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Deep Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai! Dev Puruṣa Mahādev Kī Jai! Satguru Swami Madhvānandajī Bhagavān Kī Jai! Satya Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai! Good evening and good morning to all here—good evening in Australia and in Canada. So we are omnipresent, blessed by the light of Sūrya Nārāyaṇa, the sun, known as Bhāskara, Sūrya, Uṣṇāy, Āditya, and by many other beautiful names. His light blesses the entire globe. We return to our practice, and today’s subject is Trāṭak. Trāṭak is one of the techniques of Haṭha Yoga. But the situation is this: people often have poor memory, they forget many things, and they do not practice. At the very least, one should put something into practice, though sometimes people do too much. I recall a story from 1981. There was news that spinach contains a lot of iron and is very good for children, especially after weaning. So every parent began feeding their children spinach. The children did not like it; they would spit it out, and the parents would force the spoon back in. The poor babies suffered. Later, it was reported that research showed spinach does not contain as much iron as believed, and those fresh young leaves are not actually healthy for children. All the mothers then threw the spinach out of their kitchens. Out of ignorance, we follow waves and trends, thinking, "Aha, this is the best." Consider fashion. A boy acting in a film was poor; his jeans were torn at the knees and buttocks, yet he looked striking. Now, everyone wants new jeans with holes in those very places. That same boy, having lost weight but with no money for new trousers, worked in a cow stall. His trousers hung low, dragging under his heels. Because he was a film star, every boy began wearing trousers like that—barely held up, ready to fall, and quite unpleasant. I have had my own trouble with trousers sliding down. These boys drag their clothes on the ground, collecting bacteria and dirt. Then they cut them shorter. A new generation makes such clothes. Some even shave their mustaches to see how they look. I will not say more. We should think more logically, healthily, and economically. Sometimes fashion becomes a mental or physical illness. Someone recently told me they calculated how many kilos of lipstick women swallow per year. It goes into the body with food and drink. Men are not exempt. For safety, when you kiss your wife, she might say, "Please clean your lips first." God gave us such beautiful, natural lips. You may apply a little ghee if they are dry, but they are beautiful as they are. I have never used lipstick; I thank my mother that the shine of her milk is still on my lips. Using lipstick dries the skin, making it demand more and more. The subject is Trāṭak. In 1970, when I first came to Europe, a so-called healthy way of living and nourishment was very popular: the macrobiotic diet. Everywhere there was miso, soy, tofu, and umeboshi—salads with a lot of salt. Those on the diet looked thin and yellowish, but they claimed it was healthy. Now, one hardly hears the term "macrobiotic." This was a wave. The Japanese gentleman who introduced the macrobiotic diet and soy meant well; he researched and supported vegetarianism. But I heard that same person now refuses to eat soy. He feels guilty for introducing it, as millions of tons are now sold, often genetically modified and full of chemicals. His philosophy was that whatever grows within about 40 kilometers of where you live is best for you—grains, vegetables, fruits. But we have no tapasyā (austerity), no tyāga (renunciation), no vairāgya (detachment). From Střílky to New Delhi is 5,536 kilometers, not 40. Yet when a mango arrives from there, water comes to my mouth and I will eat it. If I followed the 40-kilometer principle, I should not. Thanks to God, transportation has made it easier, and that mango seed spent 40 hours around Střílky, so its energy is here. My dear, when humans realize something is good, they consume more of it. Then they try to manufacture more, and when materials are scarce, they produce unhealthy things with pesticides and chemicals. Consider corn flakes; after seeing certain research, you would not eat them unless they are organic, grown in your own garden. It is like a star war, where the Kauravas want to destroy the Pāṇḍavas so only they remain. Asuras want only asuras; vampires want more vampires. Money always seeks more money. We know, my dear, that we must trust in God, act consciously, and God will support us. But one thing: you should, country-wise, support more and more organic, bio-organic produce. Then your government will help you. Your government does