Extraordinary Abilities

When I was just a wee thing, my 7 year old sister lured my 6 year old brother up to the roof with the promise that he would be able to fly, just like Mary Poppins (whom they had just witnessed taking flight, with the aid of her way cool umbrella). My sibs proceeded up to the roof, with their "special" umbrellas in hand. With my sisters statement " I'm right behind you. You first", my brother took flight......for all of .5 seconds. Needless to say, his broken arm was all that he was able to show for it.
This fantasy is one of many, that as kids, we longed for (or perhaps remembered the freedom of living outside the learned  "box" of our perceived limitations. In this two-part article I'll share some stories of peeps living outside that "box".

Superheros Today

Fifty years ago, Stan Lee created a few super comic peeps. Remember the Fantastic Four? I loved those comic books. My favorite was The Flame. he could turn himself into flames and fly! Lee also created The Hulk, Spider Man, and Iron Man. Well, fortunately he has set his sites on searching out real super humans. In fact, he has found quite a few people with very impressive abilities. I invite you to take a look at these people, all of whom he has filmed and studied, who are truly extraordinary.

A man heats his hands with his mind to 200 degrees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOu9Q0HiG5U
A blind man who sees better than those with sight:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiKZ9t1f6_I
A Samurai with amazing skill: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr4j83Mf70
A man who makes any animal sleep with chi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYVBMLy920I
A man who computes faster than computers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbvpp2ntK40
A man who lasts in cold while others would die:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ur3YaV6RIM

Our Extraordinary Abilities

On a more personal note, I have a couple stories to share with you from my life. In my early 20's, I lived in an ashram. One morning, I left the ashram to pick up a friend at the airport. He was to arrive at 5:30 am. About 1/4 mile before the off ramp to the San Francisco Airport, I noticed an overturned tanker truck in the center divide. Immediately, I found myself on an "ice rink" of an oil slick. The car was spinning out of control in a clockwise direction. I saw another car spinning towards and then past me. As I was about to descend over the side of the road into a ditch, at about 45 miles an hour, I yelled "Om Namah Shivaya"! with all my being. These words were my mantra at the time and my way of proclaiming "Holy shit, God help me!!".
The car stopped spinning and gradually reversed direction. It gradually aimed itself at the off ramp and stopped. I drove off. I arrived at the airport only to learn that my friend's plane was due the next day!!!
When I returned to the same section of freeway, I found the traffic to be diverted away from it because the tanker had exploded into flames and was actually melting the freeway!
In that experience I realized the power of focused intention. I aligned my entire Being into one exclamation, with the effect of having a car stop its 45 mph turn on an oil slick! After this monumental moment, rather than feeling fear, I felt great Peace and Power; an inner Knowing of the Perfection of Life. I was given a Gift. One that revealed the Infinite Possibility that is human life.

One time, on a camping trip with my eldest son Julian and our friend Lionel, we had hiked up to a beautiful summit.Whilst enjoying the gorgeous view, I pulled out 5 dice and some Yahtzee cards. I told them it was my intention to summon all my focus on the dice turning up the very best hand possible for each turn. You guessed it, the first hand, the dice came up all sixs, the second time, they turned up all fives, then fours, then threes, then twos, then ones, then three of one and two of another! Each time we were (as you can imagine) flabbergasted!

Fire Walking

Ever been to a fire walk? On three separate occasions have I experienced this extraordinary phenomenon. After two hours of instruction followed by guided meditation and discussion, we headed out to a ginormous fire. The coals were spread out into a swath about 12' wide and 30' long. Even spread out, the coals created tremendous heat. I could see waves of heat wafting from them. We were told that the key to firewalking was to walk when (and only when) you had a complete "yes" to going. The "yes" was not to impress another or to prove something to yourself. What a great lesson for life!
When I had the "yes" I walked across the 12' section. WOW WOW WOW! I walked on super hot coals! The feeling was so deeply empowering that it changed my life. I knew that if I could do that, then the rest of my life was a "cake walk"!

My wife Rebecka, relates a story about an extraordinary moment when playing cards with a friend.
"We were playing a card game, I dealt the cards face down and he picked his up. For a fraction of a second I saw through the cards, as though the paper wasn't there. I saw an Ace of Spades. I said "That's the Ace of Spades". Not liking that she knew his card, he told her to "Deal them again".

I have always been fascinated with superheros. In part, my fascination is my desire to recognize my own abilities, beyond my accepted norm. Although, when asked if I could choose one super power, I must admit it's the ability to make others feel love. Maybe it's not as "cool" as seeing through walls, but that has been the one that has lit my way.

I invite dialogue around this topic. What extraordinary ability have you experienced yourself and/or witnessed expressed by another? All you super humans, come on out of the closet.