When an Indian Swami tested the bounds of modern science.
A few days ago, I found myself mindlessly scrolling through my YouTube feed when I noticed a video from the History channel titled ‘The Mystic Powers of Meditation.’ Intrigued by my longstanding meditation practice since age 8 and my enduring curiosity about its spiritual aspects, I couldn’t resist diving into the video.
The video began by delving into the rich tradition of meditation in Hinduism, emphasizing its belief in attaining extraordinary powers or “Siddhis” through intense practice. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras outlined eight distinct Siddhis, including Vasitva (control over material elements) and Laghima (becoming weightless). Swami Sarvapriyananda of the Ramakrishna Mission then introduced the enigmatic Trailanga Swami, the legendary “Walking Shiva of Varanasi” from the 16th century. Trailanga Swami, renowned for his supernatural yogic abilities and remarkable longevity (reportedly living to 280), astounded observers by escaping prison twice, levitating over the Ganges for days, and submerging underwater for extended periods without oxygen. These feats, well-documented by Robert Arnett in “India Unveiled,” defy dismissal as mere myths, supported by firsthand witnesses to his incredible powers.
Whether these feats are factual or merely products of hearsay isn’t pertinent within the context of this article. Our focus here is to delve into the potential of meditation through a scientific lens, with a specific emphasis on a yogi who has demonstrated the abilities described in ancient Indian texts under rigorous modern scientific scrutiny.
Swami Rama, originally named Brij Kisore Dhasmana, was born on November 13, 1925, into a North Indian Brahmin family in the remote village of Toli in the Garhwal Himalayas. Remarkably, at the age of 3, he began his spiritual journey under the guidance of the Himalayan sage Bengali Baba. Over the next two decades, Swami Rama immersed himself in the teachings of both Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, traversing the Himalayas to learn from various sages, including luminaries like Sri Aurobindo and Ramana Maharshi.
In the late 1940s, a local North Indian newspaper featured a photograph of Swami Rama meditating near a river inhabited by crocodiles. This exposure led to his appointment as the Shankaracharya at Karvirpitham in South India, succeeding Dr. Kurtkoti. However, his dissatisfaction with the ritualistic aspects of the role prompted him to return to his master’s guidance. In preparation for a profound mission, he endured an arduous 11-month meditation.
Upon completing this rigorous meditation period, Swami Rama followed his master’s instruction and embarked on a groundbreaking journey to the West. This journey would ultimately reshape society’s understanding of the intricate relationship between mind and body.
In 1969, upon arriving in the USA, Swami Rama formed a connection with Dr. Daniel Ferguson, who served as the head of the medical hygiene clinic at the Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. Utilizing ancient yoga and meditation techniques, Swami Rama astounded Dr. Ferguson by demonstrating his ability to completely control his pulse under medical supervision. Recognizing the potential significance of these demonstrations in the realm of biofeedback, Dr. Ferguson reached out to Elmer Green of the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas, proposing that their psycho-physiological equipment might help unravel the mysteries behind Swami Rama’s remarkable feats.
From March 28 to March 30, 1970, Swami Rama participated in a series of experiments that, even to this day, continue to defy explanation within the field of neuroscience.
On March 29, the stage was set for a mind-bending experiment. Swami Rama, with hands resting motionless on a board, astonished all witnesses. He showcased his extraordinary talent by altering the temperature of the left side of his right hand to mirror the right side. This captivating feat was achieved using thermistors attached to his palm. As the experiment unfolded, both sections of his palm initially showed temperature spikes, but by the end, a jaw-dropping 11°F temperature gap separated the two sides
While Swami Rama’s earlier feats were undeniably remarkable, his primary objective remained unfulfilled: demonstrating voluntary control over an involuntary system, specifically the heart. The following day, under rigorous scientific conditions, Swami Rama achieved the extraordinary feat of inducing a state known as “atrial flutter” in his heart for an astonishing 16.2 seconds. Atrial flutter is an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by rapid contractions in the upper chambers (atria), which, in this state, significantly raises the risk of stroke or even death. In an excerpt from the book “Beyond Biofeedback,” Elmer Green vividly describes this groundbreaking experiment.
“We sat silently for perhaps two minutes. Then, to my surprise, I heard Alyce say on the intercom, “That’s all.” Then the Swami drew in his diaphragm, and the resultant muscle tension drove the pen to the edge of the EKG channel. Erratic movements of the pen during the 16.2-second period of atrial flutter were caused by invisible muscle tensions.”
During his remaining time at the institute, Swami Rama continued to showcase remarkable abilities. For instance, he demonstrated telekinesis by moving a knitting needle by 10 degrees under strictly controlled scientific conditions. Additionally, through the practice of Yoga Nidra, an ancient Yogic method of conscious sleep, he could voluntarily generate Alpha, Theta, and Delta brain waves at will. These achievements were echoed years later when his disciple, Swami Veda Bharati, conducted similar experiments at the Noetic Institute of Sciences. In these experiments, Delta waves, typically associated with deep sleep, were recorded on an EEG machine while Swami Veda Bharati remained fully conscious. This aligns with Swami Veda’s definition of Yoga Nidra as a state where an individual exhibits all the characteristics of deep non-REM sleep, including Delta brain waves, while maintaining complete awareness.
While Western neuroscience struggled to explain the extraordinary states of consciousness demonstrated by these Yogis, their roots run deep in Eastern philosophies, particularly the Upanishads. The Mandukya Upanishad outlines four states of consciousness: Jagrat (waking), Svapna (dreaming), Susupti (deep sleep), and Turiya — a state of pure consciousness where duality dissolves, and the universal self (Atman) merges with the individual self (Jiva-Atman).
In the paper “Defining Yoga Nidra: Traditional Accounts, Physiological Research, and Future Directions,” Swami Veda Bharati argues that Turiya is marked by a flat EEG line, not delta waves, signifying a moment-to-moment state of Asamprajnata Samadhi, the highest state of Samadhi in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It’s reasonable to conclude that both Yogis reached the Susupti state of consciousness, as evidenced by the continuous production of delta waves on the EEG throughout the experiments.
These findings illuminate the profound depths of yogic knowledge and its potential to reshape our understanding of consciousness.
When probed about how Yogis could wield mastery over involuntary systems, Swami Rama emphatically declared, “Science needs yoga; yoga doesn’t need science.” While these scientific experiments are invaluable in unlocking the vast potential within human beings, we must heed the timeless wisdom of the great sage Patanjali. In these remarkable journeys into the depths of human consciousness, we find not only the meeting of science and spirituality but the revelation of boundless possibilities awaiting those who dare to explore the uncharted territories of the mind and soul.
