Life Happens Now

"If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath." ~Amit Ray

This time of year, although joyous and exciting, is for many, also very stressful. There are decorations to hang, gifts to be bought, friends and family to entertain, and for those with minimal resources, these holiday expectations become even more burdensome. Its easy to get wrapped up in all that we have to do and to forget to enjoy these moments for what they really stand for - celebration, peace, giving, and spending time with loved ones. To help bring us back down from the flurry of activity, to regain our grounding and our balance, it helps to bring our awareness to a single point or a fixed moment, this moment, and to focus fully and completely on it alone.

In yoga, this practice is referred to as Dharana.  Dharana is translated as "concentration" and is the 6th limb of the Eight Limbed Path in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.  The previous 5 limbs such as Pranayama (4th limb), or breath, and Asana (3rd limb), or the poses, all work together to prepare us for Dharana. In Dharana, we bring our attention to a single point, a drishti, or a task, such as breathing, or a mantra. We focus on this and nothing else. In practicing Dharana, we continually bring the mind back to a single point again, and again, and as often as it takes. The mind loves to wander. Our yoga practice teaches us to reign in those unceasing thoughts, to acknowledge them, and then to let them go. 

In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali says “Dharana is the binding of the mind to one place, object or idea.” It is a practice intended to bring peace, steadiness, and inner stillness. As you train your mind to be steady and calm, you begin to find deeper states of meditation, of balance, and of tranquility.  We draw ourselves closer to our true nature. Dharana steadies our wandering mind and brings us into the present moment. On our yoga mat, this focused concentration helps us to find our foundation, our grounding, and our balance. As we move into and out of poses, we focus our gaze on a fixed point. It allows us to move fluidly and with grace.  In meditation, we may bring our full attention to a mantra. Away from our mat, this practice keeps us grounded in our lives.  Its a reminder to focus on this moment and to move with and be at peace with the tasks and lists of things to do that come our way.  Dharana teaches us to weather the storms that may occur on the outside while finding the stillness and the serenity within. 

As we move through this holiday season remember that this moment is where life happens. Right now. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but now.  The only thing is this world that we have is this moment. Live it well. 

~Namaste.