16. PRATYAHARA, DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHI

Hatha yoga is gupta-vidya(secret knowledge) preserved by teachers, which was studied and practiced by worthy sadhaks under the direct guidance of experienced teachers. Having accumulated enough strength to exercise control over the physical body, vitality, sensory needs, mental inclinations, intellectual curiosity and doubt, sadhaka practices a deeper focus on higher spiritual ideals, intending to achieve full enlightenment of consciousness, strength and integrity of being. Pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi- successive stages of concentration, which are the main methods of Raja Yoga, which every Hatha Yogi practices with ease, ease and joy at the highest stages of spiritual progress.

Pratyahara Is the process of diverting attention from any private objects: internal and external, gross and subtle, sensory impulses and mental images, desires and feelings, including even yogic forces that interfere with concentration. This requires indomitable determination, spiritual confrontation with natural nature, indefatigable patience and constancy. Pratyahara it is given comparatively easier to those who develop through the practice of Hatha Yoga.

As well as pratyahara should practice dharanu- consistent focusing of attention on a specific object, be it a mantra, sound, symbol, intelligent concept, empty idea of ​​emptiness ( shunya) or silence, a calm and peaceful state of consciousness, or a clearly presented idea of ​​the Higher Reality. When moving into pratyahara and dharane the object chosen for concentration should gradually be refined, purified and spiritualized, which will entail a reduction in the efforts necessary to divert attention from external objects. When pratyahara will become light and almost spontaneous, and dharana constant and refined, then the consciousness will practically free itself from tendencies to distraction and dharana converted to dhyanu... When the ability to dhyane(deep meditation), sadhaka must especially carefully guard the mind from all preconceived opinions about the Highest Truth, various kinds of sectarian inclinations and prejudices. The holistic consciousness, purified through preliminary practices, which has become constant and clear, must open to the radiance of Truth in order to be illumined with divine light.

When a yogi plunges into meditation deeper and deeper in a state of purity and stable detachment and his thinking is devoid of rigid fixation on anything, then the "doors" of the hidden parts of consciousness, locked in a normal state, open before him. He is blessed with the gift of direct intuitive perception of spiritual secrets hidden in the deep layers of human consciousness, all his mental energy and life force are now concentrated, united and invariably directed inward, gradually filling more and more with the radiance of the Supreme Spirit.

23

On the path of progress, the individual consciousness rises to the perfect enlightened state of Super-Consciousness, where all personal limitations are transformed, the differences between the body and the cosmos, between the “I” and the other, between the subject and the object disappear, after which the mind becomes the Supreme Mind, and the power becomes By the Supreme Will. This state is called samadhi, it comes with perfect mastery dhyana, or deep meditation. Yogis of the Gorakhnath school describe this state as complete bliss, the union of Shiva and Shakti, the Transcendental Spirit and Dynamic Power. The consciousness of a yogi attains this blissful state when, after intensively practicing mystical Yoga, it is completely freed from all kinds of defilements, impermanence, weakness and limitations, worldly influences and attachments to pleasures and fully realizes the highest spiritual possibility of its inner nature.

It should be noted that in the yogic system samadhi It is not presented as a completely static state, it does not exclude consciousness, power and action, it is not at all like temporary death, sound sleep or fainting, as it seems from the outside and as superficial thinkers suggest.

Undoubtedly samadhi- this is the most calm, pacified and peaceful state of consciousness, without any internal movements or changes, without empirical knowledge, emotions or will, without certain subject-object relationships, but at the same time it is an extremely dynamic, extremely diverse and very joyful state ... It is an experience of complete activity and complete peace, perfect joy in the absence of any emotion, perfect knowledge without any cognitive process. In this state, the yogi enjoys the bliss of immortality in a mortal body, experiencing infinity and eternity, transforming the limitations of time and space in his tiny changing body. He realizes oneness with Shiva in the depths of his consciousness and enjoys it endlessly.

Experience samadhi usually considered the highest goal of the practice sadhaka but the great yoga teachers have expressed some warnings on this matter. When the term samadhi is used to refer to perfect spiritual enlightenment, it is true. But usually it is used in the meaning of temporary suppression of natural states and processes of phenomenal consciousness, restraint of conscious desires and impulses, thoughts and emotions, sensations, memories and images, as well as states of sleep and dreaming. Such suppression does not necessarily imply spiritual enlightenment, true realization, or achieving oneness with Shiva. Similar samadhi can be artificially created by thinking and held for some time by constant volitional effort with the help of appropriate methods of mental and physiological discipline, even with a polluted mind and body, not an enlightened consciousness. The enduring worldly tendencies of the mind may remain dormant for a time on a subconscious level, and worldly forces may not stimulate them during this period. But they will be fully established again when the so-called samadhi... Such samadhi has no particular spiritual importance. Under certain forms of such suppression, the impermanence of the mind is sometimes manifested. You should be able to recognize the true samadhi and carefully distinguish it from all varieties of false and deceptive samadhi.

24

To achieve the true state of spiritual enlightenment, it is prescribed full course yoga sadhanas.

