Dharana 11 of 112 · verse 31

The Point Between the Eyebrows

Hold attention at the brow without letting a thought attach to it.

00:00Ready

8 minutes. Seated, eyes closed.

Intermediate8 min

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Before you try this

Stop if you get a headache, eye strain or a feeling of pressure behind the brow. Do not turn the eyes upward to find the point — the attention goes there, not the eyeballs.

The practice

Sit and rest your attention just above and between the eyebrows. Do not picture anything there and do not press or strain the eyes towards it. Whenever a thought arrives, let it go and return to the bare location. The instruction is attention without content.

What it works on

One of the best known dharanas in the text, and one of the most misapplied. The verse asks for concentration free of thoughts. Adding an image, a colour or an expectation converts it into something else entirely.

Notes

  • If the forehead tenses, the attention has become physical effort. Soften and start again.
  • Short sittings. This one does not reward endurance.

Practise gently

Shoonyaka offers educational and contemplative material, not medical, psychological or religious authority. Nothing here diagnoses or treats any condition. Stop any practice that leaves you dizzy, frightened or unwell, and treat a strong reaction as a reason to rest rather than to push on.