Dhyana: A Journey to Inner Peace and Enlightenment

Dhyana is a meditation and a way towards enlightenment.

Namaste!

Welcome to the world of resolute readings at www.onindianpath.com. Today I am going to share insights on Dhyana.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Dhyana is a Sanskrit term comes from word ‘dhi’ which means contemplate, reflect, think or be occupied in thought.

Although, Dhyana is meditation in Hinduism. It refers to a state of focused, deep concentration and contemplation. Dhyana is an integral part of the yogic and meditative practices. Sage Patanjali defines dhyana as one of the eight limbs of yoga in his Yoga Sutras.

Particularly, Dhyana is referred as a state of mental absorption, where the meditator transcends ordinary thought and reaches a profound and tranquil state of awareness/ consciousness.

Dhyana in other religions

In Buddhism, dhyana is an essential aspect of the path to enlightenment. Also it is referred to as jhana in Pali. It involves concentration on a specific object or mental state, leading to heightened awareness and insight.

Jainism explains it as Shukla Dhyana as a central practice to achive concentration of mind and liberaion of soul.

Infact, Sikhism explains it as Naam Jaap. Where a devotees seeks the blessings of his Guru by chanting the names of God, who is omnipotent, omnipresent and form less.

Indeed in other religions like Zoroastrianism, dhyana is called Daena. Here the concept includes observing something without being judgemental and attachment.

We have a blog on meditation and its benefits in our previous posts.

How to Practice Dhyana?

Dhyana imparts a crucial role in achieving mindfulness, self-realization and spiritual development of an individual.

Following are the steps to practice Dhyana:

Choose a comfortable position

You should always choose a comfortable position to start with. It could be seated in the standard cross-legged posture (padamasana) or laying down on bed. Just make sure you don’t fall asleep.

And to meditate, one can also sit in a comfortable chair or leaning against the wall.

Relax your muscles

After taking a comfortable position, start your body to relax for dhyana meditation. Starting with your feet, gradually release tension in your muscles going all the way up to the crown of your head.

Additionally, breathe deeply. If you’re holding tension anywhere, focus on that part of your body and try to release that tension before you continue further.

Focus on breathing

Once your body is relaxed, begin focusing on your breath. Clear your mind of all the thoughts, worries, routines and future plans and only think of your breathing. Meanwhile breathe deeply and slowly with closed eyes.

While breathing, think of filling your lungs from the bottom to the top, then pause for a moment before slowly emptying your lungs from the top to the bottom.

Secondly, continue breathing like this for 10 to 20 breath cycles. And keep your mind focused on your breath. Further, many a times yogis prefer chanting Aum with this breathing pattern.

Choose an object to focus

Similarly, many practitioners find an object or other point of focus. Tarakriya dhyana is one of it. Here, you need to open your eyes and you need an object or image that you can use as the focus of your meditation.

Infact, it could be an image of a Hindu God, or deity, candle, something in nature, or an object like diya.

Observe in a detached way

Certainly, while maintaining your deep breaths, stare at your object. If you aren’t using a physical prop, hold your object in the center of your mind until it becomes the only thing you’re thinking about. Moreover, make it as simple as possible. If your object is nature, you might think about the colors of grass and sky and water.

Align and control your mind

The ultimate goal of dhyana is to attain detachment from worldly desires. Continue your observation in a detached way. Practice for 5 to 10 minutes.

Furthermore, controlling the mind is a big part of dhyana practice. The more you do it, the more control you will have and the longer you will be able to meditate.

Also try to make your dhyana practice a part of your daily routine.

Conclusion

Dhyana is an experiencing art where an individual has an experience of consciousness diffused evenly within and without body. Have a blessed day ahead.

About Author

Akansha Agarwal

Namaste! AKANSHA AGARWAL is on a mission to help people to fall in love with India and its richest culture. She holds M.A. and B.A. in Mass communications. Her 12 years of work experience as a copywriter and content writer has marked her journey more fun and enthralling. She strongly believe in Karma and abide by the Niyama and Yama of Hinduism. She has been a spiritual seeker, Reiki healer, teacher, guide and mentor to many young minds. She would love to hear from you. Thank you for reading.

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