A modern introduction to the eightfold path of yoga (part three). Concentration
‘Dharana’; Meditation ‘Dhyana’ and State of Bliss ‘Samadhi’. By Elisabeth Vegter
T
he last two months we have explored The Yoga Sutras
of Patanjali, specifically the eightfold path of yoga.
Our journey took us via the moral rules of living
‘Yama’ and individual behaviour observances ‘Niyama’,
and to physical posture ‘Asana’, breathing exercises
‘Pranayama’ and sense withdrawal ‘Pratyahara’.
After practicing these steps we’ve now arrived at the final stage of
this path. All that has to do with yoga, regardless the specific style
or history, is geared towards reaching a state of transcendence or
liberation. Most of us know this as enlightenment or as Patanjali
calls it: ‘Samadhi’. The first five limbs of the path will have prepared
you to continue your journey inward. You have learned to moderate
and consciously shape your behaviour; you have committed to a
healthier or cleaner lifestyle; you have disciplined both your body
and mind, and you have started to turn inward by withdrawing your
senses from the outside world.
The branches of concentration ‘Dharana’ and meditation
‘Dhyana’ aim to take us deeper into the state of complete bliss,
‘Samadhi’. They solely deal with the mental, internal plane, whereas
the preceding branches also deal with the outside and physical
world. The least internal of these three is Dharana, and the most
and completely inward is Samadhi. They should be considered as
subsequent steps down into our deepest self. You cannot skip one
of these stages to reach enlightenment; you need to follow the route
via Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.Concentration ‘Dharana’
The sixth branch of the yoga tree is called Dharana and it means
the control of attention and intention. It builds on the disciplining
of the mind as started by Pratyahara. What Patanjali refers to as
concentration, most of us will recognise as meditation. Controlling
your attention and intention means you need to concentrate your
energy on something, or perhaps someone, specific. You could
take all of your mind and focus on an object such as a candle or a
special sound such as ‘ohm’. In your yoga classes you will most likely
have come across exercises containing the concentration on your
breath. These are commonly based on following the pace and
flow of your inhale and exhale.
Controlling your intentions means focusing on deeply felt wishes
or desires with the whole of your heart and mind. Of course, these
wishes need not be another pair of shoes but things like creating
peace of mind, overcoming desires, or finding love. By bundling your
intentions, you ask the powers of the universe or nature to work with
you to realise these wishes. You might notice that things start to roll
your way eventually.
Each time your mind wanders off, and it always will, bring it back
to your object of concentration. Choose an object that you find
inspiring and uplifting. More and more you’ll find that the mind is
silenced and you are diving deeper into the vastness of that silence.
Patanjali encourages you to never give up and never think that
you’re unfit to concentrate and meditate. Every one of us can do
this. Just practice and stick to it.Meditation ‘Dhyana’
If you start to dive deeper and deeper into the vastness of the
silence created by your concentration efforts, you enter the seventh
branch of the yoga tree: meditation, called Dhyana. The difference
with concentration is that the communication between meditator
and object becomes steady and effortless. Patanjali describes it as:
“Dhyana is the continuous flow of cognition towards that object.”
The concentration has become full and undisturbed. There is still the
‘I’; the meditation process; and the object of meditation. The mind
is completely fixed. Time and place no longer have meaning. If the
meditation is suddenly broken, you might not know where you are
or what just happened. In the state of Dhyana the mind transcends
the body. It is no longer aware of the body and its surroundings.
Some practitioners also experience wonderful and colourful visions.
Others report about beautiful sounds or a feeling of lightness
and happiness. Be aware, if you sense that it is happening to ‘you’
instead of it simply happening then you are still in the Dharana
or concentration phase. If the meditation is broken and the mind
becomes unfixed, you also might stumble back to the lower branches
of the yoga tree. Please do not worry, it takes years to master this
so don’t be discouraged and simply keep practicing. When there is
decline in distractedness and appearance of one-pointedness you
are coming closer to the blissful state of Samadhi.om spirit