| Different schools of yoga have various ways to start | | | | coming in between or you hear sounds which tend to |
| their basic lessons but all of them encourage their | | | | distract your concentration. You will soon realize that |
| students to concentrate on a particular part of the | | | | instead of the image of the object you have other |
| body. In Raja Yoga which is a branch of the yoga | | | | thoughts bothering you. But all these unwanted |
| system, the students training in this system are told | | | | memories and thoughts will soon go away if you can |
| to keep their concentration on the Trikute which is | | | | keep your mind focused on the image of the object |
| the seat of the mind. Here, it is believed that the | | | | constantly. Make sure that every time you get |
| seat of the mind lies in the space between the two | | | | distracted you bring back your mind to the picture of |
| eyes or is said to be in the space at the top of the | | | | the object. Soon you will find that these unwanted |
| head. Other schools of yoga recommend that one | | | | thoughts do not bother you at all. |
| can concentrate on other parts of the body like the | | | | For the Hindus, meditation is a means to achieve the |
| tip of the nose, on the navel chakra or even the | | | | super conscious state called Samadhi. This is the |
| base or Muladhara chakra which lies at the base of | | | | highest state which every Hindu who practices yoga |
| the spinal cord. | | | | strives to achieve. In this state the self or the |
| Now, how do you go about beginning your practice | | | | thought of conscious does not exist and gets |
| on concentration? Well you could start by getting | | | | merged with the Absolute or Brahman. It is only with |
| your self seated comfortably on the floor with your | | | | the guidance of the Guru that one can attempt to |
| legs crossed. Though this is a highly recommended | | | | reach this highest state as the repercussions are |
| position it is not necessary that you should take up | | | | many if the practice goes wrong leading one to |
| this position. Just make sure that you sit in apposition | | | | become even mentally unstable or start hallucinating. |
| which makes you feel comfortable and then you look | | | | The Westerners however have a different goal to |
| straight at an object which is kept inline with your | | | | achieve when it comes to meditation. They want to |
| eyes. Look hard for a couple of minutes and then | | | | practice meditation for harnessing their dispersed |
| gently close your eyes. Next visualize the object and | | | | thoughts so that a sense of discipline can be |
| you will see the object clearly in the space between | | | | achieved. They want greater focus or concentration |
| your eyebrows. The image of the object slowly | | | | so that they can deal with their everyday problems |
| fades away after a short time. The moment you feel | | | | with clarity of thoughts. |
| it fading away open your eyes and look at the | | | | With intense practice, concentration now becomes |
| object again. In the beginning you will find that it is | | | | effortless where you will find that you can easily |
| quite difficult for you to retain the image of the | | | | visualize and retain the image of the object for a |
| object in your mind's eye for long but with | | | | longer period of time without distractions. This is |
| continuous practice you will succeed. You will find that | | | | meditation. |
| you have lots of distractions like other pictures | | | | |