Dhara ̄ Ón ̄a is an ek ̄agrata ̄ a ‘fixing on a single point,’ but it differs from
the ekagrat ̄ ̄aof samadhi ̄ states, for in dhara ̄ Ón ̄a, one-pointedness serves the
purpose of comprehension—highly focused, but nevertheless ordinary
subject-object comprehension.^72 Ekagrat ̄ ̄ain the stages of samadhi, ̄ how-
ever, evolves from one-pointed subject-object comprehension to the
meditator’s absorption in the object of meditation. Yoga’s wisdom about
human nature is evident in its inclusion of dhara ̄ Ón ̄a,for dh ̄araÓn ̄aprovides
limited freedom for the mind to consider various aspects of the object of
concentration, rather than demanding immediate and complete restric-
tion of the mind’s activity. The sadhaka’s ̄ aims in dh ̄araÓna ̄ are two: to re-
duce the frequency of the mind’s wandering from the object of concentra-
tion, and to increase the magnitude of one’s alertness and awareness.
V ̄acaspati notes that dhara ̄ Óna ̄, dhyana ̄ , and samadhi ̄ “are related to one
another as cause and effect consecutively, and their order of causation is
fixed” [TV 3.1]. In Iyengar’s Tree of Yoga, dh ̄araÓn ̄ais the sap of the tree.
As sap pervades all parts of the tree, concentration on a chosen object
should pervade the yogin’s being.^73 In the present context, where integra-
tion is a major factor in healing and liberation, the practice of dh ̄araÓna ̄ in-
itiates one-pointedness and provides a bridge from non-fragmented
awareness at the level of ordinary cognition, to the fully unified con-
sciousness of sam ̄adhi.
Seventh Limb: Meditation—Dhy ̄ana
While dhara ̄ Ón ̄ais the mind’s limiting its attention to a single object of con-
centration, dhy ̄anaor meditation is the achievement of sustained and un-
wavering attention to the object.
Tatra pratyayaikat ̄anata dhy ̄ ̄anam.
Meditation (dhy ̄ana) is the unified flow of the mind in that place
[i.e., the ‘place’ concentrated on in dhara ̄ Óna ̄].
YS 3.2The transition from dh ̄araÓna ̄ to dhy ̄anais spontaneous, not requiring any
new technique, and, likewise, sam ̄adhiis attainable without new tech-
niques once dh ̄araÓn ̄aand dhyana ̄ are established.^74 While dhyana ̄ is the
state of full attention to the object of concentration, samadhi ̄ is the
mind’s total absorption in it. In Iyengar’s model, dhy ̄anais the flower,
preceding the fruit of sam ̄adhi.^75
The verbal root of the word dhy ̄anais √dhi, ‘to think.’ Dhyana ̄ is
not ordinary discursive thinking, but rather the mind’s undiluted one-
pointed meditation. Progression from dhara ̄ Óna ̄ to dhyana ̄ is represented in
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