How to Practice Dharana: A Guide to the Sixth Limb of Yoga

Dharana, a Sanskrit word meaning "concentration," is the sixth limb of yoga in the Ashtanga yoga system—also called the eight-limbed path. The goal of dharana is to bind your consciousness to one particular object, place, or idea. This single-object meditation can focus on an internal thought or an external object around you in the outside world.

You can practice dharana as part of your asana practice or while performing everyday tasks (by focusing on one task at a time), or you can use it as a foundation for meditation practice.

1. 1. Learn pratyahara. Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, provides the necessary skills to tune out external stimulation, and it sets you up for success to practice dharana.
2. 2. Find a comfortable seated position. Sitting in a relaxing position allows you to be still and focus. Tension in your leg muscles may pull your attention away from the practice.
3. 3. Choose an object to focus on. You can close your eyes and choose an internal object, such as your breath, a body part, a chakra, or a mantra. Alternatively, keep your eyes open and focus on a physical object, like a candle flame or a statue of a deity.
4. 4. Build toward total concentration. Beginners may find it easier to start with a wide range of focus around a chosen object. Throughout your session, gradually narrow your range until you're laser-focused. If you choose to concentrate on a mantra, silently repeat it in your mind as you sit. Remember that your mantra doesn't have to be the traditional "om" sound—it can be any word or phrase that's easy to repeat and will help you concentrate.
5. 5. Practice. Regular practice of dharana is essential if you intend to work your way through all eight limbs of yoga. Yoga practitioners often simultaneously execute the sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs—dharana, dhyana, and samadhi—together in a practice called sanyam or samyama.

Every limb in the Ashtanga yoga system builds on techniques of the previous limbs, which means that dhyana, the seventh limb of yoga, requires dharana, the sixth, as its foundation. These two limbs of yoga have a few key differences:

1. 1. Dharana is narrower in scope than dhyana. The sixth limb, dharana, requires focused attention on one specific internal or external object, whereas dhyana, the seventh limb, requires a broader meditative state.
2. 2. Dhyana involves full immersion. Dharana may involve fragmented moments of concentration, while dhyana is a continuous flow. Dhyana is a state of being that taps into the practitioner’s self-awareness or soul.
3. 3. Dharana and dhyana lead to samyama. When yoga practitioners simultaneously carry out the sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs—dharana, dhyana, and samadhi—they experience samyama, a state of bliss with complete control over the mind.

The eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga outline ways to live a purposeful life. The earlier limbs focus primarily on basic ethical teachings, and the later limbs—including dharana, the sixth limb of yoga—focus on internal concepts like meditation. The eight limbs of yoga are:

1. 1. Yamas: Social restraints and moral codes of yoga. The Yoga Sutra describes five different yamas, including ashimsa (non-violence), asteya (non-stealing), satya (truthfulness), aparigraha (non-possessiveness), and brahmacharya (celibacy or fidelity).
2. 2. Niyamas: Observances, rules, and guidelines. The Yoga Sutra describes five different niyamas, including saucha (cleanliness), santosha (contentment), tapas (self-discipline), svadhyaya (self-reflection), and ishvarapranidhana (surrender to a higher power).
3. 3. Asana: Yoga postures or poses. This limb emphasizes the importance of caring for the body and developing the discipline to advance spiritual growth.
4. 4. Pranayama: Use of breath. Pranayama consists of breathing techniques that can reduce stress and improve physical and mental health. In pranayama, you focus deeply on breath control through inhalation, breath retention, and exhalation patterns.
5. 5. Pratyahara: Withdrawal. Pratyahara is disengaging your mind from external disturbances and controlling your reaction to them. During pratyahara, your five sense organs still detect external stimulation, but you don't allow them to disrupt your state of mind.
6. 6. Dharana: Concentration. The goal of dharana is to bind your consciousness to one particular object, place, or idea. Focusing your attention on one thing helps quiet your mind by closing off a path for other thoughts to seep in.
7. 7. Dhyana: Meditation. Dhyana is similar to dharana, except during dhyana, you reach a state of being where you are so completely immersed in your meditation that it becomes a part of your consciousness.
8. 8. Samadhi: Bliss or enlightenment. Samadhi is the highest state of consciousness one can achieve through meditation. It consists of a yoga practitioner reaching spiritual enlightenment where the self, the mind, and the object of meditation merge together into one.

Every limb builds off of techniques in the previous limb. As such, the first five limbs are important preparatory measures before you dive into the more internal, meditation-based later steps of dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.

Proper form and technique are essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of a yoga practice. If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before practicing yoga. Yoga poses may be modified based on your individual needs.

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