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Pointing to a figure drawn on a blackboard, he would explain where and how to concentrate the mind. There were two aids involved in concentration: repeating the mantra (parikamma-bhavañā) and visualizing the object of meditation (parikamma-nimitta). The word used in the first instance was 'Sammā-araham'. The object was a sphere. Luang Phaw would take a crystal ball in his hand and display it before the assembled congregation, telling all to visualize the crystal ball beginning by visualizing the sphere at the nostril (left nostril for women, and right for men). This was called the first base of the mind. As the mind’s eye was concentrated at this first base, they were to recite silently 'Sammā-araham' three times, fixing attention on the crystal sphere centered at the first base — then mentally shift the sphere down to the second base at the corner of the eye. Slowly, with ease of breathing, mentally recite 'Sammā-araham' three times, then shift the sphere to the third base, at the centre of the skull, reciting the mantra three times. The same procedure was followed, shifting the attention down again to bases four, five, and six, with repetitions of the same mantra. The attention was not to veer from the mark. The mind was finally to settle at centre of the body on a level with the navel. After repeating the mantra three times, one should raise the sphere two finger-breadths above the navel. This was the seventh base of the mind. There were to be found five elemental centres: the earth element to the right, the water element in front, the air element to the left, and the fire element to the back. The space element occupied the centre of the seventh base. In the centre of the space element rested the cognitive element (viññāṇa-dhātu), and