Wiki

Back

Psychic powers

The Psychic Powers refer to a wide range of experiences that can arise during meditation, spontaneously, or due to a wide array of other causes. They are another huge topic, however, various commonalities can be commented on.

In general, all visions, traveling out of body, bi-location, premonitions, manipulating energy and the material world, hearing unusual things, knowing unusual things, and many other possible experiences fall into this broad category.

In general, these are considered a sub-section of training in Concentration and thus the standard warnings apply: these are temporary, relative experiences that bring no lasting ultimate wisdom the vast majority of the time and may fool people into thinking they are more important, profound, or useful than they actually are. They are also infinitely fascinating and can lead to people getting really weird if they can't hold them within a skillful and balanced worldview. They can also be tremendously fun and interesting, and so long as the warnings are understood, they are a rich and sometimes epiphany producing aspects of the spiritual journey.

They may be cultivated intentionally though they may often arise on their own, particularly in some stages, such as The Arising and Passing Away, and High Equanimity, as well as when one is in the samatha jhanas.

3452 Views