-Surya Pillai

6th April 2024: The skill of clearing the mind and focusing absolute concentration on a single thought has been given great importance in many cultures, whether it be of the Buddhist monks or the Japanese samurai. Concentrating on a single item is incredibly harder than it looks at first glance, for the mind is an unbound object, striving to catch and rethink every shred of information it has ever seen. The most common name given to the practice of focusing concentration is meditation. Many scholars and philosophers have written books on how meditation is a path to achieving success and happiness. In medical fields, meditation is promoted in the mental well-being sectors, for a focused mind is a clear one.

There are many ways to go about to achieve the state of pure concentration. Not every person is attuned to every form of meditation and different forms can have varying impacts on the user. One of the most popular forms of meditation is the practice of staring at a flame, usually candle-lit until achieving perfect concentration. It has been found to originate in ancient Vedic books, where it is called Trataka Dhyana. Scientists and world leaders throughout history have made use of this technique, for it is simple yet highly effective. Staring at the flame for 5-10 minutes alone can show great improvement in concentration ability.

The word “Trataka” is sanskrit for the act of looking or gazing. The earliest appearances of this technique are observed in a 15th century sanskrit book on yogic techniques known as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. The book lists Trataka Dhyana as one of 6 methods to cleanse the body and mind in order to perform meditation, yoga or pranayama. It also claims that Trataka Dhyana can improve the eyesight although this belief has not been proved conclusively.

There are many benefits to performing flame meditation, for both the mind and the body. Observed benefits are increase in cognitive power, memory, mental health and quality of sleep. Some studies also show an increase in eyesight power but there are also an equal amount of studies that don’t record any significant change, hence this effect is still under study. Psychologists attribute the increase in concentration due to the eye being given a duty to focus instead of being let loose to roam and scan the surroundings for any distractions. The reason for the texts instructing practitioners to gaze till tears flow has been attributed to the cleansing of the eyes. The flowing tears removes any physical debris that may be caught within the fluids of the eye.

Meditation has been perceived to be a crucial part of lifestyle in many cultures, but over the years, it has slowly been put aside. However, in recent times of struggle and hardship, meditation is slowly making its way back up as a form of relaxation and stress control. Psychologists in many domains even promote the use of meditation to clear the mind, now more than ever. Flame meditation is only one technique of many to build focus, and with time, it can be mastered. The ability to concentrate is the only stepping stone left to cross before you too can enjoy life in all its glory.

The author, a seasoned freelance writer, specializes in crafting engaging content across various topics and also holds expertise in spoken English training and soft skill development.

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The opinions and perspectives presented in the article are the author’s own and may not necessarily reflect those of the Team Meditation affinity.