Imagine slipping into moments of pure presence, where every breath becomes a gateway to the Beyond. The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra offers over a hundred bite-sized meditations—down-to-earth yet potent—perfect antidotes to today’s screen-addled distractions.

1. Breath as the maestro
   Tune into the in-and-out flow, treating each inhale like a wave washing over the shore. Pausing briefly at the subtle gap between breaths lights up a doorway to spacious awareness.

2. The gap between thoughts
   Notice the silence sandwiched between mental chatter. It’s like catching a glimpse of the sky through shifting clouds—fleeting, yet astonishingly vast when it shows up.

3. Inner gaze into darkness
   With eyes closed, direct attention into the “black sea” behind the eyelids. That darkness isn’t an absence; it’s the fertile ground where insight sparks, much like a star popping to life on a moonless night.

4. Candle-flame fixation (Trataka)
   Fix the gaze on a tiny flame. In a world of endless TikTok loops, this simple ritual can still the whirlwind of thoughts—proof that old-school focus hacks never go out of style.

5. Sensory immersion
   Dive deep into just one sense—say, savouring the fizz of a soda or the weight of a pebble. By rooting fully in the “now” of touch or taste, the usual mental commentary falls away.

6. Heart-center dwelling
   Imagine a lotus blossoming in the chest. Resting attention there stirs warmth and a sense of home, even amid rush-hour chaos.

7. Breath retention in nostrils (Kumbhaka)
   Gently hold the exhale or inhale for a few counts. It’s like pausing mid-dance—suddenly, the body feels coordinates in unexplored terrain.

Each method is a little lightning bolt, quickening the pulse of pure awareness. Tapping into these practices today can feel as refreshing as a breeze through an open window—timeless tools for an age racing forward at breakneck speed.