One should be the master of their own mind, without letting their emotions overpower. As a result, self-immersion is one powerful yet spiritual bodily state, helping to restore and regain the lost balance and focus of your holy mind. Indulging in activities such as painting, music, meditation, cooking, exercising, and yoga can aid in achieving the former state of being. Although it is advisable to avoid any form of digression of engagement from your self-immersive state, how shall one maintain this state of being in life? This is where Dharana comes into play.
What is Dharana?
Dharana, known as the 6th limb of Ashtanga, by master Patanjali, is a process of withdrawal of the mind from the senses and its subsequent blending with the soul.
It is about retaining a centralized focus on something internal or external. Internally, one can focus on their chakras or a particular body part, and externally, one can focus on a particular object or point. The entire purpose of doing this is to calmly and patiently focus on that one thing we chose to focus on without any distractions.
When we focus our mind on a single point, the rest of our mind tends to quiet down. In response to this, our energy is centralized toward focusing on one thing, and none of our past memories, thoughts, or others’ actions should divert this peaceful state of being.
Dharana is a crucial step in Ashtanga, to practice Dhyana and Samadhi. Our focus and mental strength regained while restoring the state of Dharana is carried forward while practicing Dhyana and Samadhi. Although Dhyana and Samadhi in the eightfold path of Ashtanga are indulgences of mental activity rather than physical, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are all interconnected in the attainment of balance of mind, body, and spirit.
How to practice Dharana and what are its benefits?
- Practice focusing your attention on a single object, thought, or a part within you for deeper concentration and to escape a wandering mind full of thoughts and memories.
- Ideally, it should be performed at every moment while you are engaged in certain activities throughout the day. Avoid multitasking and stay focused on your body while you only exercise, focus on your food while you eat, and while working or cooking, focus on areas and aspects of your indulgence in that activity. Be as immersed and involved as you can be.
- Our fast lifestyle does not grant us enough liberty to take time off and relax just with ourselves. This process is yet again an achievable state of Dharana, wherein you press the pause button on everything happening around you and in your mind to focus on one thing or sometimes nothing at all to revive from the mental, physical, and emotional stresses hampering your holistic peace.
- Reaching a state of self-awareness or consciousness aids us in balancing our struggles such as anxiety, depression, and stress. It is all about training our minds in such a manner as to escape any further chances of self-destructive activities and states of frustration to begin walking the path of constructive decisions and mindfulness.
In entirety, a stable and calm mind is necessary to free ourselves from toxic thoughts, habits, and lifestyle. This state of Dharana, when complemented with the right kind of diet, lifestyle, and an overall self-awareness state of being, benefits our wellness journey for a longer period. A happy and sound state of mind is full of gratitude and affection and is undoubtedly the strongest builder for a peaceful and happy community at large.
Dharana Wellness Centre, a wellness retreat near Mumbai, focuses on holistic health which includes physical, mental, and spiritual balance. One of the key ideologies of this eco wellness retreat lies in the holistic approach. As an Ayurvedic healing center in India, Dharana combines the use of an integrative, modern approach for holistic health with modern diagnostics and traditional practices like Yoga and Ayurveda to ensure a sustainable wellness journey.