Microsoft Word - Taimni - The Science of Yoga.doc

purpose of doing some important and necessary work for the helping of humanity. In
most cases the purpose of the Yogi can be served by temporarily materializing another
artificial body by his Kriya Sakti in the environment in which he wants to do his work.
Such an artificial body, known as Nirmana-kaya, has, however, certain limitations and
it may be more convenient for him to take the body of a disciple for the required pe-
riod. Under these conditions the disciple steps out of the body and the Yogi occupies it.
The disciple remains during this period on the higher plane in his subtler vehicle and
again occupies his body when it is vacated.
Some people, especially in the West, feel a peculiar abhorrence at this idea of
one person occupying the body of another. There is, however, no justification for this
kind of feeling if the body is a mere tenement or an instrument for the work of the soul
on the physical plane. We do not mind borrowing our friend's house or car temporar-
ily. What is then wrong in the Yogi borrowing the body of another person who is pre-
pared to oblige him? This feeling pf abhorrence is really due either to our identifying
ourselves completely with the physical body or thinking mistakenly that the occupa-
tion of another's body in this manner necessarily means dominating his will.
There are two conditions which have to be fulfilled before the Yogi is able to
exercise this power. The first is the ‘relaxation of the cause of bondage’. The bondage
here obviously means attachment to life in general and the physical body in particular.
The fundamental cause of both is the five Klesas which produce the vehicle of Karmas
as explained in II-12. This bondage is loosened though not completely destroyed when
the Yogi has attenuated the Klesas and sufficiently exhausted his Karmas through the
practice of Yoga.
The second condition is that the Yogi should have detailed knowledge of the
passages or channels along which the centre of mind travels when it enters or leaves
the body. Different Nadis in the body serve specific purposes and one of these Nadis
called the Citta-Vaha-Nadi serves as a passage for the mental centre when it enters or
leaves the body. By mental centre is meant the common centre of the superphysical
vehicles through which Citta functions. Many people do not realize that the exercise of
the Yogic powers is based upon detailed and precise knowledge of the physical and
superphysical vehicles and rigorous training is necessary in the application of this
knowledge for particular purposes. Yoga is a Science and its requirements are as exact-
ing as those of physical Science.