Yoga is much more than just a physical practice of asanas. Yoga is a deep world mentioned in the ancient Vedic scriptures of India. It includes various powers that seem to be impossible. One such power is Anima Siddhi. Anima Siddhi means the ability to become the smallest. This Siddhi is attained by a lot of practice and meditation by the yogis. It is the ability to become smaller than the smallest atom. This Siddhi is evidence that yogis have no barriers! Through this power, one can reduce oneself in size irrespective of the material body and can enter even the smallest stone! So, in short, the Anima Siddhi is a virtue to become extremely small in size!
Sanskrit meaning of Anima: Anu (The Atom)
Hindu texts and yogic tradition mention the extraordinary powers, which are eight in number and are known as Ashta Siddhis. The very first Ashta Siddhi is Anima Siddhi. The word Anima Siddhi comes from the Sanskrit term Anu. Anu means the atom. Atoms are very small in size. Therefore, Anima also means becoming smaller, both physically and spiritually. It is a state of becoming ‘sukshma ’, or subtle, from being ‘sthula’, or gross. It requires years of mastery to break the physical limitations and gain the virtue of becoming smaller than the smallest, just by following the yogic disciplines. Anima Siddhi is not only about turning small, but it is more about mastering being subtle and going beyond the ordinary limits!!
Anima Siddhi in Sanatana Dharm and Lord Hanuman
Sanatana Dharma holds the best example of Anima Siddhi: the powers of Lord Hanuman! Even the holy text of the Hanuman Chalisa mentions the virtues of Ashta Siddhis and Anima Siddhi!
सूक्ष्म रूप धरि सियहिं दिखावा।
बिकट रूप धरि लंक जरावा।।
Meaning: This verse of Hanuman Chalisa represents how Lord Hanuman reduced his size and became extremely sukshm, or small, to meet Maa Sita, and, on the contrary, how he expanded his physical self to burn Lanka!
अष्ट सिद्धि नौ निधि के दाता।
अस बर दीन जानकी माता।।
Meaning: He is blessed with all the eight yoga siddhis by Maa Sita, which also includes Anima Siddhi, through which he can become small at any time and has no limits!
Thus, Sanatana Dharm has great instances of Anima Siddhi!
The Spiritual Science of Anima: Beyond the Physical
Anima Siddhi is not only about reducing the physical size of one’s body! It has a deeper spiritual meaning. It means reducing all the Vikaar, or flaws of human living! The biggest flaws are the ego and attachment. Anima Siddhi awakens your spiritual self and gives you the understanding of ego, attachment, and other such desires that can become a barrier in your yogic living! This siddhi helps one to overcome ego and other flaws like attachment, anger, desires, etc. It is more about reducing your ego to smaller than an atom and gives you the power to deal with negative pride and bloom spiritually!!
How do Yogis Strive for Anima Consciousness?
1. Meditation on the Microcosm
Yogic living states microcosm. Microcosm means the aspects which are subtle in nature, like body, consciousness, energy, as well as our breath. To attain Ashtasiddhi, yogis perform various meditation to grow themselves inwardly and focus on the small or subtle aspects of a human living. Meditation helps in mastering the Anima Siddhi awareness through which one can become small like an anu or atom. Various meditations are there that help in attaining Anima, practiced by yogis for years!!
2. Samyama on Subtle Elements
Next is samyama! When concentration, meditation and absorption are combined, it becomes samyama. This is another practice among yogis to attain anima. This is very helpful in attaining various ashta siddhis. Concentration means dharana, meditation stands for dhyana, and absorption means the ultimate state of meditation, that is samadhi. All these together help in attaining mastery of anima siddhi!!
Anima Siddhi and Modern Quantum Physics
Anima Siddhi is not just an imagination! Even modern quantum physics also has some deep connection with this virtue!! Where Anima talks about shrinking one’s physical and spiritual self into a small and subtle atom-like structure, quantum physics also talks about the atom and the way different atoms behave differently! Quantum physics helps in understanding the anu or atom which is the base of Anima! Also, atoms behave much more differently than we can see everyday!
Chakras and Mantras Connected with Anima Siddhi
One of the most powerful mantras used for attaining anima siddhi? is:
ॐ अणिमायै नमः
Oṁ Aṇimāyai namaḥ
Om is the sound of the universe! It is the beej mantra that connects one to Shiva, the Adiyogi who has all the powers! When connected to other mantras like Hrim or Klim it can be used for Anima Siddhi! The A in Animayai means “to stop manifesting” and Ni means to contract! Ma is the way to measure! It all comes together and helps one to attain the power to minimise or shrink!
The chakra associated with Anima Siddhi is the Muladhara or root chakra. This chakra is responsible for grounding energies and stability in life. This chakra activation can help in attaining the Anima in the yogic tradition!
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between Anima and Mahima Siddhi?
Both Anima Siddhi and Mahima Siddhi are one of the Ashta Siddhis. Anima stands for shrinking in size, whereas Mahima Siddhi means expanding in size!!! Spiritually, Anima means letting go of ego, and ‘Mahima Siddhi’ means expanding the mental abilities and limits!
2. Why did yogis seek Anima Siddhi?
Anima Siddhi offers the power to transcend beyond the normal limits of a human life. Anima helps the yogis to shift their attention from gross to small or subtle areas of life. It offers unbothered focus, concentration, and extreme mental abilities, which is really important to lead a real yogic living. It also ensures deeper spiritual awakening and physical freedom!!
