Dharana - stay relaxed and focused Dharana, the sixth stage of the eight-stage path of Raja Yoga , is usually translated as "attention" or "concentration." It is the first stage of the last three, which also include Dhyana and Samadhi . Together, the last three stages constitute Samyama, or contemplation.
What does Dharana mean?
The meanings of the Sanskrit word are diverse. Depending on the context, they encompass memory and remembrance as well as resentment and anger. All of these meanings have as their common denominator the holding and clinging to something—and that is precisely what yoga is about. Dharana means keeping your attention focused on a single object and not allowing yourself to be distracted from it. This sounds easy, but in practice, it is often very difficult to keep your mind so focused that it doesn't start to occupy yourself with something else. Many distractions, both internal and external, can literally destroy this focused awareness. Sounds and movements in the environment, memories (for example, of unfinished tasks), thoughts of the future, bodily sensations... the list of possible distractions is long. Practicing dharana means learning to deliberately keep your attention focused on your object of contemplation without allowing distractions to pull you away. It doesn't make the distractions disappear. But they no longer interest you. Dharana is a state we are all familiar with, as children enter this focused attention spontaneously and naturally while playing. We simply unlearn it—but with appropriate exercises, we can re-acquire it.
How do you practice Dharana?
The fifth stage, Pratyahara, has already prepared you for Dharana with the withdrawal of the senses – just as the first five stages can be considered preparation for the last three. You have already become acquainted with many forms of practice that promote concentration, for example, in Pranayama , which focuses on the breath. To practice Dharana, you choose an object that you want to hold in your consciousness for the entire duration of the practice. This can be a deity, a meditation image, a sound (even an imagined one), a mantra, a scent, a material object, an anthill, a flower or a tree, or a part of your body – what is important is not what you focus your concentration on, but that you do not allow yourself to be distracted from it throughout the entire practice. This does not mean dogged concentration, but rather a relaxed, focused awareness. When you begin practicing Dharana, it is best to practice for only a few minutes - this is already a real challenge for beginners - and extend the duration of the exercises when you are able to maintain relaxed but focused awareness for a few minutes without your thoughts starting to jump restlessly from one topic to another (Kshipta) or becoming tired and sluggish (Tamas, Mudha).
You can basically practice with your eyes open or closed, and observe something externally or internally. Ultimately, it makes no difference how you achieve dharana—only the arrival counts. When this happens, your consciousness effortlessly, as if by itself, transitions into dhyana, meditative absorption.
Tips and tools
- Be aware: It's perfectly normal for your mind to be distracted at first while practicing. Just accept them calmly, let them go, and return to your focus in a relaxed manner. Getting angry will only make things more difficult.
- To better track progress, you can use a string of beads. Each time you get distracted, move it one bead further. This way, you'll be more aware of the decrease in distractions over time.
- Start doing what you're doing in your daily life with full attention and concentration - this will greatly improve your ability to concentrate while practicing!
