Kasina is the word used to describe using physical objects for meditation, normally colored discs. Kasina yoga exercises are used in the practice of jnana yoga, which is the pursuit toward deep meditative states of being that are said to stimulate and develop your inner knowing. There are four stages of these jnana yoga meditative states.
Elements and Colors
The first stage of kasina exercises starts with observing a disc. You can use a reddish-brown colored disc to symbolize the earth to begin with. This will help ground and prepare you for the more advanced kasina stages. Once you improve your concentration to the extent that you can reach a state of jnana yoga, where the mind is totally absorbed into one object, you can start practicing with water, fire and air discs. Meditating on various elements is said to have given ancient yogis supernatural powers like the ability to walk on water.
Starting Meditation
Begin by placing your earth disc approximately six feet away from you on the ground. Sit in a cross-legged manner. Stare at the disc but do not look upon it intently. Allow your eyes to rather get unfocused and try to observe the light reflected from the object. Once you can focus on the disc so much that you do not think any thoughts, you have reached the first stage of concentration and absorption. When you can close your eyes and continue to view the disc as a mental image, you have reached the second stage of kasina yoga. This mental image is referred to as "uggaha-nimitta." The image you see will probably reflect the unclear brightness of the disc. Continue to practice this meditation every day until you arrive at the third stage of it.
Advanced Stages
Stage three happens when the mental image produces a clear counter-image in your mind, referred to as "patibhaga-nimitta." This mental image will be more detailed and you will have the ability to move this image wherever you want to mentally. You can bring it closer to you and move it farther away while the image stays perfectly spotless and detailed. Once you are able to do this well, you will be ready for the fourth stage. This most advanced stage of kasina yoga involves arriving at a deep state of meditation on an image without requiring a physical object as a starting place.
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