We are all familiar with the concept of levitation – the ability of a person to rise into the air without visible support. However, most scientists tend to avoid an in-depth study of this phenomenon. Dr. Michael Grosso, on the other hand, has chosen to delve into the historical record of levitation and other forms of psychokinesis. For him, such evidence is an important addition to our understanding of human nature and its potential.
Historical records of levitation and other forms of psychokinesis are an integral part of our cultural heritage. They provide additional evidence that makes the idea of materialism completely unacceptable. Dr. Grosso, who received his PhD from Columbia University, has an informal collaboration with the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia. He has written a book about a particular case of levitation which, by all accounts, was genuine. However, his contract with Oxford University Press was terminated when he refused to tone down his statements about levitation. Nevertheless, the book will be published this year by Rowman & Littlefield under the title “The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation.”
St. Joseph of Copertino, who lived in the 17th century, was one of the most famous levitators. He could hover several inches above the ground or fly high in the air in front of large crowds in Italy. The process of canonization by the church requires in-depth research, so many written accounts of Joseph of Copertino’s levitation have been collected, including 150 eyewitness accounts.
Some people today reject the possibility of levitation, considering it a delusion of religious zeal or backward superstition. However, Dr. Grosso argues that levitation is something that actually exists outside of time. He also points out that all the witnesses who were involved in the study of levitation were high ranking individuals – cardinals, popes, inquisitors.
The Church at the time did not seek to publicize Josephus and his miracles. Church records contain only hard facts and leave no room for doubt. Joseph became the object of distrust and acceptance by the church for decades. He was moved from one place to another, being warned not to levitate. This is probably due to his ability to attract many adherents.
Joseph of Copertino was not the only levitant in human history. There are other records of people with this ability. However, many of them are considered legends or myths. But, as Dr. Grosso says, we must open ourselves to the possibility that these stories have a basis in reality.
Levitation is just one form of psychokinesis that is still a mystery to science. We are only beginning to understand the potential of the human mind and its ability to affect the world around us. Historical evidence of levitation research may be the key to expanding our understanding of human capabilities.
