IS TIME TRAVEL POSSIBLE – INSIGHTS FROM YOGIC PHILOSOPHY

IS TIME TRAVEL POSSIBLE? 

The human curiosity about time travel across cultures and history:

For millions of years, people have been fascinated by the idea of time travel. Moving across time has been a common topic in stories, philosophies, and dreams from the period of ancient mythology and continues to do so in contemporary science. Time and its secrets are interpreted differently by cultures all across the world.

According to ancient Indian philosophy, time (Kala) is a cyclical element that, like the tides’ ebb and flow, affects the rise and fall of civilizations. Similar to this, Chronos, the personification of time in Greek mythology, has great control over both the heavenly and human worlds. In the present day, time travel has gained scientific attention because to films like Back to the Future and hypotheses from scientists like Albert Einstein have brought the idea of time travel into the scientific spotlight.

Are time travel possible in spiritual practices? Could ancient yogic practices provide insights into time travel? This article will delve into these profound questions by exploring time travel not as a physical journey but rather as a shift in consciousness guided by the timeless wisdom of yogic philosophy. I am trying to put forward this article from my very limited knowledge. Readers may guide me to be more descriptive.

1. How spirituality and science approach time travel differently:

   Contents hide

   1 How spirituality and science approach time travel differently:

   1.1 How meditation creates a state of Time Travel:

   1.1.1 When Spirituality meets Science: The Mind and Time:

   1.1.1.1 Time travel within the self: Yoga offers a profound way out of the mental framework that ties us into time’s limitations. The meditation practice, Pranayama, and mindfulness are all taught in yoga to quiet the mind, bringing one to focus on the present moment, where the grip of time loosens its hold.

   2 Related Posts:

• The scientific perspective on time travel: According to science “time is often viewed as a measurable dimension just like space”. The relativity theory introduced by our beloved great scientist Albert Einstein suggests that time is relative, not absolute, and can bend or stretch depending on factors like gravity and speed. Concepts like time widening show how time moves differently using the speed of light for someone traveling near the speed of light compared to someone stationary on Earth. Scientists explore time travel possibilities through black holes of quantum physics and advanced technologies though these remain largely theoretical.
• The Spiritual perspective on time travel: According to traditional spirituality, time is an illusion, especially in traditions like yoga (Maya). From that angle, time is not something to be measured but can be experienced. Yogic philosophy often describes time as cyclical, governed by cosmic rhythms like the cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. Practical practices like meditation and pranayama aim to transcend the constraints of linear time, creating a sense of timelessness or an eternal “now.”
• The Key difference between measurement and experience: While science seeks to measure time using external tools spirituality focuses on changing our internal perception of Time. Science looks outward for answers to questions about the universe while spirituality encourages us to turn inward exploring the mind and consciousness. Using this distinction, various ancient Yogis emphasize how yoga offers tools not to escape from time but to experience it differently—unlocking states of awareness where past and present feel interconnected.
• What does Yogic Philosophy say on Time Travel: The Yogic philosophy indicates the concept of time travel not as a physical phenomenon but in the realms of consciousness. According to ancient yogic texts, “time is not linear but cyclical and is governed by the perpetual stream of creation”, preservation, and dissolution. This perspective offers insights into how advanced yogic practices may transcend the ordinary experience of time.

2. Understanding Time Travel in Yogic Philosophy: Yogic philosophy deeply rooted in ancient Indian texts offers profound insights into time travel perception. Two of the most significant works – the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita – explore time travel not as a rigid construct but as a fluid aspect of consciousness and existence.

• Time perception in Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: The Yoga Sutras written by Yogi Patanjali is a basic text of yoga that emphasizes the mind’s role in shaping reality including our perception. Patanjali explains that time is experienced through the fluctuations of the mind (Chitta Vitti) and it is never an empty space. When the mind is restless time feels linear and fragmented. When the mind is still—achieved through practices like meditation—the sense of time travel dissipates and one experiences the eternal present. One sutra that touches on time travel perception is yoga sutra 4.33 (kṣaṇa Prati yogi pariṇāmā parānta nirgrāhyaḥ kramaḥ) which describes time as a sequence of moments that can be observed. Advanced practitioners, through Samadhi (profound meditational absorption), are said to gain insight into these moments which they perceive as a continuum rather than a series of isolated events.
• The Bhagwat Gita’s view on time travel: The Bhagavad Gita offers a cosmic perspective on time travel and its meanings. In Chapter 11 (Viswa Roop Darshan Yoga) Lord Krishna reveals to Arjuna his universal form (Viswa Rupa) and gives himself as time “the destroyer of the worlds”. This vision emphasizes the inevitability of time’s power over all living beings, emphasizing its role in the cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction. The Gita also mentioned about the transcendence of time. Krishna advised Arjuna to focus on the present moment and perform actions with detachment free from worries about past regrets or future outcomes. This teaching aligns with the Yogic practice of mindfulness, encouraging individuals to live fully in “now”.

From the above two texts, we can infer that timelessness is not about escaping time but about shifting one’s awareness to experience its deeper, interconnected nature. These ancient insights remind us that our experience of time travel is intricately linked to our state of consciousness—a principle that modern yoga practitioners can explore in their own journeys.

3. How meditation creates a state of Time Travel:

   Meditation is a powerful tool that can transform how we perceive time. While the clock ticks away in the external world meditation takes us to the inner world where time seems to slow down, pause, or even dissolve completely. This phenomenon often described as “timeless awareness” is a sign of deep meditation.

