Yoga & Parapsychology: Empirical Research and Theoretical Studies

by K. Ramakrishna Rao

Yoga and Parapsychology are two areas in which significant amount of professional research are awaited. Parapsychology, considered as the discipline to study psi (psychic abilities), essentially the science of siddhis (extraordinary human abilities). Yoga is considered to be an effective psycho-spiritual pursuit that results in the manifestation of a variety of supernormal Phenomena. In fact, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras is the foundational text of psychic science. One of Its four parts, Vibhuti Pada, is filled with the description and discussion of a variety of paranormal phenomena.

There is thus an intrinsic commonality between yoga and parapsychology, which remains essentially unexplored in any systematic way. A serious and scientific study of the two and the resultant synergy of their confluence could result in resolving many of the riddles that puzzle parapsychology today and be a harbinger of a vibrant science opening up new frontiers. Further, it could be seen as a productive East-West meet in a profound sense. Keeping this in view, a national conference and a workshop were organized during January 3-23, 2006 at Andhra University by the Institute for Human Science and Service with international participation.

The present volume is a compilation of the major presentations at the conference and workshop, which are appropriately revised and edited in the light of the discussions. The contents of the volume contain theoretical articles and reviews as well as experimental reports. Contributors come from different countries besides India, including the United States of America, Sri Lanka, the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. Thus, the volume is international in scope and coverage.