DRASHTA
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tantra · A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya, Swami Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar School of Yoga)

Trataka: Candle Gazing (Outer and Inner)

A concentration practice of steady, unblinking gazing at a candle flame, alternated with holding its after-image in the mind's eye once the eyes are closed — training one-pointedness through a single unmoving object rather than through withdrawal from the senses.

The theory, briefly

Trataka works in two linked halves: outer trataka, gazing steadily at a flame with the eyes open, and inner trataka, visualizing and steadying the after-image once the eyes close. The text emphasizes that the two are connected — a genuinely steady outer gaze produces a clear, stable inner after-image, and it is exactly this steadiness of gaze that both reflects and produces steadiness of mind. As the text puts it, sages known for a calm mind are often noted for eyes that barely blink; by steadying the eyes, concentration follows.

The key instruction the text stresses repeatedly is relaxation over force: trying too hard not to blink creates tension that makes blinking more likely, so the practitioner is told to relax the eyes as much as possible and allow a blink if one is truly needed, rather than fighting it. The same non-forcing principle applies to the after-image during inner trataka — if it doesn't appear clearly at first, the practitioner simply keeps trying rather than straining.

The text also gives a direct warning about the practice's power: because trataka helps surface accumulated psychological material, that material can occasionally emerge too fast, causing mental upset — in which case the instruction is to stop and seek expert guidance rather than push through.

The practice

Trataka — Outer and Inner Candle Gazing

15–22 minutes · Seated on the floor or any comfortable seat, spine erect without strain — a candle at eye level and an arm's length away if one's at hand, though the text lists many alternative objects that work just as well.

  1. 1If you have a candle, place its flame at eye level, an arm's length in front of you. If none is at hand, the text lists many equally valid alternatives — a black dot on a plain sheet of paper works especially well. Whichever you choose, try to stay with the same object across sessions rather than switching, since the mind takes time to settle around one.
  2. 2Sit with your spine erect; close your eyes and relax the whole body for a few minutes before beginning.
  3. 3Open your eyes and gaze intently at your chosen point, without looking at anything else — relax the eyes rather than forcing them to stay perfectly still, blinking if you truly need to.
  4. 4Continue this outer gazing for about 2-3 minutes (longer with practice), keeping awareness centered there until you lose awareness of the body.
  5. 5Close your eyes and try to visualize the after-image; if it drifts upward or downward, gently try to steady it, and if no image appears yet, simply keep attempting to hold one.
  6. 6Remain a witness to the after-image and to anything else that arises — thoughts, visions — without reacting, for as long as the image stays clear.
  7. 7When the after-image fades, open your eyes and resume outer gazing; alternate outer and inner trataka in this way for as long as you have time.
  8. 8Before finishing, close your eyes one last time and simply watch the dark space in front of the closed eyes for a few minutes, remaining a witness to whatever activity or thought appears there, then open your eyes.

If accumulated psychological material surfaces too rapidly during this practice and causes mental upset, stop the practice and seek expert guidance rather than continuing.

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