Dharana (fixing attention) which is sixth limb of Ashtanga Yoga is one of the vital stages of meditation. It involves the development and extension of the power of concentration. Dharana deals with the various ways in which one can control his skills through concentration like for instance concentrating on the chakras (the center of spiritual power of the body).
The last three limbs of Ashtanga Yoga ([tag]Dharana[/tag], Dhyana and Samadhi) are considered to be together in Patanjali’s Yoga sutra, as they involve advanced stages of concentration, which is part of meditation. Dharana is more like the greatest stage of concentration, described by today’s Psychologists. But in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra it is the initial stage of concentration.
Patanjali states the definition of Dharana as “Deshbandh of Chitta”, which means engaging the mind in a particular field. The mind can be allowed to remain free within the periphery of this specific field, but should not be allowed to cross the boundary. This exercise of mind is called Dharana.
As [tag]Dharana[/tag] involves concentration of mind, it requires certain preparations. As human mind usually keeps getting carried away due to various perceptions of the sensory organs, it is important to pay attention as to how to reduce these perceptions. The surroundings in which Dharana should be performed should be pleasurable rather than distracting, i.e., general chaos, strong smell, extreme bright light, and strong wind should be avoided in the first place. When such distractions are reduced, one should be seated in a comfortable seat in a specific pose that is favorable for Dhyana like [tag]Siddhasan[/tag] or [tag]Padmasan[/tag].
The eyes should be fixed on a particular object placed at eye level or under sufficient light. The object could be a picture of “Om” or a lamp or a candle. This is done so that the mind does not get diverted towards signals from other sensory organs. When the focus of eyes moves beyond the picture, it should be brought back to focus on the picture again. This power of concentration without any external disturbances is Dharana.