Moreover, even the experience of genuine samadhi one, two or several times is not enough for spiritual realization. It is necessary to practice for so long until an irreversible transformation of ordinary states of mind and feelings is achieved, until the consciousness is illumined and spiritualized by the light of the Supreme Spirit in the deepest meditation and becomes so dynamic as to gain the power to illuminate and spiritualize all levels of the psychophysical embodiment of a yogi. Until the intellectual, mental, life and physical plans of the empirical consciousness are illuminated by the acquired in samadhi spiritual wisdom ( samadhija-prajna), the yogi is unable to achieve spiritual perfection. Yogis proclaim that samadhi, or a silent and calm enlightened consciousness that is beyond the limitations of space, time, the principle of relativity and individuality, is not at all an inert state. From the lower planes, this state of affairs appears to be negative, and therefore further ascent seems impossible. But in fact, there are different true experiences and true pleasures even in the state that is presented as a single transcendental state of pure consciousness. There are even higher levels. samadhi, even more magnificent and sweetly radiant states of Super-Consciousness, even more merged union with Shiva.

Dharana - the sixth step in the Eight-Step Yoga of Patanjali, literally means "motionless concentration of the mind." The basic idea is to keep your concentration or focus in one direction. It is not forced concentration, for example, when solving a difficult problem in mathematics; rather, dharana is a form closer to mood, which can be called receptive concentration.

In practice, dharana is creating certain conditions for the mind so that it can focus in one direction instead of rushing in different directions. Deep involvement and reflection are the main conditions for dharana. When the mind is directed to the object of concentration, and mindfulness does not allow it to slip and be carried away by thoughts, the ray of consciousness "sticks" more and more to the object and dharana intensifies. Meditative methods, based on focus on a selected object, direct the practitioner's mind in one specific direction, while it becomes quiet, still and pliable.

The purpose of dharana is to stabilize the mind by focusing its attention on a specific object, avoiding distractions. In the beginning, it will be difficult to ignore all the thoughts and emotions that accompany them. A beginner practitioner is advised to master concentration on a simple form (for example, a black dot on a white sheet of paper).

After the mind is a little trained and its ability to focus has increased, you can move on to more subtle objects and processes (yantras, mantras, breathing, visualization, etc.). The ability to do good dharana depends on excellent psychological health and the ability to integrate, and is not an escape from reality, but rather a movement towards the perception of the true nature of the Self.

Dhyana, the seventh step, means worship, or deep and submerged meditation. Dhyana draws concentration into the very core of the object, penetrating into its essence. During dhyana, the mind's ability to penetrate into the essence of subtle differences between objects and into the deeper layers of the subconscious is enhanced, which in turn leads to the unification of the seer and the visible.

We are taught to differentiate between the mind (perceiver), means of perception and perceived objects - between words, their meanings and ideas, and even between all levels of natural development. But intuitively, we understand that they are all fused into one undifferentiated continuum. One needs to apply great clarity of mind while observing the object and the object in order to discover their common features. Thus, dhyana is a sense of real identity in the midst of obvious differences.

During dharana, the mind becomes one-pointed, and during dhyana, part of the object on which it focuses. This is why dharana must precede dhyana, because in order to establish a connection, the mind must first focus on the object. If dharana is contact, then dhyana is connection. It is clear that focusing on one object will not lead to implementation. To achieve the goal one has to "become one" with the object of meditation. In dharana, the consciousness of the meditator is fixed on the object, and in dhyana it is in one stream.

The final step in Patanjali Yoga is the attainment of samadhi. When we reach the point where we become totally absorbed in something, when the mind is completely merged with the object, we are in a state of samadhi. Samadhi means "to reconcile, to merge." In samadhi, our personal identifications disappear completely. At the moment of samadhi, there is no difference, there is only an all-encompassing non-duality. We become one with the Divine Existence.

In a state of samadhi, we are aware of identity without distinction and enjoy pure perception of non-duality. The mind is at its source, from where it originated. A bright flash, the soul is liberated ... The absolute and eternal freedom of a limited soul beyond states, identifications and beyond time and place. After the consciousness has been freed, it never returns to bondage.

The perfection of this state embraces and glorifies all aspects of existence, shedding the light of higher understanding on them. A person who has achieved samadhi retains his individuality, but he is no longer bound by it. He knows that he is not a body, not a mind or a person, he is THAT ...

Thematic material on the site:

Video:

6. DHARANA

CONCENTRATION OR FULL ATTENTION. DEVELOPMENT OF INTUITION.

We have already found out that characteristic feature Pratyahara, in contrast to Dharana, is the ability of inner concentration outside the object of concentration. To acquire this ability requires persistent exercise aimed at breaking the mind's long habit of jumping from one object of thought to another.

All the circumstances, the course and impressions of life induce us to incessantly dissipate our attention, and as a result of this every minute dissipation of consciousness (Vikshepa), we are completely unable to reflect on anything for a long time. Consciousness does not stop for a minute, and even when it seems that we have managed to keep the mind within the framework of a certain idea for several minutes of persistent reflection, and here consciousness, in essence, continues to consist only of scraps of thoughts, which are hardly given a certain logical coherence. The very word "ponder" indicates that we are really just walking around and around and only collecting disparate material in our subconscious and grouping it until all of a sudden we "come up with" a solution to the issue.

This solution to the problem is an intuitive insight, and not just a logical conclusion from an intellectual comparison of facts and hypotheses. Any scientist, researcher, inventor or artist will confirm to us that light comes suddenly, as if by inspiration from above, as a solution, and not as a dry mechanical solution to a mathematical problem.

