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The relationship with gravity is one of attraction. By the practice of pranayama, this attraction loses its intensity and the laws of gravity no longer operate in full scale. This brings about the experience of weightlessness, which may eventually culminate in levitation. During or after the practice of pranayama, it is not unusual to feel a sense of lightness. Sometimes one may experience the feeling of soaring or swinging. Normally, this is only a feeling; the body remains on the ground. However, if the body were to actually rise from the ground and levitate slightly, the nervous system would be significandy impacted. The quality of sleep, dreams and thinking are based on a certain relationship with gravity. If that principle were changed, the quality of thinking and feeling would also undergo change.
The relationship with gravity is also responsible for the natural tendencies of attachment and rootedness, which cause one to fear death and cling to life. Hence, when the equation with gravity changes, dispassion arises naturally and the fear of death diminishes. For the spiritual aspirant overcoming the fear of death is an important achievement. In the Yoga Sutras of Maharshi Patanjali, fear of death or abhinivesha is listed as one of the five basic kleshas, or causes of pain. These kleshas have to be dissolved before enlightenment takes place. In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (2:39), it is also said:
ब्रह्मादयोऽपि त्रिदशाः पवनाभ्यासतत्पराः । अभूवन्नंतकभयात्तस्मात्पवनमभ्यसेत् ॥
Even Brahma and other gods in heaven devote themselves to practising pranayama because it ends the fear of death. Thus it (pranayama) must be practised.
Today very few practitioners experience the siddhis attributed to the mastery of pranayama in the yogic texts, such as becoming as small as an atom or as large as a mountain. However, the adept is bound to attain some extraordinary attributes. His countenance will become striking, so that he stands apart in a crowd. The body will become lean, strong
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