Question: This technique appears to be unique in that there is no mantra or breathing exercises or object to focus on.
Babaji:
In this technique, we are trying to keep the mind focused without an anchor. This is like going straight to an officer's position in the army without starting out as an ordinary soldier first.
If the mind can be focused then it becomes introverted and it experiences the real Self. Then one can use the brain to the best of its ability.
Whereas we honor all other methods, they are preliminary to this teaching. Because in the end all these exercises will eventually need to be abandoned. In this technique we are giving the mind practice to become focused. It is like in prayer; the real prayer starts when the mind goes introverted. The mind has no third way - it is either out in the world, in viyoga, or it is focused and becomes introverted and goes inwards to the real Self, inYoga. This technique was practiced in Vedic times but the Sages found it becoming harder for people to do this, so they gave simpler methods such as reciting mantras. These are not wrong things - Sage Vasistha himself has directed people in the Yoga Vasistha, "If you have to think, then think of God." But eventually we have to still the thoughts; we have to go introverted to find the real Self.
The mind is a bundle of thoughts. If you could have no thoughts, then it would be just Consciousness. The mind can't be seen - it can only be recognized by its thoughts. But on its own, it is Pure Consciousness. So in this technique we watch the mind and with our attention held like that, we are trying to watch the Self.
It is like Ramana Maharshi; He taught the technique of Self-enquiry, "Who am I?". He also advised that in meditation one should observe from where the Self arises, not by imagination as that will limit it, but that real Self, not the imagined self. In this way, Ramana Himself as a boy suddenly questioned, "What is death?" He lay down in a room, controlled His senses and breath. He thought to himself, "OK, if I am now dead, what will happen?" He saw that the Consciousness of Existence still continued and He eventually Realized the Self.
