The well known English writer George Allen Knot has authored a scientific
book called “Journey by other ways”. In this book of fiction Knot has
penned such a vehicle that helps man travel thousands of miles within a few
seconds. This aircraft travels with the speed of light and one fictitious
person in the book drops many travelers at their desired destination on the
way. This fictitious vehicle is neither made up of any metal nor is any
technology like engine etc attached to it. Instead some scientists with the
help of their potent power of resolve (Sankalpa Shakti) arrange subtle atoms
in such a manner that the travelers of this fictitious vehicle become
weightless. The fictitious pilot merely makes a powerful mental resolve that
“I want this vehicle to reach a particular far off place” and immediately this
vehicle speeds ahead with the help of subtle ‘technology’. To even say that
the vehicle ‘moved’ is erroneous because within seconds it moves speedily
like light to its destination (which is thousands of miles away).
This book of fiction is so imaginative that one may read it with wonderment
for some time and then leave it saying “it is a mere figment of the
respected author’s imagination”. And yet Woodland’s (USA) Dr. Zio
Bernhardt actually experienced something of this sort. In that as per his
power of resolve he reached his destination. In a well known American
Journal of Parapsychology Dr. Bernhardt writes: At that time, my son was
fighting a war in Vietnam (in the year 1971 A.D). Once seated in my
residence I strongly felt that my son was in danger. I felt as though he was
shouting aloud to me. Immediately when this deep thought flashed in my
mind my body became extremely lighter in weight even than air. From
Woodland in USA I reached a far off unknown place within a second. This
was the place where my son was waging a war for the army.
Dr. Bernhardt continued: In that far off place raged an intense inferno. My
son John was trapped in a tent and on top of him was a very heavy truck.
Immediately I removed the truck from John’s body and after dragging him
out of the tent I made him stand up.
Immediately my body now started regaining its original form and weight.
When I opened my eyes I felt I had woken up from a half sleep semi
conscious state. My wife seated besides me was checking my pulse. I asked
her: Tell me, what happened? She replied: I felt as though for sometime you
had become abnormal! I then related my amazing experience to her but
according to her it was merely some bad dream. And yet inwardly I failed to
agree with my wife’s observation. After 6 months John returned home since
he was on leave. John later told us about how he was trapped in a blazing
inferno while fighting the Vietnam War and that miraculously he managed to
escape the jaws of death.
After hearing what John had said Dr. Bernhardt was convinced that as soon
as he intuitively and with the help of telepathy got knowledge of this near
fatal accident in Vietnam, his own subtle body reached there so as to save
John from dying thus. The question he asked himself was: Could it be
possible that with the help of ones subtle body one could travel any where
at will? Spiritual Sciences give an emphatic answer saying: YES! Today slowly
but surely even Modern Sciences’ attention has been strongly drawn in this
direction. Many such incidences have been recorded the world over
wherein not the physical body but the subtle body was fully active.
The subtle body can be separated from the gross visible body as has been
the experience of many people the world over. Some years back an
experience of the world famous actress Elizabeth Taylor had been
published. Elizabeth Taylor as written in that publication was to undergo a
major operation. She was made to lie down on the operation table and was
anaesthetized. The operation being a serious one continued for some time
and when it ended the surgeons suddenly realized that Elizabeth Taylor’s
body lay lifeless on the operation table. Her breathing had stopped, blood
pressure was falling perilously and her heart beats were very faint. After
great effort the medical team revived Elizabeth Taylor. When she regained
her composure she said: I saw my self being operated with my own eyes!
Since the doctors suspected that Taylor had temporarily entered a dream
state they asked her: Tell us, what exactly happened during the operation?
Taylor described each step of the operation. Not only this but she also
described what apparatus and materials were used for the operation and in
what sequence! Amazingly she also described how the chief surgeon had
yelled when a particular apparatus was missing and what words he had
exactly uttered.
