Levitating

Levitating refers to the phenomena of a person or object rising or being suspended in the air by an unknown or invisible power. The first thing that people usually think of when they think of levitation is the levitation one sees in a magic show, the kind where the girl is suspended above a table floating on air as the magician waves a hoop over her body to show that there are no strings attached. Levitating things goes against gravity, and it happens by an unseen force, so naturally, it has a magic or mysterious connotation, maybe even occult. Science however does off an explanation, a scientific basis: magnetism.

There are three types of magnetic phenomena that can be used to levitate objects: ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and a new process called diamagnetic levitation where the gravitational force is compensated on the level of individual atoms and molecules. These are employed in use for levitating all sorts of things. The North American Space Association (NASA) routinely uses static electricity to levitate objects, we use electromagnetism to propel electric trains, but even with all the scientific explanation about what makes opjects float in mid air, when you see it in action, and you cannot even "see" it, it's quite amazing to the eyes.

In magic shows and circus tents, levitation is thought of as a trick, some kinds of “an illusion,” this is definitely an amazement to the eye of a person whose mind has no idea why the eyes are seeing what they see. Famous magicians David Blaine, David Copperfield , and Criss Angel have been known to levitate before huge audiences, who were amazed because there are seemingly no strings attached! Some say these types of incidences occur as an experience of the paranormal spiritual world, and believe such experiences happen frequently in conjunction with poltergeists. Other think of it as an out-of- the body experiences, astral projection, or remote influencing magic, still others claim it’s a function of some "high religion,"for religious saints and yogis have also been known to levitate.

In the Catholic Church, saints like Francis of Assisi, Teresa De Avil, Padre Pio, Ignatius Loyola and Joseph of Cupertino have reputations for levitating. There are stories after stories about how these people were lifted from the ground when they prayed and how such abilities were believed to be a gifting from God, something only a real, true, holy, “saint” could do.

Joseph of Cupertino who lived in the 1600’s is said to be one of the most sensational levitators of all time. He is recorded as levitating 70 times, once raising about 30 feet into the air in a kneeling position. He is said to have received such abilities because of his devotion to the Eucharist and to the Virgin Mary. Joseph’s gifts however were more notably a nuisance at the time. IT is said that he wore chains to keep him grounded, and fasted because of (what was referred to as) his “ecstasy.” The monasteries kept passing him from one place to another because no one really wanted to deal with him doing this, they said his “outbursts” were troublesome and annoying. Today he is known as the patron saint of air travelers and the patron saint of students taking tests.

In Buddhist beliefs, there are stories of supernatural powers (called Sidhis) that enable yogis to do such things as sleep on beds of mails, charm cobras, walk barefoot on hot coals unharmed and even... (you guessed it,) rising unnaturally off the ground, aka levitating. To the Buddhist, such instances are highly desirable. They are manifestations of spiritual powers and are for people who have attained superior spirituality. Such people are called atahants.

It is common belief within Buddhism that a person may attain such capabilities, but even when they are said have happened there has never been scientific verification that these things have occurred. There is even some discrepancy about what it actually is like.

Some yogis believe they can leave the ground physically, (“Yogic Flying”) while for others is it only an attainable mental state of being where one flies, but not in a physical sense, more like in a dreamstate in the mind. Some say this yogic flying is only achieved in the physical as a “hopping like a frog” on the buttocks while seated in the traditional lotus position.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who is known in American for the proliferation of TM, was interviewed by Larry King on May 12, 2002. He gave a very understandable definition of what this yogic flying was, he said, “Yogic Flying is that level of creative intelligence in the self-referral consciousness that will materialize the intention. Whatever the intention, materialize the intention. And what is this thing? This is the same creative intelligence from natural law that makes huge galactic universe float in the empty space. Every galaxy - huge weight galaxy - they are all flying in empty space. What is that? It is the creative intelligence at the level of pure intelligence, when pure intelligence, in its self-referral-unified state, assumes the role of fluctuations, of waves - like that, like that, like that. So the same law of nature is captured in the transcendental field of one's consciousness and then, with the thought that I should be in the air, the body lifts up, body lifts up.”

Not a very coherent explanation, but it's an explanation.

Although magical illusions such as levitation appear to break the laws of physical reality, they are often actually simply using the laws of physics through some kind of deception.
And of course, one of Satan's greatest powers is the power to deceive and to hold people in bondage to sin and death.

In John chapter 8 we read of Satan, "He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies."

...and that's the truth.