Good Morning Yogis! Today is Upper Limbs Day. Today we will revisit Dharana, and then try a Dharana Guided Meditation or other Meditative Practice.
Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax. – Bryant McGill
Dharana
Nearly all meditation practices you think of are types of Dharana.
Dharana is the 6th Limb of Yoga, and is usually translated as concentration. This comes from the Sanskrit root “dhri” meaning to hold, carry, or maintain. I prefer to think of Dharana as intense focus, a bit stronger than “concentration”. This is typically the second step for meditation – after letting the outside world slip away, we then direct our focus inward. Most of the meditative practices we think of are therefore Dharana practices – see our full list!
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Dharana-focused Meditation Practice for Upper Limbs Day. Perhaps try our traditional breath-focused meditation. Perhaps focus on your breath or body in Shavasana / Corpse Pose after an Asana practice, another meditative practice from our list, try a guided meditation below, or any other method of your own.. whatever feels right to you. We will cover mandalas and flame gazing later!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and let me know which you tried, and what you thought of this Dharana exercise! If you have another favorite, then please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis! We just wrapped up practice of each of the Limbs of Yoga. Today we will begin a series on different categories of Asanas I use – Seated, Arm Balance, Heart Opener / Backbend, Hip Opener / Forward Bend, Standing, Inversion, Twist, and Reclined. Today we will begin with Seated and review favorite seated poses that are best for meditation. Please note through this series that many of the Asanas can belong to more than one group – for example a seated twist would clearly belong to both Seated and Twist categories, and a reclined twist would belong to both Reclined and Twist.
I usually practice with the Yoga Studio App rather than streaming services, so I can download my favorite classes and use in areas without Wifi or phone signal. Today I am doing one of my favorites – Beginner AM (20 Minute), which includes the beginner version of this pose that I can do! I modify with more advanced versions of poses including full side plank, standard extended side angle, and lowering slowly from plank to Chaturanga Dandasana / Yoga Push-Up… I am still working arm strength to do the Intermediate version of this class!
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try any seated Asana. Firstly, please try all of them, at least briefly, and see which feels best for you! Please note different seats are comfortable for different bodies. I enjoy Padmasana / Lotus Pose which many Yogis find very uncomfortable, and I find Virasana / Hero’s Pose a bit rough on my knees and best with a block under my seat. Also, these seated poses are also the best positions for your meditation and Pranayama practice! Perhaps select your favorite as your comfortable seated position for your meditation practice going forward!
Firstly, you should keep your head, neck, and shoulders aligned over your hips in each pose. Secondly, keep your shoulders down and back, and try to keep your back from rounding. Finally, your hands can either gently rest on knees and/or in your favorite mudra / placement for meditation. We will focus just on the lower body in each of these positions. Also, if any poses are uncomfortable, try with a couch pillow or block under your seat! Lastly, I find it helps to switch my legs and do both sides for any cross legged positions to even out my posture!
Sukhasana – Easy Pose
Sukhasana – Easy Pose
Sukhasana (sook-HA-sa-nuh) is basically just a comfortable seated position! Firstly, look down at your legs – you should see a small triangle of empty space. Keep your torso straight and tall over your hips. Then take note of your rib cage. If you notice the bottom of rib cage is sticking out, pull back in and down to correct your posture. Finally, notice your shoulders. Try to gently roll your shoulders back and down, away from your ears. Notice how this helps your chest open. You can put your hands on the ground and gently press to lengthen your back, or rest your hands on your knees. You can pull a bit on your knees to help open your chest and help keep your back straight.
Siddhasana (sid-DAH-sa-nuh) is basically a slightly more difficult version of Sukhasana / Easy Pose. Start in Sukhasana / Easy Pose. Then, spread your knees a bit further, and bring your feet in towards your groin. Next, look down and make sure there is no empty space between your legs. Finally, make sure you keep your back straight, not rounded! If you notice your back rounding in this pose, move your legs back out to Sukhasana / easy pose. I prefer Siddhasana over Sukhasana, especially because bringing in my feet helps me maintain a straighter back.
This is a comfortable seat for advanced Yogis only. Please do not force yourself into this pose! Many Yogis work Ardha Padmasana (ARD-ha pahd-MA-sa-nuh), or Half Lotus and can only express the full pose after extensive Asana practice. Make sure you keep your back straight, not rounded! I ALWAYS do an Asana series in this pose, cross my legs the other way, and repeat! This leg base is used in many other advanced Asanas and variations, such as Tolasana / Scales Pose and advanced Matsyasana – Fish Pose.
First, start in Siddhasana / Adept’s Pose. Lift and pull in your right foot, and place on top of your left thigh, as close to your hip as possible. You can leave your other leg here, in Ardha Padmasana – Half Lotus. Or, you can pull your left leg up and over onto your right leg, to come into the full expression of Padmasana.
Since Virasana (veer-AH-sa-nuh) or Hero’s Pose is a kneeling Asana, it usually much more comfortable for Yogis with tight hips than the cross legged poses above. Firstly start kneeling with knees and toes together. Then, bring the toes apart, and sit yourself down between your legs. This pose can be rough on my knees, and sometimes bothers my heels and tops of my feet if I have been wearing high heels. I therefore find this pose much more comfortable with a block under my seat as pictured below.