All discoveries and inventions, all solutions of the most complex and smallest problems, everything that moves evolution and progress forward, science, art, technology - all this has always come and comes as a glimpse of intuition; and all the efforts of the mind are directed only towards bringing the consciousness to the electrical saturation of this problem by grouping the material until a discharge occurs, acting with the speed and suddenness of lightning.

This is intuition. It exists not only among geniuses, as they usually think, but also at every step, in every person to one degree or another. And therefore the task of mental development should be reduced to learning how to master this intuition.

It is interesting that we all unconsciously use it, all of us, without knowing it, do a purely Yogic process every day: each of us can remember that when his mind is busy solving a question, he does something like an unconscious Pratyahara, feeling inner concentration consciousness on an unformed idea. This is the same as if we felt some kind of joy or sorrow: our whole being becomes, as it were, imbued with a subconscious concentration on the object of joy or sadness. This is what creates our so-called mood, joyful or sad. It, like a toothache, constantly makes itself felt. This subconscious concentration is what is called Pratyahara in Yoga. Its purpose is to reveal from the mass of subconscious material data that harmonize us with the goal that we have set for ourselves, with the activity or task that occupies us.

These harmonious data - let's call them Samskaras - then float to the surface of Lake Chitta, appearing in consciousness. This can explain why, being in a state of depression, under the impression of grief or in high spirits, when we experience happiness, we constantly return with our consciousness to what interests us, and images and ideas that are directly related to this appear in our consciousness again and again. ...

Further, from this material, as if fed into consciousness from the subconscious stores of the mental storehouse (Karmashaya), we consciously strive to compose a strictly logical design for the intuitive truth that we are looking for. This stage of the process is already, in essence, conscious concentration and meditation.

By examining this process, it is easy to find that we are not always fully able to go through these three stages. Sometimes we just sit, fixing a fixed gaze at some randomly selected point and remain for some time in thought. In reality, our consciousness does not think about anything definite: it is, as it were, waiting for material from the subconscious - and doing Pratyahara. Another time, when we are particularly interested or full of something, we, without any effort on our part, weave a complex logical pattern on our own. But if we are taken out of this meditation (Dhyana), we are no longer able to return to the previous deep meditation. Despite a conscious effort to think logically, consciousness begins to dissipate.

This proves that in both the first and second cases we lack the skill of spontaneous concentration of thoughts (Dharana), which alone leads to spontaneous meditation (Dhyana). Without this skill, we are doomed to constantly throwing our mind from one thought to another in tedious attempts to connect them into one logical whole, which so easily arises as a result of random interest and presents such significant difficulties as soon as we try to achieve this concentration spontaneously.

Therefore, our next task is to exercise the systematic concentration of thought.

In essence, we, wishing to understand the material received from the subconscious, do nothing else, as we try to focus the mind on disparate thoughts and strive to combine them into a general synthesis of knowledge. If we had the Yogic ability to concentrate (Dharana), each of our thoughts, like revelation, would be born from the previous one, forming one complex chain of Dhyana.

So, Dharana is precisely the ability that connects the individual links of thoughts into one chain. It itself has no tangible basis: if you, without having established yourself in Dharan, try to concentrate, you fall into a state of thoughtfulness, devoid of thoughts, as we indicated above, that is, you do not go beyond the temporary Pratyahara on this object.

But when you master Dharana, you do not abide in it for a long time and soon become immersed in Dhyana.

As the Kurma Purana says, if you can focus your mind on something for 12 seconds, that is already Dharana. Twelve such Dharans, that is, 2 minutes 24 seconds, is Dhyana, and twelve Dhyanas, that is, 28 minutes and 48 seconds is Samadhi. Therefore, if we are able to concentrate for 2 minutes 24 seconds, we can already meditate, and if we can meditate and be in this state for about half an hour, we can enter the state of Samadhi.

This also means that if we start meditation (Dhyana) without Pratyahara and Dharana, we will not only fail to reach Samadhi, but instead of Dhyana, we will chase distillation with scattering thoughts and only tire our minds with fruitless attempts at meditation, instead of enlightenment simply " pouring from empty to empty. "

The path to Dhyana is through Dharana. The path to Dharana is through Pratyahara. There is no other way.

Anyone who wants to master the Dhyana and join the wisdom bestowed by it should always remember the final words of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika:

"Until the breath

Will not go through the middle

And until the seed becomes

From that persistent breath,

Who about the wisdom of Dhyana

Speaks - interprets nonsense. "

So, Dharana directly follows from Pratyahara, and art in it is acquired only after mastering the latter.

If the practitioner immediately begins with Dharana, without first practicing Pratyahara, he will immediately run into enormous difficulties, from which he will have to flee to forests or caves, since everything in the world will throw him out of balance every minute and upset his concentration of thoughts.

Even if he manages to bypass or remove all external obstacles, he will have to face colossal resistance from the entire thickness of the Samskaras, which he will in vain try to suppress during the exercises, because the more you make efforts to concentrate thoughts, the more more power they begin to resist, and the only sure way to master them is to let them first drain their strength, in order to then make them subject to their will.

