History Main / LevitatingLotusPosition

[[quoteright:330:[[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirley_floating_2254.jpg]]]]

* Averted in ''Recap/TintinTintinInTibet'', where a monk levitates involuntarily, as he's uttering a prophetic warning (and doesn't remember anything afterwards, including levitating) -- but does so while standing upright.

* Averted in ''{{Tintin}} in Tibet'', where a monk levitates involuntarily, as he's uttering a prophetic warning (and doesn't remember anything afterwards, including levitating) -- but does so while standing upright.

* Several practitioners of Transcendental Meditation have claimed to be able to levitate while in the Lotus position, and there are even photographs showing them in midair in this pose. However, when investigated by the likes of JamesRandi, it has so far turned out that these claimants merely know how to ''bounce'' while in Lotus position, and have somebody take a photograph while in mid-bounce.

* Pitfall Harry Jr. in ''Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure'' does this as his ultimate IdleAnimation, also with levitation.

* Vaarsuvius of ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'' floats in this position (or close enough for a stick-figure comic) while in a trance to regain spells. Belkar took advantage of this once [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html to play a nasty prank on V]].

* ''SaintSeiya''

* In ''SazanEyes'', this is the default position for Kelarla (a CuteMonsterGirl) whenever she appears, floating above the ground.
* ''FistOfTheNorthStar'': Ken's rage Toki's "face breaking fist of compassion" attack has him sitting in this position, floating, while using his arms to direct the waves that break his opponents face. Compassionately. The dramatic after-picture has him the same way, but arms in his lap.

* Dr. Manhattan in ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'' does the levitating version of the LotusPosition while creating his fortress on Mars.

* Averted in ''{{Tintin}} in Tibet'', where a monk levitates involuntarily, as he's uttering a prophetic warning (and doesn't remember anything afterwards, including levitating), but does so while standing upright.

* In ''{{BPRD}}'', Liz talks to a ShangriLa monk while he's in the lotus position three feet off the ground.

* Master Oogway of ''KungFuPanda'' also does the levitating lotus pose.

* Kwai Chang Caine did this sometimes while meditating in ''KungFu The Legend Continues''.

* The Wizard class has this as an IdleAnimation in {{Gauntlet}}: Dark Legacy.

* Certain [=NPCs=] in ''GoldenSun'' can be seen learning how to do this.

* Vaarsuvius of ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'' floats in this position (or close enough for a stick-figure comic) while in a trance to regain spells. Belkar took advantage of this once [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html to play a prank on V]].

* The animated[[hottip:*:Well, they may be in the comics too, but they're more prominent in the animated version, if only because there is much less material]] ''SpirouAndFantasio'' has two such characters who make several appearances: One is a [[MagicalNativeAmerican MagicalAborigine]] capable of astral projection, and who must tie himself to a rock to avoid flying too high. The other is an Indian scientist who's ''always'' about a metre from the ground, possibly even when sleeping.

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* Oddly enough, ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has several people sitting lotus, but with air and waterbending abilities -- [[AvertedTrope nobody]] actually floats.

* The {{DCAU}}'s future GreenLantern of the ''BatmanBeyond'' time (also in ''JusticeLeagueUnlimited'') flies around this way.
* In ''ChinaIllinois'', Steve and Ronald Reagan do this after being in stopped time for the equivalent of 100 years.

* Used by DoctorStrange for purposes of study, meditation, and sometimes AstralProjection. Usually while sitting on three or four feet of empty air.

See also MeditationPowerup. See ChunkyUpdraft and LoveFloats for other uses of levitation.

[[folder: Anime & Manga]]
* Virgo Shaka of ''SaintSeiya'' awaits for the intruders to the House of Virgo in a LevitatingLotusPosition. No surprise here for someone thinking he's the reincarnation of Buddha. Bonus points for keeping the pose while wearing the Gold Cloth armor of the Gold Saints.

* Also in ''SazanEyes'', this is the default position for Kelarla (a CuteMonsterGirl) whenever she appears, floating above the ground.

