Not a super flexy slender Yoga chick talks "the Power of the Eight Limbs: Dhāraṇā"

And now we enter the so-called “scary” aspects of the 8 limbs... because from here on, we venture into territory where there is no more escaping the mind. This is the moment where it will begin to stare you in the face. Whatever you've been running from mentally? It's going to rise. There’s no more hiding behind the movement of the body or the flow of breath. From here, the real inner work begins.

Dhāraṇā is the 6th limb of the Yogic path, and it loosely translates to concentration. At first, you might think, “I don’t really have issues with concentration.” But my friend, let me tell you something gently but honestly: we currently have the attention span of a goldfish. Have you ever noticed that the reels you watch are the short ones? Anything longer than 30 seconds, maybe 60 at best, and you're already disengaging. The truth is, we live in a world that has trained us to not concentrate.

Dhāraṇā asks you to begin reversing that. It prepares you for meditation by helping you develop the skill of focused attention. But before you can sit in stillness and enter a meditative state, you have to become familiar with the many clever tactics your mind uses to distract you. And it will try all of them.

There are many different ways to practice Dhāraṇā. All of them involve choosing a single point of focus. This could be an external object like the flame of a candle, or something internal like your breath or a repeated phrase (mantra). You might try silently counting backwards from 4 to 1, over and over, for a set amount of time (and trust me, you’ll be shocked how fast your thoughts derail you). You could focus on the in-breath and the out-breath. You could even focus on a concept or intention. The options are many, but the aim is always the same: to bring the body and mind into stillness, to train yourself to stay with one thing without getting pulled in every direction.

Sounds simple, right? Just pick something and focus on it. But the challenge is very real. Set a timer for just two minutes. Choose a method and give it your full attention. The moment you notice the mind wandering, gently bring it back. And yes, the mind will wander. That’s normal. That’s part of the practice.

Remember, this is not about doing it perfectly. This is about showing up with intention and curiosity. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Neither is your ability to sit with yourself. But if you stay committed, even just a few minutes a day, something powerful will shift within you.

So go ahead. Begin where you are. Be kind to yourself. You’re doing better than you think.