Tratak

Steady Gazing

Tratak is an excellent concentration exercise. It involves alternatively gazing at an object or point without blinking, then closing your eyes and visualising the object in your mind's eye.The practise steadies the wandering mind and concentrates the attention, leading you to focus with accuracy. Though primarily intended to strengthen your powers of concentration and purify the mind,Tratak also improves the eyesight and stimulates the brain via the optic nerve.

Tratak is most commonly performed with a candle, but you can equally well use other objects as targets for your gaze. (Gem, you could use your crystal, lol.) There is no need to restrict this practise to objects indoors. The natural world offers a wealth of suitable focussing points, So long as your object of concentration is is unmoving and relatively small to the gaze. Yogis often use the space between the eyebrows or the tip of the nose for Tratak.

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Place your object at about eye level, about 3 feet away, though naturally you will have to adapt it slightly when meditating out of doors. 1st, regulate your breathing, then start to gaze at the object without blinking.Don't stare or gaze vacantly--just look steadily, without straining. After about a minute, close your eyes and, keeping your inner gaze steady, visualise the object at the Anja (3rd-eye) or Anahata (heart) chakra. When the after-image vanishes, open your eyes again and repeat. You will gradually be able to extend your period of gazing. As yout concentration grows deeper and your gaze steadier, lengthen the times spent with eyes open then closed until you are practising for up to an hour. In your early days of Tratak, you may find unwanted thoughts intruding on your mind. Just keep bringing your attention back to the object of concentration and your mind will become more focussed. With practise you will be able to visualise your chosen object quite clearly when you close your eyes.

 

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