Everyone, sooner or later, will come to this discovery, but those who did not pass Pratyahara in due time acquire bitter experience only as a result of many years of efforts. In addition, the practice of concentration (Dharana) is outwardly opposed to the freedom of thought required in Pratyahara.

Therefore, having exhausted himself with completely contradictory exercises, the student runs the risk of being disappointed in the practice of mastering thoughts in general, since, in terms of achievement, it will not go beyond children's toys. If he first masters Pratyahara, he will imperceptibly come to Dharana, and after a short exercise in it, he will naturally move to the highest levels - Dhyana and Samadhi. He will suddenly notice that he has acquired, through Pratyahara, the ability to concentrate even in the midst of the most distracting circumstances, the hustle and bustle of city life.

Swami Sivananda Sarasvati wrote about this: “One who has mastered Pratyahara will never complain of a distracted mind (Vikshepa). He can sit in the square big city, at the crossroads of four roads and meditate whenever you want. He does not need to go to the cave for meditation. As the tortoise draws in all the limbs, so the Yogi draws in the senses, pulling them away from objects through the practice of Pratyahara.

When the senses are distracted from objects, then you can focus your mind on a specific point. This is Dharana, or the concentration of the mutually related Pratyahara and Dharana; you cannot practice one without the help of the other. "

This immediately affects the exercises in Dharan, which do not differ significantly from the previous exercises. If in Pratyahara we had to follow the unbroken thread of thoughts, then in Dharan we should also delve into sensation in the same way.

Thus, Dharana is the same Pratyahara, but not outside the object of sensation, but on the object. Let us explain this with examples.

The exercise. Try to feel the tip of your nose. Don't try to imagine it or think about it, just feel it. After a few seconds, you really start to feel the tip of your nose more clearly than the rest of your body. Now focus on this sensation and forget about everything in the world.

Try to feel into this sensation, following, as in Pratyahara, all the "curves" of this sensation. You will really open up a whole range of sensations - follow them without interruption for a single moment.

At the same time, you will notice one fact that we have not yet encountered, namely, that the deeper you plunge into the sensation, the more you focus your consciousness on it, the more your breathing slows down during exercise. At first, it seems to you that inhalation is slowing down to such an extent that it is about to stop, you even feel scared that you might suffocate.

Don't worry - nothing bad will happen. After a few seconds of almost complete cessation of breathing, begin exhaling slowly, which may be somewhat faster than inhaling.

During each of these processes - we will still call them Puraka, Kumbhaka and Rechaka - the degree of concentration also does not remain the same: with the lengthening of Puraka, it gradually increases, reaching at the moments of Kumbhaka the maximum intensity, and together with Rechaka it gradually weakens. falling to almost normal by the end of exhalation.

Thus, the intensity of concentration on sensation goes in waves all the time, now increasing, now decreasing. Care should be taken to smooth out the harshness of the transitions from Puraka to Rechaka as much as possible and, if possible, maintain the degree of concentration at the same level. This is achieved by training.

With enough practice, you will be able to move from inhalation to exhalation and vice versa completely imperceptibly. Every day it is necessary to try to strengthen concentration. Then the sensation of the tip of the nose, on which we are concentrating, also begins to intensify, even reaching some soreness, which, however, is completely harmless, as the experiences and testimonies of Yogis show.

As a result of this exercise, an increased current of Prana is directed to the point of concentration and begins to irritate the end of the olfactory nerve. This irritation ultimately causes a glimpse of the ethereal-astral odor (Divya Gandha). It is so pleasant and subtle that, although it arises for only one moment, it delights the practitioner, giving him the strongest impetus for further experiments. This glimpse is already after a few days of exercise. Of course, for this you need to systematically exercise for 15 to 30 minutes. every day, not missing a single day and every day trying to go deeper and deeper, to feel the sensation of the tip of the nose.

Appearing for the first time (always during Kumbhaka, when you least think about it), the smell usually disappears for several days, but then it reappears faster than the first time. With prolonged exercise, you can reach the ability to call it instantly and hold it back for a while. The character of the smell also changes as the experience continues. Being at the beginning unusually similar to the aroma of Siamese myrrh, it can be further modified at will. Thus, clear-smelling develops, that is, the ability to determine the smell of things, finding them even at a considerable distance inaccessible to ordinary senses.

Exactly this easy exercise in the concentration of thought. There are five such basic Dharana exercises.

Swami Sivananda gives the following description of them: “By concentrating on the tip of the nose, the Yogi experiences a divine scent; concentrating on the tip of the tongue, he tastes the divine essences; concentrating on the sky, the Yogi perceives the divine colors; by focusing on the middle of the tongue, he experiences a divine touch; by focusing on the root of the tongue, he hears divine sounds.

By concentrating on these supersensible perceptions, he achieves mental steadiness. These experiences give him some inspiration. He acquires faith in Yoga and with great intensity and zeal takes on Sadhana in order to achieve higher experiences in Yoga, entry into Samadhi. "

Let's say a few more words about these exercises.

Of all of them, perhaps the most striking effect is the concentration on the center of the tongue, the result of which is the divine touch (Divaya Sparsha). This sensation engulfs the whole being with an inexpressible ecstasy, which can be remotely compared to the sensation of a lover who suddenly sees the object of his love. Such a feeling is experienced by a person only in rare moments of spiritual communication.

