On Concentration - Dharana

Concentration is one of the eight limbs in Patanjali's astanga yoga, named dharana.

In book three of Patanjali's yoga sutras he says:

Y.S. III.1 desa bandhah cittasya dharana

As translated by B.K.S. Iyengar in Light on the Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali:

Fixing the consciousness on one point or region is concentration (dharana).

Mr. Iyengar says that dharana means focus of attention, so when one  focuses either on a chosen point or area, within or outside the body, that is concentration.  It is bringing the mind to one focal point.  If focusing on an external object it should be auspicious and associated with purity.  If focusing internally, the mind penetrates to the soul, the core of one's being. 

To get to this point the first five limbs of yoga must be practiced and interwoven together to be able to reach a true state of concentration.

In explaning this sutra Mr. Iyengar says that dharana is the art of reducing the interruptions of the mind and ultimately eliminating them completely, so that the knower and the known become one.

He says concentration can be attained even while doing asana practice, as they not meant to be just external and physical.  He further explains by saying,

"If, in performing an asana, one directs the organs of action and senses of perception towards the mind, and the mind towards the core, the external sadhana is transformed into internal sadhana.  If the limbs, the senses of perception, the mind and the discriminative intelligence are then yoked and fused with the energy of the soul, this becomes the innermost sadhana.  If one performs each asana zealously, fusing with integrated attention the parts of the body, the wandering mind and the discriminative intelligence with the soul, is this not a spiritual practice?"

Namaste.
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/