Please help me with this. I have a yoga question.

[IsmailaGodHasHeard]

What is the difference between dharana and dhyana? Dharana means to concentrate and dhyana means to meditate. I looked at the definition for both words(concentrate and meditate) on Wiktionary, and the definitions were the same. What gives? Why are there two words for one meaning? Or am I missing the point? Please tell me the truth and I will be grateful. Edit: I think that maybe dharana means to force your mind to think about only one thing forcing out all other thoughts while dhyana means to allow your other thoughts to be in your mind while you think about whatever you are thinking about. Am I right?

 

[Onkara]

What is the difference between dharana and dhyana? Dharana means to concentrate and dhyana means to meditate. I looked at the definition for both words(concentrate and meditate) on Wiktionary, and the definitions were the same. What gives? Why are there two words for one meaning? Or am I missing the point? Please tell me the truth and I will be grateful. Edit: I think that maybe dharana means to force your mind to think about only one thing forcing out all other thoughts while dhyana means to allow your other thoughts to be in your mind while you think about whatever you are thinking about. Am I right?

Namasté Ismaila
I have found this on wikipedia and hope it helps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhāraṇā

Dhāraṇā is the initial step of deep concentrative meditation, where the object being focused upon is held in the mind without consciousness wavering from it. The difference between Dhāraṇā, Dhyāna, and Samādhi (the three together constituting Samyama) is that in the former, the object of meditation, the meditator, and the act of meditation itself remain separate.

That is, the meditator or the meditator's meta-awareness is conscious of meditating (that is, is conscious of the act of meditation) on an object, and of his or her own self, which is concentrating on the object.

In the subsequent stage of Dhyāna, as the meditator becomes more advanced, consciousness of the act of meditation disappears, and only the consciousness of being/existing and the object of concentration exist (in the mind). In the final stage of Samādhi, the ego-mind also dissolves, and the meditator becomes one with the object. Generally, the object of concentration is God, or the Self, which is seen as an expression of God.

So the different terms are in contect with Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which can be seen as progressive stages to a final goal. So Dhāraṇā is the first step where we concentrate on an object e.g. a word or a form etc, to steady the mind. It is just practicing concentration by continuously brining our attention back to the object. But whilst we practice Dhāraṇā we are aware that we are practicing it, AND that we are sitting in meditation AND the world is separate around us.

Later Dhāraṇā improves and becomes Dhyāna. In Dhyāna there is simply meditation, and the sense of you concentrating becomes spontaneous and natural, it flows.

Finally there is Samādhi, where there is no sense of difference. (see below)

My personal advice is not to consider the steps in too much detail, use them as a rough guide to know what it is all about, but rather simply practice concentration through mediation for periods of 20-30 minutes to start with. Don't try to feel or expect the next stage or judge your progress, as that misses the point. I suggest not forcing the meditation, as quality of attention is more important than time, so start low and build up naturally, enjoy it. Try once in the morning and once in the evening. Don't worry too much about the stages, especially Samādhi, as it will distract from the beauty.

See also:
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dhāraṇā: concentration of the citta (mind) upon a physical object, such as a flame of a lamp, the mid point of the eyebrows, or the image of a deity.

Dhyāna: steadfast meditation. Undisturbed flow of thought around the object of meditation (pratyayaikatanata). The act of meditation and the object of meditation remain distinct and separate.

Samādhi: oneness with the object of meditation. There is no distinction between act of meditation and the object of meditation. Samadhi is of two kinds:

Samprajnata Samādhi conscious Samādhi. The mind remains concentrated (ekagra) on the object of meditation, therefore the consciousness of the object of meditation persists. Mental modifications arise only in respect of this object of meditation.
This state is of four kinds:

Savitarka: the Citta is concentrated upon a gross object of meditation such as a flame of a lamp, the tip of the nose, or the image of a deity.

Savichara: the Citta is concentrated upon a subtle object of meditation , such as the tanmatras
Sananda: the Citta is concentrated upon a still subtler object of meditation, like the senses.

Sasmita: the Citta is concentrated upon the ego-substance with which the self is generally identified.
Asamprajnata Samadhi supraconscious. The citta and the object of meditation are fused together. The consciousness of the object of meditation is transcended. All mental modifications are checked (niruddha), although latent impressions may continue.

