During pratyahar, the kundalini energy reverses its flow moving up the spine awakening each chakra and the yoga practitioner experiences the fruits of this awakening which may come in the form of astral levitation and clairvoyance, wish fulfilment, moving objects by the force of prana and knowing the past present and future.

Now all this is a scientific possibility as the yogis believe that when the energy flows into the human brain, through this reversal, it activates the dormant centres of the brain.

It is popular knowledge that the human being today is using only one-tenth of his brain capability; nine-tenth of it is still in a sleeping state shrouded in mystery and topic of many a scientific research.

Through pranayama and kundalini yoga, the yogi activates these centres and experiences the power that it unleashes. True masters always warn their disciples not to be impressed by these siddhis or use them for material gains.

The fruit of true yoga is in the union of the individual consciousness with the divine consciousness; when the individual experiences oneness with the cosmos, which is the state of self-realisation and the first level of Samadhi, the eighth and final stage of yoga.

After experiencing pratyahar-the fourth stage of yoga-the practitioner moves to dharana. With one-pointed concentration, the yogi gathers all the energy to focus on a given object.

This may be a sound, a vision, a sensation or a combination of all three, which depends on the guru who is guiding and decides the best possible method suited to the individual disciple.

During the practice of dharana, once again, the mind may throw up negative thoughts, doubts and restlessness resulting in an inability to sit for meditation.

Since one is dealing with the mysterious depths of the cerebral system, people may even perceive the practitioner to be suffering from bouts of madness. This is the reason that any person seriously practicing yoga at this stage must know the form of yoga being practiced and the lineage of the teacher.

Constant concentration on the given object slowly trains the practicing yogi to cut through all extraneous thoughts and mind stuff to gradually reach a centre of silence where the witness consciousness is fully awakened.

Like water takes the shape of the vessel it's poured into, the yogi becomes part of the object being focussed upon. The centres of the brain open up and meditation or dhyana happens without effort. Dhyana, the seventh stage of yoga occurs without conscious attempt. It is a natural extension of dharana, as the yogi sits and melts in the beauty of the concentration, it flowers into the state of dhyana.