Children's flashcard: how to levitate

I spotted this random children's flash card at a rec center this weekend. The back was blank. On first glance, the illustration, combined with the word "Indian," looks like it was meant to teach yogic levitation. (And yes, I realize that in this case "Indian" refers to Native American, not South Asian, and the card actually describes an exercise.)
Link

Previously on BB:
• Videos of Ramana's levitations Link
• Yogic "flying" Link

[#1 posted by Cefeida , June 10, 2008 11:36 AM]

Heh:D In Poland, we call that way of sitting down 'Turkish'.

[#2 posted by Ollie , June 10, 2008 1:33 PM]

I don't believe in this Yogic technique you mentioned. Apart from magnetic/laser levitation, the only one other experiment I know to ever obtain success in this area involved a buttered toast attached to a cat.

Cool card, though.

[#3 posted by Tenn , June 10, 2008 1:37 PM]

Easy exercise. Probably harder with reps, though.

I wish it taught me how to levitate, though...

[#4 posted by mikey p , June 10, 2008 3:35 PM]

when i was a kid i found a book on levitation in the local library. i used to borrow it again and again: i was obsessed with the idea. and inside the back jacket i found an ad for a book on invisibility by the same author. i was obsessed with that too but the library never bought that book, sadly. they did, however, have a copy of how to build a flying saucer.

(i wrote about all three once here, if anyone's interested.)

[#5 posted by hugemonkey , June 11, 2008 6:22 AM]

What makes you think that "in this case "Indian" refers to Native American, not South Asian"? I always though that style of sitting, "Indian style", referred to South Asian Indian because of its resemblance to the lotus position.

[#6 posted by Maria Guimil , June 11, 2008 7:19 AM]

In Portugal we call this position "the little chinese boy". ;-)

[#7 posted by David Pescovitz , June 11, 2008 8:51 AM]

@HUGEMONKEY (#5), That's a good question. When I was writing the post, that struck me as well. I always thought it referred to Native American, but why *couldn't* the name have come from the lotus position in Yoga!? I Googled around for a while and I couldn't find anything to back up the South Asian possibility though. Please let me know if you do!

[#8 posted by Gumby , June 11, 2008 4:55 PM]

Or, is he sitting in a puddle of oil? If he's trying to levitate, I can see the platform...