Dharana encourages focus and concentration on a single object. In the Limbs of Yoga it comes before and as a preparation or guide into meditation. As one focuses on the object of meditation with success, one will move into the bliss of becoming one with the object of meditation and see the oneness of all life.

 

In our modern world and everyday life, focus and concentration resembles mindfulness; the ability to really focus on what you are doing. Putting your entire awareness into the task on hand. Whether you are creating art, driving a car, cooking, eating or listening; you are doing the task with a single point of awareness. But in the modern day world of multitasking, concentrating with single focus is difficult and sometimes not commended. We are expected to be able to do 2 or 3 things at the same time. And in some instances that is what is needed. With all this multitasking, we have lost the ability to concentrate and focus single pointedly. The dings of our cell phones and/or others cell phones takes us away from our concentration. Therefore, the 7th Limb of Yoga – Meditation becomes difficult.

 

How can we improve our ability to be mindful and focused? Practice!! Choose a project or Yogic practice and make it a practice to have your full awareness in the practice. Thoughts, to do list, cell phones will try to distract you, but when you notice you have been distracted, mentally chant neti, neti, neti, and gently bring your focus on what your were doing. Here are some ideas on how to practice Dharana:

 

• Mindful eating is a beautiful practice of mindfulness. Encourage your family to practice mindful eating for 2 minutes of each meal or one meal a week.

• Savasana at the end of a Hatha Yoga practice can allow focus on corpse pose. Feeling the heaviness of the physical body heavy to Earth and noticing the lightness of the astral body and spiritual body.

• Breathing and concentration on the breath can not only stop the momentum of a stressful life but it can also reset the mind into a more focused and calm mind.

• Mantra induces higher states of consciousness that support your path to concentration and meditation.

• Yantra induces higher states of consciousness that support your path to concentration and meditation.

• Feeling States are a beautiful way to connect with mind/body/spirit and connect with a loving and blissful state of consciousness.

 

Studies have shown that the ability to focus and concentrate helps people manage their stress level and over all improve their physical and mental health. So Dharana is not only the precursor for Meditation; it also brings about a state of alertness, calm and resilience that helps us improve our relationship to what is important in our life.

 

May the stream of your life flow into the River of Goodness. ~Rig Veda Prayer

Shanti