Dharana means concentration or meditation on a single point. I really appreciate that Patañjali differentiated this from Dhyana, which is the unending “stream” of concentration (next week!).
My understanding is that when we achieve Dharana, we are actively concentrating on a point of meditation, whereas we release all of the effort fully in Dhyana.
Baby Steps & Starting Over
The first step is just to choose a point of focus outside of yourself long enough to build a mental image. And then to close the eyes and see what sticks and for how long. Then open them again and start over.
So much of meditation practice is starting over. The thing I hear most (and nearly daily) is that “I’m just too distracted to meditate; my mind won’t slow down.”
Exactly. It was as true in the centuries before the common era when Patañjali lived, as it is today.
Contemplation
Some images I think might be inspiring for our meditation.
Meditation
In our meditation practice, we find something directly in front of us on which to concentrate. In the video, I’ve put up a flickering candle that you can use if you’d like.
Practice
One of the biggest keys to balance is finding a point of focus and giving it all of our attention — Dharana. It’s tempting to even close your eyes when attempting something like Bird of Paradise (Svarga Dvijasana), but using the gaze (Drishti) on an unwavering point makes all the difference.
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