• Quieting the Mind: One of the major objectives of meditation is to silence the mind, as the latter never stops wondering. Our thinking about time is intrinsically related to the functioning of the mind—the former is filled with thoughts about the past and the future, creating linear time. Meditation silences such thoughts, and it brings the mind into the present, where time becomes irrelevant.

• Focusing on the present moment: The mindfulness meditation focuses on how to become completely aware of the present. By focusing on the breath, a mantra, or body sensations, you move your attention away from regrets over what happened or anxiety over what is going to happen. Such an immersion in meditation results in existence and in the present moment “now,” one tends to forget time as a flow of moments in a smooth passage.
• Lowering the Brain activity: Studies in science reveal that meditation slows down brainwave activity, moving from faster beta waves, which are associated with active thinking, to slower alpha and theta waves, states which are of awareness associated with these relaxation states, and the deep usual time perception may vanish, and in spite of that, practitioners often describe the experience as “eternal” or “infinite.” And by this method perhaps time travel is possible.
• Expanding Consciousness: In an advanced meditative state when the Yogi reaches his Sahsrara Chakra, he becomes completely senseless and there is no connection with the outer world and this state is characterized by a feeling of expanded consciousness. This expansion can create the feeling of being connected to something greater than oneself, transcending the limitations of the body and mind. In this state time travel, the Yogi himself becomes irrelevant in this vast, unified state. He connects himself with the huge cosmic universe.
• The role of breath control in time travel: Breath control/pranayama plays an important role in meditation. The slowing and deepening of the breath synchronize the body’s rhythms and calm the nervous system, which physiologically reduces the perception of time as a linear progression and creates a deeper sense of inner stillness. In this case, the Yogi can reverse the time which we may call time travel. He can control the time within himself, maybe not for the outer world.
• Experiencing Timeless Awareness: Timeless awareness is often described by the Yogi as a state of deep peace, when hours can feel like minutes or moments can feel infinite. It is not about escaping reality but experiencing it fully, free from the constraints of time.

Through mindfulness and meditative stillness, the Yogi can tap into this state of timeless awareness, offering a glimpse into the eternal nature of consciousness celebrated in yogic philosophy. And here may be the success story of Time Travel.

4. When Spirituality meets Science: The Mind and Time:

   According to neuroscience’s view time is a product of the brain’s construction, influenced by complex neural processing. The brain does not measure time like an hourglass clock; it rather uses several cues from its body, surroundings, and interior states to determine a subjective passage of time.

• The time perception of the Brain: The cortex, the cerebellum, and other areas of the brain work in coordination to process time. It functions in multiple processes, for instance, such as estimating duration, sequencing of events, and making predictions regarding the outcomes. Perhaps, Swami Vivekananda could have memorized the entire Book within a short time by activating the neurons and dendrons of the Brain.
• Illusion of Time: According to Neuroscience our sense of time is subjective and can be altered. Optical illusions, memory biases, and altered states of consciousness like meditation can demonstrate that time perception is influenced and dependent on brain activity.Modern neuroscience aligns with yogic philosophy in recognizing that time is not an absolute experience but a construct shaped by the mind. This shared understanding bridges the gap between science and spirituality, offering insights into how practices like meditation can alter our sense of time. And, therefore, the time travel is possible.

Conclusion :

Time travel within the self: Yoga offers a profound way out of the mental framework that ties us into time’s limitations. The meditation practice, Pranayama, and mindfulness are all taught in yoga to quiet the mind, bringing one to focus on the present moment, where the grip of time loosens its hold.

Our conventional view of time is steeped in the activity of the mind—memories of the past and anxieties about the future. Yoga combines these mental fluctuations (Chitta Vritti) by encouraging stillness and awareness. The more centered the mind, the more our experience of time changes. Moments are expansive, and the boundaries between past, present, and future become hazy.

Advanced practices such as those in the Yoga Sutras regarding Samadhi, or the teachings of detachment from Bhagavad Gita, guide the Yogis into a space where time is not relative but irrelevant. Rather than being confined to linear thinking of time, yoga encourages a sense of connection to the eternal “now,” showing a sense of timeless awareness. With the help of these tools, Yoga empowers us to transcend mental limitations, foster inner peace, and a deeper understanding of our connection to the Infinite.

FQA:

Question: No.1 – What is the Yogic view of Time Travel?

Ans: From the yogic point of view, time travel is not about moving in the physical body through time but about transcending the mental and spiritual limitations that bind us to it. By mastering the mind and expanding consciousness, yoga provides tools to explore the timeless nature of existence, offering a deeper understanding of the universe and our place within it.

Question No: 2 – Are there real-life examples of yogis experiencing “time travel”?

Ans: Swami Vivekananda’s Visionary Experience: Swami Vivekananda, one of the most famous proponents of yoga in the West, described moments during meditation when he felt he could perceive events beyond his current time. He attributed these experiences to an elevated state of consciousness achieved through yoga and spiritual discipline.

Paramahamsa Yogananda’s view: In Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahamsa Yogananda recounts stories of his guru, Sri Yukteswar Giri, and other spiritual masters accessing past or future events. Yogananda describes incidents where his teachers demonstrated knowledge of events they could not have known through conventional means, which they attributed to heightened awareness and intuitive insights.

Question: No. 3 – Does Kundalini’s awakening relate to time travel?

Ans: Kundalini awakening is a profound spiritual phenomenon described in yogic philosophy as the rising of dormant spiritual energy, often visualized as a coiled serpent at the base of the spine. While it doesn’t imply physical time travel in the conventional sense, it has significant implications for altering one’s perception of time and accessing deeper layers of consciousness.