10 min Guided Fixed-Gaze Meditation for Beginners | Trāṭaka त्राटक
This video serves to provide beginners with step-by-step instructions for practicing fixed-gaze meditation (sometimes called mindful observation). For your initial session, you may wish to view the video on mute and use the image of the candle flame for your point of focus.
The Sanskrit word for 'gaze' is Trāṭaka (त्राटक). While this meditation practice appears to be passive, it is anything but. Nearly half of the brain is dedicated to vision - evidence for the connection between focusing your gaze intently and quieting your mind.
By fixing one's gaze onto a meditation object (such as a candle flame), you will cultivate enhanced mental clarity and an overall sense of calmness over time.
Benefits include: improved concentration, focus & memory; alleviation of stress & anxiety; strengthening of the eyes, and enhanced intuition & mental awareness.
I recommend starting with a 10-minute practice session daily and building up your endurance from there.
The immersive experience of this meditation, of fixing your gaze onto the softly-flickering flame of a lit candle, evokes the inconsistencies of the mind.
Upon completion of the practice, the image that remains once the eyes are closed serves as a silent reminder that the most exquisite source of light is everlasting and comes from within.
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