Perfection in small things

What you have heard about siddhis is not exact, and not the right concept. You have been given either too high a concept about siddhis or too low; neither are right. 'Siddha' means to fulfil, to perfect, as when it is said in day to day life, 'You have to make your action siddha.' When you perfect and complete something, that is siddhi.

For example, suppose you have a disease such as diabetes. Now, for you, to cure this disease is to obtain a siddhi, the perfection of a completely healthy state. How can we obtain this state, this little siddhi? This is why we practise asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, concentration, mantra japa and the purification techniques of hatha yoga, such as neti, kunjal and shankhaprakshalana. The little siddhis are not what you understand as miracles; they are the result of perfection in one's practice. The best method of attaining perfection is through regularity. 

Therefore, even if you practise Sirshasana for only one and a half minutes, or shashankasana for three minutes or just sing kirtan every evening, you should do it with absolute regularity. You can fix the time to fit into your work and family situation, but then that time should be kept every day. You should not get up today at 4 a.m. during brahmamuhurta and then tomorrow at 9 a.m. and another day at midnight. This type of irregularity just will not work.

The first niyama in yoga is to become niyamit, regular. It is the greatest samyama, the greatest achievement. Be regular in all your activities, not only sadhana. Be regular in bathing, eating and sleeping, which none of you are. When you are irregular, then the body behaves in the same manner.

Regularity works in the same way as crystallisation. When you put a drop of water in a freezer, after fifteen days it will have grown in size. And so it will happen in the course of time, perhaps after one year, that you will notice many little changes in yourself. You will behave better with your children and be more polite with your boss and subordinates, not trying to hurt others physically or having bitter feelings mentally. These are all little siddhis which will occur.