your mind. Let yourself shift into a different mode of
consciousness, and allow ‘something else’ to happen.
As usual, the main secret of success lies in three words: practise,
practise, practise...
Our first aim will be to achieve some breakthroughs out of the
images of our usual mental consciousness, and to get glimpses of
non-physical realities. In order to fulfil this purpose, a series of
techniques involving eye contact will be introduced. These can be
practised either with a friend, or alone, facing yourself in a
mirror. Both have their advantages, and I would recommend you
practise both ways.
5.2 Concerning the practices of eye contact
- The two people should not sit too far from each other. A
distance of 90 centimetres (3 feet) can be considered ideal. If you
cannot touch the other's face with the palm of your hand, you
know you are too far. If you face a mirror, your image should
appear to be approximately the same distance away, or slightly
more. - It is always preferable to have a blank wall as a background and
to use candles instead of electric light. - The eyes of the two people should be at the same height, so if
one is taller than the other, cushions should be used for
adjustment. - You may be on a chair instead of sitting on the floor, but your
back should be straight. To facilitate a free circulation of energies,
do not lean against a wall or the back of a chair.
Do you know how to recognize a god from a human being
(according to Hindu scriptures)? The gods are immortal –
something that may not be immediately obvious when you see
them. So the Sanskrit texts describe a few other signs. Unlike
human beings, the gods never cast a shadow. Another sign is that
the gods are able to gaze at the Sun without harming their eyes.
Interestingly enough, I have seen more than one schizophrenic
patient who suddenly started to gaze at the Sun in the middle of a
mystical delirium, and damaged their eyesight very badly.
Schizophrenia is a fascinating disease in which it is not unusual for
patients to relate genuine information about spiritual worlds. Some
of their perceptions are quite real, even though they are neither
integrated nor understood, and they take place in the context of a
general disintegration of the personality.