Two techniques that can lead to detachment and one-pointedness are Yogendra Nispandabhava and Candle-gazing Tarataka.
Meditation, as a means of achieving peace, has been recognized by cultures around the world. (PTI)
In his poem ‘I had heard something like that from poets’Renowned poet Harivansh Roy Bachchan wrote:
“I’m there, I’m there, I’m there, I’m there,
I also drank Madeira and watched it.
I also saw Madeira crowned,
I have also seen the Hajj of Kabba.
I also checked the spinon.
I have also watched the songs by hacking…”
(Meaning: I have tried to drink alcohol, I have tried to give up alcohol, I have also tried to visit the Kaaba for Hajj, I have tried to fulfill all my dreams, and I have tried to write songs… but I stick to that. place, and so do my sorrows and weaknesses).
There comes a point in an individual’s life where work, action, movement and activity – all cease to bring comfort or the desired satisfaction and comfort. In today’s age, especially, various stress, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders are also increasing rapidly. Only then does one think of meditation.
Meditation, as a means of achieving peace, has been recognized by cultures around the world. The word ‘meditation’ is derived from the French meditaciun, which in turn is derived from the Latin meditari, meaning ‘to consider or contemplate’. Theoria was previously the (Greek) word for the same purpose, with its roots in ‘dhyai’, the Sanskrit word for meditation, which is also the root of dhyana, a form of meditation used in ancient Indian cultures. methods*
At a time of increasing global stress and personal stressors, meditation can help one stay calm and make an inner shift towards lasting peace.
A timely reminder
A week from today, the world will make its first observation. World Meditation Day.
December 21 is the winter solstice, just as June 21 is the summer solstice. The solstices are astronomically important days – times of transition that are powerful for stopping, reflecting and turning inward. December 21 is also the shortest day of the year. On this day the sun’s energy is at its lowest and here it can only go up. This is a good day to set intentions for brighter days ahead.
However, what is meditation, and how does one choose among the many methods available?
Meditation and how to get there
Simply put, meditation is the contemplation of one object or aspect to the exclusion of another. While this sounds simple enough, the things that get in the way of this simple concept are distractions. Baba Patanjali calls distractions Chitta Vaikshepa and lists them as disease, desire, laziness, laziness, doubt, neglect, misunderstanding, failure and instability.
Such is their grip that when one sits down to meditate, it can eventually become a 20-minute practice of thinking uninterrupted about your world of worries!
Therefore, we need to reduce the strength of these distractions. Yogis prescribe a twin approach: a) faith, persistence and ‘one-pointedness’ in the pursuit of discipline; and b) detachment.
Yoga provides us with simple and scientific ways to quiet the mind.
First, the state of mind
Meditation is for the mind and so the process must begin with ‘conditioning’, a preparatory exercise that helps set the intention.
The first conditioning is about making a firm commitment to use the winter solstice to begin the meditative journey. Plan to set aside time. The easiest slots are: first thing when you wake up, before bed, or any 20-minute slot during the day.
The second conditioning is done at the beginning of the meditation session, which ‘fixes’ the mind within the present and the body. For this, sit in any meditative posture such as Lotus Pose (Padmasana), Thunderbolt Pose (Vajrasana), Easy Pose (Sikhasana), or Standing in Prayer Pose, Asthitaprarathanasana.
• Sit comfortably with the body relaxed and the spine straight.
• Close your eyes and bring your awareness to the breath.
• Notice the inhalation and exhalation at the tip of the nose.
• Expand to see the breath moving in and out of the windpipe and lungs.
• Practice this for five minutes.
This practice for breath awareness and mindfulness is the first step in meditation. Slow breathing slows down thoughts in the mind. Nevertheless, this is only the first step and does not guarantee that our worries and concerns will not disappear when they are least wanted. For this we need to go further to develop dispassion or detachment.
Two concentration techniques for relaxation.
Two techniques that can lead to detachment and one-pointedness are yogendra nespandabhava and candle gaze tarataka. One-pointedness leads to stability, awareness and meditation.
These methods work well because they bring the tired mind into a state of stillness – using the senses of sight and hearing (Andrias) – instead of giving the mind more work (making it focus or meditate). by asking for). The focusing and defocusing involved here helps calm anxiety and is known to induce ‘spontaneous meditation’.
Yogendra Nispanda Bhava
1. Sit on a mat on the floor, with your back against a wall so that your spine is naturally straight. Spread the feet and keep them comfortably apart. Rest the hands loosely on the thighs.
2. Choose any sound such as a ticking clock or a piece of light instrumental music (not vocal).
3. Close your eyes and passively listen to the sound.
4. Bring your full awareness to the ears where the sound is falling, but do not focus on the sound; Leave listening disabled. It comes with constant practice.
5. Do it for 15 minutes.
Candle Peeping Trataka
1. Sit comfortably in a chair or on a mat on the floor, back straight and arms and shoulders relaxed, palms on knees.
2. Make a few eye movements — left, right, up and down — without moving the head or neck.
3. Light a candle and hold it about 2 feet away. Look at the flame without blinking as long as possible.
4. Close the eyes and cup the eyes with both hands for a few seconds.
5. This exercise calms the restless mind.
6. Go to the next step, where you focus on the flame, and then defocus. Focusing involves looking intently at a candle. In defocusing, widen the gaze to take in the color, shape and brightness of the flame and its surrounding particles. Then continue looking, but nothing in particular.
7. Cup the eyes and heat for a few seconds. Relax them deeply with a few cycles of deep breathing.
8. Refocus, and refocus.
9. Close your eyes and recreate the image of the flame in a) the center of your heart, or b) the space between the eyebrows, and keep looking at it.
10. The image may disappear after a while. Cup the palms and do Bharmari Pranayama (bee’s breath) three times.
11. Sit in this state of silence for a while.
Allocate only 20 minutes a day in the morning or at night for these exercises. Doing these methods can be an acquired taste. But remember, the end result is peace and the way to go permanently.
(Note: People suffering from delusions should avoid Trataka).
*Source: Wikipedia
The author is a journalist, cancer survivor and certified yoga teacher. He can be contacted at swatikamal@gmail.com.