Question: Should we concentrate on the heart in order to control the mind?

Sri Chinmoy: You can concentrate anywhere: on the heart, on a candle or on any object. But if you are concentrating on a candle flame, please feel that nothing exists between you and the flame. Feel that nothing exists in your aspiring world but the flame; and while concentrating, feel that the inner flame is climbing high, higher, highest. The candle flame means aspiration. When you look at the flame, try to feel that you are aspiring, that there is no thought, nothing, in you or around you.

If you are concentrating on the picture of a spiritual Master, try to feel the spiritual and divine qualities of the Master. Otherwise the picture will only be a piece of paper to you. When you are looking at the picture, try to feel peace at one point. Feel that this man has peace and that that peace and nothing else is what you are going to have.

Then, when nothing is coming into your mind, you are ready for meditation. You will feel a sea of peace right in front of you. Either you are swimming in the sea of peace or someone is sailing a boat and you are there inside the boat.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The silent mind, Agni Press, 1977
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/smn