Trataka -- YANTRA meditation

[Guest guest]

Sat Naam,

 

I have been practicing Yantra meditation recently as well. I use the Sri

Yantra which is on the wall of my yoga studio. See it here:

http://samadhi-yoga.com/home/new_studio_photo.jpg

 

Yantra meditation is not exactly like Trataka, although it is related by

gazing. Formally, Trataka is a Shat Karma -- a cleansing practice. You do

not blink. This creates tears which wash the eyes. It also can be a

meditation since it is an exercise in focus and concentration. In Yantra

meditation, you gaze but without effort. Minimal blinking is ideal, but not

the purpose of the meditation -- the gaze should be comfortable.

 

Here are some notes/instructions I have compiled as a guide for the Yantra

practice:

 

Yantras are ancient geometrical designs. These sacred images are doorways to

different worlds of light. Yantra meditation involves focusing on one of

these designs. The practice of focusing the mind on something external or

internal helps to make the mind quiet. And focusing on a yantra will connect

you with the bright worlds that the yantra represents, bringing happiness

and clarity into your life.

 

In yantra meditation, you begin by concentrating on the center of the image.

When thoughts come in and out of your mind, refocus on the center of the

yantra. As your mind becomes quieter, extend your awareness out toward the

edges of the yantra, so that you are now focusing on the entire design.

Eventually, you will be able to visualize your yantra completely with your

eyes closed. This concentration technique will quiet your mind and connect

you to the energy of the universe.

The secret key to using Yantras in meditation is resonance. The process of

resonance is established by mental focus on the image of the Yantra. As long

as the mind is tuned into the specific mood associated to that Yantra, the

energy flows, but when the resonance is stopped, the energy disappears.

 

 

Instructions for Yantra meditation:

 

Ĵ hang the Yantra on a wall facing North or East, placing the center of

the Yantra at the level of your eyes

Ĵ adopt your favorite posture or, if you want, sit on a chair maintaining

your spine straight

Ĵ breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, but do not force

at all, just let the breath flow normally

Ĵ look into the center of the Yantra, trying to blink as rarely as

possible; you don't want to look at the particular details of the Yantra,

just keep your sight right in the center and observe the whole Yantra at

once

Ĵ this exercise should last at least 15-30 minutes every day; the

experience will be indescribable

Ĵ in time, after at least seven days of Yantra meditation you will be able

to tap into the same yantric energy even without a Yantra (at the beginning

you may fix your sight on an exterior or imaginary point or evoke the Yantra

with your eyes closed)

Ĵ do not forget to consecrate the fruits of this practice to God (karma

yoga); you should not chase any objective when doing Yantra meditation, just

let it gradually guide you towards the sublime energies of the macrocosm

Ĵ when executing this techniques it is recommended that we maintain a state

of aspiration and intense longing for experiencing the beatific energies of

the consciousness

Ĵ in superior phases the Yantra absorbs the practitioner's complete

attention, and he can no longer tell if the Yantra is within himself or if

he is within the Yantra; this is the state of nonduality.

 

 

 

 

>Lyn Y <lyn_yogi

 

>I found a yantra to practice the Trataka meditation on, and it is much

>easier to focus and look at it for many minutes at a stretch. There are

>some beautiful yantra pictures on the web, if anyone is interested.

 

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