Hindu meditation techniques

Unblinking gaze on a single point. The supreme dharana technique.

How - Sit in padmasana 1 metre from a lit candle / a dot on the wall / a yantra. Stare without blinking until tears flow naturally. Close eyes - visualise the after-image inside. When the after-image fades, open eyes + repeat. Practice 5-15 minutes.

Result - Sharpens concentration. Strengthens eye-prana. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika lists trataka among the shatkarma (cleansing acts) and as preparation for dharana on the ajna. It is not a treatment for insomnia or anxiety.

Continuous awareness of breath as it enters + leaves the nostrils.

How - Sit in sukhasana. Close eyes. Bring attention to the tip of the nose where breath enters. Feel each in-breath + each out-breath. Do not control it. Just observe. When mind wanders (it will), gently return to breath.

Result - Calms the mind in minutes. Both Buddha and Patanjali placed breath-observation at the foundation - the tradition treats it as the entry-meditation for beginners. It is not a treatment for any medical condition.

"The mantra that goes without japa". Recognising that the natural breath ALREADY chants Soham - "Sa" on inhalation, "Ham" on exhalation = "I am That".

How - Simply observe breath + RECOGNISE the natural sound - "Sa" when air enters, "Ham" when it leaves. Continue continuously. Do not chant - just LISTEN to what is already happening.

Result - The mantra runs 24x7 even during sleep. The supreme householder-friendly sadhana.

Purification of the 5 elements within the body. Done BEFORE any tantric worship.

How - Visualise the body as composed of 5 elements: feet to knees = earth (yellow), knees to navel = water (white), navel to heart = fire (red), heart to brow = air (smoky), above the brow = akasha (transparent). Now SYSTEMATICALLY dissolve each into the next - earth into water, water into fire, fire into air, air into akasha. Akasha dissolves into anu (atomic point). All is dissolved. Now RECONSTITUTE the body - akasha → air → fire → water → earth - as a luminous deity-body of the deity you worship.

Result - The body is no longer the same gross body. It becomes the deity-body for the duration of the puja. Tantric efficacy multiplies 100x.

Closing the 6 gates of the senses simultaneously. Forces the mind inward.

How - Close ears with thumbs. Close eyes with index fingers (gently). Close nostrils partially with middle fingers. Place ring + little fingers above + below the lips (mouth closed). All 6 gates sealed. Watch the inner sounds + inner lights that arise.

Result - Direct entry to the void (shunya). Inner sounds (anahata nada) become audible. Spontaneous samadhi for some.

Active version of Ajapa. ACTIVELY recite Soham (or its Hamsa-mirror) with the breath.

How - Inhale slowly mentally chanting "Sooooo..." (~7 seconds). Hold breath briefly. Exhale slowly mentally chanting "Hammmm..." (~7 seconds). Continue. The breath + mantra become one.

Result - Deep relaxation. Mind-body synchronisation. Traditionally practised in the last waking hour, before sleep.

The supreme inquiry - "Who am I?". Direct path to recognition of Self.

How - Sit quietly. Ask the question: "Who am I?". Whatever answer arises (a thought, a name, a body-image) - question THAT: "I am the one who knows this. Who is the I that knows?" Continue inquiry inward until you cannot find a final answer. Then rest in the not-finding. THAT is the Self.

Result - Direct recognition that the I-feeling has no object. The Self is the un-objectifiable subject. Moksha.

Sequential meditation on the 7 chakras - visualisation + bija mantra on each.

How - Sit. Focus on Muladhara (base of spine). See its red colour, 4 petals, bija LAM. Recite LAM 21x. Move to Svadhishthana (sacrum) - orange, 6 petals, VAM. Continue through Manipura (yellow, 10, RAM) → Anahata (green, 12, YAM) → Vishuddha (blue, 16, HAM) → Ajna (indigo, 2, OM) → Sahasrara (violet, 1000, silence). Each chakra 21 bija + 1 minute resting.

Result - Activates each chakra in sequence. Kundalini may begin to ascend. The tradition describes each centre as governing a domain of experience, and attends to them in turn - it makes no medical claim.

Inner silence. Not just stopping speech (that is bahya-mauna) but stopping inner-chatter.

How - Sit quietly. WITNESS each thought as it arises. Do not engage. Do not push away. Just observe + label: "thought... thought... thought...". After 5-10 minutes, thoughts slow naturally. Now sit in the gap between thoughts - the antar-mauna.

Result - Direct experience that you ARE NOT your thoughts. You are the witness. Disidentification + freedom.

Trataka but on a yantra (typically Sri-Yantra). Combines concentration + tantric attunement.

How - Place a Sri-Yantra at eye-level 1m away. Gaze unblinking at the central bindu. After 5-10 min, close eyes. Visualise the entire yantra inside - from outermost square inward, layer by layer. End at the bindu. Stay.

Result - Mastery of the yantra-form. The yantra is "internalised" - its shakti becomes your shakti.