(Minghui.org) During the millennia of mankind’s existence, there have been numerous documented stories about people levitating or ascending into the skies in broad daylight in both China and the West countries. They range from Chinese Taoists and Indian yoga masters to flying priests in the Western world. The following are some examples of these miraculous phenomena.
(Continued from Part 2)
In Amazing Human Abilities, Vincent Daczynski described that Catholic literature stated that over 200 Catholic saints had levitated. Saint Teresa was probably the first documented case of having the ability to levitate. Her 1565 autobiography described her doing so in front of 230 priests and nuns. She did not want to show her ability to people, and she prayed that this supernormal ability would be removed. She never levitated after that.
“The Flying Friar”
After more than 20 years of cultivation, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, Italy, was able to levitate. He famously did so in front of hundreds of witnesses, including Pope Urban VIII and two cardinals. During one mass, he rose above the altar. It was said that he levitated to the top of the steeple of St. Peter's Basilica. His longest levitation time was about two hours.
Because of over 100 instances of levitation, Saint Joseph of Cupertino was referred to as “The Flying Friar.” After he died of a fever on September 18, 1663, he was beatified by Pope Benedict XIV in 1753 and canonized by Pope Clement XIII in 1767. The church believed his ability to levitate came from God, and his biography was duly recorded.
Saint Joseph of Cupertino is often called “The Flying Friar.”
According to church literature, several other individuals also had flying abilities, including St. Edmund of Abingdon (1175 – 1240, archbishop of Canterbury), Sister Mary of Carmelites (around 1700), and Alphonsus Liguori (1696 – 1787).
In the 19th century, one notable person who could levitate was Daniel Douglas Hewm. He demonstrated this skill to thousands, including William M. Thackeray, Mark Twain, Napoleon III, and other renowned politicians, doctors, and scientists.
“Hewm suddenly began taking off from the ground, which came as a surprise to all the people around. I took his hand and saw his legs. He was lifting a foot away from the ground. It was a confounding variety of feelings—alternate fear and rapture—that made Hewm quake, and he seemed speechless at that moment,” wrote an American newspaper editor. “Some time later he got down and then up again. For the third time he reached the ceiling and touched it with his hands and feet.”
In the cultivation community, it is commonly believed that a cultivator who reaches a certain level can have supernatural abilities. Across cultures, these phenomena have inspired people and helped them connect with the divine. Even 100 years ago, people still considered levitation an ability bestowed to mankind by the divine.
A Miracle of Flying Over the Grand Canyon
With the development of modern science, people have become increasingly dependent on technology. Consequently, their connections to faith systems and the divine have weakened. However, as a proverb says, “When God closes a door, He opens a window,” so there are still instances of miraculous events.
One example is the American magician David Copperfield. He put on many performances that were beyond people’s imagination. In 1984, he flew across the Grand Canyon, which is 446 kilometers (about 277 miles) long and 16 kilometers (about 10 miles) wide. The Grand Canyon is irregular and winding. After sitting in meditation, Copperfield levitated and slowly moved to the Grand Canyon. A helicopter videotaped the entire event. Although some doubted this was real and tried to explain it, no other magician has done something like this.
During classic magic performances in 1992, Copperfield is seen flying freely like a bird. He then passed through two metal rings to show he was not attached to a rope. After that, he went into a transparent box, closed the lid, and moved around to show he was not using ropes. He also chose a female audience member and flew with her like Superman did in the movie. He also met an eagle in mid-air, which grabbed his hands, and they flew together. Because of these events and others, Copperfield was called "Magician of the Century."
Detroit Free Press also reported on Copperfield’s special performance on October 17, 2001. In February 2001, Copperfield wrote down seven numbers to predict the lottery that would be announced in October. The numbers were notarized, locked in a safe place, and guarded day and night. After the lottery results were announced on October 13, a German television station opened the box that had been sealed for over seven months. All seven numbers were the same as the lottery results, which brought him accolades after the story was reported.
But Copperfield said he didn’t buy lottery tickets, nor could he predict winning lottery numbers for anyone. There is no need to say a person with supernatural abilities must have high moral values.
From the perspective of the cultivation community, Copperfield demonstrated supernormal abilities in the name of magic.
(To be continued-See Part 4)
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Category: Traditional Culture
