Entering the Darkness

In total darkness with eyes open, rest in the formless dark until it becomes luminous.

How to practice

1. 1In a fully dark room, keep the eyes open and relaxed.
2. 2There is nothing to see — let attention rest in the formless dark.
3. 3Do not strain for images; let the dark be a presence, not an absence.
4. 4In time the darkness can feel alive, even subtly luminous. Rest there.

Terms in this technique

śūnya

Void, emptiness — not nothingness but open, contentless awareness.

tamas

Darkness; here used as a doorway, not a flaw.

cidākāśa

The space of consciousness; the inner sky of awareness.

Sources consulted

• Jaideva Singh, Vijñānabhairava: The Manual for Self-Realization (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979)
• Bettina Bäumer, Vijñâna Bhairava: The Practice of Centering Awareness (Indica Books, 2011)