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Raja Yoga Exercises 

 

         These exercises mostly parallel Ernest Wood’s book, Concentration, since that book has most of the Raja Yoga that I did. 

 

 

Exercise 1 

 

         Sit in meditation posture, spine erect but relaxed within that erectness.  Breathe slowly and deeply.  Think of some attrtactive or interesting object to think about and begin a chain of association: (hamster, cage, zoo, jungle, parrot, wings, airplane, pilot, etc.)  Observe that you can step into the flow of association and stop and consider, or change the direction at will.  Each object brings up a number of associations -- allow the mind to do so, then choose one of them and make that the next focus. 

 

         Do this several times, with several different starting points.  Step frequently into the flow and impart direction.  This is thinking.  To meditate, stop at an interesting subject and, instead of allowing one association to lead to another, go from the association back to the subject and gather another association.  Keep doing this,  See Exercise 2. 

 

 

Exercise 2 

 

         Sit at a table or desk with a blank sheet of paper and a pen or pencil.  Choose a subject to meditate upon -- something you like and find interesting.  Write it in the center of the paper and draw a circle around it.  Draw lines from the edge of the circle outward (see the illustration below), and begin to note associations as you think of them.  Associations can be of any sort -- things that are part of the tree, things that the tree can be part of, personal associations -- memories, etc., tree analogies, biological categories -- there are no limits. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         Then draw rays from the outer circle in the same way, and continue noting associations in the same way.  You can draw a third circle if you have room.  Stop if you get to 100 associations. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         But always return to the center.  Tree - branch, tree - bark, tree - maple, tree - forest, tree - chainsaw, tree - tree toad, tree - ship mast.  This is concentration on the subject of “tree”.  Do fifteen minutes of this exercise every day for a month.  Keep the 30 circles; you will need them for exercise 3. 

 

 

Exercise 3 

 

         Return to the center and begin to consider “tree” in relation to each of the concepts which have appeared as associations.  Consider any dimensions of the relational concepts which emerge.  When it begins to run dry, factor in the next concept, both in its relation to “tree” and to the contemplation complex as it exists so far.  For that is what you are doing now -- you are beginning to contemplate.  When you know that you are in the mode of contemplation, only factor in new associations as needed.  15 minutes per exercise.  You should do this every day for about 10 days. 

 

 

Exercise 4 

 

         Open a standard dictionary at random, and select the first word that looks fruitful for the purpose.  Write it down.  Randomly open it to another location and get another word.  When you have five, sit in meditation posture or at a table and consider the first word in relation to the second.  Continue relating the two concepts until you think you have thought of all the possibilities you are going to think of.  Then do the same with the first word to the third.  Then do 1 and 4, 1 and 5, 2 and 3, 2 and 4, 2 and 5, 3 and 4, 3 and 5, and 4 and 5.  Do this exercise every day for two weeks. 

 

 

Exercise 5 

 

         Select a common object, such as a pencil, at random.  Sit at a table with a pen and paper and begin to list all of the various ways that the object could be used for.  Include everything, no matter how creative or unusual.  Stay at it, with the one object, for at least fifteen minutes.  Do this exercise every day for two weeks. 

 

 

Exercise 6 

 

         Take a careful look around you in a room.  Note every object.  Then go to another room and with paper and pen, jot down every item you can remember from visualizing.  Then return to the first room and note every object you missed.  Return to the second room and compile a fresh list without looking at the first one.  You might vary this with, for example, a shop window.  One of those blankets on the ground at a flea market or swap meet, full of all sorts of odds and ends, makes a good photograph for this purpose.  Get a number of them, if you can.  Keep at this one for two weeks, once a day. 

 

 

Exercise 7 

 

         Take a mental walk down the street, making turns onto other streets and continuing as long as you are comfortable, noting all of the houses, fixtures, signs, trees, businesses, etc .  Then cover the ground physically, noting what you missed or misremembered.  Repeat if you missed quite a lot.  Do this one every day for two weeks. 

 

 

 

 

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