What is Tratak Sadhana? Part 2: The Benefits
Tratak is an advanced technique. Seek the help of a Guru before starting its practise.
This post continues from the prior article on Tratak – click here to read.
The benefits are many
The point of tratak is to ultimately still the mind and use the resulting concentration to access soul power within.
Aside from improved focus, mental acuity and memory, other notable benefits are:
- Precognition. One may experience such heightened levels of perception that your observation skills border on precognition. IE – you can almost read someone’s thoughts or know what they are about to say before they say it. This occurs because the mind is usually attempting to process more information from your 5 senses continuously than is usually possible. Most of the time it must ‘delete’ the majority of this information flowing in and just focus on the relevant details. With the practice of tratak, one starts to delete less and absorb more.
- Influence. Your powers of influence improve as you can no only ‘read’ people better, your added awareness and mental acuity give rise to greater levels of confidence. In combination these two factors allow you to improve your oration abilities, stick to the strength of your convictions and therefore much more easily influence others.
- Siddhis. The advanced practitioner of tratak can reach the stage where their cognitive abilities can access the subtle realms of existence and channel divine power to manifest siddhis (when used in conjunction with mantras); the easiest being clairvoyance, remote vision, psychic communication, etc.
Get Ready, Rama’s Coming! Diwali Mantras
Let the lamps guide Rama to your home
Rama’s homecoming
Diwali occurs on Wednesday 26th October. It signifies Rama’s homecoming and popularly celebrated through the celebration of light and its ability to lead us through the darkness.
Whilst its now a hugely commercialised festival in India and worldwide, it is important to remember it as a powerful time for mantra sadhana.
The mantras for Diwali
The advised method of tapping into the power is to write Rama Nama. Click here for a prior article.
Alternatives include the Vishnu Sahasranama – a stotra (hymn) to Vishnu, extolling Him through his most popular 1,000 names. One may write a treatise on the Vishnu Sahasranama alone, but its power stems from its Divine origin (composed by Veda Vyasa). It was taught to Bhishma, the great Grandfather of the epic Mahabharata, who revealed it to the world in the presence of Sri Krishna, Avatar of Vishnu. Click here to hear it.
Kick off the Financial New Year with a flying start!
Finally, some Hindus also pray to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. The reason is that in some calendars, Diwali also coincides with the financial new year. Hence, old accounts are closed and a new year of business begins post Diwali.
Click here for the details of the Shreem Mantra, and click here to read about the Kanagadhara chant of Adi Shankarcharya to Lakshmi.
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From Money to Moksha: The 16 types of wealth
Lakshmi - the provider of 16 types of wealth
The Goddess of Wealth: provider of everything you need!
For most, Lakshmi is associated with Goddess of Wealth, Money, Prosperity and material abundance in general. However, Her remit stretches far beyond!
A wealth of character, culture and knowledge
There are 8 forms of Lakshmi (I will not go through them but provide a link – click here) and 16 types of wealth that Lakshmi is associated with.
There are various lists, but the underlying point is the same – a highly diverse set of virtues, possessions and values to make one truly rich in every sense of the word! In the Shri Sukta – a Vedic hymn to Lakshmi, as Shri (as the embodiment of auspiciousness or the revered one), She is said to provide Moksha itself (liberation from rebirth).
- Fame
- Knowledge
- Courage and strength
- Victory
- Children
- Valour
- Gold, precious stones, valuables
- Grains
- Happiness
- Bliss
- Intelligence
- Beauty
- Higher goals, thinking and meditative states
- Morality and ethics
- Health
- Long life
The mantras for Lakshmi:
I have addressed the following mantras in prior posts:
Find links to the audio files online by clicking here.
A deeper understanding…
As characteristic of all spiritual paths, there is always a subtler dimension to all forms of worship – even those than initially appear shallow and selfish. By continuing to chant the mantra, envisioning the very deity through the mantra and accepting the deity as your Guru (spiritual teacher), one can attain the highest levels of spirituality.
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Today is Friday! T.D.I.F!!
Thank God its Friday! Or as I like to say - Thank Devi Its Friday! (TDIF!)
Today is Friday!! What does Friday mean to you?
The end of the week is finally here! What does Friday mean to you? No more work (for some of us!)? Time with the family? A weekend getaway?
I personally love Friday. It is a prime day for Devi Worship. Moreover, during Navaratri, our prayers are amplified by magnitudes we cannot comprehend – don’t miss out on this opportunity! – T.D.I.F. (Thank Devi It’s Friday!)