After hearing Elizabeth all doubts were dispelled. A point to note is that
anyone well versed with Indian Spiritual Philosophy will not be surprised at
all to read incidences like those mentioned above because Indian
Spirituality has always maintained that apart from the gross body (Sthool
Sharira) there exists a subtle body (Sookshma Sharira) and a causal body
(Karana Sharira). As against this such incidences can certainly amaze
Westerners. It is not as though Westerners do not know about the soul being
separate from the body because saints and great philosophers of the West
too have deeply studied Spiritual sciences. No doubt they accepted the
existence of a subtle principle but because flourishing Modern Sciences
scoffed those findings as ‘blind beliefs’, intellectuals the world over failed
to give due importance to this subtle principle.
Regarding one more incident Dr. Moss writes: A session was going on in
Victoria House of British Columbia Parliament. At that time one of its
honorable members called Charles Wood was very ill. The doctors had given
hope for Wood’s very survival too. And yet Charles Wood was very keen on
attending that Parliament session. The doctors refused to allow Wood to
even get up from his bed and hence in despair he continued resting there.
And yet very amazingly other members of Parliament actually saw Charles
Wood seated in Victoria House for the session. During the said session many
photographs too were taken and when they were developed one could see
Charles Wood clearly in them!
The world famous philosopher, thinker and psychologist Dr. Carl Jung
himself has experienced his subtle body separating or ‘coming out’ of his
physical body. This experience has been elaborated further in his famous
book “Memories, Dreams and Reflections”. In an incident in the year 1944
A.D. Carl Jung got a heart attack. It was a very dangerous attack and
according to his doctor, Dr. Jung was face to face with death. Dr. Jung
writes about this experience as follows: While I was being administered
medicines and injections for saving my life I experienced many strange
things. Even now it is difficult for me to decisively say whether I was
unconscious at that time or whether I was undergoing a vivid dream. And
yet what is crystal clear is that I actually felt I was ‘hanging’ in interstellar
space. Further my body felt as though it was as light as a cotton fiber. From
the place actually where I was I felt I was seeing Jerusalem which was
thousands of miles away as though I was seated in an air craft flying in the
sky with the city flying past below on earth. After this I manifested in a
worship hall. There I felt my body to be so weightless that I could go about
anywhere without any hindrance. Immediately I saw a ‘shadow’ hovering
above me. This ‘shadow’ said: Now you must re-enter your physical body. I
hence carried out its command. Now my experience was that I was no
longer independent to move about as before. But what is very important is
that this vivid experience gave me inner wisdom and thus all my previous
doubts were dispelled totally. Now I realized what actually takes place after
any human being dies.
Without doubt today Modern Material Science has concluded in one voice
that what we call ‘matter’ is not an ultimate independent unit of this
cosmos. Instead great scientists proclaim that a miniscule atom of matter is
also the result of many more subtle particles. When these subtle particles
were analyzed during high leveled research studies the Philosophy of
Consciousness commenced.
In the year 1968 A.D., renowned Russian scientists like Dr. V. Inushin,
Chekov, N. Norovov, N. Korarova and Guadulin carried out important
experiments. After completing their research studies they accepted that all
creatures of the world not only possess a gross physical body (made of flesh,
bones etc) but that they possess a subtle conscious body too.
These eminent Russian scientists called this subtle body as “The Biological
Plasma Body”. While elaborating further they said that it not just merely a
collective unit of preliminary units of life which in turn arise from activated
electrical molecules but that it is a well managed and self controlled
principle. It thus manifests its own magnetic arena.
While researching into the Biological Plasma Body renowned scientists have
also analyzed their underlying principles. Soviet scientists have conducted
many experiments in order to study the designing/structure and function of
this Bio-plasma. Later they concluded that Bio-plasma predominantly exists
in the brain region. Further functionally it is most active in the Sushumna
(subtle spine) and muscular cells.
The Bhagwad Geeta compares this human body to a tree wherein the
branches are at the base and the roots are at the top end. Scientists have
proven the existence of a vital force which is not cosmic consciousness/soul
but is energy of the level of the subtle body. It is also called the electrical
energy of the human body. It is present in all creatures without exception.
Prof. Dr. Heraldwar of Yale University’s Neuro Academy has proved that
every creature be it a mere ant too is covered by an ‘electro-dynamic’ aura.
Later another scientist of this very University named Dr. Leonard Ravitz
continued research studies on this line. According to his findings this
‘electro-dynamic’ aura can be influenced with the help of the brain. If we
make a parallel study, Indian Spiritual Science has given us the path of
Dhyana-Dharana or Meditation-Concentration as elucidated in Yogic texts.