not want you to be ill or to damage your health; it is here to protect you. If people do not buy such products, they will not be supplied. Similarly, it is with your practice. After seminars, many go, read other books, try other techniques, and find themselves in trouble. Our Yoga in Daily Life is a complete system. It contains all necessary fields. The question is one of discipline. Śraddhā (faith) and viśvāsa (trust) are missing because we lack tyāga, vairāgya, and tapasyā. You will see what you are able to renounce. Yesterday, I made a saṅkalpa (resolve): until next year, during the anuṣṭhāna, I will not eat chocolate. One raises his hands because he is diabetic. Yet even a diabetic, when a mango comes, might say, "Okay, I will take a little more, Jackson." Trāṭak. Trāṭak is the practice of dhāraṇā. Dhāraṇā has many meanings: to decide, to accept, and concentration. From dhāraṇā comes dheirya (steadiness, peace). From dhāraṇā comes dhyāna (meditation). But before dhāraṇā is practiced and mastered, you cannot have dhyāna. And you cannot successfully practice dhāraṇā if you do not have niyama (observances). You cannot be successful in niyama if you do not have yama (restraints). Then you break your saṅkalpa. When I talk about yama, children often say, "Yeah, yam, yam, yam," or think yama means death. Yama means discipline. My dear, language is always something. What is concentration? Imagine a rope tied from one pillar to another, about three meters high. You walk from one pillar to the other on that rope. The rope is swinging, going up and down. People are watching, laughing, and clapping. The person walking on the rope may smile and glance around, but his concentration, his awareness, is entirely on maintaining balance. That is dhāraṇā. Without it, you cannot succeed. The ability for dhāraṇā can be developed through the practice of Trāṭaka. Trāṭak means gazing steadily at one point. By directing your attention to that point, you create balance through your eyesight. The practice of Trāṭaka supports eye vision. It can be done on a black spot, a white spot, a green spot, or a candle flame. Never do Trāṭak on your own face in a mirror. If you do, you may suddenly see your face coming out of the mirror toward you. You will scream and run to the bedroom. Your wife will say, "Darling, calm down, what happened?" You will say, "He came out of the mirror!" She will say, "No one came. Relax." At midnight, you get up, go to the mirror again, and it happens again. You make faces, and it mimics you. She will say, "Tomorrow we will go to our friend; he is a good psychologist." Many times, if we cannot master our imagination and different energies, we should not touch such practices. Yoga in Daily Life is a sattvic technique, a nirmal (pure) technique. It is not for fakīrs or magicians. It is for spiritual energy. Fakīr is an Urdu word; some fakīrs are holy saints, while others sit on beds of needles. We are bhakti yogīs. We are comfortable; we do not have a little bed but a thick foam bed. That is okay. Torturing the body is not inner sādhanā (spiritual practice). Inside, you should be humble and calm. Trāṭak will help you remove many negative thoughts, develop concentration, and give you inner harmony. You will see light with closed eyes. In the beginning, you will only see reflections, like after a camera flash. But after some time, another light comes. That inner light is not physical light; it comes from within, from inner visions. Therefore, practice Trāṭak under the guidance of your teacher. That teacher should not be greedy to give you too many imaginations. You should know the correct dosage. That is why Yoga in Daily Life teachers undergo three to four years of training. They are very cautious. Those who give overdoses are lost, along with their practitioners. So Yoga in Daily Life is safe, sure, and sattvic. It is free from tamas guṇa and rajas guṇa; it is sattva guṇa, and indeed, it is above the three guṇas. Your good teacher, your good Yoga in Daily Life teacher, should teach you Trāṭak. If I were to tell you the technique now, you would do it. But I know many lack willpower. It is a very good practice, but you might do more and more and more. The best time to do it is before going to sleep. But if you do not follow the principles and limitations, you may find you cannot sleep. I wish you all the best. Many are leaving now, and many will still stay. We will have our final satsaṅg this evening. Many blessings to your family and your friends. Take care. See you somewhere soon. Deep Nanda Bhagavān, Nekhī Devī Svarmā Devī, Mādhav Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān Kī Sanātana Dharma. Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ...