Yoga means the union of the atma (soul) and paramatma (supreme soul).
It is the ultimate goal of human life.
It is believed that to begin the process of yoga, one must first purify the body and the mind. In the ancient texts of Hatha Yoga (a branch of yoga), there are six methods listed to bring about this purification. They are known as the ‘shatkarma’ or six actions.
Some of them involve pouring saline water into your left nostril and removing it from the right nostril! Or swallowing a 30 feet long piece of cotton cloth and then removing it out slowly!
If that is making you think twice about your plans to achieve moksha, fret not, as there are other, less daunting, methods of purification too.
One such method is called Tratak, literally translated, as it means to gaze. It is a tool to remove the disturbances of the mind. It is a simple yet powerful tool. A practitioner of Tratak has to fix his/her eyes on an object. This object can be the flame of a lamp, candle, a Shiva Linga, or a black dot on the wall.
This technique makes use of the underlying connection between the mind and the eye. This connection has been well documented in clinical studies. When we fix our gaze on a particular object, without moving our body, our mind becomes stable. This is the underlying principle of Tratak which helps in reducing stray thoughts.
With regular practice, over time, stray thoughts become negligible. It is advisable that children and those who have existing eye conditions, do not practice Tratak.
You can do a quick experiment if you want to test this connection. The next time you forget where you have kept your keys or if you indeed switched off the light before leaving home for the office, notice in which direction you roll your eyes or tilt your head. Most people will invariably do so on the right side. Similarly, notice how your eyes broaden in amazement when you see something incredible or how you instinctively squint your eyes when you see something unacceptable.
The mind-eye connection is direct and powerful. It is for this reason that our eyes are called a window to our mind and our very soul.
Benefits of Tratak meditation
Any meditation practiced regularly will give you benefits. However, the practice of Tratak is so particular that it brings with itself some specific benefits as well.
- As the practice of Tratak works on the connection between the eye and the mind, the biggest benefit is seen in our optic region. Regular practice of this meditation purifies the eye and it also strengthens the eye muscles. Many practitioners have shared that their vision also improved after regular practice.
- The consistent practice of Tratak improves the mind’s concentration power and ability to focus for longer periods of time. This is especially beneficial to children. As your focus and concentration improve, you will find that your memory power also improves gradually.
- With so many distractions at the tip of our fingers, the problem of insomnia and irregular sleep has become quite prevalent in the current generation. Tratak streamlines the thought processes in the mind, allowing it to switch itself off easily, thus helping you regularize your sleeping patterns.
- In the scriptures and stories, greater focus has always been correlated with great vision and powerful determination. The practitioners of Tratak have often exclaimed that, with time, they develop the ability to visualize, experience enhanced intuition, and stronger willpower.
