How to Open-Eye Meditate
“The practice of gazing steadily, without blinking on a small object is known as trataka by the wise. Trataka eradicates all diseases associated with vision & calms the mind.”
- Hatha Yoga Pradipika 2.32 & 2.33
Steady gazing, Trataka, is a concentration and purification exercise. Among the six Shat Karmas (yogic purification practices) Tratak is known as the simplest to do. It involves gazing at an object or point of focus without blinking, then closing your eyes and continuing to hold the visual of the object in your mind’s eye. Consistent and correct practice of trataka increases concentration power and purifies the mind from fluctuated thought patterns. It also has proven to improve eyesight and stimulates the brain in at least two studies.
It is one of the six purification practices called Kriyas, which are exercises that cleanse the internal organs. They are generally practiced before asana, pranayama or higher level meditation techniques, because the purpose of these kriyas is to make the body and mind strong enough to withstand advanced practice.
Performing Tratak
The selection of the tratak symbol should be made with care. The thing you concentrate upon can arouse that aspect of you, so consider your intention with the mediation and what you are trying to arouse. The flame of a candle acts as a natural magnet for the eyes and mind, which attracts good vision and thoughts. Plus, the mind is capable of retaining an excellent image of the flame afterward. Some other traditional object that are good for beginning with include a black dot on a piece of paper attached to a wall (black against white is best). For more variety you can use a picture of someone special, a symbol such as OM, the image of a deity, or even your own face in a mirror. You can also use something in nature like a flower or the moon. As a beginner, avoid more complex objects, like an entire tree. Pick something that is not moving and can be viewed in its entirety. Place the chosen object so that it can be seen clearly at about eye level about an arms length away from you.
You may want to begin with your eyes closed to help you calm the mind. Work with steadying the breath. This could include using an easy count for the length of breath, like a 4-count inhale and 4-count exhale, or by simply making the breath slower and longer. If you began with the eyes closed open them after a minute (or more depending on how much time you have for your meditation).
There are a variety of ways you can practice Tratak. They all include gazing at the object without blinking and without straining. Some teachers advise you to stop when the eyes start to water and others don’t. The watering of the eyes can be very cleansing and sometimes quite intense.
The other main variation is in how long to gaze for. Tony Riposo, E-RYT 500, recommends that after about a minute of holding your gaze, close your eyes, keep your inner gaze steady and visualize the object in your mind at your third eye center. He says, “When the image loses its crispness in your minds eye or you begin to forget what it looks like, open your eyes again and repeat the gazing.” Other teachers may have you start with open-eye meditation for 5, 10 or 15 minutes at a time. Like any meditation practice, it is best to start with shorter lengths of time and work up to more.
On our spiritual level, the trataka exercise awakens the third eye and enhance our intuitive skills and higher wisdom.
This article first appeared at www.yogatoday.com