Most of us live as prisoners to the whims of the mind. The mind is such a powerful warden, we don't dare look at it. Meditation of all forms shows the mind to itself. As scary as that may be at first, this enables the thinker to see clearly the workings of her mind and make informed, balanced choices unfettered from her negative thought patterns. Tratak, or gazing, meditation is one method that may work for you, so give it a try.
Instructions
1. Decide on an object for tratak meditation. This can be as simple as a flame from a candle or a single flower. The symbol for "OM" serves as a good choice. Yantras are geometric symbols containing mystical meanings designed specifically for meditation (see the Resources section for examples of yantras). The object may also be a picture of a spiritual leader or guru. Whatever you choose for your tratak meditation, it should be uplifting and meaningful and offer you qualities you want to develop in yourself.
2. Set up your meditation space. Your space for tratak meditation ought to be clean and comfortable. You can just use an empty corner of your room or, if you have the means and desire, you could set up an entire room dedicated to meditation practices. Don't worry about acquiring fancy meditation cushions or any other accessories. Keep it simple, especially if you're a beginner to tratak meditation. All you need in your space is something to sit on and something to look at.
3. Sit down on the floor or on a chair. You should be able to sit erect without feeling pain. However,depending on the strength of your back, you may experience strain, especially sitting on the floor. If you do decide to sit on the floor, sit cross-legged or kneel. If you sit cross-legged, put a firm pillow under your hips. This will help your back get more comfortable. After taking your seat, place your object about 3 feet in front of you at eye level. Before you begin tratak meditation, close your eyes and breathe. Take note of the physical sensations of your breath. Let the sound of your breath soothe you.
4. After breathing for a few minutes, open your eyes and fix your gaze on your object of meditation. Try not to blink. You'll probably find yourself thinking about dinner, work or your aching back. In other words, about anything except your object of tratak meditation. That's OK. In fact, here's a secret: that's a part of your practice. Be nice to yourself. When you notice you've gone too far away from your object of meditation, acknowledge that and re-focus on what you're looking at. Note, though, that even if your mind wanders, your gaze shouldn't. Your eyes ought to remain locked on your object until they water.
5. Close your eyes after they start to tear. From behind your closed eyelids, you will see an impression of your object of meditation; it will look like a photo negative. Keep your eyes steady and try to maintain the image. Once the image of your tratak meditation object has faded, open your eyes and look at the real thing in front of you. Repeat these steps for 10 or 15 minutes every day. As you become more experienced, you can decide to increase the time of your tratak meditation.
Tags: tratak meditation, your object, object meditation, your eyes, your object meditation, your tratak