD Two is the 'experience' that assimilates the teachings by actual practice. However, it will be of benefit to undertake the journey in CD One at least 2 or 3 times to allow ourselves experience certain guiding principles that we may not have previously observed.

 

 

 

10) I noticed on the CD that you make your breathing very clear so that

the listener understands the rhythm and technique. Can you explain this

further as well as any other things you added to the program to aid

listeners?

 

Breath is the most important aspect of 'yoga' to a yogi. When breath is mastered, wisdom and the love for the divine too is made more expansive.

SivaSivaa contains far too many teachings in the intellectual and wisdom levels of our understanding. In a dynamic world where the mind is caught up with survival and the intoxicating mundane of routine and stagnation, SivaSivaa opens us to the infinite possibilities that we are capable of through divine energies that we work with on each level. The simple visualizations, the energy blocks through ‘bandhas’ performed each breath and other techniques enable the activation our own wisdom as our intellect connects to Source.

Beyond all this are my Masters who are responsible for these teachings! With the journey, they accompany each of our breath and infuse our thought pattern with their meditative energies of guidance and blessings. SivaSivaa sets us on the track of knowing, the daily inner journey of ascendance and lightness of being!