Metaphysical levitation
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Metaphysical levitation is a name given to the paranormal phenomenon of levitation occurring without any scientific explanation (such as electromagnetism or air pressure). Of course, as with all paranormal events, cases of levitation are hotly disputed; traditionally the scientific and empiricist communities attribute such incidents to trickery, illusion, auto-suggestion, unseen natural causes, or most frequently simply deny the existence of any such phenomenon. On the other hand, spiritualists and religious communities tend to interpret metaphysical levitation as the supernatural action of the Holy Spirit, a god, a poltergeist, psychokinesis, or some other being or force within their own belief system. Spiritualists however almost always claim that metaphysical levitation occurs during altered state, such as mysticism rapture or ecstacy, demonic possession, trance or channeling.
The lack of respect for paranormal science among the empiricist scientific world means that controlled-condition testing of the phenomenon is extremely limited, further perpetuating the controversy. There is no compelling evidence to suggest that it is a real phenomenon, but for some isolated cases, such as that of Daniel Dunglas Home, contemporary observers found no uncontroversial naturalistic explanations. The fact that it seems to be a very pervasive belief around the world, occurring in almost all major world religions and shamanic religions does neither add or detract to the case for its existence.
Famous reports of levitation
Mystical Levitation in Christianity:
- St Joseph of Cupertino reportedly levitated high in the air, for extended periods of more than an hour, on many occassions.
- St Teresa of Avila claimed to have levitated at a height of about a foot and a half for an extended period somewhat less than an hour, in a state of mystical rapture. She called the experience a 'spiritual visitation'.
- St. Catherine of Sienna, levitation in states of ecstasy.
Demonic Levitation in Christianity:
- Simon Magus reportedly had the ability to levitate, along with many other magical powers. As a dissenter from the orthodox Christianity of the time, this was branded as evil magic and attributed to demonic powers.
- Clara Germana Cele, a young South African girl, in 1906 reportedly levitated in a rigid position. The effect was apparently only reversed by the application of Holy Water, leading to belief that it was caused by demonic possession.
- Magdalena de la Cruz (1487-1560)a Franciscan nun of Cordova, who for many years was honoured as a saint.On the other hand St. Ignatius Loyola had always regarded her with suspicion.
Mystical Levitation in Hinduism
- Hindu Fakirs and Brahmans have a history of metaphysical levitation, which is active, rather than passive as in Christian mysticism. It is performed with the aid of a staff, though this does not have to touch the ground, and in a lotus position.
Louis Jacolliot wrote in 'Occult Sciences in India and Among the Ancients' (1884):
"Taking an ironwood cane which I had brought from Ceylon, he leaned heavily upon it, resting his right hand upon the handle with his eyes fixed upon the ground. He the proceeded to utter the appropriate incantations...[and] rose gradually about two feet from the ground. His legs were crossed beneath him, and he made no change in his position, which was very like that of those bronze statues of Buddha...For more than twenty minutes I tried to see how (he) could thus fly in the face and eyes of all known laws of gravity...the stick gave him no visible support, and there was no apparent contact between that and his body, except through his right hand."
Levitation by Mediums
- Many mediums have levitated during séances, especially in the 19th century in Britain and America, however, almost all have been proved to be frauds using wires and stage magic tricks.
- Daniel Dunglas Home, the most prolific and well documented levitator of himself and other objects was said to repeatedly defy gravity over a career of forty years. He was reputedly observed levitating out of a building through a third story window and back into the building via a different window. He could also cause tables and chairs to raise feet into the air, and was never demonstrated to be a fraud by hundreds of purportedly sceptical witnesses and tests. He remained in full consciousness throughout these feats, and attributed them to the action of some kind of magical energy.
- Amedee Zuccarini has been photographed 'levitating' at a height of twenty feet above a table.
Yogic Levitation or Flying by Meditation
- Yogi Subbayah Pullavar, was reported to have levitated into the air for four minutes in front of a crowd of 150 witnesses, June 6th, 1936. He was seen suspended horizontally several feet above the ground, in a trance, lightly resting his hand on top of a cloth covered stick. Pullavar's arms and legs could not be bent from their locked position once on the ground.
- Yogi Milarepa was rumored to have possessed a range of additional abilities during levitation, such as the ability to walk, rest and sleep, however such were deemed as occult powers.
Controlled experiments into levitation
The only very compelling and thorough case of controlled scientific tests recently was that of Nina Kulagina, a Russian 'psychokinetic', in the 1960s. She demonstrated the power to levitate small objects repeatedly in conditions which satisfied Russian, Czech and American scientists, although she never levitated herself. She levitated objects such as table tennis balls, wine glasses and matches, in conditions engineered to make the use of hidden magnets, wires and such like impossible. However, both that these feats are commonly reproduced onstage by illusionists, and that scientists can be fooled by the tricks of skillful magicians, as was proven by James Randi's Project Alpha in 1979. Kulagina was photographed using a stick, which was called "ectoplasma" by parapsychologists who didn't want to believe her a fraud.