In my meditation and relaxation class last Wednesday we explored the subject of concentration and focus. In the eight limbs of yoga (Further information about the limbs of yoga can be found here http://www.yogawithjaina.com/yoga/) the sixth limb is know as dharana which means to develop focus and concentration. Meditation is known as dhyana in Sanskrit and it is the seventh limb in the eight limbs of yoga. Meditation is the point of stillness in the mind/ gap between the thoughts and in order to find this point we must have developed our concentration first.
So how can we develop our concentration and focus? This can done through various different techniques such as being aware of your breath (breath awareness), reciting affirmations, practicing visualisation, focusing on the chakras, practicing present moment awareness (through the art of mindfulness) and even praying.
Practicing these techniques in a daily practice will strengthen your mind muscles so that you can find that moment of stillness, that gap between the thoughts in order to meditate. If you would like to develop your concentration and focus skills then I highly recommend you to dedicate at least ten minutes every morning (before breakfast) to the practice of dharana and dhyana. Please find below a simple technique you can use to get you started you can then vary your daily practice with some of the techniques mentioned above.
I hope you found this useful and please do let me know your thoughts and comments below. Please also share this post with your friends and family and anyone else who may benefit from this practice.
Much love,
Jaina
