CenteringVoidVerse 61intermediate
The Middle Between Two Thoughts
Knowing two states, rest in the middle; drop both at once, and reality shines in the gap.
Source verse · Verse 61
उभयोर्भावयोर्ज्ञाने ध्यात्वा मध्यं समाश्रयेत्। युगपच्च द्वयं त्यक्त्वा मध्ये तत्त्वं प्रकाशते॥
ubhayor bhāvayor jñāne dhyātvā madhyaṃ samāśrayet | yugapac ca dvayaṃ tyaktvā madhye tattvaṃ prakāśate
Knowing two states, rest in the middle; drop both at once, and reality shines in the gap.
▶ Practice this technique10 / 20 min · eyes either
How to practice
- 1Notice any two cognitions or states — two thoughts, two perceptions, two feelings.
- 2Rather than choosing one, become aware of the interval between them and rest your attention there.
- 3Let go of both at the same instant.
- 4In that simultaneous release, abide in the middle — where reality (tattva) shines of itself.
Practice note. The gap between thoughts is brief and easy to overshoot. Do not manufacture a blank; simply notice the natural seam and rest in it.
Terms in this technique
- madhya
- The middle, the centre, the gap between two states — a key VBT doorway.
- śūnya
- Void, emptiness — not nothingness but open, contentless awareness.
- dhāraṇā
- A holding or fixing of attention; one of the 112 techniques.
Sources consulted
- Jaideva Singh, Vijñānabhairava: The Manual for Self-Realization (Motilal Banarsidass, 1979)
- Swami Lakshmanjoo, Vijnana Bhairava: The Manual for Self Realization (Universal Shaiva Fellowship, 2007)
- Bettina Bäumer, Vijñâna Bhairava: The Practice of Centering Awareness (Indica Books, 2011)