The Mystical Phenomenon Of Levitation

After seeing with my own eyes my yoga teacher levitate many years ago, I am convinced that levitation is not only possible, but that anyone can achieve it through a dedicated spiritual practice.

I used to attend weekly yoga classes led by a wonderful teacher who was 76 years “young” at the time. She was vibrant and lithe enough to make us younger ones look awkward by comparison.

One evening she invited her advanced students to watch a levitation demonstration. I must admit that I was a little skeptical and did not really know what to expect, but I am always open to new spiritual experiences.

She gave a talk before the demonstration, but I don’t remember much of what she told us. What I do remember very vividly is the incredible moment when she actually floated from her horizontal position on the floor. In a trance-like state, she rose gently and was suspended about a foot (30 centimeters) in the air.

Years later, I had another unusual levitation experience. After a wonderful week-long workshop at the Arthur Findlay College of Spiritualism and Psychic Sciences in Essex, England, a large group of teachers and students from the various classes gathered for a group meditation. The powerful energy in the room that evening was indescribable.

At one point I felt a strong surge of energy and opened my eyes briefly to see a large flower arrangement in a glass bowl floating a few feet above the table it had been on. Did anyone else see this? I didn’t know and didn’t feel like asking. I was afraid others would think I was hallucinating and I didn’t want them to ruin the experience for me. It was definitely not my imagination. I know what I saw that night.

Once you know the weightless force, you have become the master of gravity. You can use it; it depends on you. You can disappear completely with your body ~ Osho

Levitation is when an object or person is suspended in the air, defying gravity. It is achieved through a heightened state of consciousness, deep meditation, and profound spiritual enlightenment. Throughout history, there are accounts of spiritual figures, saints, and mystics who were able to levitate, “float,” or “fly” during intense prayer, deep meditation, spiritual ecstasy, or other altered states of consciousness.

The term “levitation” is derived from the Latin word levitas, which means “lightness” or “ease.” The term has been adopted and used in various languages to describe the mystical or supernatural act of defying the forces of gravity by spiritual or paranormal means.

Mystical Levitation

According to some yogic traditions, levitation can be achieved through heightened states of consciousness, deep meditation, and breath control, while Taoist alchemical teachings recommend the cultivation and circulation of internal energy (chi or qi).

Some esoteric teachings emphasize the power of the mind and meditative visualization techniques, as well as exposure to certain sounds, frequencies, or mantras during meditation, which can alter consciousness and affect the vibrational energy of the body.

The phenomenon of levitation has a long and varied history in spiritual and religious traditions:

Hinduism: There are accounts of ancient yogis and ascetics achieving states of deep meditation, or samadhi, that enabled them to levitate. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient Indian text on yoga philosophy, specifically mentions siddhis (supernatural abilities), including levitation.

Sufism: In Sufi mysticism, there are accounts of spiritual leaders and mystics demonstrating extraordinary abilities, including levitation. One example is the 13th-century Persian poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi who is said to have experienced various mystical states, including levitation.

Traditionally, the most well-known levitators in South Asian mysticism are the fakirs. Fakirs are religious ascetics or mendicants, particularly within the Sufi and Hindu traditions, who practice intense austerity and spiritual self-discipline and are known for engaging in public displays of religious devotion and mystical feats. The term fakir has its roots in Arabic, and they are known, for example, for demonstrating acts of levitation through carefully balanced yogic postures or poses.

Buddhism: There are accounts of monks, particularly in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, who attained advanced spiritual states and demonstrated supernatural abilities, including levitation. One such figure is Milarepa, a famous Tibetan yogi and poet who lived in the 11th century and is said to have had the ability to levitate or “fly” through the air.

Christianity: Some Christian saints were able to levitate. One notable example is St. Joseph of Cupertino, an Italian Franciscan friar in the 17th century, who levitated during moments of intense prayer and spiritual ecstasy. The most famous levitation account, of course, is that of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33.

Taoism: In Chinese Taoist traditions, there are stories of individuals who have achieved a state of spiritual harmony and balance that allows them to perform supernatural feats, including levitation. One such figure is Zhang Daoling, who is considered the founder of the Celestial Masters, one of the major Taoist sects. One of the legends about him recounts an incident in which Zhang Daoling was able to levitate.

Spiritualism: The spiritualist movement, which emerged in the late 1800s, recognized levitation as a manifestation of physical mediumship. During séances, some mediums experienced levitation and sitters witnessed objects move without apparent physical cause, including tables and chairs.

A famous example is Daniel Dunglas Home, a Scottish-born medium who was active in the mid-19th century. Home was known for demonstrating various physical mediumship phenomena, including levitation.

One of the best known incidents of Home’s levitation occurred in 1868 at the home of Lord Adare in England. During the séance, Home was said to have levitated outside a window and then re-entered the room through another window. Witnesses claimed to see him floating and moving through the air without any visible means of support.

You are infinite power identified with a very finite body. Once you realize your self, then weightlessness becomes more and the weight of the body less. Then you can levitate, the body can go up ~ Osho

Scientific Leviation

Levitation is not only a mystical phenomenon, it has also been scientifically demonstrated through various means. There are several types of scientific levitation, but the three I find most interesting in terms of spiritual levitation are

Magnetic levitation (Maglev): This method uses magnetic fields to counteract the effects of gravity. Maglev trains, for example, use magnetic levitation to float above the tracks, eliminating friction and allowing for high-speed travel.

Electrostatic levitation: This method uses electric fields to counteract gravity and levitate objects. It is often used in laboratories to levitate small charged objects.

Acoustic levitation: This uses sound waves to counteract gravity and suspend small objects in midair. High-frequency sound waves create pressure nodes that can counteract gravitational forces.

Given these scientific forms of levitation, how is it possible for a human body to levitate? I suspect that the levitation of famous mystics and gurus was achieved through the bioelectromagnetic fields generated by the body, including the brain, heart, and nervous system. These energy fields can be measured scientifically using MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), EEG (Electroencephalography) MRI and EEG, and Bioelectromagnetic Resonance Imaging (BEMRI). It is also possible that some mystics achieved levitation through sound vibration or acoustic energy manipulation induced by chanting.

Exposure to certain electromagnetic frequencies has been proposed as a factor in paranormal experiences with sensory components (e.g., seeing apparitions, hearing sounds, being touched), and electromagnetic fields interacting with structures or devices may also produce phenomena such as object movement, light anomalies, temperature changes, and psychokinetic “poltergeist” effects.

There has been limited but intriguing research into measuring electromagnetic phenomena in the human body during spiritual practices such as meditation. While the evidence remains inconclusive, it’s a fascinating area of research.

For example, human biofield studies using sensitive equipment have detected electromagnetic emissions such as infrared and ultraviolet light from meditators, especially during focused states of intent. Research focusing on magnetic fields during energy healing practices has also shown low frequency oscillations near the practitioner’s body.

Research is still in its early stages, and more rigorous studies are needed to confirm and understand any potential links between electromagnetism and spiritual practices. Further research using advanced technology and standardized protocols may in the future shed more light on the potential role of electromagnetism and sound vibration in mystical phenomena such as levitation.