This discussion has just helped me to understand something about physics better. Thank you, Markus.
Essentially, Newtonian physics allows us to predict the movement of objects.
Let's say I kick a ball on a soccer field. Given sufficient information, eg the force of my kick; the wind resistance; the weight of the ball; the angle of elevation at the time of takeoff; and the gravitational force, I can calculate exactly how far the ball will move, how fast it will travel, where it will land etc.
Let's say I now take a stroll on the soccer field.
There is no way Newtonian physics can calculate how far I will move, how fast I will travel, where I will finish my stroll etc. Because I may turn left if I feel like it, I may turn right if I feel like it, I may pause to rest, I may run, then stroll.
What is the difference between the ball and me? Actually at the subatomic level, we are made of the same wave-particles popping in and out of existence. Quantum physics, however, tells us that
observation affects the behaviour of the wave-particles. Observation implies consciousness.
The reason why I move differently from a soccer ball on the field is that I have consciousness, and my consciousness has been applied to that collection of subatomic particles which I perceive to be my body. So in spacetime terms, if my consciousness decides to make this collection of subatomic particles turn left, they will. If my consciousness decides to make this collection of subatomic particles turn right, they will.
And if my consciousness could train itself to observe the subatomic particles comprising the ball in the same way that it has trained itself to observe the subatomic particles comprising my body, then .......
....... just like Nina Kulagina, I could do levitation with the ball.
Who are the experts at consciousness? The yogis. No wonder they are scientifically found to be able to do very strange things like these:
The Physical and Psychological Effects of Meditation Chapter 1