Dharana - Focus on your goals

In one of the founding texts of yoga (the Yoga Sutra), we are given eight steps to move through on the path to bliss.
The sixth step is "dharana". Translated as concentration, this practice involves riveting your attention to a single focus. You've probably done this while watching a sunset or sunrise. Whether you are concentrating on an object of meditation or on holding a balancing pose steady, dharana helps you learn to focus on your goals. It is also a great way to de-stress and to find your center after a day that feels anything but focused.

If you're feeling scattered, make some time to practice concentration. Sit in a comfortable cross-legged position or relax on the floor on your back. Then pick something to concentrate on. It could be something you can see, like a candle's flame or a picture of a loved one, or something you hold in your mind's eye. Let everything else float away as you focus on that one thing. Your goal is to connect yourself to that image. Stay for three to five minutes and you'll return to your day feeling relaxed and renewed.

in Yoga Journal Daily insite, 7th July 2006