While exercising these five superphysical senses, it is necessary once and for all to give up throwing away: not to exercise two or more of them at the same time. Otherwise, you will not be successful in either.

If the breathing process is at first some kind of hindrance in the exercises, it is useful to use rhythmic breathing in conjunction with the pronunciation of the corresponding sacred words (Bijas), which help to master the Tattva (Element) of this feeling.

These Bijas are: Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Om.

Gradually increase the duration of inhalation and exhalation by increasing the number of repetitions of Bijas, from which the intensity of concentration will increase.

Eventually you will become so accustomed to the rhythm of the breath that you will no longer pay attention to it, and then you will be able to completely occupy your mind with concentration.

There are many such exercises you can think of.

In essence, every part of the body has the ability for subtle perception, every thing in nature reveals its secrets to the Yogi, who knows how to do Samyama (deep concentration in which Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi merge together).

There is nothing in the world, from our own organism to the most distant stars, that would not open to the all-seeing eye of the Yogi, skilled in concentrating the mind.

From the book Ancient Tantric Yoga and Kriya Techniques. Advanced course the author Saraswati Swami Satyananda

From the book Science of Pranayama the author Sivananda Swami

From the book Fourteen Lessons of Raja Yoga the author Sivananda Swami

From the book The Wisdom of Yoga the author Vivekananda swami

Chapter VI. Pratyahara and Dharana The next stage of Raja Yoga is called Pratyahara. What it is? We know how our perceptions arise. To obtain them, we have, firstly, external tools, and secondly, internal organs acting in the body through the brain centers, and,

From the book Yoga and Health the author author unknown

DHARANA, DHYANA, SAMADHI Concentration, or Dharana, is the focusing of consciousness on one single thought. Hatha Yogis concentrate their consciousness on the six chakras. Concentration is very important for all students. During concentration, various rays of consciousness gather

From the book Four Yogas the author Vivekananda swami

Pancha-dharana (fivefold concentration) It is better to study these five types of concentration under the guidance of a guru, an experienced yogi. There are five elements, five elements: earth (prithvi), water (apas), fire (agni), air (vayu) and space, space (akasha). For a body consisting of

From the book 5 minutes of yoga without getting out of bed. For every woman at any age the author Brahmachari Swami

In his Yoga Sutras, the great sage Patanjali defined Dharana as tying his thoughts to some specific object. But, such a statement is only a very small grain of knowledge that classical yoga can give regarding the practice in question.

It is quite difficult for a beginner yogi to understand Dharan based on ancient texts, since the information there is mostly framed in the form of aphorisms and images. In this regard, in order for a student to be able to master the Sixth Stage of Yoga, he needs to get an experienced mentor who will always be ready to give wise advice and will help to deal with ambiguities.

Also, the student must first cognize Pranayama and Pratyahara, since the awareness of Dharana occurs on an intuitive level based on the knowledge and skills acquired in advance. If the student does not do this, but tries to practice Dharana, then he will be possessed by strong delusions, which will be very difficult to get rid of later. Also, he will not be able to correctly perform the next stage of Ashtanga Yoga - Dhyana, which teaches deeper meditation.

Only when the student controls his senses through Pratyahara, temper his mind with Pranayama, and develops the body with Asana, only then will he be able to comprehend the mystery of Dharana.

The very name "Dharana" is derived from the word "dhri", which in Sanskrit means "hold tightly", which in classical yoga is interpreted as a complete absorption of the practitioner's mind by some one object, as well as the ability of the mind to concentrate at one point. The main difference between Dharana and other types of meditation is that a person immersed in a trance state focuses not on the meaning or form of an object, but on its sensory representation.

At first, it is quite difficult for a student to achieve this state, but thanks to regular training, this degree of concentration is achieved without much effort. The main sign that a person has cognized Dharana is complete detachment, and as a consequence of this, an absolute loss of the sense of time.

The duration of one Dharana is twelve seconds, while a dozen Dharanas are one Dhyana (the seventh stage of yoga), and only when the student learns to keep his attention on one object for 144 seconds, he attains Samadhu - the eighth stage of yoga.

How to practice Dharana?

A person who wants to master the skill of the highest degree of concentration needs to completely relax the body and get rid of all extraneous thoughts. In this regard, he must choose for himself an asana that will not interfere with the normal flow of energy in the body. It is necessary to start practicing Dharana only after the most comfortable posture has been found.

When the above has been done, the yogi needs to observe his breathing - it should be even and calm, in turn, a different rhythm indicates that the mind or body is in a state of tension.

The next step is to curb your senses with Pratyahara. When a person acquires a state in which there are absolutely no thoughts in his head, it will be possible to practice Dharana. A pure mind, focused on one image or thought, does not feel anything except the object of its concentration. At this moment, energy passes through the chakras, fills the soul and body of the student, thereby allowing him to touch the divine consciousness.

There are a total of five Dharans, each of which aims to develop the ability to focus on an object through any one sense organ. Naturally, they differ in the level of difficulty. So, the first is the simplest, and, accordingly, the last is the most difficult.

However, it should be noted that yoga does not imply mastering all the Dharanas. In order to move on to the next stage, you just need to learn how to practice one of them.

