Sherriann Melwani is a yoga teacher who shuttles between Hong
Kong, Bali and Singapore, and is a freelance writer for Yoga
Journal Singapore.Taming the Monkey Mind
The mind is in the habit of jumping around—like a monkey—always
gravitating towards drama and the desires of senses. Sounds, sights and
constant stimulation keep our nervous system on overdrive. When we get
used to this state of being, keeping ourselves still and focused becomes
very difficult.
However, through the complete practice of yoga, where each limb builds
upon the previous limb, we learn to train the body and mind to work
for us. When we focus attention solely on one thing, such as a project,
pose or object, it is almost impossible to get distracted by worries or
other stimuli. Of course there will be moments in our training where our
concentration shifts and we get distracted, but we can be gentle with
ourselves and keep trying. This is the practice of Dharana, where we are
attempting to direct the mind into that single-pointed focus that can lead
to self-mastery. We then realize that we are beyond the mind... because
“we” are the ones who control the mind.
Fight or Flight
The nature of the mind is to think and create. Our ego urges us to believe
that in order to be successful in life, we need to do a million things that
can be quantified and seen. As the ultimate multitaskers, we have too
much on our To-Do Lists, which leaves us overwhelmed and unable
to focus. It also leads to being in hyper drive most of the time, which
prompts the hypothalamus in the brain to activate the sympathetic
nervous system and adrenal-cortical system to switch on the ‘fight or
flight’ response. However, we can find relief from stress when we learn to
direct the mind and focus it using certain Dharana techniques.
Dharana through Asana
Some poses, especially the balancing poses, can give us a taste of
experiencing ekagrata. For this reason, we often feel an overall sense of
well-being after an asana class where poses are held for longer duration
of time.
When I started a yoga class for patients at The Institute for Mental Health
in Singapore, I discovered that many minds were overwhelmed and
enslaved by their thoughts, which had become the master and dictator
of their lives. Consequently, their quality of life had been diminished,
and they, along with their families or communities, sought professional
assistance to lessen their suffering and balance their mind. I continue
to work with these patients using non-invasive techniques, such as
asana, pranayama and meditation, to stimulate their ability to practice
Dharana—and I have witnessed a dramatic improvement.
One of our favourite poses is the Tree Pose, Vrksasana. During this pose,
just as with other balancing poses, it is nearly impossible to think about
anything other than maintaining the pose. Such intense concentration
provides a much needed break from other worries and fluctuations of the
mind. It is evident how relaxed and satisfied they appear on completing
the pose. They experience empowerment through these simple
techniques, and learn how accessible peace of mind can be once they fix
their attention on something other than their mental suffering.
Thus, Dharana techniques teach us how to rely on our own inner light
and become self-reliant. When we can hold Dharana for a while, we
merge into a state of Dhyana, or meditation, which is the seventh limb of
yoga and will be discussed in the next issue.
Two simple ways to practice Dharana
- Mantra & Kirtan: By repeating a word or phrase, we steer the
mind into silence. You can easily find, listen and chant/sing along
to many mantras and kirtans online these days. - Candle Gazing: Light a candle in a dim or completely
darkened, still room. Begin to focus on the tip of the candle
flame without breaking concentration for about one or two
minutes. Allow your eyes to blink as they need, but don’t look
away from the flame. Be comfortable. Concentrate only on
the light. Nothing else. Set a timer if you need. If you’d like to
go further, after gazing at the flame for one to two minutes,
close the eyes softly and “see” how long you can maintain the
image of the flame behind closed eyelids. When you lose the
image, open the eyes again and gaze at the candle for another
minute or so, then close the eyes once more and try to “see” the
flame. This technique is an easier version of Trataka, the candle
meditation that focuses on drishti, or steady gaze, where you
shouldn’t even blink while you stare at the candle flame.
december 2017 / january 2018yogajournal.com.sg