Liber MMM and Trataka

[Prometeo]

Hi,
In yoga there is a practice called trataka that consists on staring at an object without blinking. This is the same as the object concentration in Liber MMM. Yoguis say that it develops concentration. Do you think it does? If so, it would have a value in itself and it would also help with the other work of Liber MMM.

[Urscumug]

Interesting, this is certainly not a coincidence. Crowley mentions yoga practices to strengthen the mind. I'm currently on liber MMM and I'll try the exercise with the candle.

[Zenick]

Are you concentrating during your practice if so then your developing your concentration so I would say yes it develops your concentration. [grin2]

[Asurendra]

Trataka Yoga works. You use it to develop clairvoyance. It is an essential occult practice.

[Rin]

Also supposedly very beneficial in developing your visualization ability.

[Asurendra]

I think so, too. But the clairvoyance is the biggest benefit.

[Urscumug]

Asurendra, what is your definition of clairvoyance?

[Asurendra]

I would say that clairvoyance is what you passively see, while visualization is what you actively create. Although, it is best to see it so the passive aspect is important.

Undertake the practice consistently for a while and see what happens. You might be surprised.

[Prometeo]

When Liber MMM says that "Every attempt by the eye to distort the object (...) must be resisted." does it include changes in the illumination of the object, contrast and intensity of color?
In Liber MMM in every exercise you have to control your mind, although it is easy not to notice or to forget about it with trataka.
Actually the Indians recommend using a candle flame.
I was doing it wrong, in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika it says to do it " till eyes are filled with tears". I was doing it for a fixed time.

[Urscumug]

I've tried trataka with a candle flame, then I closed my eyes and tried to visualize the flame but without success, on the other side other images popped in easily.

[Prometeo]

Maybe before visualizing you need to relax and clear your mind. In Raja yoga (Hindu meditation) there are 8 steps: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. Yama and niyama are rules and habits for the yogui, and the other steps are the steps of meditation. Asana is the posture, then is pranayama which is the breathing, then pratyahara which is yoguis say is "withdrawal of the senses from the objects of perception" but in this stage Swami Vivekananda and Crowley advised clearing the mind. Next comes dharana, which is concentration, and dhyana and samadhi which are developments of the concentration. (Dharana, dhyana and samadhi all together in sequence are also called samyama). Visualization is a type of concentration, maybe you find it difficult because you have skipped pranayama and pratyahara? Some meditators advise to clear the mind, instead of forcing it to stop, wait and don´t give importance to your thoughts. The most important book on yoga meditation is the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.
These stages are the same as Mind Control of Liber MMM and Book Four (the first part of Magick in Theory and Practice) by Aleister Crowley. This is a good thing, if you have doubts between Thelema and Chaos Magick you don´t have to choose at the beginning and can begin to practice immediately.
Yama and niyama would be Metamorphosis in Liber MMM. Hindu yoguis have some of them ten rules and others twenty rules, but both sets of rules are very similar. They are ethical rules and rules to be a religious person and a meditator. According to Crowley the meditator should choose by himself or herself the rules that he/she finds useful for the control of the mind.

[Prometeo]

Maybe before visualizing you need to relax and clear your mind. In Raja yoga (Hindu meditation) there are 8 steps: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. Yama and niyama are rules and habits for the yogui, and the other steps are the steps of meditation. Asana is the posture, then is pranayama which is the breathing, then pratyahara which is yoguis say is "withdrawal of the senses from the objects of perception" but in this stage Swami Vivekananda and Crowley advised clearing the mind. Next comes dharana, which is concentration, and dhyana and samadhi which are developments of the concentration. (Dharana, dhyana and samadhi all together in sequence are also called samyama). Visualization is a type of concentration, maybe you find it difficult because you have skipped pranayama and pratyahara? Some meditators advise to clear the mind, instead of forcing it to stop, wait and don´t give importance to your thoughts. The most important book on yoga meditation is the Yoga Sutras by Patanjali.
These stages are the same as Mind Control of Liber MMM and Book Four (the first part of Magick in Theory and Practice) by Aleister Crowley. This is a good thing, if you have doubts between Thelema and Chaos Magick you don´t have to choose at the beginning and can begin to practice immediately.
Yama and niyama would be Metamorphosis in Liber MMM. Hindu yoguis have some of them ten rules and others twenty rules, but both sets of rules are very similar. They are ethical rules and rules to be a religious person and a meditator. According to Crowley the meditator should choose by himself or herself the rules that he/she finds useful for the control of the mind.

[Zenick]

I've tried trataka with a candle flame, then I closed my eyes and tried to visualize the flame but without success, on the other side other images popped in easily.

You shouldn't have to visualise it at first there should be a reflection of it when you close your eyes that you focus on. like when you look at a bright light and there's blue and coloured dots floating around can't think of the proper name of it at the moment.
Lightly relaxing before meditation is always a good idea.

[Urscumug]

Thanks for the advices, I'll try again asap.