If you practice this spiritual exercise, then it is possible that during the practice you will be overwhelmed by unpleasant experiences, painful sensations or strange visions. For example, in a trance, hearing can be greatly sharpened, and as a result, sounds become so loud that it will be very difficult to endure them. Do not be very afraid of this, such states indicate that a process of spiritual cleansing is taking place.

Why should we be concerned with curbing our minds? Why should we develop the quality of concentration and practice dharana? In which case will our activity be more effective: if the mind is collected or when the mind is scattered? The answer to this question is obvious. If the mind has high concentration, then it is similar to a laser beam and has great power, if the mind is scattered, then it is like diffused light. A tamed, concentrated, mighty mind is good tool, helping on the path of self-development and in the practice of yoga. All the great figures who have entered the history of mankind were characterized by the quality of high concentration, which affected the productivity of their activities. Dharana practice is a process of training the mind, a process of disciplining the mind, as a result of which 90% concentration on one point is achieved. An indicator of success in the practice of dharana will be an objective awareness of reality, which is achieved by controlling the activity of the mind.

Let us turn to the words of B.K.S.Iyengar, who emphasized the importance of curbing the mind in the practice of yoga. In his book Yoga Deepika, he wrote: “When the body is tempered by asanas, the mind is purified by the fire of pranayama, and the senses are curbed by pratyahara, the sadhaka reaches the sixth stage of yoga, called dharana. Here he concentrates entirely on one object or task, in which he is completely immersed. To reach this state full immersion, the mind must be calm ".

Dharana, being a rather complex and advanced practice, is divided into several stages, the last of which means the transition to dhyana - meditation. The success of the practice of dharana leads to an objective perception of reality - the ability to see things as they really are. The initial stages of Dharana are quite easy and accessible for a beginner practitioner. It is known that everything is comprehended from simple to complex.

Dharana means concentration of the mind at one point, it is a way to curb the mind, it is a developed willpower that does not allow it to deviate. A strong, concentrated mind carries out its own decisions, a weak, distracted mind makes a decision about one thing, but in fact does another. The scattered mind is influenced by the waves of the mind - vrittis. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the key phrase is “Chitta vritti nirodha,” or “stopping the inner dialogue,” that is, the waves of the mind. The state of stopping the internal dialogue can be achieved using even a simple practice of concentration on the breath, but how stable this state will be in time depends on the experience of the practitioner. If the mind is scattered and influenced by vrittis, then it is an obstacle on the path of internal practices and knowledge of its true essence. If the mind is restrained and concentrated, then it is a useful tool.

It should be noted that taming the mind and making it focused is more difficult than obtaining a degree. In the case of a scientific degree, such a property of the mind as the ability to work with a large number of mental concepts develops, although concentration also takes place. If we are talking about concentration as stopping the internal dialogue and completely curbing the mind, then here you have to put in a lot of effort and overcome the obstacles that your own mind will create.

At the first stages, to work with the mind and develop the quality of its concentration, various objects are used to focus attention. This can be concentration at one point, control of your breathing and concentration on inhalation and exhalation, objects of the external world, concentration and visualization on the image, then on the inner image of a deity or an enlightened person, concentration on the vibrations of the mantra when pronouncing aloud and other objects. If the object of concentration is pleasant, then the practice goes better.

In order for the practice of concentration to be effective, the mind should be kept relaxed and at the same time collected, not overstrained. Overstrain causes rapid fatigue, overstressing leads to mental disorders. We can say that fatigue is a protective function that protects our psyche from injury. You can draw an analogy with performing asanas: when taking a particular pose, it is advisable to use certain muscle groups that are necessary in a particular case. Moreover, you need to strain the muscles adequately, in accordance with the load that they have at the moment. If we strain the muscles that are not necessary to perform this asana, then in some cases it will be useless, in others it can lead to injury. Also, if you put a load on the muscles for which they are not ready, this also leads to injuries. A smart approach is to gradually increase the load. It is the same in the practice of concentration. There is such a thing as "laya barrier", or "state of unconsciousness, falling asleep." This barrier arises when our consciousness is not yet ready to take on a certain load during concentration. You should take precautions, do not overpower yourself, but gradually push back this state through regular practice. When the consciousness is cleared and the mind is stabilized, then the ability to transmit the energy of a higher vibration increases, then the Laya barrier naturally shifts.

What levels of consciousness exist and how are the vibrations at different levels different? The levels of consciousness are associated with the seven chakras in the human energy system: the higher the level of consciousness, the more subtle vibrations are characteristic for it. You've probably noticed when you listen to a rather complex lecture, either falling asleep or distraction occurs. If your level of perception is high enough, then even complex material becomes understandable and easy to perceive.

You can raise the level of consciousness using various yoga practices, including the practice of concentration. Patanjali proposed an eight-step yoga system, by practicing which you can increase the level of your perception. These eight steps can be divided into external yoga - bahiranga yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, and internal yoga - antaranga yoga:, dharana, dhyana,. Dharana (concentration) refers to the internal practices of yoga, it comes after pratyahara - the practice of distracting from external objects and directing attention inside your consciousness. It should be noted that basic principles yoga is the foundation of any subsequent yoga practice. Following the principle of yama - Satya (truthfulness) - ensures success in the implementation of dharana, allows you to see the true essence of things, helps to avoid illusions, which are obstacles to yoga. It's no secret that our unbridled mind is a fan of creating illusions, which can only be destroyed if we are honest with ourselves.

