Share and Gain some Good Karma :) 12 0 1 Is “comforting” an odd word to see paired with meditation? Probably, but I started meditating with this technique when I was very little, so I grew up with it, and for me there is comfort in it. It’s very soothing to gaze at a flickering flame in the early hours of the morning before the sun comes up. Jyoti, in Sanskrit literally means light. Jyoti, when used in the Vedas, symbolically refers to wisdom (in contrast to darkness being a metaphor for ignorance). Jyoti meditation, which is typically performed with a candle or an oil lamp, is a way to use the form to get to the formless; a way to combine the symbolic and the literal. In addition, if you are able to sit for meditation during the early dawn hours, it is also an ideal time to represent the journey from darkness to light. You should try it! Choose a quiet, closed room, preferably at dawn (if not, any time is fine) Light a candle or an oil lamp and wait till it becomes a bright, steadyflame Sit directly in front of the flame in a comfortable posture Gaze at the flame steadily for a few seconds Then close your eyes, and visualize the flame between your eyebrows Feel the flame come down into your heart, illuminating its path Feel the light bathe every thought, feeling, emotion and impulse, removing any hidden darknesses in its path Visualize the light becoming bigger and brighter, spreading over your entire body, touching the 5 sense areas to fill them with light You’ll feel yourself glow from the inside, filled with such an inner energy and joy, that you may find yourself smiling :) Jyoti meditation is one of the few techniques that relies on an external form: light. So this is a good technique for beginners. Once you get more comfortable with this meditation, the light can be internalized without having an external flame, however, I’ve always thought having a candle or a lamp in a dark room intensifies the sense of silence and stillness. Asato Ma Sat Gamaya TamasoMa Jyotir Gamaya Mrityor Ma Amritam Gamaya {Translation: from unreal lead me to real, from darkness lead me to light, from death lead me to transcend it}   If you like this inspirational article, and are not already subscribed to my newsletter, sign up now:    Share and Gain some Good Karma :) 12 0 1

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