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Physical Education · Ch 3 — Yoga

Trataka

3.3.3

Trataka

Trataka is the cleansing kriya of still, steady gazing. The practitioner fixes the eyes on a chosen point — a black dot on a sheet of paper, an unwavering flame, or any other object of choice — and continues to gaze without blinking until tears roll down the face. Although it is classed among the cleansing kriyas because it washes and tones the eyes, its most valued effect is on the mind, where it builds concentration.

The object is usually placed a comfortable distance away at about eye level, in a quiet, dimly lit and draught-free room so the flame or dot stays steady. The practitioner keeps the eyes soft and the body still, resting the whole attention on the single point; when the eyes begin to water, they are gently closed and the after-image of the object is held in the mind for as long as it lasts. Because it trains the mind to stay on one point, Trataka is a natural bridge to Dharana (concentration) and, through it, to meditation.

Figure 2Trataka: a person seated cross-legged on the floor gazing steadily at a lit candle placed on a tall stool at eye level.
Fig. 2 — Trataka: a person seated cross-legged on the floor gazing steadily at a lit candle placed on a tall stool at eye level.

Drawn by us to help you understand the concept clearly, and verified to make sure it's accurate. For exams, practice from your NCERT textbook's own diagram.

A bare-torso person sits cross-legged on a mat, back straight, facing a tall three-legged stool a little in front. A lit candle stands on top of the stool at about eye level, and the person's steady gaze is fixed …

Step-by-step procedure

  1. Sit comfortably in any meditative asana with the spine erect, in a quiet, dimly lit room free of draughts, since a draught makes a candle flame flicker and defeats the purpose.
  2. Place the chosen object — a lit candle flame, or a black dot drawn on white paper — at eye level, roughly an arm's length away.
  3. Gaze steadily at the object without blinking, keeping the eyes relaxed rather than strained, for as long as is comfortable.
  4. When the eyes begin to water or blinking becomes unavoidable, close the eyes gently and hold the after-image of the object in the mind's eye for as long as it remains.
  5. Open the eyes and repeat for two or three rounds, resting the eyes between rounds.

Why it works

Because a flickering flame or a fixed dot gives the eyes, and so the mind, only one single thing to attend to, Trataka removes the constant stream of visual distraction that ordinarily scatters attention. This is why, although it is classed among the cleansing kriyas for its effect on the eyes, its deeper value lies in training one-pointed attention — the same skill Dharana cultivates later in the eightfold path.

Benefits

  • It improves the eyesight and tones up the visual mechanism. …
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