The Three Stages of Meditation
The first stage — fixing attention on a single point. A candle flame, the breath, a mantra. The mind is gathered, collected, pointed.
When concentration becomes effortless and unbroken. The observer and the observed begin to merge. This is the stage we practise.
The observer dissolves entirely. There is only the experience — pure, undivided awareness. The goal of all yoga.
Preparing for Stillness
Asana
Sit so still your body becomes invisible to you. Cross-legged, kneeling, or in a chair — spine upright, hands resting.
Drishti
Close the eyes or fix a soft gaze slightly downward. Don't search — simply let the eyes rest.
Breath
Let the breath breathe itself. Don't control it. Just watch it arrive and depart, like a guest you welcome but don't cling to.
Object
Give the mind something to rest on — your breath, a mantra, or the feeling in your chest. When it wanders, return gently.
Bell
The opening bell marks the boundary between the ordinary and the sacred. The closing bell returns you gently.
Time
Begin with 10 minutes. Add 5 each week. Most meditators eventually settle at 20–30 minutes as their anchor sit.
“In meditation, all the conditions necessary for perfect mental photography are fulfilled.”
— Swami Vivekananda, Raja Yoga