#57 Trataka Meditation

Look firmly without blinking, at the gross form of any object. The mind will be without support, and within a short while one will reside in Shiva.

Verse 80

Trataka- The looking techniques

There are several “looking” techniques given in this text, which involve looking at something without blinking the eyes. Most looking techniques in yoga are called Trataka. They are very simple, powerful, and direct methods of stilling the mind.

Rules for Trataka

There are a few rules about these techniques that need to be followed.

• The practices of Trataka are heat-producing. They heat the body to a small extent. They should, therefore, not be practiced when one is feeling hot.
• They should be done in pleasant, comfortable surroundings. These practices should also be done without wearing glasses or contact lenses.
• In case you wear glasses, remove them and adjust the distance of the object you are looking at so that you no longer have double vision. Look firmly without blinking, at the gross form of any object.
• Avoid looking directly at the sun or the moon. You may look at a rising or setting sun, or the reflection of the sun or moon in the water. Once you choose an object, try not to change it.

How to do this technique

• Choose an object you love.
• You will find it easier to concentrate on.
• It could be a symbol, a picture, an idol, candle flame, your nose tip, mandala, etc.
• Avoid looking directly at the sun or the moon. You may look at a rising or setting sun, or the reflection of the sun or moon in the water.
• Once you choose an object, try not to change it. If you change it, your progress may be delayed. The most important thing is to look firmly without blinking. Looking firmly means to look continuously.

The movement of the eyes is somehow connected to the thought process. If you stop the eyes from moving, even blinking, all thoughts stop. When you do this, you may find the eyes becoming tired. In that case, close the eyes for a short period, then open them and resume the practice. Gradually the time you can keep the eyes open without blinking, will increase. Simultaneously, the time you spend without thinking also increases.

No- Mind Stage

The mind will be without support, and within a short while, one will reside in Shiva. Thoughts are like oxygen for the mind. The mind needs a continuous stream of thoughts to survive. If you stop thinking, the mind automatically dies out. It becomes still, silent. It loses its independence and finally comes under your control. When you look at something without blinking, you automatically stop thinking. If you do this long enough, the mind permanently becomes silent. Without thoughts, the mind has no support. It collapses. The time taken for all this to happen is not very long. For most people, it may not be more than a few minutes. If the mind is silent for a few minutes without any thoughts, it permanently becomes silent. That is why these looking techniques are so powerful. They produce results in a very short period. one will reside in Shiva. One will reside in God. One will reside in one’s natural state. When the mind falls silent, we revert to our original state. A state of full awareness, filled with immense joy.