I have seen some people with psychic powers. They are able to move things using their minds, or read the minds of other people, or see with closed eyes. How exactly are such powers activated?
—Siddharth Kumar, India
Dear Siddharth,
Yes, these powers exist. Yogis often get very fascinated by them. They are, however, not necessarily a sign of spiritual progress. A person might have developed such psychic powers but be quite low in consciousness.
Sri Yukteswar explains in the Autobiography of a Yogi: “I see, however, that you are imagining that the possession of miraculous powers is knowledge of God. One might have the whole universe, and find the Lord elusive still! Spiritual advancement is not measured by one’s outward powers, but only by the depth of his bliss in meditation.”
A basis for these powers, at any rate, is a great capacity of concentration. As a sincere yogi, you should indeed work on strengthening your concentration, but with the sole purpose of deepening your meditations and inner perceptions, not with the ambition to attain psychic powers. It is better to devote yourself fully to God. Should He give you powers as you develop, you may humbly accept them, applying them wisely. If He doesn’t, never ask for them or yearn for them.
Some time ago I wrote two answers to a similar question, you may read them here and here if you like.
May you blossom in Self-realization and God-union, power-free or power-full,
Jayadev
