Practical Yoga Philosophy 101: Dharana and the Power of One-Pointed Focus

Dharana (धारणा) and the Power of One-Pointed Focus

While I believe philosophy is more than concepts, I also believe that philosophical concepts can help us reflect on our reality – and maybe even transform it.

After all, philosophy was never just theoretical. In its earliest forms – whether Ancient Greek, Indian, Chinese or otherwise – it was deeply practical. It was meant to help us live more thoughtful, meaningful, and ultimately more joyful lives.

Inversions are definitly a form of one-pointed focus, especially when engaging the bandhas - yoga's energetic locks. You can learn more about that in my online course, Bandhas: Yoga's Energetic Locks for Inversions.

And if there’s one thing most of us are grappling with today… it’s how to live meaningfully in a world that’s constantly demanding our attention.

We live very, very busy lives.

Dharana: A Yogic Response to Modern Busyness

One of my favourite concepts from yoga philosophy that speaks to this modern overwhelm is dharana (धारणा) – usually translated as one-pointed concentration or focus.

🧘‍♀️ Dharana is the sixth limb of Patañjali’s 8-fold path, as laid out in the Yoga Sūtra. It’s a stage of meditative concentration, where the mind becomes anchored – steadily held in one direction.

In Sanskrit, the root dhṛ means “to hold, to carry, to support.” So dharana isn’t just about paying attention. It’s about choosing what to hold — and then building the strength to hold it with steadiness.

A Scattered Mind vs. A Held One

Think about your own life.

How often are you scattered across a dozen tabs, tasks, and to-do lists?

We might call it “multitasking” or “juggling” – but often, it feels like leaking energy in a hundred directions.

We start to feel ungrounded, depleted, unfocussed. We want to do so many things, achieve so many dreams – but it feels hard to get any of them done.

The obstacles we face are often twofold:– Practical (money, time, energy, competing commitments)– Internal (self-doubt, procrastination, imposter syndrome)

And of course, these often feed into one another. When we’re tired or stressed, it’s harder to believe in ourselves. When we don’t believe in ourselves, we avoid the work. And the more we avoid, the more behind or overwhelmed we feel.

What Dharana Feels Like

But have you ever experienced a moment of really strong, clear focus?

Maybe you were determined to reach a destination. Or committed to a creative project. Or excited to master a new skill or practice.

You knew obstacles would arise – but you showed up anyway. Something in you was locked in. You had faith, patience, hope, and maybe even a bit of grit. You were guided by a deep, inner yes.

That’s dharana - power of one-pointed focus.

We might find it in our yoga practice (que inversions and bandhas or the dristi), but also OFF the mat too, in all avenues of life.

It’s not about pushing or hustling harder. It’s about creating steadiness — carving out space to devote yourself to what matters, even if it’s just a few hours a week.

And the opposite?

Doing a hundred things we think we should be doing – most of which don’t feel that meaningful or aligned – and wondering why we still feel unfulfilled, overwhlemed and overworked.

When our energy is scattered, it's much harder to land anywhere that feels good.

So what would happen if we focussed instead?

What if we chose just one or two things to really devote ourselves to — in life, in business, in creative practice?

Not necessarily to “achieve” more, but to feel more rooted, alive, and clear.

What could shift?

What old distractions would we release?

And what might grow, slowly and steadily, in the space we create?

Upcoming Free Webinar 🌿

If you’re curious about yoga philosophy and want to explore ideas like dharana in a grounded and practical way...

Join me for a FREE webinar🗓️ Tuesday 13 May | 10:00–11:15am UK

📩 Recording available afterward ✨ No prior experience needed 🔗 Register here to not only learn about philosophy, but to start practicing it.