How To Do A Candle Gazing (Trataka) Meditation

Most meditation techniques suggest closing eyes and focusing attention inside, While the candle gazing meditation technique allows us to direct our attention to the candle flame with our eyes open. 

If you’ve ever gazed at a flame, you’ll know how calm and smooth it is and how easily it can take you to a meditative state where thoughts become zero or significantly less, and you experience the awareness of being.

The Sanskrit name of candle gazing meditation is “tratak.” which means “gaze,” or “look.” 

It’s an ancient meditation technique that refers to the Tantrik process to raise energy to your third eye, develop concentration power, increase awareness, and provide psyches abilities. 

When I was new to meditation, I was practicing this trataka meditation, and after 1-2 months of practice, I found profound changes in my life.

However, Now, I have progressed toward more subtle meditation practices such as vipassana and zen meditation, but, according to me, candle gazing meditation is an easy and perfect method to kick start your meditation journey. 

How To Do A Candle Gazing Meditation?

Step-1: Preparation 

The best periods for meditation are Early Morning, evening, and night. So try to develop a habit and meditate during these periods at least once a day. 

If you choose a morning to meditate, do some exercises and then take a bath before you sit to meditate because it will energize your body and activate your brain that prevents drowsiness, and help you concentrate more in practice.

Thus, when you are ready physically as well as mentally, it’s time to set up your surrounding for meditation. 

Step-2: Create a conducive space

Your surrounding plays essential during your meditation practice. Having a quiet space and conducive environment helps you to sustain focus for a very long time. 

So, meditate in your personal room or choose a place where nobody can disturbance you.

Moreover, You should create a low and dim lighting space where candle flame can be seen bright and other objects become opaque. Doing this will help you to concentrate more on the flame and reduce other visual distractions.

Candle

Step-3: Prepare your seat 

Generally, all meditation techniques suggest sitting on the floor, and really, it’s the most suitable position for meditation. Therefore, you should prepare your sitting position on the floor using a mat and cushions. 

You can use a meditation chair and meditation cushion for a more comfortable and stable sitting posture. 

However, If you feel pain in your back while sitting on the floor, you can use a meditation chair with back support

Ok, When you are done setting up your sitting place. Bring the candle and place it in front of you at a 1-meter distance at your eye level. 

Use furniture or a table to set the candle at height and keep it at a safe distance from the flammable materials. 

Step-4: Light a candle and take your position

When everything is set up, do the most important action – Lit a candle. 

After that, sit in a crossed leg posture with spine comfortably erect and face facing at the candle flame. 

Also, you can set a timer for meditation, but make sure your phone is in silent mode to prevent any disturbance during your practice. 

Step-5: Be Relaxed 

Before you start meditation, do some warm-up exercises to make yourself energized and relaxed. 

For that, you can do stretching exercises of shoulders, legs, wrist, and later do a control breathing (Slowly take a deep breath in and out) for a minute. 

When you do such exercises, make sure you are fully present and pay full attention to every movement you do. 

Now, you feel peace and stillness within; it’s time to start the tratak meditation. 

Step-6: Gaze at the candle flame

Effortlessly stare at the candle flame and focus your mind on it without judging anything. 

If your eyes feel strain and water comes out of them, simply wipe it and make a soft gaze towards the flame again. 

Step-7: Stay focused 

When you meditate and try to sustain the focus, thoughts will pop up in your mind and wander your attention without your knowing. 

However, That’s normal and happens with everyone. So, don’t become frustrated nor resentful about it. 

Instead, keep calm and when any thought comes, mindfully watch it and let it pass away, and then instantly regain the present moment awareness onto the candle flame. 

Step-8: Be kind to your mind

When you realize that your mind is wandered away, accept it and simply bring it back to the object of meditation (Candle flame) again and again and again. 

Remember, your mind is powerful, and you should not fight with it because the more you will fight, the more it will produce noise and disturb you.

See, roaming in the past and future is the mind’s inherited nature, but you can regulate your mind with practice and perseverance. 

