In 1978 a six-month long study was conducted by MERU in Switzerland on human consciousness as the field of all possibilities. I was extremely fortunate to have been one of the 1,800 people from 37 countries who attended this special study. Among the enrollees were some of the most distinguished and respected scientists. The primary disciplines represented were physics, biology, physiology, medicine, sociology, education, management, and psychology. Most enrollees, such as myself, were there for personal development, but also served as research subjects.

All of us were practitioners of the Transcendental Meditation technique and were to receive advanced training in the TM-Sidhi program. The Transcendental Meditation technique opens the awareness to Transcendental Consciousness, whereas the TM-Sidhi program cultures the ability to think and act from that level. By learning to function from this level a profound integration of brain functioning (EEG coherence) occurs enabling one to fulfill one's desires more easily. One aspect of the TM-Sidhi program is called Yogic Flying (self-levitation).

Batteries of psychological and physiological tests were scheduled with extensive EEG studies to be made to log brain wave activity before, during and after the performance of various siddhis (abilities). Of particular interest to researchers was to study the ability of Yogic Flying.

We were separated into smaller, more manageable groups and located in many rented hotels around the city of Interlaken. Men and women had their separate accommodations, except for married couples who were housed together. The group I was in consisted of 186 course participants.

When the time came for us to learn to levitate, none of us really believed we would do it. I knew intellectually that levitation was humanly possible and I was hopeful I would be able to do it, but I also had serious doubts. I believe that this feeling was shared by most, if not all, of the other participants. After we received instructions in levitation, called Yogic Flying by our instructors, we were all to come together as a group the following day for an actual practice session with our instructors. I could not wait to get to the meeting hall the following morning.

The next morning, when I entered the hall, I realized that when our instructors had told us we would do Yogic Flying they were serious. The meeting hall was made devoid of all chairs and furnishings, and was lined, wall-to-wall, with eight-inch thick foam rubber padding. The room quickly filled at the appointed time with all of us anxious doubters. We sat scattered around the room and began practicing as instructed. Almost immediately the instructors shot up off the foam. Then, like popcorn popping, students throughout the room began lifting off. There was much laughter and expressions of joy as people lifted off the foam. As I continued with the practice I suddenly felt a surge of buoyancy accompanied by a feeling of bliss. And up I went. The experience was momentary. There was a slight forward thrust during the hop and I came down about three feet in front of where I lifted off. Then, up I went again, and down I came. And up again, and down again. With each lift-off I experienced a great feeling of freedom as I broke away from the pull of gravity. It was very exhilarating to say the least.

During my college years I was a member of a skydiving club. My experience of Yogic Flying was much like the experience of weightlessness I had when I reached terminal velocity during skydiving. However, instead of the accompanying adrenalin surge I had in skydiving, I experienced bubbling bliss as I hopped around the room doing my Yogic Flying practice.

Like the Wright Brothers, we did not fly far. We did not fly very high. Neither did we fly for very long. But we flew.

There are various stages of Yogic Flying. The initial stage is "hopping." The second stage is "floating," and the final stage is "flying." So far, no one practicing the Yogic Flying TM-Sidhi has been observed achieving a stage beyond hopping. Achieving the floating and flying stages is dependent upon the extent to which the practitioner is able to sustain his awareness at the level of the unified field, the level of transcendental consciousness. It is by maintaining one's awareness at this very fine level that one is able to influence the laws of nature to gain support of those laws whereby anything is possible. That is why the unified field is called the field of all possibilities; from that most fundamental and powerful level anything is possible. The author believes that eventually the final stage of levitation (flying) will be a common phenomenon.

Photos depicting Yogic Flying are on display at local Transcendental Meditation centers. Also, two video tapes on Yogic Flying called, Video on Yogic Flying and The Physics of Flying are available from Maharishi University of Management Press, Fairfield, Iowa 52557-1115. The video tapes explain Yogic Flying and its benefits for the individual and society. To order, please see MUM Press.

Yogic Flying is one component of the TM-Sidhi program. The TM-Sidhi Program is a natural extension of the Transcendental Meditation Program which was created by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and popularised in the West since 1950. For further information about the Transcendental Meditation technique please see the author's article, The Vedic Secret To Success. Also, please visit: The TM Program.

For further information about the TM-Sidhi program please see: The TM-Sidhi Program.