Vigyan Bhairava Tantra

Sutra – 67

Meditation Through the Method of the Senses

This sutra is a practical guide deeply connected to our daily lives. It teaches us how life should be lived with mindfulness and joy. Often, we expect everything from others but remain discontent because we believe they do not fulfill our desires. Yet, we seldom question why we seek so much from others, assuming we are meeting their expectations fully. But have you ever considered that perhaps you, too, are not meeting their needs completely?

When faced with such questions or when someone points it out, we often dismiss it, claiming the other person is being unreasonable or asking for more than they deserve. In doing so, we fail to see that they may feel the same about us.

This sutra provides an easy way to cultivate mindfulness and find happiness in daily life. It suggests focusing on our five senses—sight, smell, taste, hearing, and touch—by temporarily turning them inward during meditation.

Two Approaches to Understanding the Sutra

First Approach

In the physical practice of yoga, this method resembles the gesture used in Bhramari Pranayama. Using your hands, close your ears with your thumbs, your eyes with your index fingers, your nostrils with your middle fingers (lifting them periodically for breath), and your lips with your ring and little fingers. As you do this, hold your breath for as long as comfortably possible without strain.

As you meditate in this state, you may feel sensations, like an ant crawling on your back or other physical experiences. Often, these sensations distract us. According to the sutra, such distractions must be ignored. Your eyes, ears, nose, and lips are closed, leaving only touch as a source of potential diversion. By resisting this diversion, you can awaken your kundalini energy and progress into advanced states of meditation.

This practice subtly encourages us to apply the same principle in our daily lives. We are often unhappy because our senses lead us astray—what we hear, see, smell, or taste influences our emotions. Psychology tells us that smell significantly shapes our perception of taste. For instance, when we recall the aroma of a favorite dish, we experience its flavor, which creates a craving. Without smell, our taste buds remain dormant, rendering food bland, as happens when we have a cold.

This sutra reminds us that while our senses are part of our body, they are outward-facing by default. Rarely do they turn inward. The practice urges us to redirect them inward to experience profound inner joy and bliss, rather than seeking fulfillment from external sources.

Second Approach

Those familiar with yoga will recognize Shavasana—the posture of complete relaxation. In this pose, you lie down and release all tension from your body, feeling as though it no longer exists. Every muscle is consciously relaxed, and any lingering tension is gently shaken off, creating the sensation that your physical body has ceased to exist, as if you have transcended into death.

According to this sutra, in this state, you must also withdraw your senses, shutting off any perception of sound, smell, or touch. Even your breath should be paused intermittently. In this state of stillness and detachment, you rapidly advance toward deep meditative absorption.

The Message of the Sutra

In essence, the sutra teaches us that our senses often become the root of our discontent. They continuously pull us outward, attaching us to the material world and its fleeting pleasures. By consciously withdrawing them and turning inward, we can access a source of profound inner peace and bliss—anand (divine joy).

The ultimate goal is to reach a state where we transcend our attachment to the body and senses, allowing us to experience the boundless joy of inner contentment and spiritual awakening. This sutra not only offers a path to advanced meditation but also serves as a guide for cultivating joy and harmony in everyday life.