So, be kind to your mind no matter how many times it gets astray.

Step-9: Finish Your Meditation

When time’s up, close your eyes and sit in silence for a while and experience the stillness of the present moment. 

That’s it. This was the candle flame gazing meditation. 

Related Post: A Complete Guide To Open Eye Meditation

Benefits Of Candle Gazing

Benefits Of Meditation And Mindfulness

A result of one study confirmed that Trataka meditation is an effective technique to enhance cognition in elders. [1] 

Similarly, in another study, 29 insomnia patients had followed trakaka Meditation for 45 min every day, and after 10 days they were found reducing in insomnia severity and increasing in sleep quality. [2]

Also, candle gazing Meditation can,

  1. Improve concentration and memory power
  2. Lengthen the attention span 
  3. Promote overall-wellbeing
  4. Improve vision or eyesight
  5. Increase patience
  6. Calm down the mind and provide peace and stillness within us
  7. Control the mind and reduce its wind nature 
  8. develop the ability to direct negative thoughts and emotions 
  9. Alleviate mental stress, anxiety, and depression
  10. Improve decision making and mental clarity 
  11. Boost willpower and self-esteem 
  12. Increase self-awareness 
  13. Increase sleep time and sleep quality

Note that there is no scientific evidence of the above-mentioned (13) claims. But, I have listed them from my own and other meditators’ experiences.

Trust me, Developing a habit of Meditation can return many life-changing rewards. So meditate regularly without making excuses. 

Related Article: Coloring Mandalas As A Meditation Technique & Its Benefits

Which Types of Candles Are Good For Candle Gazing Meditation?

For candle gazing Meditation, it would be good to use a Non-toxic Fragrance-free candle

Because non-toxic candles will keep your surroundings clean, plus it’s good for your health. While fragrance-free candles won’t distract you from gazing at the candle flame to taking aroma.

Moreover, always select a simple candle such as pillar candle or candlestick and avoid fancy candles so that you can see the flame clearly without any distraction. 

Here are some best candles that I have picked for you.

  Product   Price
backpac 1) Hyoola White Pillar Candles   Check Price
backpac 2) Firefly Refillable Liquid Bliss Petite Round Glass Oil Candle   Check Price
cordlessblower 3) Hyoola Pure Natural Pillar Candles   Check Price
cordlessblower 4) CandleNScent Taper Candles   Check Price

See, you can use any candle if you are comfortable with it. 

Tips To Improve Your Practice

#1 Be consistent

In order to get maximum benefits out of your Meditation practice (as mentioned above), meditate daily without making excuses. 

If possible, then meditate twice a day, one’s in the morning and the second in the evening. 

Provide a fixed time for your meditation practice and try to cultivate a habit of Meditation. 

#2 Meditate with an empty stomach

It’s always good to sit with an empty stomach because it will endorse your practice and feel more active and focused during the Meditation. 

#3 Don’t strain your eyes

Don’t force yourself when you can’t gaze at the flame anymore or can’t keep your eyes open. 

Instead, take a break of few seconds and then continue gazing at the flame.

#4 Keep Patience 

Some people become fascinated by knowing the benefits of Meditation, and they start doing it, but after few days, when they don’t find any improvements, they drop it. 

So, remember that Meditation is a long journey, and there are infinite things to discover along the journey. So, having patience and doing daily practice is essential for you. 

For Whom Candle Gazing Meditation Is Perfect?

Candle gazing Meditation is suitable for beginners and teens who can’t focus their mind even for a while or feel drowsy while meditating with eyes closed. 

But, if you are someone with enough focus and a bit of control over your thoughts, I would suggest practicing mindfulness, vipassana, or zen Meditation because these are subtle practices that may lead you to a higher level of consciousness. 

That’s it for today.

I hope you will enjoy doing candle gazing Meditation and practice it constantly.

If you have any thoughts to share with me, feel free to comment below. 


References:

#1. Effect of trataka on cognitive functions in the elderly

#2. Effect of trataka (yogic gazing) on insomnia severity and quality of sleep in people with insomnia


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