CONCENTERATION OR DHARANA TECHNIQUES
Hridayakasha
dharana
The development of this practice of
antar darshan is the practice of hridayakasha dharana. Although hridayakasha
dharana has been taught in the past, it is not the first practice that we need
to do. The first practice is antar darshan. The perfection of antar darshan
will lead us to hridaya-kasha dharana. Hridayakasha dharana comes when the mind
and the emotions have become stable and steady, and when we have attained some
degree of mastery within and without ourselves.
We need to look at the meaning of
dharana to understand the practice better. Dharana means 'to bind, to focus, to
hold the mind at one point'. It comes from Dmust be stable. Right now none of
us has that stable base. Just as the earth shakes during an earthquake, in the
same way we are also shaking like that much of the time. The practice of
dharana comes when we have become steady, stable and unshakeable. We are
unshakeable because we understand ourselves. We understand our mind, our
emotions and our thoughts. We have come to terms with them so we are
unshakeable. Whatever faces us and whatever situation arises we can manage it
without being affected. Dharana is a higher stage, not just in meditation but
in life.
The word akasha means space. The
practice of hriday-akasha implies that we are going to find a steady base
within the element of space. We can think of space like the sky, like the
openness in a room. There is space and then there are things within the space.
Mentally this space symbolizes the aspect of consciousness. Within the
consciousness the mind exists and the emotions exist. The different aspects of
the mind exist, the ego exists, all the experiences in life exist, but they are
not the space. The space is just space like the sky is open.
Hridayakasha dharana means that we are
going to become stable. We are going to practise steadiness within this space
and we are going to localize that space within the heart. Hridaya means heart.
Hridayakasha dharana means to find a stable base within the space of the heart.
When we are able to find a stable base, when the mind is able to function in a
focused, one-pointed manner within this space, then we will begin to have
intense emotional experiences and we will be able to handle them. Things will
come with great intensity but because our mind is trained and we are focused
and have developed strength of mind, we can face them without becoming
unbalanced and unhinged. This is the development of and the result of antar
darshan. Antar darshan will lead to the further stage of hridayakasha dharana.
SIVANANDA VIEW
Pancha Dharana
Prithvi Dharana
There are five elements,
viz., Prithvi, Apas, Agni, Vayu and Akasa. To the body of the five elements,
there is the five fold Dharana. From the feet to the knees is said to be the
region of the Prithvi. It is four-sided in shape, yellow in colour and has its
Varna the Sanskrit letter ‘L’ along the region of the earth, i.e., from the
feet to the knees. Contemplating upon this, one should perform Dharana there
for a period of two hours daily. He then attains mastery over the earth. Death
does not trouble him since he has obtained mastery over the ‘earth’ element.
Ambhasi Dharana
The region of Apas is
said to extend from the knees to the anus. Apas is semi-lunar in shape and
white in colour. It has the letter ‘Va’ for its Bijakshara—seed-letter.
Carrying Up the breath with the letter ‘Va’ along the region of Apas, one
should contemplate on God Narayana, having four arms, a crowned head, dressed
in orange-colour clothes and as decayless. Practising Dharana there daily for a
period of two hours, he is freed from all sins. Then there is no fear for him
from water.
Agneyi Dharana
From the anus to the
heart is said to be the region of Agni. Agni is triangular in shape, red in
colour and has the letter ‘R’ for its Bija. Raising the breath with the letter
‘Ra’ along the region of fire, one should contemplate on Rudra, who has three
eyes, who grants all wishes and who is of the colour of mid-day sun. Practising
Dharana there daily for a period of two hours, he is not burnt by fire, even
though his body enters into the fire-pit.
Vayavya Dharana
From the heart to the
middle of the eyebrows is said to be the region of Vayu. It is black in colour
and shines with the letter ‘Ya’. Carrying the breath along the region of Vayu,
one should contemplate on Isvara, the omniscient. The Yogi does not meet his
death through Vayu.
Akasa Dharana
From the centre of the
eyebrow to the top of the head is said to be the region of Akasa. It is
circular in shape, smoky in colour and shines with the letter ‘Ha’. Raising the
breath along the region of Akasa, one should contemplate on Sadasiva. By
practising this Dharana one obtains the power of levitation. The Yogi gets all
the Siddhis. 
