Siddhis Explained: Powers, Shadows, and Illusions

By Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.
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In many Buddhist texts, in yogic lineages, and in contemporary meditation circles, the word siddhi (sometimes translated as “supernormal power,” “psychic ability,” or “spiritual accomplishment”) evokes fascination. What does it mean to see clairvoyantly, talk to spirit guides, or read minds? Are these things “real” in a meaningful sense? Are they illusions, sidetracks, or even traps on the path to awakening? Or, are they both?

In this article we’ll examine siddhis: what they are in the Buddhist tradition, how they may be experienced, how they can force us to confront our own shadows, and why they are both real and unreal. Finally, we’ll consider how siddhis can both help and harm, leading to both progression and backsliding.

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What Are Siddhis? Exploring the Definition in Buddhism

In Buddhism, siddhis (from Sanskrit siddhi, “fulfillment,” “accomplishment”) refers to supernormal or supramundane powers that arise as byproducts of deep concentration (samadhi), meditation, expanded awareness, and awakening. Some traditions distinguish siddhis as mundane and supramundane.

​Mundane Siddhis (lokiya-siddhis)

• Definition: These are supernormal abilities that arise from deep concentration and mastery of meditative states.
• Examples: Clairvoyance (seeing distant places or beings), channeling, telepathy, recalling past lives, healing powers, controlling natural elements, out-of-body traveling, etc.
• Characteristics:
  • They are conditioned phenomena. They arise from "normal" causes and conditions.
  • They often depend on maintaining concentration and supportive causes.
  • They occur within the realm of samsara (i.e., our normal 'apparent' reality).
  • They may seem miraculous, but they don’t, by themselves, uproot ignorance, lead to enlightenment, or end suffering.
• Risk: If clung to, they can feed ego, pride, shadow parts, and distraction. They can become “spiritual entertainment” instead of genuine liberation practice.

Crucially, Buddhist teachings generally caution that these siddhis are not ends in themselves. The Buddha is reported in certain suttas to have discouraged display or display for fame, prestige, or egoism. In the Kevatta Sutta, for example, he teaches that miracles (including mental powers) cannot compare to the miracle of helping beings awaken. Siddhis may be signs or tests, but they are not the path.

Supramundane Siddhis (lokuttara-siddhis)

• Definition: These are powers linked not to supernatural feats, but to direct insight into reality and liberation. They are “supramundane” because they 'transcend the world' and lead beyond the ordinary cycle of samsara and suffering.
• Examples (often described as the “four supramundane paths and fruits”):
  • The ability to realize impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self at a deep level.
  • Entering the stream (stream-entry), once-returning, non-returning, arahantship.
  • Cutting through defilements permanently.
• Characteristics:
  • They don’t depend on concentration states in the same way.
  • They can’t be lost once attained (in contrast to mundane siddhis, which can fade).
  • They are considered the only "powers" truly worth pursuing, since they lead to liberation.
• Focus: The supramundane siddhis are not a distraction but rather the seeing of reality as it really is.

Why the Distinction Matters

• Mundane siddhis are often colorful, attention-grabbing, addictive, ego-inflating, and easy to romanticize. They are still “of the world,” conditioned, impermanent, and ultimately illusory.
• Supramundane siddhis are quieter, less flashy, but far more consequential. They represent the actual work of awakening—direct insight into the nature of reality and freedom from suffering.

In short:

• Mundane siddhis = powers over phenomena.
• Supramundane siddhis = freedom from phenomena.

Siddhis as Vivid Experiences

From a psychological and experiential perspective, mundane siddhis are “real” in the sense that they are vivid, powerful experiences. They may include:

• Sensory visions: seeing beings, realms, light phenomena
• Altered perception of time or space
• Moments of telepathy or knowing others’ thoughts
• Healing or energetic phenomena not explained by ordinary physical laws
• Out-of-body experiences, bilocation, etc.

Many meditators report such experiences personally, in retreats or solitary practice. They can feel convincing, overwhelming, exciting—and often seductive. In this way, siddhis are “real” inasmuch as they are phenomena arising in consciousness: subjective events with emotional force, bodily impact, and discernible continuity over time (for those who experience them more than once).
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Because they are so vivid, siddhis can convince people that they are progressing spiritually, that their identity is special, or that they have power over others or over reality. They are sometimes taken as proof or validation of awakening or enlightenment. And for those who value power (both ins themselves and others), they can be quite enticing. They can feel like evidence: you saw something; you heard something; you healed something.

