Improve Your Focus With Dharana

 Improve Your Focus  With Dharana

By Jennifer Kelleher

Happy October! This month at Ocean Bliss Yoga we are focusing on Dharana. Dharana is the sixth limb of yoga, and it translates to mean ‘focused concentration,’ or ‘one pointed focus.’ The goal of Dharana is to improve focus, and it is the first level of meditation, followed by Dhyana and Samadhi.

Did you know that the average person has about 60,000 thoughts each day? The concerning part is that approximately 75% of these thoughts are negative and 95% are repetitive. The brain is an incredible tool that, when used properly, can greatly enhance your life. On the contrary, if you do nothing to harness the power of the mind, it can end up working against you. Practicing Dharana is like taking the brain to the gym, strengthening our ability to intentionally focus the mind and giving us control over the stories that play out in our heads, which shape our life and life experiences.

With Dharana we ‘zoom in,’ holding our attention on one single point of focus. In it, we lose all sense of time, space, and even Self. Chances are you’ve had spontaneous experiences with Dharana, perhaps when you were completely engrossed in something of deep interest. The cool thing is this does not have to be a sporadic occurrence.

With regular practice, you can train yourself to become completely absorbed in whatever it is you are involved in.

The point is not to get rid of thoughts or distractions (that would be an impossible goal), but rather to give your mind a place to land. With Dharana practice, we continuously bring our attention back– to the breath, to a mantra, or to whatever it is you are focusing on. This action of coming back again and again begins to train the mind and creates a sense of grounding. It teaches us how to bring our point of concentration into the foreground, while allowing thoughts, feelings, and other potential distractions to fade away into the background. All of a sudden, we are no longer susceptible to the chaos and can live with greater clarity and intention.

Having the ability to decide what you want your mind to focus on, and keeping it focused there until you consciously choose to switch gears, is a great skill. As you hold your focus for an extended period of time, you will likely start to notice that your thoughts grow more apparent, calm, and stable. Becoming more aware of your inner dialogue and deciding to change it is a huge step for personal evolution.

So, how can you start practicing Dharana today? Candle gazing, focusing on the breath, visualization, focusing on sound vibration, working with a mantra, a loving-kindness meditation, and practicing mindfulness are all great ways to practice Dharana and improve your ability to focus.

I invite you to join me at Ocean Bliss Yoga on October 9 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for Meditation 101. In this workshop, you will learn an easy-to-follow meditation practice that you can begin to use immediately. We will also go over ‘do’s’ and ‘don’t’s’ of meditation, common FAQs, and answer any questions from the group. Session involves learning the steps and parameters of the practice, experiencing it, and group discussion. Sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. Call me with questions at 917-318-1168.

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