 

[Breathe]

Nicely put Onkara :bow:

Hope that clears it up Ismaila.

 

[chinu]

What is the difference between dharana and dhyana? Dharana means to concentrate and dhyana means to meditate. I looked at the definition for both words(concentrate and meditate) on Wiktionary, and the definitions were the same. What gives? Why are there two words for one meaning? Or am I missing the point? Please tell me the truth and I will be grateful. Edit: I think that maybe dharana means to force your mind to think about only one thing forcing out all other thoughts while dhyana means to allow your other thoughts to be in your mind while you think about whatever you are thinking about. Am I right?

Ismaila ji... Dhyan, or Tasavaar, or Rememberance -- can be dharana-ed, or dharana, or placed in the heart/soul/mind, But.. its impossible to place, or dharana, -- the dhyan, or rememberance of thing -- which we have ever seen with these physical eyes.

I hope you can understand this.

_/\_
Chinu

 

[K.Venugopal]

In living, nothing is to be rejected. But unless the mind is made capable of accepting everything, the mind would be in an awful state of restlessness. To move from a restless state to a state of restfulness, dharana is recommended, where we learn to focus the mind. Focusing on an object, idea or mantra are all dharana techniques. Once the mind comes to its ideal state of restfulness, then we begin to live in dhayna or meditation, where we are able to accept life in its entirety without being damaged by it.

P.S. All of us start with a restless mind. In fact, it is this state that triggers the seeker in us. Therefore we have no choice but calm or focus our mind. Once this happens, the meditative mind will come on its own accord. They say the simplest technique is recitation of, say, Ram Ram Ram. That's all. The meditative state would occur on its own in the due course of time. Which state is nothing other than the mind having discovered the silence in betwixt the uttering of Ram mantra!

 

[IsmailaGodHasHeard]

Namasté Ismaila
I have found this on wikipedia and hope it helps:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhāraṇā


So the different terms are in contect with Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which can be seen as progressive stages to a final goal. So Dhāraṇā is the first step where we concentrate on an object e.g. a word or a form etc, to steady the mind. It is just practicing concentration by continuously brining our attention back to the object. But whilst we practice Dhāraṇā we are aware that we are practicing it, AND that we are sitting in meditation AND the world is separate around us.

Later Dhāraṇā improves and becomes Dhyāna. In Dhyāna there is simply meditation, and the sense of you concentrating becomes spontaneous and natural, it flows.

Finally there is Samādhi, where there is no sense of difference. (see below)

My personal advice is not to consider the steps in too much detail, use them as a rough guide to know what it is all about, but rather simply practice concentration through mediation for periods of 20-30 minutes to start with. Don't try to feel or expect the next stage or judge your progress, as that misses the point. I suggest not forcing the meditation, as quality of attention is more important than time, so start low and build up naturally, enjoy it. Try once in the morning and once in the evening. Don't worry too much about the stages, especially Samādhi, as it will distract from the beauty.

See also:
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dhāraṇā: concentration of the citta (mind) upon a physical object, such as a flame of a lamp, the mid point of the eyebrows, or the image of a deity.

Dhyāna: steadfast meditation. Undisturbed flow of thought around the object of meditation (pratyayaikatanata). The act of meditation and the object of meditation remain distinct and separate.

Samādhi: oneness with the object of meditation. There is no distinction between act of meditation and the object of meditation. Samadhi is of two kinds:

Samprajnata Samādhi conscious Samādhi. The mind remains concentrated (ekagra) on the object of meditation, therefore the consciousness of the object of meditation persists. Mental modifications arise only in respect of this object of meditation.
This state is of four kinds:

Savitarka: the Citta is concentrated upon a gross object of meditation such as a flame of a lamp, the tip of the nose, or the image of a deity.

Savichara: the Citta is concentrated upon a subtle object of meditation , such as the tanmatras
Sananda: the Citta is concentrated upon a still subtler object of meditation, like the senses.

Sasmita: the Citta is concentrated upon the ego-substance with which the self is generally identified.
Asamprajnata Samadhi supraconscious. The citta and the object of meditation are fused together. The consciousness of the object of meditation is transcended. All mental modifications are checked (niruddha), although latent impressions may continue.

Oh, okay. Thank you for telling me. That makes sense.