The Eight Limbs: Dhyana
Nearly there folks!
Dhyana is the penultimate Limb in yoga philosophy.
Dhyana is meditation, and it's very difficult.
It's also kinda confusing.
So, the idea is you are aware. You are aware of what is happening around you and within you, but you are not connecting to anything.
You are aware of your thoughts in the background of your mind, but you do not feed them.
It is "a continuous flow of perception," unbroken by thoughts or sounds or anything that's going on.
Dhyana requires Dharana (concentration), however in Dhyana we take it a step further and become one with the object of concentration. It is, perhaps, "the concentration of not being concentrated." We have a deeper awareness of oneness whilst meditating. We are not conscious of that fact that we are meditating, rather we are conscious of being.
I have not come across anyone in my beginners classes who has been able to meditate. I can't do it myself, and I certainly wouldn't expect it from beginner yogis. However, if someone does enter a meditative state, you should let them stay there. You do not want to jolt them out of it and ruin all their hard work. You need to be very careful how you go about things.
In a yoga class, as I said, it is rare that people will be able to meditate. But still as yoga teachers we try to allow enough time for those willing to work on their skills to do so.
Short and sharp, that's all for today!
I'll see you again next week for the final limb!
Namaste x
Image source: www.meditateinmelbourne.org