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
I usually practice with the Yoga Studio App rather than streaming services, so I can download my favorite classes and use in areas without Wifi or phone signal. Today I am doing Intermediate Relaxation (30 Minute)!
Please comment and share what meditation you chose for today! If you have another favorite meditation, please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis! We are at the end of our special Upper Limbs week and special bonus daily meditation month, and will close with special meditation practices. Next month we will have a new special feature – stay tuned!
The body scan is not for everybody, and it is not always the meditation of choice even for those who love it. But it is extremely useful and good to know about and practice from time to time, whatever your circumstances or condition. – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a body scanning meditation. You can try in Shavasana after Asana practice, or on its own. I usually start at my toes, and gradually tighten and relax each body part, then re-scan starting again at my toes.
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Good morning Yogis! We are continuing our special Upper Limbs week! We are ending a special bonus daily meditation month with a week of special meditation practices.
Everyone has their own mantra. – Russell Brand
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a mantra meditation. You can try some OMs, a traditional Sanskrit mantra, or some common English motivational mantras.
Happy June 26, 2023 – Trataka (Flame Gazing Meditation)
Good morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Upper Limbs week of meditative practices. Today we will focus on Flame Gazing Meditation, a Dharana practice I particularly enjoy during winter with the wood stove. A candle is usually best for summer, and traditional Trataka is practiced with the flame from a candle or oil lamp.
The most tangible of all visible mysteries – fire. – Leigh Hunt
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a form of Flame Gazing, a DharanaPractice. There are a few different forms of this you can try!
Please comment and let me know what you thought of this Dharana exercise! Have you done this meditative flame-gazing before, not knowing this was a meditation practice? Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a special Upper Limbs week of meditative practices. Today we will revisit one of my favorite Dharana Meditative Practices – Mandalas!
Dharana is the 6th Limb of Yoga, and is usually translated as concentration. I prefer to think of Dharana as intense focus, a bit stronger than “concentration”. This is typically the second step for meditation – after letting the outside world slip away, we then direct our focus inward. Most of the meditative practices we think of are therefore Dharana practices!
Or, if coloring is not your thing, try out a Mandala Kaleidoscope Meditation! I am not a huge fan of the new-agey music (unless using a special HZ), and prefer muting and listening to a meaningful song or album. You may also want to look into Tibetan Sand Mandalas!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and let me know which you tried, and what you thought of this Meditative Mandala exercise! If you have another favorite Mandala practice or coloring book, then please share! Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis! We are continuing our special Upper Limbs week! We are in the middle of a special bonus daily meditation month aligning with our 8 Limb Yoga practices, but this week we will cover special meditation practices.
Your future depends on your dreams, so go to sleep. – Mesut Barazany
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Bedtime or Sleep Meditation for Upper Limbs Day. I am providing a few recommendations for this style of guided meditation based on your preferences. I find I fall asleep much easier with a sleep meditation, and I find the 6-8 hour meditations help me stay asleep through the night. I recently have been enjoying trying different Hz Solfeggio Frequency sleep music.
Please comment and let us know which meditation you tried. I have been enjoying the same sleep meditation for a while, so please share any favorite guided meditations or meditation practices for me to try!! Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis, it is the start of a special Upper Limbs week to close out the month of June! We are in the middle of a special bonus daily meditation month aligning with our 8 Limb Yoga practices, so this final week we will focus on the Upper Limbs and cover special meditation practices.
The day will be what you make it, so rise, like the sun, and burn. – William C. Hannan
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Morning Meditation for Upper Limbs Day. I am providing a few recommendations for this style of guided meditation based on how much time you have available to practice. I truly find I have a much better day when I start the morning with a guided meditation!
Please comment and let us know which meditation you tried. I switch between different morning meditations each day, so please share any favorite guided meditations or meditation practices!! Always remember, be kind!
Happy June 9, 2023 – Samadhi (Enlightenment / Integration)
Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a month focused on meditation for June. We typically spend more time practicing the lower limbs, but during meditation months we will take couple days to cover each of the four upper limbs, rather than combining into one.
We already covered Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses , Dharana or Intense Focus, and Dhyana or Full Meditation.
Bonus Daily Meditation Challenge
We have a bonus daily meditation challenge for March. Learn about Samadhi and try today’s positive practice suggestion or a meditation of your choice!
Samadhi (Enlightenment / Integration)
As we have discussed, the upper limbs build upon all four of the previous limbs, and sequentially upon each other. These practices are all meditation focused and must truly be attained on your own. The last three limbs – Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are often referred to as the “innermost quest” and studied together.
Samadhi is the 8th and final Limb of Yoga, and is literally translated as “integration”. Many consider Samadhi to be enlightenment. This is typically the final goal of meditation in some Eastern religions and philosophies – enlightenment. I consider Samadhi to be not only the final Limb of Yoga, but a synonym for Yoga. Samadhi is “integration” and yoga is “union” so I feel these are two words for the same goal. As we have discussed, this is a journey.
