Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

To deny the existence of these powers because modern Science cannot accept or
explain them is to attribute to the scientist omniscience which he himself does not
claim. To assert that powers attributed to Yoga are not possible is not justified even
from the scientific point of view. Things which were considered impossible before are
passing into the realms of possibility as a result of new facts and laws which we are
discovering. Scientists would do well to remember that they have not made the facts
and laws, the discovery of which has enabled them to do so many marvellous things.
They have merely discovered those facts. How can they say what other facts and laws
are hidden within the bosom of Nature? The scientist may or may not show the true
scientific spirit and humility which is a part of that spirit. But the true Yogi who dis-
covers the infinitely more fascinating facts and powers of the inner worlds always at-
tributes them to the Divine Life enshrined within him and in the world around him and
when he uses those powers he uses them as an agent of that Life. And the day he for-
gets this important fact and loses this humble attitude his downfall is at hand.
Before dealing specifically with the Sutras in which Patanjali has given some
information with regard to Siddhis it is necessary to point out certain general facts re-
garding his manner of treating the subject.
The first thing we may note in this connection is that Patanjali has not dealt
with the subject of Siddhis in an exhaustive manner. He has merely taken up a few
well-known Siddhis and hinted at the principles underlying their exercise by way of
illustration. Neither are the Siddhis named or classified though the student of Yogic
literature will be able generally to identify the Siddhi dealt with in a particular Sutra
and correlate it with those mentioned in other schools of Yoga. It will also be seen that
some of the Sutras given in the last portion of Section III can hardly be said to deal
with Siddhis in the sense of occult powers. They deal rather with stages of Self-
realization leading up to the last stage of complete Liberation or Kaivalya. So close is
the connection between the stages of Self-realization and the powers which inhere in
those stages that it becomes almost impossible to differentiate between the two, though
Samyama may have to be resorted to for the sake of learning the technique of certain
specific processes.
The second important point we should impress upon our mind is that it is not
the intention of Patanjali to give in these Sutras a clearrcut technique for the develop-
ment of the Siddhis. He merely hints in each Sutra at the principle or modus operandi
of the mental process whereby the particular result can be attained. This can be util-