Are Psychic Phenomena Significant Spiritually?

Question

Jai Guru,

Whenever I think about someone whom I may or may not be knowing personally, I will come across some piece of information about him, if he is a celebrity then on television or if someone of a passing acquaintance then over the phone or some piece of information through someone about him. This takes place whenever a passing thought about some person pass my mind. What does it all mean? Does it have any significance? This had been taking place since my childhood.

—sharmila chakravarty, India

Answer

Dear Friend,

Swami Vivekananda, the well known disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, once reported to his guru that he was having telepathic vision of people at far distances from him. Ramakrishna advised him to “forget it, it’s just a distraction!”

I think these incidents you report, too, are not significant spiritually speaking, for you or for these people, some of whom you do not know personally. Therefore I would not pay them much attention.

The soul has potentially many great powers but we are warned not to identify with them, to seek them, or to use them, unless given an inward, divine sanction to do so.

In time, they may recede and go away, esp if not given energy and attention. If you find such things disturbing in any way, pray to the guru for guidance and protection.

Let the divine light and presence be the polestar of your life. Patanjali speaks of many powers to come to the devotee with spiritual advancement, but also powers that come even without real spiritual advancement. So pay them no mind until or unless it is clear they are directing you for your own, and perhaps another’s, spiritual upliftment.

Blessings and joy to you,

Nayaswami Hriman