3. OBJECTS OF CONCENTRATION

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Sit on any comfortable pose. Place a picture of your Ishta Devata in front of you. Look at the picture with a steady gaze. Then close your eyes and visualise the picture in the centre of your heart or in the space between the eyebrows.


When the picture fades out in your mental vision, open the eyes and gaze at the picture again. Close your eyes after a few seconds and repeat the process.


It is easy to concentrate the mind on external objects. The mind has a natural tendency to go outwards. In the beginning stage of practice, you can concentrate on a black dot. on the wall, a candle flame, a bright star, the moon, or any other object that is pleasing to the mind.


The mind should be trained to concentrate on gross objects in the beginning; and later on, you can successfully concentrate on subtle objects and abstract ideas.


There is no concentration without something to rest the mind upon. Concentrate on anything that appeals to you as good or anything which the mind likes best. It is very difficult to fix the mind, in the beginning, on any object which the mind dislikes.


Practise various sorts of concentration. This will train or discipline your mind wonderfully. Now concentrate on the Himalayas, a very great object. Then concentrate on a mustard or a pin-point. Now concentrate on a distant object. Then concentrate on a near object. Now concentrate on a colour, sound, touch, smell, or taste. Then concentrate on the 'tik-tik' of a watch. Now concentrate on the virtue ‘mercy’. Then concentrate on the virtue 'patience'. Now concentrate on the Sloka, "Jyotishamai Tat Jyotih”. Then concentrate on "Satyam Jnanam Anantam". Now concentrate on the image of Lord Siva. Then concentrate on the “Aham Brahmasmi" Mahavakya. 

 Next : 4. AN UPHILL TASK FOR THE BEGINNER

 To be continued  ...

                                                                                                 Swami Sivananda

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