Candle gazing is a centuries-old yogic purification practice that involves staring at a single point, in many cases a fixed point or candle flame. The practice is believed to bring energy to one’s third eye, while improving vision, memory, and concentration. According to MyYogaTeacher instructor Rohan Shroff, candle gazing has three types of benefits:
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Physical Benefits - It keeps away the eye strain by improving the stamina of eye muscles and giving deep relaxation to them. It cleanses the tear glands and purifies the optical system, and makes the eyes clear, bright, and radiant.
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Therapeutic Benefits - Errors of refraction get corrected. It strengthens the ability of the eye lens to adjust better to distances. It balances the nervous system, relieving tension, anxiety, depression, and insomnia.
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Spiritual Benefits - It helps to develop intense concentration and improves clarity, focus, and memory. It helps to develop a strong inner willpower. It is also an excellent preparation for meditation.
How to practice candle gazing:
Shroff recommends sitting comfortably on the floor on a yoga mat or blanket, upright with legs crossed, and positioning the candle at least three feet away at eye level, so the candle is elevated off the ground. Candles should be non-toxic and odorless when burning.
Rohan suggests practicing for a couple of minutes after doing the physical yoga poses (Asanas) and breathing exercises (Pranayama and Kriya). He says that one to two minutes maximum is good enough and it can be practiced daily. There are stages to practice. "The first 30 seconds can be de-focusing on the flame, then 1-2 minutes of focusing on the flame, and then closing the eyes and focusing mentally for as long as comfortable," he says. "This is concentrating on external objects and then internal.” However, if someone lacks time, he believes even practicing once weekly is better than not practicing at all.
While this practice is for anyone, he cautions epileptics against focusing on flickering flames, and prefers they “choose a totally steady object to gaze at.” And, those prone to headaches should avoid this practice, as it may aggravate head pain, while insomniacs should practice one hour or more before going to bed since they can be “widely awakened.”
Because many people now spend hours in front of laptops and phones each day for work and play, Shroff sees a growing need for exercising the eyes after they get tired. He says, “There are not many exercises for the eyes and age and exposure to screens can make the eyes dull," he says. "It is proven that those who practice it regularly have seen reduction in the numbers of their eyes in all age groups.”