DHARANA: Concentration
At times it is difficult to distinguish where one stage of yoga ends and another begins. So it is with dharana.
In fact ALL yoga exercises demand full concentration or we risk injuring our self, and certainly not getting maximum benefit from our efforts.
Pratyahara is seen as a precursor to dharana as we begin to rein in our senses and learn to focus on just one thing – our inner sense. In dharana we use that focusing to extend the period of concentration as bring the chattering mind, the consciousness (citta), under control focusing on a single point or object (desha). In yoga we call this one-pointed concentration `eka-agrata`. In the process of concentrating the mind we are also concentrating the psycho-spiritual energies for the following practice of meditation (dhyana).
Many methods are used to aid our efforts at dharana. Physical objects such as candles, stones, or patterns (yantra) etc can act as starting points. We can also focus on mental images such as a chosen deity, or the inner sound(nada).
The move from dharana to meditation (dhyana) is a smooth passage with no finite bondary. Initially the emphasis is on maintaining a stillness of mind. The `monkey mind` will keep jumping off onto other strands but gently and without self condemnation of failure bring the mind back to the chosen point of focus.
It helps of course to create an environment that is calm and nondistracting. Find somewhere quiet and with dim or almost dark light, with no distracting smells, physical discomfort or potential threats to your safety. To begin with be satisfied with just a minute or two of total concentration, but with practice try to extend the period longer and longer.
Attaining the skill of concentrating is a benefit in almost every aspect of life and not just in your formal yoga sadhana.
At times it is difficult to distinguish where one stage of yoga ends and another begins. So it is with dharana.
In fact ALL yoga exercises demand full concentration or we risk injuring our self, and certainly not getting maximum benefit from our efforts.
Pratyahara is seen as a precursor to dharana as we begin to rein in our senses and learn to focus on just one thing – our inner sense. In dharana we use that focusing to extend the period of concentration as bring the chattering mind, the consciousness (citta), under control focusing on a single point or object (desha). In yoga we call this one-pointed concentration `eka-agrata`. In the process of concentrating the mind we are also concentrating the psycho-spiritual energies for the following practice of meditation (dhyana).
Many methods are used to aid our efforts at dharana. Physical objects such as candles, stones, or patterns (yantra) etc can act as starting points. We can also focus on mental images such as a chosen deity, or the inner sound(nada).
The move from dharana to meditation (dhyana) is a smooth passage with no finite bondary. Initially the emphasis is on maintaining a stillness of mind. The `monkey mind` will keep jumping off onto other strands but gently and without self condemnation of failure bring the mind back to the chosen point of focus.
It helps of course to create an environment that is calm and nondistracting. Find somewhere quiet and with dim or almost dark light, with no distracting smells, physical discomfort or potential threats to your safety. To begin with be satisfied with just a minute or two of total concentration, but with practice try to extend the period longer and longer.
Attaining the skill of concentrating is a benefit in almost every aspect of life and not just in your formal yoga sadhana.