The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Dharana
It’s been a while since we talked about the 8 Limbs of Yoga, but we’re picking the series back up today with the 6th limb: dharana… only 2 limbs to go after this!
Dharana translates to “focused concentration” and is closely related to the 5th limb, pratyahara, or “withdrawal of the senses”. When you think about it, in order to truly focus on something, you must withdraw your senses from everything else so that all of your attention can be placed on that single point of concentration. And, to fully withdraw our senses, we must focus and concentrate intently.
The practice of dharana is great for those of us who feel like our mind is constantly racing, and it can be practiced while on your mat, in your yoga practice, or in your day-to-day as you’re completing tasks or navigating tricky situations.
Ultimately, dharana is the practice of presence.
When practicing dharana, you can choose to focus on something internal - like your third eye, your physical or energetic body - or something external - the flame of a candle, a crystal, a photo, anything really; when we focus the mind on point, the rest of the mind tends to quiet down, too, as there is less room for other thoughts to creep in.
Here is a simple way to practice dharana:
Get comfortable. Find a position, either seated or laying down, where you can remain as still as possible for a short duration of time - and where you won’t fall asleep! It shouldn’t take much effort on your part to stay in and stay awake in this position.
Close your eyes & find your point of focus. This can be something within you - your body, your breath, your heartbeat - or an image, an object, a person… anything. Allow your mind to gently focus on this thing, but give it a little freedom to wander, especially if this practice is new to you!
Breathe. Deepen your breath to begin and notice the sensations of breathing in your body. Focusing on your breath helps to bring our minds into the present moment, so this is a great way to start shifting your mind from 100 things to one thing. When you start to feel more grounded in the present, you can let your deep breathing fall back into your effortless, natural pace of breath.
Observe what comes up. As you train your mind to focus on one thing at a time, other thoughts are bound to arise - it’s normal, and no reason to become frustrated with yourself or give up on your practice. I always say that meditation is less about turning all of our thoughts off, but more about learning to find stillness and focus amidst those thoughts. Take note of what comes up for you when practicing dharana. When we allow things to surface, like thoughts, feelings, & emotions, it’s often the first step in processing and releasing them, and often we find the answers we have been searching for in the silence.
I think it’s important to note that you can also practice dharana without sitting in meditation or during yoga. The next time you’re completing a task at work - try focusing on just that task, and working on it from start to finish without pausing, without multitasking, without starting other tasks… this is something I’m working on personally, and I have to say that I feel so much better mentally when I can make it happen.
I hope that this has been helpful for you - this is a practice that truly can improve all areas of our lives with the right amount of effort and commitment.
xo,
Kelsey