[[folder: Comic Books]]

* Jean Grey of {{X-Men}} being both telepathic and telekinetic could do the lotus and float.

* Leonard of ''LeonardLeGenie'' encounters an entire squadron (yes, flying in squadron formation) of monks flying like this. One even shouts mayday because he has a leg cramp, meaning he can't get the landing gear out.

* R. Crumb's Mr. Natural actually shows some mystical powers by levitating in the lotus position and travelling to the city that way - of course he's tracking down disciple Flakey Foont, who owes him money.

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* ''TheGoldenChild''. The title character's astrally projected image does this when it appears to Chandler Jarrell.
* Tom "[[DoubleConsciousness The Astronaut]]" of the far future in ''TheFountain'' does this [[spoiler:upon the climax, when he comes to his personal realization of the ultimate truth of life and death]]. He climbs out of his bubble-like spaceship (while still enveloped in a smaller, person-sized bubble) and assumes the lotus position in order to [[spoiler:meet Xibalba head on]]. In the midst of his catharsis, he suddenly [[spoiler:appears to the priest guarding the Tree of Life]], who is awed by his presence.
[[/folder]]

* [[TheDragon Otani Yoshitsugu]] from ''SengokuBasara''. Granted, he's actually sitting on a palanquin that levitates due to his sorcery.
* ''In FistOfTheNorthStar'': Ken's rage Toki's "face breaking fist of compassion" attack has him sitting in this position, floating, while using his arms to direct the waves that break his opponents face. compassionately. The dramatic after-picture has him the same way but arms in his lap.
* The Nali randomly do that in the original ''{{Unreal}}'' and ''Return to Na-Pali''.

* Vaarsuvius of ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' floats in this position (or close enough for a stick-figure comic) while in a trance to regain spells. Belkar took advantage of this once [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html to play a prank on V]].

[[folder:Web Original]]
* There's a video on the official web site of TheMuppets showing what the character Animal does on his days off. One of the things he does is meditate in the levitating lotus position. The video also includes the "Ohm..." element: Animal's meditation chant is "Wooooomaaaaan..."
[[/folder]]

* The HermitGuru in the AnimatedAdaptation of ''Discworld/SoulMusic''. In the book it just says he's sitting under a tree (quite possibly a [[UsefulNotes/{{Buddhism}} Bodhi tree]]) with his legs crossed.

* Oddly enough, ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has several people sitting lotus, but with air and waterbending abilities -- [[AvertedTrope nobody]] actually floats.
* The [[hottip:animated:Well, they may be in the comics too, but they're more prominent in the animated version, if only because there is much less material]] ''SpirouAndFantasio'' has two such characters who make several appearances: One is a [[MagicalNativeAmerican MagicalAborigine]] capable of astral projection, and who must tie himself to a rock to avoid flying too high. The other is an Indian scientist who's ''always'' about a metre from the ground, possibly even when sleeping.

* HughJackman's future character in ''TheFountain'' meditates while in the LotusPosition. The floating is justified considering the low gravity of his ecoship.

* Bessie of ''TheMightyB'' goes into the Zone in "Dang it Feels Good to be a Gamester" and levitates briefly in position.

[[quoteright:324:[[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirley_floating_2254.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:330:[[WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventures http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirley_floating_2254.jpg]]]]

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' [[VirginNewAdventures New Adventures]] novel ''[[ExcitedEpisodeTitle Sky Pirates!]]'', there's a scene where the Doctor is seen meditating in the levitating lotus position. (They're in a pocket universe with weird physics, which may or may not explain it.) Benny deliberately startles the Doctor to see if he'll fall when he wakes up -- he continues meditating, apparently unaware, while one of his hands reaches out and puts a pillow beneath himself, and then he startles, wakes up, and falls.

* Raven, from the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' animated series.

* Oddly enough, ''AvatarTheLastAirbender'' has several people sitting lotus, but with air and waterbending abilities -- [[AvertedTrope nobody]] actually floats.

