“Of course,” smiles Paramahamsa Nithyananda.
“Human beings are naturally wired for levitation! We have lost this skill because of our poor lifestyle and breathing practices. Levitation is nothing but the side-effect of a balanced samana energy. All you need is to balance this energy through the correct processes - and of course, the guru’s initiation.
Actually, the Living Enlightenment Process I am doing here is not just for levitation. It is an enlightenment-intensive spiritual process. Levitation is just a bonus! With sincere practice and an open attitude, anyone can experience a taste of levitation.”
(During the 48-day Living Enlightenment Process at the Bidadi ashram, over 60% of the participants experienced physical levitation within 48 hours of the commencement of the course. By the end of the course, over 90% of participants experienced physical or psychological levitation.)
How does levitation happen?
As a first step to preparing the body and mind for initiation into higher levels of consciousness, the five major life-energies (panchaprana) are being balanced through intense processes.
The first process that the participants are undergoing is balancing the samana energy in the body. A by-product of this process is physical levitation. Levitation is one of the eight mighty yogic powers (ashta maha siddhis) known only to the yogis and siddhas of ancient India. In Sanskrit, this siddhi is known as anima, the science of making one’s body smaller or subtler than an anu or atom.
“Samana is the prana or life-energy stored in tiny air sacs beneath each pore of the skin. If these air sacs are filled, the body can experience levitation. Unfortunately, these air sacs cannot be filled by the gross prana that is taken in through the nose. You literally have to learn to breathe through your skin! This can be done through intensive yogic techniques.”
As anyone has ever tried it will know, levitation is not a joke. It means lifting the 50-100 kg weight of your body against the mighty gravitational force of the earth. And it doesn’t help that participants are required to sit in padmasana (legs locked in lotus position) with their hands locked in samana mudra!
“Physical levitation is not the only sign of a healed samana energy. Many of the participants are experiencing expanded states of consciousness, which is also a sign that the life-energies are getting balanced,” Nithyananda observes.
Can the science of levitation be learnt by anyone?
“Yes. Usually, it takes a practitioner about twelve years of extraordinary self-discipline and spiritual effort to get the first taste of levitation. But an adept in this science, who can transmit his own yogic power to the learner, can make it happen in a matter of days – or even hours, as you can see with some of our participants here! That is the difference between a technique and a process. In a technique, the effort and responsibility for success falls on the learner. In a process, the guru takes the responsibility for you!”
However, one must be warned against getting overly caught-up with levitation and other siddhis.
“Understand, I am not running a magic show here! As you progress on the spiritual path, many such siddhis may come to you. But don’t make that the goal of your spiritual practice. Always remember, you are here only for enlightenment!” he says.
During the Living Enlightenment Process, Nithyananda unfolded many more processes drawn from the mystical dimensions of ancient yogic traditions.
Planet Earth is ready for a breakthrough in consciousness. After all, 2012 is just around the corner! My vision for 2012 is an enlightened, blissful humanity that enjoys abundance in both the outer world, and in the inner world. Conscious, conflict-free living is the mantra for the new generation! And I am going to do my best to make it happen!”, smiles Nithyananda.