Let's go back to the levels of consciousness. The highest and purest consciousness is at the level of the Sahasrara chakra. This is the consciousness of merging with the Absolute. Less subtle is the consciousness at the level of the Ajna chakra, which is characteristic of the Creator Gods, and also mental consciousness. At this level of consciousness, the world takes on color and shape. Akasha tattva, the ether element, is associated with the Vishuddha chakra - at this level of consciousness, sound perception of reality appears. An even less subtle level will be Vayu tattva, the element of air, this level of consciousness is associated with the Anahata chakra - at the Anahata level, perception occurs through touch. It is known that the element of air gives rise to the element of fire - Agni tattva is associated with the level of consciousness of the Manipura chakra, the perception of reality occurs through vision. Apas tattva, the element of water - with consciousness, the perception of reality occurs through taste. Prithvi tattva, the element of the earth, - with consciousness, the perception of reality appears through the sense of smell. The task of concentration and meditation practices is to raise consciousness from the gross material level to the level of pure primordial consciousness, that is, to raise consciousness from Muladhara to Sahasrara. An obstacle to raising energy by more high levels consciousness is just the unbridled mind.

What does it take for the practice of concentration to be effective? First of all, it is faith and conviction in practice and understanding what it is for. It is no secret that the cause of all our suffering is our unbridled mind. Suffering can only be overcome by curbing it. Keeping this in mind and deeply aware of this at all times will be a great motivation to continue practicing concentration. The second important performance criterion is regularity practice. Practicing occasionally makes it difficult to get results and make progress. If we take into account that there are seven days in a week, and practice 4 times a week, and not practice 3 times, then in this way we will advance one step a week. The fact is that if we study and gain experience, then we take a step forward; if not, we take a step back. It is impossible to stand still, since everything is in motion: we either develop or degrade. In addition to practice at a specially allotted time, you should watch your mind every moment, show awareness every second, if we notice a disorderly wandering of thoughts, then stop our mind, train in ourselves the ability to be here and now. It is this approach to your life as to practice that can bring significant results. The third important criterion is patience ... Patience in itself can be an important spiritual practice, it helps to accumulate merit and cleanse our minds of defilements, patience helps to get results in practice, even if it cannot be done for a long enough time. It is known that the sages of antiquity practiced for many years before getting results. In Russian, there is a proverb that reflects the essence: "patience and a little effort" .

The Upanishads describe three levels of dharana: this is the level of external experience - Bahir Lakshya (external goal), the level of transition from external experience to internal - Madhya Lakshya (intermediate goal), the level of internal experience - Antar Lakshya (internal goal).

Bahir Lakshya - the external goal of dharana, namely the awakening of the nadi channels. Bahir Lakshya begins with Bhuchari mudra, focusing on the little finger of the outstretched hand in front of the face, or focusing on some other one point. When the practice is mastered, then this point is removed, and the focus is retained. A sign that the practice has been perfected is the blue color that occurs when the eyes are closed. The vision of blue means the awakening of the Ida channel. Then we move on to the next stage, Akashi mudra, when the chin is lifted up and the gaze is directed upward, to a point in vertical space. Akashi mudra can be combined with Shambhavi mudra (the gaze is directed upward to the point between the eyebrows). A sign that the Akashic mudra has been perfected is the golden light that appears when the eyes are closed, this light means the awakening of the Pingala channel.

Madhya Lakshya - an intermediate goal, the middle stage of dharana, at which the practice is performed at the expense of the mental consciousness and subconsciousness. There are three areas of space on which concentration is performed. Chidakasha Dharana is concentration on the space of chitta (substance of the mind), connected with the area between Vishuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara. At this level of concentration, it is supposed to work with forms, colors, symbols, images. The area of ​​space Hridakasha Dharana is associated with the area between Manipura, Anahata and Vishuddha. At this stage, the conditioning of the mind is destroyed through working with emotions and going beyond them, the mind is merging with the feelings. The third area of ​​space, Daharakasha Dharana, is associated with the space between Muladhara, Svadhisthana and Manipura. Here we are working with the images of the three lower chakras.

The second stage of Madhya Lakshya is working with the space of the unconscious and going beyond it. At this stage, the process of concentration is associated with five subtle spaces - Vyoma Pancha Dharana. Guna Rakita Akash- the first vyoma of the five subtle spaces is a circle of sunlight, a circle of fire, a luminous body that is beyond the limits of physical and mental perception. Second vyoma - Paramakashi(“Parama” - ‘over’) - deep dark space with light twinkling like a star, also means “super space, emptiness”. The method of cognizing this subtle space - Shunya - meditation on emptiness, a feeling of absolute silence and emptiness inside. Third vyoma - Mahakashi(great space) - a bright light, like the middle of the Sun, which no eyes can see, is the next step in the evolution of emptiness. Next vyoma - Tattwa kashi(the beginning of space) - the essence from which the elements originate, at this stage the concept of duality disappears. Fifth vyoma - Surya Akash(the luminous space of the Sun of a pure, spotless soul) - Atman, unchanging reality, illuminated by tattvas (elements). Experiencing the experience of these five subtle spaces by the practitioner means being ready to move on to the next stage of dharana.

