The Hong Sau technique is a foundational meditation practice in the Kriya Yoga lineage taught by Paramahansa Yogananda. At its essence, this technique cultivates deep concentration by synchronizing awareness with the natural rhythm of breath while focusing attention at the spiritual eye—the point between the eyebrows.
The Natural Rhythm of Breath
Hong Sau works with the breath as it is, rather than controlling it. You simply observe the breath flowing in and out naturally, without trying to regulate its depth, speed, or pattern. This passive observation is key—the breath becomes a vehicle for withdrawing attention from external distractions and sensory engagement.
As you watch the breath, you mentally repeat “Hong” (rhymes with “song”) with each inhalation and “Sau” (rhymes with “saw”) with each exhalation. These are ancient Sanskrit mantras meaning “I am He” or “I am Spirit.” The mental repetition isn’t forced or loud in the mind, but gentle, like a whisper that follows the breath’s natural cadence.
Concentration at the Spiritual Eye
The focal point for Hong Sau is the spiritual eye, also called the kutastha or ajna chakra—the spot between and slightly above the eyebrows at the center of the forehead. This isn’t merely a physical location but a doorway to higher consciousness, associated with the third eye in yogic anatomy.
You gaze gently upward toward this point with closed eyes, without straining. The eyes naturally want to look slightly upward when we’re concentrated or contemplative. This upward gaze helps lift consciousness from body-identification toward superconscious awareness.
The spiritual eye is traditionally described as having a particular appearance when concentration deepens: a golden ring surrounding a field of deep blue, with a white star at the center. As meditation deepens through practices like Hong Sau, practitioners may begin to perceive this inner light.
The Practice Itself
Sitting with spine straight, you close your eyes and bring your attention to the point between the eyebrows. Begin observing the breath without controlling it. With each inhalation, mentally hear “Hong.” With each exhalation, mentally hear “Sau.”
The breath will naturally vary—sometimes deeper, sometimes shallower, sometimes faster, sometimes slower. You simply witness these changes while maintaining gentle focus at the spiritual eye. When the mind wanders (as it inevitably will), you calmly bring it back to the breath and the mantra.
Between breaths, in those moments of natural pause after exhalation or inhalation, there’s often a sense of stillness. These pauses can deepen over time, and in them, the mind becomes exceptionally quiet.
The Deepening Flow
What makes Hong Sau particularly powerful is how it creates a rhythmic flow between three elements: breath, mantra, and concentrated gaze. This trinity works together to absorb the restless mind.
The breath provides a constantly changing object of focus that’s always present. The mantra gives the thinking mind something to do, preventing it from spinning off into random thoughts. The spiritual eye provides a stable anchor point, a home base for awareness.
As the practice continues, the breath often becomes quieter and slower naturally—not through force, but as the body relaxes and metabolism calms. The mind, tracking this increasingly subtle breath, becomes correspondingly subtle and refined. Concentration deepens not through effort but through sustained, gentle attention.
From Concentration to Absorption
Initially, Hong Sau develops concentration (dharana in yogic terms)—the ability to hold attention on a single point. But with regular practice, concentration can evolve into meditation (dhyana)—a continuous flow of awareness without the usual mental chatter and distraction.
Eventually, this can open into moments of absorption or communion (samadhi)—experiences where the sense of separate self dissolves into pure awareness. The spiritual eye becomes not just a point of focus but a portal through which consciousness expands beyond ordinary perception.
The Gift of Self-Observation
Beyond its meditative benefits, Hong Sau teaches something profound: you are not your breath, you are the witness of your breath. You’re not your thoughts, you’re the awareness observing thoughts. This discrimination between the witnessing consciousness and the objects of consciousness is central to spiritual awakening.
The technique is simple enough for beginners yet deep enough for lifelong practice. It asks nothing more than patient observation and gentle persistence, allowing the natural intelligence of breath and awareness to guide you inward toward the still center where the spiritual eye opens into infinite light.
https://www.ananda.org/meditation/meditation-support/articles/focusing-on-the-spiritual-eye/
Light Being ॐ 
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