How to Pray:
Prior posts have covered a multitude of mantras and sadhanas for all but today’s focus is Lakshmi.
Fridays are incredibly auspicious for Lakshmi, the Goddess of Abundance and Wealth. I would greatly recommend the following courses of action – whether you need to fix something lacking in your life, out of pure devotion or as part of a larger Navaratri routine, these two technologies are incredibly effective at pushing you toward your goals:
See my associated posts by clicking on the links above. I would also highlight my articles on how to make your prayers heard even faster – click here to see my post on Super-charging your ability to attract abundance.
Don’t miss the incredible opportunity that is Navaratri!
Supercharge your Wealth Creation
Pick up jet speed on the path to your goals
Inject some momentum into your Life with the Gayatri
Adding the Gayatri Maha Mantra to your daily routine is a powerful technology to enhance your mantra sadhanas.
As detailed in my post here (click for details) the Gayatri is the root of all Vedic knowledge, as embodied by the force behind the Sun. Knowledge is power; chant the Gayatri to gain ground on the path toward your goals.
Time rich, money poor? Its the Attack of Lack!
Unless you are already on your perfect career path with a role you love, a fulfilling purpose and more than satisfactory salary, you’re one of the many who feel the Attack of Lack. What is this? Quite simply, its the mental effects of never feeling as if your needs are taken care of in terms of material abundance.
Praying to Laksmi through her Gayatri Mantra (click here for details), or the Shreem mantra has its own benefits. But what if you combine it with the Gayatri Maha mantra? A multiplier effect occurs.
Sadguru Sant Keshavadas of Bangalore recommends such a combination to bring prosperity and auspiciousness into your career or business.
Transliteration:
“Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha
Tat Savitur Vare-enyam*
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyoyonaha Prachotheyaa-aath^.
SHREEM.”
Notes:
* and ^. It is vital that there is correct pronunciation on these two words. They are not chanted as read!
As seen above, Shreem is tagged onto the end of the mantra. Sadguru Keshavadas recommends chanting this version with devotion and focus every Friday for 3 months to see success. The number of chants is proportional to your own level of need; there are no limits.
The Shreem Mantra
Transliteration:
“Shreem“
(Semi-literal) Translation:
None. Shreem is a Bija mantra.
Purpose:
- Attraction of wealth
- Attraction of abundance.
- Dr. Pillai, formerly Dattatreya Sivababa, has some excellent YouTube videos on the topic.
- You can take his video introductions as an effective upadesh (ie Guru initiation into the mantra).
What is Tratak Sadhana? Part 1: The Method
Tratak is an advanced technique. Seek the help of a Guru before starting its practise.
The Yoga of practicality
Tratak is one of the 6 methods of Hatha Yoga.
The practice of tratak is key to improving one’s concentration during meditation on certain abstract mantras.
In particular, one would practice tratak for bija mantra japa – such as Kleem and Shreem.
Tratak is generally considered an advanced technique and the help of a Guru should be sought by the serious practitioner.
Concetration is vital to manifestation
It is well known that benefits from mantra japa accrue in proportion to effort. Concentration is the underlying measure of effort; the greater the concentration whilst chanting, the more powerful the results.
Tratak helps to focus the mind and dramatically improve concentration. In this way, it is not dissimilar to pranayama.
What is tratak?
Tratak is the concentrated effort of maintaining one’s vision on one particular object or area within.
There are three forms:
- Inner – one focuses on the point between the eyes while they are closed. This is the area where the pituitary gland is located within the brain.
- Middle – focus on an object at an intermediary distance; for example an oil lamp at arm’s length.
- Outer – in this method the aspirant focuses on a distant object such as the moon or stars.
The method
- Freshly shower, wear freshly washed, loose clothes and find a quiet room to practice alone.
- Sit in your usual yogic asana (posture) – such as cross legged with the spine, neck and head straight.
- One calms the mind using pranayama before starting.
- Actively avoid and repel any intense emotional thoughts. Clear the mind.
- Start the tratak method that you find most comfortable (inner, middle, outer etc).
- Keep absolutely still and quiet during practice.
- Start with 15 mins of practice and work up to 1-2hrs.
- Always practice for the same or more time than in your prior practice.
- Try to be regular in practice – at the same time every day or week, depending on frequency.
- It will take at least 3 months of continuous practice to see significant improvement in your mental state.
The Original Mantra: the Pranava - OM
Swami Mantra Yogi 