http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=1722 Lights in Meditation Various kinds of lights manifest during meditation owing to concentration.

In th e beginning, a bright white light, the size of a pin's point will appear in the forehead in the Trikuti, the space between the two eyebrows, which corresponds t entatively to the Ajna-Chakra of the astral body. You will notice, when the eyes are closed, different coloured lights, white, yellow, red, smoky, blue, green, mixed lights, flashes like lightning, like fire, burning char-coal, fire-flies, moon, sun, stars. These lights appear in the mental space, Chidakasa. These are all Tanmatric lights. Each Tanmatra has its own specific colour. Prithvi (earth) Tanmatra has a yellow-coloured light; Apas (water) Tanmatra has a white-coloure d light; Agni (fire) Tanmatra has a red-coloured light; Vayu (wind) Tanmatra has a smoky light; Akasa (sky) Tanmatra has a blue light. Yellow and white lights a re very commonly seen. Red and blue lights are rarely noticeable. Frequently the re is a combination of white and yellow lights. In the beginning, small balls of white light float about before the mind's eye. When you first observe this, be assured that the mind is becoming more steady and that you are progressing in co ncentration. After some months, the size of the light will increase and you will see a full blaze of white light, bigger than the sun. In the beginning, these l ights are not steady. They come and disappear immediately. They flash out from a bove the forehead and from the sides. They cause peculiar sensations of extreme joy and happiness and there is an intense desire for a vision of these lights. W hen you have steady and systematic practice of two or three hours in the morning , and two to three hours at night, these lights appear more frequently and remai n steadily for a long time. The vision of the lights is a great encouragement in Sadhana. It impels you to stick steadily to meditation. It gives you strong fai th also in superphysical matters. The appearance of the light denotes that you a re transcending the physical consciousness. You are in a semi-conscious state wh en the light appears. You are between two planes. You must not shake the body wh en these lights manifest. You must be perfectly steady in the Asana. You must br eathe very, very slowly. TRIANGLE (LIGHT) IN THE FACE One whose food is moderate, whose anger has been controlled, who has given up al l love for society, who has subdued his passions, who has overcome all pairs (he at and cold, etc.), who has given up his egoism, who does not bless anyone nor t ake anything from others-such a man during meditation obtains it (the triangle) in the face. LIGHT FROM SUSHUMNA "Vishoka Va Jyotismati." (Chap. I, Sutra 36. Patanjali- Yoga-Sutras). "You can a ttain Samadhi by meditation on the Effulgent One Who is beyond all sorrow." Sometimes, during meditation you will see a brilliant dazzling light. You will f ind it difficult to gaze on this light. You will be compelled to withdraw your m ental vision from this light. This dazzling light is the light emanating from th e Sushumna in the heart. FORMS IN THE LIGHTS You will see two kinds of forms (1) lustrous forms of Devatas, (2) physical form s. You will see your Ishta Devata or tutelary deity (guiding Devata) in handsome dress and with various, valuable ornaments, flowers, garlands, with four hands and weapons. Siddhas, Rishis, etc., appear to encourage you. You will find a hug

e collection of Devatas and celestial ladies with various musical instruments in their hands. You will see beautiful flower-gardens, fine palatial buildings, ri vers, mountains, golden temples, sceneries so lovely and picturesque as cannot b e adequately described. DAZZLING LIGHTS Sometimes, during meditation, you will get very powerful, dazzling lights, bigge r than the sun. They are white. In the beginning, they come and fade away quickl y. Later on, they are steady, they become fixed for 10 or 15 minutes or half an hour according to the strength and degree of concentration. For those who concen trate on the Trikuti, the space between the two eyebrows, the light appears in t he forehead in the Trikuti, while for others who concentrate on the top of the h ead, Sahasrara Chakra, the light manifests on the top of the head. The light is so powerful and dazzling sometimes, that you have to withdraw yourself from look ing at it and break the meditation. Some people are afraid and do not know what to do and how to proceed further. They come to me for instructions. I tell them that this is a new sensation which they have not hitherto experienced. By consta nt practice, the mind engaged in concentration will be used to it, and the fear will vanish. I ask them to go on with the practice. Some people concentrate on t he heart, some on Trikuti, and some on the top of the head. It is a question of personal taste. It is easy to control mind by concentrating on the Trikuti. If y ou are used to fix on the Trikuti, stick to it always. Do not make frequent chan ges. Steadiness is very necessary. The beings and objects with whom you are in t ouch during the early period of meditation belong to the astral world. They are similar to human beings minus a physical overcoat. They have desires, cravings, love, hatred, etc., just as human beings have. They have fine bodies. They can m ove about freely. They have powers of materialisation, dematerialisation, multip lying, clairvoyant vision of an inferior order. The lustrous forms are higher De vatas of mental or higher planes who come down to give you Darshan, and encourag e you. Various Saktis manifest in lustrous forms. Adore them. Worship them. Do m ental Puja as soon as they give you Darshan. Angels are beings of mental or high er planes. They also appear before your mind's eye. Sometimes, you will feel an invisible help, possibly from your Ishta Devata when you are actually pushed from the physical body into the new plane. That invisib le power assists in your separating from the body and going above body-conscious ness. You will have to mark carefully all these operations. Do not waste your time in looking at these visions. This is only a curiosity. Th ese are all encouragements to convince you of the existence of superphysical, me taphysical realities and the solid existence of Brahman. Drive these pictures. F ix yourself on the goal-Lakshya. Advance. Proceed seriously and energetically. As soon as you retire for sleep, these lights manifest themselves without any ex ertion on your part. Just when you are going to transcend the physical conscious ness, just when you are drowsy, these lights appear without your effort. Also in the morning, before you get up, in the transitional stage, half-asleep, half-aw ake, you will get again these lights by themselves without attempt. Sometimes, during meditation, you will see an infinite blue sky, ethereal space. You will see yourself in the blue space as a black dot. Your form will appear i n the centre of the light sometimes. Sometimes, you will notice highly vibratory , rotating particles in the light. You will see physical forms, human forms, chi ldren, women, adult males, Rishis with beards, Siddhas and lustrous Tejomaya for ms. Visions are either subjective or objective, your own mental reactions or of realities on finer planes of matter. Universe consists of planes of matter of va rious grades of density. Rhythmical vibrations of Tanmatras in various degrees, give rise to the formation of various planes. Each plane has its things and bein gs. Visions may be of these things or beings. They may be purely imaginary. They may be crystalisation of your own intense thinking. You must discriminate in Yo

gic practices. Reason and common-sense must be used throughout.