One Track Mind
Dharana - Single Pointed Focus
The 6th limb of the Yoga Sutra's of Patanagali is Dharana.
Have you ever watched a movie or started an activity and looked up only to realise 4hrs passed in the blink of an eye? You were so focused on what it was you were enagged with that you had no concept of time or reality? Welcome to Dharana friends!
While Dharana on its own isn't meditation, it is a really important step towards the meditative experience. Last week we spoke about Pratyahara, learning to control the senses. Dharana sees you take your meditation practice to the next stage as you purposefully direct your concentration.
Years ago I went to a meditation workshop on the island of Gili Air in Indonesia. At the workshop we tried out many meditation styles; walking meditation, humming meditation, mantra meditation, five senses meditation. One that really stuck out for me was candle gazing meditation. There was a giant white candle in the middle of the open-walled teepee and we all sat around it, gaze softened, watching the flame flicker. The instructions we were given was to allow the breath to flow soft and free and anchor our minds to the flame. If we wandered, direct the focus back to the flame.
Perhaps it was because we had already been meditating in some form for most of the day or perhaps it was the effect of the flame on me, but I felt a deep sense of concentration in that meditation session that I had not felt before. It changed what meditation was for me, and showed me what meditation could be.
In class, I sometimes offer a simple breath awareness pranayama. In Vipassana practice, the technique is called anapana and it's the practice of becoming aware of your inhale and your exhale. Nothing more, nothing less, just focus on your breath. It's one step towards a single-pointed focus as you focus on your breath you have nowhere else to be, you can't help but be present.
What does the inhale feel like? What happens in the exhale? Where does your breath turn around?
Off the mat and into the real world, focusing on your breath will also give you an insight into how you're feeling on the inside. Is your breath slow and calm if you are angry as it is when you are resting? Probably not, it's usually the first to go rogue when you are in a sense of anxiety, fear or anger. The next time you're feeling heightened, see what happens if you pause for a moment and observe your breath.
In today’s world, it's becoming more and more difficult to switch off and focus on something that is not marketed at us. Our minds are constantly being coaxed away by either our future or our past, other places we'd rather be, things we need to be accomplishing. Our to-do lists are as long as our friend list is on Facebook and, far-out, it's exhausting.
Practicing a single focus will flow over to other aspects of your life. We are in control of our mind, but we don't often *have* control of our mind. By practicing Dharana you build the muscle of concentration on the task at hand, regardless of disturbances or distractions.
How often have you been doing something but then get distracted by something else and then something else and ultimately end up ignoring the thing you first started? Have you ever attempted to clean your room only to emerge 10mins later with a room of chaos but wearing a new hat you forgot about as you make your way to the kitchen for a sandwich?! (No, just me?!) Distractions are everywhere!
This week, if you find your mind is cluttered; carve out some time to practice Dharana. Sit and see what happens. Try focusing on your breath, a flickering flame, the waves of the ocean, repeating a mantra, the singing of the birds, the space of your heart.
Your mind will wander. We're human not robots, it’s natural to mind-wander when you're starting something for the first time. Once you notice the wandering you've taken the first step towards guiding it back to the point of your focus. You may need to do this 600 times the first time you sit. But, perhaps the next day when you practice you will only need to do it 599 times. Bit by bit, a little becomes a lot.
Until next time, beautiful souls. Stay true to you Xx