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Applying the Three Marks of Existence to Siddhis

When seen through a nondual or Buddhist perspective, siddhis are ultimately not “real” in the sense of having abiding, independent, permanent essence. If we have clearly seen the Three Marks of Existence:  impermanence (anicca), suffering / unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), and non-self (anatta), then the whole concept of siddhis, or spiritual powers, falls apart. Let’ s explore this here:

​Impermanence (Anicca)
All experiences, including siddhis, arise and pass. A clairvoyant vision will fade; the ecstasy of a miraculous healing, or sense of cosmic unity, dissipates. Even mighty powers or prolonged altered states wane if practice ceases or conditions change. In Buddhist texts, siddhis are often described as tied to causal conditions—strength of concentration, purity of conduct, meditation technique, health, and so on. When those supporting conditions shift, siddhis vanish.

Because they are impermanent experiences, siddhis cannot provide lasting satisfaction, truth, or comfort. They may inspire, but their impermanence means they are unstable footing for either identity or liberation.

Unsatisfactoriness (Dukkha)
Siddhis, though pleasurable or awe-inspiring, often become dissatisfying or problematic. Because they are unusual, powerful, or alluring, they may distract from the core task of insight: seeing suffering, its cause, its cessation, and the path leading to cessation. Attachment to visions or powers can give rise to craving, jealousy, pride. The more one seeks siddhis, or relies on them, the more one risks suffering when they recede, fail, or when others surpass or disbelieve them.

Also, the psychological burden of possessing siddhis can be heavy: fear, disorientation, alienation from others; ethical dilemmas; moral corruption if one uses power abusively. The “unsatisfactoriness” shows up when what seemed like blessing turns into burden.

Non-Self (Anatta)
Many siddhi-experiences lead toward strengthening ego identity (“look at what I can do,” “I am special,” etc.). But Buddhism teaches there is no abiding, independent self behind these phenomena or the you that experiences them. Siddhis are conditioned phenomena, without a self or separate essence. In other words, one does not own their powers. One is not a psychic or channel; psychic abilities or channeling arise independently of a doer. To claim them as "mine" is the ego.

Even in experiences of union, great compassion, or cosmic awareness, if we cling to them as “me” or “mine,” we perpetuate duality and suffering. The task is to notice the power and vividness with nonattachment, and then to see it for what is it—a totally impersonal, meaningless happening in apparent reality.

When seen clearly, it become obvious that even though siddhis often feel more real and vivid than ordinary reality, they are not any more (or less) real than ordinary reality. They are like beautiful but transient dreams, reflections, or illusions: absolutely experienced, absolutely felt, but no permanent substance, no abiding truth. Awakening is ultimately about seeing through illusions like these—seeing the conditioned nature of all phenomena, including siddhis.

Siddhis and the Three Marks of Existence

Use this worksheet to reflect on how each siddhi can be seen through the lens of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and non-self.
©awakeningcollective.org

Siddhi	Description	Three Marks Reflection
Clairvoyance (Divine Eye)	Perceiving distant places or beings beyond normal sight.	Impermanent: Visions come and go. Unsatisfactory: The more we seek visions, the more restless we become. Non-Self: The visions are not “mine,” just conditioned appearances.
Clairaudience (Divine Ear)	Hearing sounds from other realms or great distances.	Impermanent: Sounds vanish the moment they arise. Unsatisfactory: Chasing extraordinary sounds prevents peace. Non-Self: The hearing process is not owned by a self.
Telepathy (Mind-Reading)	Knowing the thoughts of others.	Impermanent: Thoughts shift rapidly and are unreliable. Unsatisfactory: Knowing others’ thoughts can bring anxiety or pride. Non-Self: Neither their thoughts nor your knowing defines a self.
Recollection of Past Lives	Remembering one’s own or others’ past incarnations.	Impermanent: Memories are shifting mental constructs. Unsatisfactory: Clinging to stories of the past creates attachment. Non-Self: Past identities are empty, not who you ultimately are.
Levitation / Walking on Water	Moving through space in miraculous ways.	Impermanent: The power is not always available. Unsatisfactory: Impressing others or feeding ego brings suffering. Non-Self: The body that floats is not a fixed “I.”
Psychic Influence	Projecting thoughts or intentions to affect others.	Impermanent: Influence fades as conditions change. Unsatisfactory: Trying to control others breeds conflict. Non-Self: The sense of “controller” is illusory.
Knowledge of Death and Rebirth of Beings	Seeing how beings pass away and are reborn according to karma.	Impermanent: Beings and realms constantly change. Unsatisfactory: Witnessing endless cycles highlights suffering. Non-Self: No fixed self passes from life to life.
Destruction of the Taints (*Āsavakkhaya-ñāṇa*)	The supramundane siddhi: realization of Nibbāna, ending greed, hatred, delusion.	Impermanent: Even insights arise and pass. Unsatisfactory: Clinging to “attainment” creates subtle suffering. Non-Self: Liberation happens when no self is claimed as the doer.