It is important to note that each individual does not possess merely one
body made up of flesh, blood etc. This is because within this gross visible
body exist 2 more bodies called subtle body (Sukshma Sharira) and causal
body (Karana Sharira). Between these 2 bodies the subtle body is more
active and influential. After death the physical body disintegrates but the
subtle body’s existence persists. It is this subtle body that paves the way for
a fresh new body which is called ‘birth’ by us all.
After one dies although the physical body disintegrates ones mind, psychic
imprints (Sanskars) and good deeds/bad deeds continue to exist and enter a
new body called rebirth. This subtle body also harbors memory of previous
births/incarnations. Hence many a times people identify and remember
their past life family members, dear ones etc. It is this subtle body that
‘transports’ ones mind, psychic imprints (Sanskars) and good deeds/bad to
the new body (rebirth) after death of the previous body. In reality when we
die a certain type of state of ‘rest’ ensues wherein it is as though a living
being is warding off the ‘tension’ and ‘hard work’ performed in the previous
body. It is like a business man, executive, teacher, house wife etc who after
a hard long grinding day, goes to sleep at night for a well deserved rest.
Next day when they wake up they feel rejuvenated and look forward to
another hard day’s work. In the same way after death when the subtle body
‘rests’ for some time before being reborn it manifests enough capacity to
toil hard in the next body called rebirth. Of course there are certain living
beings who take up a fresh new body (birth) after giving up the previous
body (death) without any rest or pause. Generally such re-born individuals
tend to be relatively weak both in body and mind.
In any birth the subtle body is as functional as the gross body. When we go
to sleep at night and visualize vivid dreams know for sure that it is the
subtle body which is at work. It is only the subtle body that is solely
responsible for divine vision, hearing far off sounds, seeing far off objects,
thought movements, knowledge of the future (prophecy making), visualizing
demigods etc. Via Yoga steps like Pratyahar (mastering the 5 sense organs),
Dharana (inculcating a one pointed focused mind), Dhyana (uninterrupted
meditation) and Samadhi (trance or super conscious state) the aspirant
makes his subtle body sacred and potent. This subtle body is the fount of
Ridhi-Sidhis (Divine Powers).
Heaven and hell are also manifestations of the subtle body. Wisdom,
good/bad psychic imprints, good/bad qualities, inclinations etc have a direct
relationship with the subtle body. Ghosts etc too are dependent on the
subtle body. It also is responsible for the manifestation of divine
experiences, Divine Powers of Yoga (Ridhi-Sidhi), dream interpretations etc.
Following is a list of names of great Western Philosophers and Seers who not
only belive in the existence of the soul but also agree that the soul persists
even after the physical body dies and deteriorates: Ralph Waldo Trine,
Midney, Flower, Ela Wheeler, Bilcox, William walker, Atkinson, James, Kenny
etc. Great Seers of past times like Carlisle, Emerson, Kant, Hegel, Thomas,
Hillman Dyson etc too have a similar viewpoint.
Our actions via the gross body and thoughts of the mind get ‘printed’ in the
subtle body which are called psychic-imprints (Sanskars). Man’s nature and
character are but the sum total of his thinking and activities spanning over
innumerable incarnations. The more this nature is adhered to, to that
extent those types of psychic imprints get etched in our psyche. In turn
these imprints mature and ripen so as to create our good/bad destiny and
fruits of actions. In this manner it is the subtle body that has designed the
process of giving man the fruits of his past deeds or misdeeds.
If we eat unwholesome food, breathe polluted air and act undesirably our
physical body undergoes diseases and illnesses. In the same way vile
thoughts and vile actions “pollute” the subtle body and thus loses its power
and potential. A man who foolishly insists on pursuing the thorny path of
tainted thinking and actions is always seen to be weak and full of
cowardice. As a result a day comes when he becomes a mentally ill and
diseased patient. By itself the subtle body pervades our gross body just as
butter in milk. Despite this it is more concentrated in the brain area.
Vile/tainted thinking induces imbalance in our mind, brain and subtle body.
This results in ones inner personality getting tainted and diseased. This in
turn manifests externally as obstacles in the way of man’s material and
spiritual progress.