#21 Concentrating above and below void

Meditate simultaneously, on the above as void and the base as void. The Energy that is independent of the body will make one devoid of thoughts.Verse 44, Vigyan Bhairava Tantra

Identification with our body it the problem

Identification with our bodies is the problem. This identification causes us misery. When we are no longer identified with the body, we become blissful.
We become a witness. You are simply aware of what your body is saying or doing. You are also aware of how others are responding to what your body is saying or doing. Because you are no longer identified with the body, you are no longer affected by what happens to the body. If people are rude to you or strike you, it does not upset you.
You are not affected negatively by any of the adverse events that occur in your life. You reach this stage in your evolution when your level of awareness increases.
You become aware, and suddenly you become aware that you are aware. By being aware, you discover your soul – the witness in you. You start identifying more with this witness, and less with your body. As this happens, you become peaceful, and the external world starts losing its hold on you.

Story of Ramana Maharshi

Ramana Maharshi was a fully enlightened saint, who lived in South India. He became well known during the first half of the 20th century. He eventually died of cancer. The doctors who diagnosed him as suffering from cancer were amazed at his condition. He should have been feeling a lot of pain, but he felt none. He had an abundance of joy and love flowing from him. Being enlightened, he no longer identified with his body. The pain of the body was no longer his pain. He remained joyful through every moment of the day. What was happening to his body, no longer affected him.

How to do this technique

The next few verses are all trying to break our identification with the body. The body is there, it exists. But we are not our bodies. We are aware. We are the witness, who observe all the events of our life.
Meditate simultaneously, on the above as void and the base as void. The above refers to the part of the body that is above the shoulders. That is from the neck upwards. The base refers to the lower part of the body, from the waist down.
This meditation differs from the previous one, in that we are to simultaneously concentrate not on the whole body, but two parts of it.
Now, we are to imagine these two parts of the body to be void, empty, or nonexistent.
The meditation should be practiced seated with eyes closed.
Focus your attention simultaneously on the two parts of the body – from the neck upwards, and the waist downwards. Imagine that these two parts of your body do not exist. There is only space or emptiness there. The Energy that is independent of the body will make one devoid of thoughts. Energy is in the body. It is because of this energy that the body exists.
However, this energy is independent of the body. It is the energy of God and does not require the body to exist. Through this practice, we raise Kundalini, our dormant energy. Then our awareness grows, and all thoughts stop.