Breath control technique that can be used as meditation or pranayama.

Meditation is followed by detailed instructions in the audio. Please listen and once mastered can be practised anywhere to calm your self.

This is also called box breathing used by the US Navy Seals in high combat zones during their decision making process.

This is also used as an anger management tool.

I always include it as a step in my daily meditation practise or whilst teaching classes.

You can practise trataka on your own reflection in a mirror or in a still body of water, such as a pond or lake. The best time to practise this is when the sun is high in the sky, not at night or on a cloudy or rainy day. If it is dark outside, there should be sufficient light in the room so that the eyes are not strained.

When you practise trataka on your own reflection you must always remember that whatever you see is a projection or manifestation of your own self. Nothing comes from outside.

While practising this form of trataka, if you experience the emergence of any psychic apparitions, then it is better to leave the practice.

#tratakameditation #psychicmeditation #deepmeditation #kriyameditation #mindfulness #meditation #dharanameditation #dharanadarshan

This practice is useful for developing a deeper awareness of your surroundings. It helps to improve your perception, observation, inner visualization and memory. It can be practised in any surroundings and in almost any situation. In this practice try to observe every detail within your full field of vision, while holding the gaze steadily on one central point. Then close your eyes and try to recreate the same scene within. #trataka #meditation #advancedmeditation #mindfulness #dharana #dharanameditation #dharanadarshan

For this practice have a small picture of your chosen deity. Then take a sheet of black paper, approximately one foot square and from the centre of this sheet cut a circle two inches in diameter. Fix the picture of the deity to the back of this paper in such a way that only the face is seen. The picture should be placed at eye level, approximately one arm’s length from the eyes.

Any flower may be used for this practice.

It is best if the colour is deep and strong. If it is a red rose, then trataka is performed in a bright place. If the flower is white, yellow or pink, then take a black or dark green cloth about two feet wide and three feet long. Pin the flower to the centre of this cloth. Trataka should then be practised in a dimly lit place.

Trataka on a dot can be done in two ways.

The black dot can be drawn on a white background and hung on a plain wall at eye level. The second way to prepare the dot is to take a betel leaf, prepare collyrium with the help of castor oil and make a black dot on the betel leaf. Then fix this to cardboard. When practising trataka on a dot there should be good light so that you can see the dot clearly without straining the eyes, and the light should be behind you.

The size of the dot used for this practice differs for each individual. If you are unable to see the dot, then you should have a bigger dot. But if you cannot focus the eyes on a bigger dot, then you should have a smaller dot. You must decide on the size of the dot, according to your eyesight. The important thing is not to strain the eyes. If you see two dots, it means you should use either a smaller or a larger dot. The same principle applies to concentration on the picture of your guru, Shiva, Krishna, a yantra, mandala, Om or anything that is printed. This is to avoid adversely affecting the retina during the three minutes of external gazing.

Sit in any comfortable meditation posture. Place the hands on the knees and close the eyes. Relax the body completely. Move your awareness through the body and make sure there is no tension or tightness in any part.

Feel the whole body becoming steady and still. Now become aware of the position of the legs. Feel that the legs are comfortable and the hands are relaxed. Become aware of the hands and arms. Feel that the arms are relaxed and still. Become aware of the whole back. The back is straight but without tension. Bring your awareness to the front of the body. Check that there is no tension in the abdomen or chest. Become aware of the head. There should be no tension between the eyebrows or around the jaw.

Next become aware of the whole body together. Be aware of every part of the body. Feel the stillness of the body. There is no movement in any part of the body. The whole body is comfortable and still. Intensify this awareness of stillness throughout the whole body.

Experience stillness and quietness.

Now open the eyes and gaze intently at the candle flame. Try not to wink or blink. Continue gazing steadily for three minutes. Then close your eyes and try to visualize the after image of the candle flame at the eyebrow centre.

Gaze at the inner image in the same way that you gazed at the external candle flame. Here is a combination of trataka on the external object and the internal after-image. See somewhere in chidakasha a tiny, luminous, coloured dot. Gaze steadily at the dot. It is similar to a small grain of wheat, rice or barley in shape, but the colour changes from moment to moment. The colour depends on how long you have been gazing at the candle flame. After one minute the colour will be black, white or dull brown. After about five minutes, the colour of the dot will be bright red.

If the image is not clear at first, just be aware of whatever you can see. Keep the eye muscles relaxed throughout the practice; this helps you to get a clear inner image. If the image is moving, follow it and gently bring it back to the eyebrow centre. Take a few moments to steady the image. If the image fades or disappears, do not worry; just try to recreate it again. The image will become clear and vivid as the eyes become relaxed and steady.

From moment to moment the dot becomes dimmer and suddenly disappears. All this happens within a few seconds, but you should be careful not to open the eyes.

Even if the psychic point disappears keep your eyes closed. Again try to assemble the psychic awareness and recollect the psychic point. In a few seconds the internal object will reappear, and when it reappears it will have a different colour altogether.

Continue gazing at the internal point with the help of your inner perception, your inner vision, your inner eye. It will grow fainter and fainter and still fainter, and then it will disappear. Do not open your eyes. Assemble your awareness again. Recollect the internal point and see it come once more before your vision.

Thus this psychic point appears, disappears, reappears, disappears, again reappears, becomes dim, disappears, reappears, again grows dimmer and dimmer. Ultimately it becomes absolutely black and merges with the psychic background.

To practise trataka on moving water sit on a river bank or raised ground near the river. You should be able to see the flow of water for a long distance. Sit in a steady comfortable posture so that the body will not move in any way during the practice. Always remain fully alert when you practise trataka on water. Fix your gaze on one point and practise trataka. Your gaze should remain steady. Be aware of the continuous flowing movement of the water, but your gaze should not move along the ripples. If this happens just gently bring the gaze back to the central point of concentration. There should be complete one-pointed awareness. Continue to gaze at the current of water for as long as you can without straining the eyes.

Then close the eyes and relax them completely. Bring the awareness to the eyebrow centre. Become aware of the effects of the practice on different levels, from the physical to the more subtle.