* Gali has a similar pose to this while meditating in the first ''{{Bionicle}}'' movie, managing to levitate despite not having psychic powers of any sort.

[[TinyToons http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shirley_floating_2254.jpg]]

* Dr. Manhattan in ''{{Watchmen}}'' does the levitating version of the LotusPosition while creating his fortress on Mars.

* Averted in {{Tintin}} as the only guy who levitates does so while standing (and completely involuntarily, as he's uttering a prophetic warning and doesn't remember anything afterwards, including levitating).
* Leonard of LeonardLeGenie encounters an entire squadron (yes, flying in squadron formation) of monks flying like this. One even shouts mayday because he has a leg cramp, meaning he can't get the landing gear out.
* In {{BPRD}}, Liz talks to a ShangriLa monk while he's in the lotus position three feet off the ground.

* Master Oogway of KungFuPanda also does the levitating lotus pose.

* In the DoctorWho [[VirginNewAdventures New Adventures]] novel [[ExcitedEpisodeTitle Sky Pirates!]], there's a scene where the Doctor is seen meditating in the levitating lotus position. (They're in a pocket universe with weird physics, which may or may not explain it.) Benny deliberately startles the Doctor to see if he'll fall when he wakes up -- he continues meditating, apparently unaware, while one of his hands reaches out and puts a pillow beneath himself, and then he startles, wakes up, and falls.
* Jake spies Mike Callahan doing this in one of the original CallahansCrosstimeSaloon short stories. It is one of the first indications that there is a lot more to Mike Callahan than meets the eye.

* TheGoldenChild. The title character's astrally projected image does this when it appears to Chandler Jarrell.

* Kwai Chang Caine did this sometimes while meditating in KungFu The Legend Continues.

* Max levitates in this pose in ''[[SamAndMax Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse]]'' Episode 4 after discovering his MagicFeather, which is even more difficult to do with rabbit feet.

* In FistOfTheNorthStar: Ken's rage Toki's "face breaking fist of compassion" attack has him sitting in this position, floating, while using his arms to direct the waves that break his opponents face. compassionately. The dramatic after-picture has him the same way but arms in his lap.
* The Nali randomly do that in the original {{Unreal}} and ''Return to Na-Pali''.
* Certain [=NPCs=] in GoldenSun can be seen learning how to do this.
* There's a mini-game in WiiFit where you sit very still on the controller pad. If you sit still enough long enough, your on-screen character starts doing this.

* Vaarsuvius of ''Webcomic/OrderOfTheStick'' floats in this position (or close enough for a stick-figure comic) while in a trance to regain spells. Belkar took advantage of this once [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0334.html to play a prank on V]].

* The {{DCAU}}'s future GreenLantern of the BatmanBeyond time (also in JusticeLeagueUnlimited) flies around this way.
* In ChinaIllinois, Steve and Ronald Reagan do this after being in stopped time for the equivalent of 100 years.
* Raven, from the ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' animated series, complete with levitation no less.
* Shirley the Loon from ''TinyToonAdventures'' does this with levitating as part of her psychic powers.

* In the DoctorWho [[VirginNewAdventures New Adventures]] novel Sky Pirates!, there's a scene where the Doctor is seen meditating in the levitating lotus position. (They're in a pocket universe with weird physics, which may or may not explain it.) Benny deliberately startles the Doctor to see if he'll fall when he wakes up -- he continues meditating, apparently unaware, while one of his hands reaches out and puts a pillow beneath himself, and then he startles, wakes up, and falls.

* In the DoctorWho [[VirginNewAdventures NewAdventures]] novel Sky Pirates!, there's a scene where the Doctor is seen meditating in the levitating lotus position. (They're in a pocket universe with weird physics, which may or may not explain it.) Benny deliberately startles the Doctor to see if he'll fall when he wakes up -- he continues meditating, apparently unaware, while one of his hands reaches out and puts a pillow beneath himself, and then he startles, wakes up, and falls.

* Certain NPCs in GoldenSun can be seen learning how to do this.