Antar Lakshya is the inner goal of dharana. Unlike Madhya Lakshya (the intermediate stage of Dharana), where concentration is at the metal level, Antar Lakshya presupposes psychic awareness and concentration of the mind that go beyond experience. This is the last stage of Dharana, the successful mastering of which means the transition to Dhyana - meditation. Antar Lakshya has three levels: Dharana Darshan (inner vision), Nada (inner sound), the attainment of the Akasha experience.

Dharana Darshan is the inner vision of Sushumna nadi, important point: this is just a vision, not an imagination. In the middle of Sushumna nadi we see Brahma nadi - a fiery luminous thread along which the Kundalini energy moves in the form of a point of light. When the Kundalini reaches the head, white light fills the consciousness, the Chidakasha spaces change, the consciousness and subconsciousness are liberated.

The next step is inner sound Nada coming from within appears when the Kundalini reaches the Ajna chakra. Described are 10 sounds that replace each other in the process of practice: the sound of a hissing sparkler, flute, bell, seashell, lute, cymbals, wine (musical instrument), pouring rain, double drum, thunderclap.

The last stage, meaning the completion of the practice of dharana and the readiness to move on to dhyana, is blue light in Ajna and Anahata, which means the achievement of the Akasha experience - getting a connection with the information field, the original consciousness.

Thus, it becomes clear how the practice of concentration evolves and what results it allows to achieve. It also becomes clear that meditation, dhyana, is not sitting with closed eyes, but an even deeper and more serious practice.

Let's talk about obstacles that arise during the practice of concentration, and on the ways to overcome them. The first obstacle is various kinds of illusory visions, products of the activity of the mind, as well as the experience accumulated during social life and stored in consciousness and subconsciousness. Purification is possible through substitution, concentration on exalted images, as well as the reading of the scriptures. In addition, it is important to work with your mind in the following way: if various kinds of visions arise, then they need to be noticed and stopped, and to do so every time they arise, that is, similar to working with constantly arising thoughts in the mind in the first stages of concentration.

The next obstacle could be awakening... Typically, this effect occurs at fairly deep levels of concentration. How to behave in this situation will be prompted by an experienced practitioner who personal experience worked through all the nuances of this effect.

Another obstacle could be increasing the sensitivity of the Svadhisthana chakra and increased cravings for sensual pleasures. It is known that in the process of concentration we work through all the chakras. The development of this phenomenon will be the raising of consciousness to higher chakras, the methods can be concentration on mantras or elevated images that can raise energy to a higher level.

Maybe on physically an obstacle such as activation of diseases. This is due to the fact that there is a study energy systems, there is also an acceleration of the current of energies in comparison with the usual state. Diseases in this case are of a cleansing nature. Do not take medications as they interfere with cleansing. Usually illnesses go away on their own, so the practice should be continued. I had to deal with this on my own experience during a ten-day retreat: I observed the process of cleansing the physical body through a painful state, then after three days there was a natural recovery.

Disappointment in practice is another obstacle. It should be noted that it is normal to have ups and downs: on some days it turns out to perform concentration easier and more efficiently, on some days, perhaps, the practice will work out badly. It is important to keep making efforts and remembering the importance of patience. All serious practitioners who have achieved something put a lot of effort.

At a certain stage sensitivity increases, irritability may appear, the perception of sounds, smells and other sensations from the senses is aggravated. This state passes over time, here it is also worth being patient.

Excessive practice, which a person seeks to master, is also an obstacle. It is known that one cannot grasp the immensity, it is better to choose something more meaningful and effective for a particular person and concentrate on performing these techniques. It is also important to bring the begun practice to a result, but at the same time observe the principle of gradualness - not to overdo it.

Excessive sociability- this is an obstacle to the development of concentration, since this action wastes our energy. Ideal conditions- this is observance (of silence), it is possible at retreats. In social life, if possible, it is worth limiting communication and speaking only to the point. It should be noted that a word spoken in a deed and with energy invested in it has greater weight and influence than idle and empty words uttered without any meaning.

What disorganization is an obstacle, it is difficult to disagree with it. Even if a person is far from yoga practice and is simply engaged in social activities, then the most effective activity will be those where there is self-discipline. Therefore, the regime of the day and discipline are the basis of the foundations, all the more so to succeed in the practice of concentration.

Unbalanced diet is an obstacle that affects both the state of the physical body and the state of mind and energy. It is recommended to eat sattvic food twice a day, while the amount of food should be optimal so as not to feel hunger or overeat.

Tension is a significant obstacle that can lead to premature burnout, and about positive results practice is then out of the question, in especially difficult cases it is possible mental disorders... When performing the practice of concentration, two conditions must be observed: composure and relaxation. It is important not to get attached to the result, everything will happen in due time and according to your karma.

In conclusion, it should be said that the practice of dharana is a good training for knowing the true essence of oneself and the highest reality. It should be borne in mind that the mind is very attached to the material world, so it will create obstacles at all stages of practice. Performing practice, intuitively, you can feel the right direction in performing certain actions. The directions given in the scriptures are like a recipe in a cookbook, they are just the basics. Experience is required to obtain a dish in cooking or a result in the practice of concentration. Only through our own experience will we be able to understand the correct direction of our actions. It should be understood that intuitive turns in practice arise due to the experience that was gained in past lives, so you should trust him, but show sanity.