Levitation

Levitation is a phenomenon of psychokinesis (PK) in which
objects, people, and animals are lifted into the air without

contact between that and his body, except through his right
hand."

any visibly physical means and float or fly about. The
phenomenon has been said to have occurred in mediumship,

Jacolliot was further told by the Brahmins that the "supreme

cause" of all phenomena was the 'agasa' ('akasha'), the
vital fluid, "the moving thought of the universal soul,

directing all souls," the force that the adepts learn to
control.(See Akashic Records)

There seems to be several general characteristics about

Throughout history the determining factor for judging

levitation. The duration of the phenomenon may last from a
few minutes to hours. Generally it requires a great amount

whether the practice of levitation is caused by good or evil
influenced seems to depend on the one doing the levitating.

of concentration or being in a state of trance. Physical
mediums who have been touched during levitation usually fall

Simon Magus was judged evil while Saint Teresa was said to
do it in states of rapture. During the Middle Ages and

back to a surface. Levitations of saints usually are
accompanied by a luminous glow around the body.

Renaissance levitation was thought to be a manifestation of
evil. It was said to be an unusual phenomena generated by

Numerous incidents of levitation have been recorded in

witchcraft, fairies, ghosts, or demons.

Christianity and Islam. Among the first was Simon Magus in
the first century. Other incidents reported among the Roman

Even to the present levitation is often thought to be
involved in cases of demonic possession. Many times beds,

Catholic saints include the incident of Joseph of Cupertino
(1603-1663), the most famous, who is said to have often

tables, chairs and other objects have been witnessed flying
up into the air apparently by themselves. They frequently

levitated through the air. It is reported he often gave a
little shriek just before levitating, and on one occasion

aimed themselves at the exorcist or his assistants.

levitated for as long as two hours.

In 1906 Clara Germana Cele, a sixteen year-old school girl
from South Africa, was said to be demonic possessed. She

Saint Teresa of Avila was another well known saint who
reported levitating. She told of experiencing it during

raised up five feet in the air, sometimes vertically and
sometimes horizontally. When sprinkled with holy water she

states of rapture. One eyewitness, Sister Anne of the
Incarnation, said Saint Teresa levitated a foot and a half

came out of these states of possession. This was taken as
proof of demonic possession.

off the ground for about a half hour.

Likewise, incidents of poltergeists and haunting often

Saint Teresa wrote of one of her experiences: "It seemed to
me, when I tried to make some resistance, as if a great

spiritual visitations, and I was therefore as one ground to
pieces." (Evelyn Underhill "Mysticism," 1955)

reportedly did it over a forty-year period. In 1868 he was
witnessed levitating out of a third-story window, and he

Also Saint Teresa observed these levitations frightened her

floated back into the building through another window. When
levitating Home was not always in a trance, but conscious

but there was nothing she could do to control them. She did
not become unconscious, but saw herself being lifted up.

and later described his feelings during the experiences.

And, at the beginning of the twentieth century Gemma

Once he described "an electrical fulness (sic)" sensation in
his feet. His arms became rigid and were drawn over his

Galgani, a Passionist nun, reported levitating during
rapture.

head, as though he was grasping an unseen power which was
lifting him. He also levitated furniture and other objects.

Incidents also have been reported in the religions of

The Catholic Church excommunicated Home as a sorcerer.

Hinduism and Buddhism. Milarepa, the great thirteenth
century yogi of Tibet, is said to have possessed many occult

Although he was never discovered to be a fraud like other
mediums who used wires and other contraptions to levitate

powers such as the ability to walk, rest and sleep during
levitating.

objects.

Such feats were said to be duplicated by the Brahmins and

Italian medium Amedee Zuccarini was photographed levitating
with his feet twenty feet off of a table.

fakirs of India. Similar abilities were reportedly shared by
the Ninja of Japan.

Controlled experiments involving levitation are rare. During

Within the Eastern traditions levitation is reportedly

the 1960s and 1970s researchers reported some success in
levitating tables under controlled conditions. The Soviet PK

accomplished through such secret techniques of breathing and
visualization. The techniques involve the employment of an

medium Nina Kulagina has been photographed levitating a
small object between her hands.

universal life force and are called by various names such
as: 'prana,'ch'i' and 'ki.'

Skeptics of levitation have came up with several theories as

Louis Jacolliot, a nineteenth-century French judge, traveled

to its cause including hallucination, hypnosis, or fraud.
These theories are not applicable to all incidents, however.

the East and wrote of his occult experiences. In "Occult
Sciences in India and Among the Ancients" (1884, 1971) he

The most likely and acceptable explanation is the Eastern
theory of an existence of a force (simply, an universal

force) which belongs to another, nonmaterial reality, and
manifests itself in the material world.

Taking an ironwood cane which I had brought from Ceylon,
he leaned heavily upon it, resting his right hand upon the

The technique of "yogic flying" which consists of low hops

handle with his eyes fixed upon the ground. He the proceeded
to utter the appropriate incantations...[and] rose gradually

while seated in the lotus meditating position has been
achieved by advanced practitioners of Transcendental

about two feet from the ground. His legs were crossed
beneath him, and he made no change in his position, which

Meditation (TM). This has received worldwide publicity. The
technique is claimed to be accomplished by maximizing

was very like that of those bronze statues of Buddha...For
more than twenty minutes I tried to see how (he) could thus

coherence (orderliness) in brain-wave activity, which
enables the brain to tap into the "unified field" of cosmic

fly in the face and eyes of all known laws of gravity...the
stick gave him no visible support, and there was no apparent

energy. However, skeptic say yogic flying is accomplished
through muscular action. A.G.H.