Trataka is a fixed-gaze meditation practice — one of the six purification techniques (ṣaṭ kriyās) of Hatha Yoga. Simple, powerful, and accessible to anyone.
What is Trataka
The word comes from Sanskrit and means "to gaze fixedly." The practice consists of fixing your gaze on a point — usually a candle flame — without blinking, until your eyes water. Then, close your eyes and visualize the internal image.
How to practice
- Sit in a dark or dimly lit environment
- Place a lit candle at eye level, about 50cm away
- Fix your gaze on the flame — without blinking
- When your eyes water, close them
- Visualize the image of the flame in the inner space (cidākāśa)
- When the image disappears, open your eyes and repeat
- Practice for 10-15 minutes
Benefits
- Concentration (dhāraṇā) — trains the mind to focus on a single point
- Eye cleansing — tearing cleanses and strengthens vision
- Mental calmness — the mind naturally becomes silent
- Preparation for meditation — dhāraṇā (concentration) precedes dhyāna (meditation)
Trataka in the context of Yoga
Patañjali describes eight limbs of Yoga. Trataka is a practice of dhāraṇā (the sixth limb) — the fixation of attention. When dhāraṇā is sustained without interruption, it becomes dhyāna (meditation). And when dhyāna deepens, it becomes samādhi.
Trataka is a practical bridge between agitation and meditation. If you have difficulty "stopping the mind," start here.
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