Yoga Sunday: What is “Dharana”?

Today we’re diving back into the 8 Limbs of Yoga and explaining a bit about Limb #6- DHARANA! We know these have been out of order but all you need to know is that Dharana naturally follows Pratyahara, so go back and read about that again if you wish!

“Dharana” in Sanskrit is translated as “concentration”. So in Pratyahara, “sense withdrawal”, we move away from all distractions and in Dharana we begin the practice of concentration. Specifically, in dharana, we concentrate on a single point or single object of focus. This can be done by keeping your eyes open and focusing on a candle or another object in front of you, or by closing your eyes and focusing on one mental picture or sense within you.

As with the other steps in the meditation process, Dharana helps to slow our thinking and produce a sense of peace and calm.

Stay tuned for the next couple weeks as we complete our journey through the 8 Limbs of Yoga and learn what’s next in the yogic meditation path!

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Online, on-demand yoga classes for all levels. I aim to include something for everyone in the class library. You’ll find some challenging flows, some trauma-informed classes, and some quick breath or meditation breaks for when you just need a moment. Most class videos will take place out in nature, my favorite place to be. I’m launching the online class library with six different classes of a variety of lengths and difficulty levels. Please let me know which ones you enjoy the most and if you have any requests for types of classes, poses, meditations, or anything! Subscribers will receive access to the complete library at all times, plus at least 1 new class uploaded every week (as time and Wifi allows; thank you in advance for giving me grace in case of glitches).