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Here is an exercise, based on the teachings of Sri Chinmoy. This is a very useful exercise for developing concentration – a valuable strength in its own right, and also as a prelude to meditation. Start by standing in front of a blank wall, and drawing a black dot at eye level. Stand about 10 inches (25cm) away from it.

Drilling a Hole

• Begin with your eyes wide open, and focus all your attention on the dot.
• Very slowly start to close your eyes, but not completely.
• Repeat this process a couple of times.
• Then with your eyes open, imagine you are drilling into and entering the hole with great determination.
• After some time you will feel that some part of your consciousness – your soul-power – has passed through the wall, even though your body is still standing where it was.
• In this way the body becomes increasingly aware of the soul’s capacity.

Breathing From The Dot

• Try to feel that when you are breathing in, your breath is coming from the dot itself, and the dot is breathing in from you.
• If you can concentrate in this way for ten minutes, again you will feel that a part of your consciousness has entered into the black dot.
• In this way, with practice, we can gain some perspective on a deeper part of ourself.

You Are All Eyes

Another variation is to draw a small black circle at eye level, with a dot inside it. This time stand about 1 metre (3.5 feet) away.

• Keep your eyes half open and as relaxed as possible, concentrating on the circle.
• For three or four minutes feel that your concentration is coming from the centre of your forehead.
• Then open your eyes completely and imagine that you are all eyes – your whole being is only vision.
• Then concentrate on the dot, and make your focus smaller.
• Feel that you are as tiny as the dot, and at the same time that the dot is actually another part of you.
• Enter into the dot with your concentration, and imagine you can look back at your body from the other side of the wall.

“Once you are successful with this exercise, the mind can never act like a naughty child. At that time, the mind becomes a most faithful servant of the soul and concentration becomes quite easy.”
– Sri Chinmoy

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