Hello.
Welcome to Monday's Meditation on the Lawn,
Offered by the University of Virginia.
I'm John Bultman,
A Stanga Yoga program manager with the Contemplative Sciences Center.
I have been leading yoga programs and documenting yoga practices at the CSC and UVA for 10 years.
Today,
We'll be doing an ancient practice called pratikav to help build concentration through gazing on a single object in our environment.
Around 700,
Sorry,
1700 years ago,
The yoga students defined concentration as desa bandhachatasya dharana,
Or concentration is binding the mind to one place.
To help build our concentration today,
We'll be gazing on a small object.
I will use a candle.
But you can use any object you like at all to put your mind on that one place.
So if you have a light on,
This could be the tiniest or smallest part of the light bulb or the smallest part nearest to the light source as possible.
But it could also be the end of a pencil or your thumb or even a spot on the wall,
Just any object at all,
Really.
But focused on the smallest part.
Please take a moment to find an object that you will hold your gaze on.
I would,
However,
Recommend not staring at the computer screen.
When you find it,
It should be about two to three feet away or about an arm's length from your eyes.
If for some reason you are unable to see or to find any object at all,
You can keep your eyes closed.
But try to fix your mind on a single point of light,
Like an imaginary star or some smallest point of light in your mind.
Otherwise,
Gaze only at the smallest point of the object.
So we'll focus on the object for three minutes.
But there's a catch.
Try not to blink the entire time.
Try not to blink.
If your eyes start to get fatigued or even water,
Or if you need to blink,
It's OK.
Just bring your mind back to the smallest point of that object.
It's sometimes helpful to intentionally block out other surroundings and just return to that smallest point of your object,
Even if you do need to blink and then come back to it.
So I invite you to sit comfortably,
Somewhat straight and relaxed,
Not rigid.
Let's take a few deep breaths here together.
Feel free to blink as much as you like before we start.
Make yourself calm and quiet.
And be prepared to keep your body perfectly still throughout the whole practice.
Remain the silent watcher,
The silent witness throughout the whole practice.
Keep your awareness fixed with eyes wide open on your particular smallest part of your object of choice and try not to blink.
Let's begin.
Before finishing,
Feel free to blink a few times.
Then I invite you to close your eyes.
And call again.
Your object to mind.
See if you can picture it in your mind's eye.
Now,
Allow your eyes to be very relaxed and not strained in any way.
If possible,
Not so focused on any object.
And then.
Just ever,
Ever so slightly,
Slowly,
Just a little window starts to open.
But not quite all the way.
Soften your gaze,
Relax the eyes and focus.
It might help to briefly gaze at the tip of the nose and then relax the focus.
See if you can blur.
Let go of focusing on any object at all.
And then you can slowly open your eyes.
As we bring this practice to a close,
Slowly tune into your surroundings and their subtleties.
Take a moment to cultivate gratitude for the marvel of sight and and its infinite subtleties.
So if you like this practice,
You can slowly build up more and more over time.
And today,
See if you can maintain awareness to each and all of the very small points that make up our amazing world.
Perhaps maybe even take a moment,
A quick moment during the day to briefly focus on some small points.
Just looking around,
What kind of small points do you see at different focal lengths and appreciate them again and again?
So thanks,
Everyone,
For joining again today.
I invite you all to join back the following week to join me or others that offer instruction through the Contemplative Sciences Center.
Feel free to join any of my yoga classes or other yoga classes offered by the CSC.
You can learn more about our programs we offer at the CSC dot Virginia dot edu.
Have a wonderful start to your week.
Thanks.