How Siddhis Help Us See Our Shadow Side

For many awakeners, siddhis are like a magnifying glass aimed at unseen aspects of mind—the shadow side. The shadow, in psychological/spiritual terms, consists of parts of ourselves we avoid: fears, unacknowledged desires, woundedness, arrogance, envy, hatred, etc. When siddhis emerge, they often bring up latent issues.

Exacerbation of Existing Shadow
When siddhis show up—visions, powers, unusual experiences—they usually magnify what is already inside. If a person carries pride, the siddhi may encourage them to believe they are superior; the sense of superiority grows. If someone has the desire to control of have power over others, the siddhi might intensify manipulation or make it easier to take advantage of others. If there is fear of losing control, siddhis may trigger uncontrollable experiences or unpredictability. 

These supernormal states often bypass normal self-filters; things that are subconscious become conscious, sometimes explosively. Because siddhis bypass usual ego boundaries, the lesser parts of one’s personality or mind may erupt via visions, voices, or automatic behavior. In effect, siddhis force confrontation with the shadow: they pull the shadow out of hiding.

What Happens If We Don’t See the Shadow
If one is unwilling or unable to look, siddhis can become destructive or unbalanced.

Here are ways in which that can happen:

• The “siddhi hangover”: unusual states or powers begin to distort daily life. One may no longer function well in normal reality: relationships suffer; mental health may decline; confusion may linger; a lack of being here on earth may persist. (see MCTB.org for more).
• Attachment and identity inflation: one starts to identify with the power rather than using it skillfully. One may cultivate fame, admiration, or use the siddhi for self-glorification rather than using it to cultivate insight about reality. The ego gets fed.
• Ethical and moral danger: with powers come temptation. If morality (sīla) is weak, siddhis can become tools of manipulation, domination, or abuse. One may deceive oneself or others.
• Psychological destabilization: strong siddhi experiences, especially without stable grounding, can trigger psychotic-like episodes, delusion, paranoia, or persistent hallucinations.

Thus siddhis can be a crash-course to meet one’s shadow—but if one refuses to reflect, the crash can be steep.

Using Siddhis Skillfully

Awakening is not about accumulating powers but seeing through them, turning them into tools for insight rather than traps.

Insight meditation
One central practice that can be used here is insight meditation (vipassana). Through mindfulness and clear seeing, the practitioner examines siddhi-experiences with the Three Marks. When you notice, “This vision is impermanent; this sense of power is unsatisfactory; this belief that this power is "mine" is an illusion, you loosen attachment.

Ethics
Another is strong ethical discipline (sīla). Without ethics, siddhis easily turn into opportunities for harm or delusion. This can even happen by accident. For example, I recently spoke to a  friend and we both recount times were we accidentally used siddhis to manipulate people into doing things we wanted. But, we both learned from these experiences, and it helped us be more careful in the future.
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Ego development
Paradoxically, we also benefit from strong self-development (psychological stability, maturity) so that we can form a healthy relationship with extraordinary experiences, stay functional in ordinary life, and not be carried away by visions or powers. When one has psychological skills, one is better able to see the illusions without being seduced by them. (You can learn more in this free book).

Siddhis as the Most Vivid, Enticing Illusions

Awakening is ultimately about seeing through illusion: through the illusions of permanence, control, identity, and power. Siddhis are among the most vivid illusions available to human awareness. They are especially dangerous if not handled with discernment. They can manifest as temptations: to believe one is “special,” to chase more and more experience, to neglect the path to the end of suffering.
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Yet, paradoxically, they can also serve awakening—if one uses them as raw material for insight. When a siddhi experience arises, it provides a powerful opportunity to test whether you can regard it with nonattachment, investigate it, note its arising and passing, note its conditioned nature. In that sense, siddhis are not worthless: they can sharpen insight, reveal depth of delusion, force humility, and accelerate the path from awakening to enlightenment.

Final Thoughts on Siddhis

In sum, siddhis are vivid and compelling experiences—indeed real in their emotional, perceptual, and sometimes physical effects. But Buddhism invites us to see them as conditioned phenomena: impermanent, unsatisfactory if clung to, and without a fixed, lasting self. Using these Three Characteristics helps us remain grounded amidst the seductions.
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In the end, siddhis are likely among the most vivid illusions available: they dazzle, they amaze, they offer a taste of something beyond. But in awakening, we must learn to taste and release, to not mistake the dream for the real. True spiritual attainment lies not in the supernatural, but in seeing through, and beyond, the supernatural. 

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