Take a comfortable seat,
Choosing the floor or a chair in which a candle can be placed directly in the line of view.
Ideally,
Without the need to shift the head or neck up or down to gaze at the candle.
Use these beginning moments to make your seat comfortable.
Support the back,
Neck and buttocks or knees as needed.
If it is safe,
Light the candle.
You can also practice this meditation sitting in front of a yantra,
Mandala,
A murti,
A plant or out a window.
Selecting a drishti,
A point of focus that will be used throughout this meditation.
Allow your eyes to close.
Notice how it feels to rest the eyes.
In this practice,
Your eyes may water.
If this is not uncomfortable,
Just allow the tears to flow as a natural cleansing of the eyes and also of the mind.
Bring the palms of your hands together and rub them to create warmth.
Gently rest the base of your palms on the bone that supports the eye socket.
With the palms covering the eyes,
Fingertips may rest gently on the forehead or top of the head.
Notice the warmth penetrating through the eyelids,
Providing the eyes even more support.
You may choose to keep your palms loose,
Covering your eyes or rest them back down on your lap.
Open the eyes and look up without moving your head.
With only your eyes,
Look down.
Without moving the head,
Rest your eyes to the right,
Now to the left.
Bring the eyes back to center and close for a moment.
Open them back up.
Shift both eyes to the upper right,
Then the lower right.
Shift the gaze to the upper left,
Then the lower right.
Return your eyes to center and blink them fast about 10 to 20 times.
Close the eyes.
With your eyes open,
Begin to rotate the eyes clockwise,
Slowly starting at the 12 o'clock position,
Looking up,
Looking towards the 3 o'clock position,
6 o'clock,
9 o'clock,
And back to 12.
Going really slowly,
Move your eyes clockwise at your own pace.
You get back up to the top,
Pause.
Then move your eyes counterclockwise in the 12 o'clock position,
The 9 o'clock,
6 o'clock,
And 3 o'clock,
12 o'clock.
And slowly move your eyes counterclockwise at your own pace.
And when you get back to 12 o'clock,
Close your eyes.
Blink your eyes again quickly 10 to 20 times,
And allow them to rest upon the lit candle flame just above the wick or your chosen drishti.
Hold this gaze for as long as you feel comfortable without straining the eyes.
And then allow the eyes to rest.
Turning your gaze inwards to the center of your eyebrows,
Holding the image of the flame or your drishti in your awareness.
If your mind begins to drift to thoughts,
Sounds,
Or sensations,
Bring it back to this image in the mind's eye.
If the image fades completely,
Repeat the process or shift your awareness to the tip of the nostrils,
Watching the breath as it moves in and out.
I'll give you a few moments to practice in silence before using the sound of my voice to complete this guided meditation.
Allow yourself to release the image or your breath.
Once again,
Rub the palms of the hands together fast to create heat.
Allow the palms to wrap the eyes.
Behind the palms,
Blink the eyes fast again 10 to 20 times before slowly removing the hands and allowing the eyes to adjust to the light once again.
We will close this practice with one ohm.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Aum.
Shanti.
Shanti.
Shanti.
May you have peace of mind,
Peace in your body,
And peace in your soul.