Please comment and let us know which meditation you tried, and what you thought of this study of the Upper Limbs of Yoga! If you have another favorite guided meditation, please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a month focused on meditation for March. We typically spend more time practicing the lower limbs, but during meditation months we will take couple days to cover each of the four upper limbs, rather than combining into one.
We already covered Pratyahara or withdrawal of the senses and Dharana or Intense Focus.
Bonus Daily Meditation Challenge
We have a bonus daily meditation challenge for March. Learn about Dharana and try today’s positive practice suggestion or a meditation of your choice!
Dhyana (Full Meditation)
The last three Limbs of Yoga – Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi are often referred to as the “innermost quest” and studied together. As we have discussed, the upper limbs build upon all four of the lower limbs, and sequentially upon each other. However, these practices are all meditation focused, and must truly be practiced and understood on your own. Samadhi is basically our goal and will be discussed only occasionally… we are skipping Samadhi this round of through the 8 limbs of Yoga, and jumping right into our meditation month practices tomorrow. Today we will discuss Dhyana and try a Meditation to reach this state.
Dhyana is the 7th Limb of Yoga, and is usually translated as meditation. I prefer to think of Dhyana as full meditation, a bit stronger and more specific than “meditation”. This is typically the goal of meditation, to fully stop our thoughts and have a quiet mind. After withdrawing inside ourselves with Pratyahara and focusing our minds on a single subject with Dharaha, we may reach the level of meditation where our thoughts actually stop. In true Dhyana or true meditation, we typically are not aware of this clear-minded state until we come out of it.
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Dhyana-focused Meditation Practice. You can try our breath-focused meditation again, and then allow your mind to quiet. Or, you can try a guided meditation meant to help bring the state of Dhyana.
Remember this is a practice, and a difficult one.. so be patient with yourself on this journey! I am working on Dhyana.. I usually can focus on one thing with Dharana, but my mind wanders fairly quickly when I try to quiet it for full meditation.
Please comment and let me know which you tried, and what you thought of this Dhyana exercise! If you have another favorite guided meditation, please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis! We are in the middle of a bonus Daily Meditation Challenge for June. Additionally, we are in the middle of a quick series of daily practices inspired by the first three Upper Limbs. We covered Pratyahara or withdrawal of the sense yesterday. As we have discussed, the upper limbs build upon all four of the lower limbs, and then sequentially upon each other. These practices are all meditation focused and therefore must truly be attained on your own. Today we will revisit Dharana, and then try a Dharana Guided Meditation or other Meditative Practice.
Bonus Daily Meditation Challenge
We have a bonus daily meditation challenge for June. Try any of our Dharana practices today!
Dharana (Intense Focus)
Nearly all meditation practices you think of are types of Dharana.
Dharana is the 6th Limb of Yoga, and is usually translated as concentration. This comes from the Sanskrit root “dhri” meaning to hold, carry, or maintain. I prefer to think of Dharana as intense focus, a bit stronger than “concentration”. This is typically the second step for meditation – after letting the outside world slip away, we then direct our focus inward. Most of the meditative practices we think of are therefore Dharana practices – see our full list!
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Dharana-focused Meditation Practice. Perhaps try our breath-focused meditation again to prepare for tomorrow’s next level of meditation. Perhaps focus on your breath or body in Shavasana / Corpse Pose after an Asana practice, another meditative practice from our list, try a guided meditation below, or any other method of your own.. whatever feels right to you. We will cover mandalas and flame gazing later!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and let me know which you tried, and what you thought of this Dharana exercise! If you have another favorite, then please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Happy June 6, 2023 – Pratyahara (Withdrawal of Senses)
Good Morning Yogis! We have completed our daily positive practices and meditations inspired by the first four Limbs of Yoga, and are back to the Upper Limbs. We are also in the middle of a month focused on meditation for June. We typically spend more time practicing the lower limbs, but during meditation months we will take couple days to cover each of the four upper limbs, rather than combining into one meditation day.
As we have discussed, the upper limbs build upon all four of the previous limbs, and sequentially upon each other. These practices are all meditation focused and therefore must truly be attained on your own. We will take the next few days in our Meditation-focused month for daily practices inspired by the first three Upper Limbs. Today we will revisit the 5th Limb of Yoga – Pratyahara and try a Pratyahara Guided Meditation.
Pratyahara is the 5th Limb of Yoga, and is usually translated as withdrawal of the senses. “Prati” means against or away, and “Ahara” means food or anything we take into ourselves. So, this literally means to stop taking things into ourselves. This is typically the first step for meditation – letting the outside world slip away, and going inside. The point is not about isolating yourself from outside distractions, it is about withdrawing into yourself, and then allowing outside distractions to fade away.
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a Pratyahara-focused Meditation Practice. You can try this with Shavasana / corpse pose after an Asana practice, with a guided meditation, or on your own.. whatever feels right to you! Remember this is a practice, and a difficult one.. so be patient with yourself on this journey!
Please comment and let me know which you tried, and what you thought of this Pratyahara Meditation! If you have another favorite, then please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis! Today is National Trails Day and National Prairie Day,. So, we are taking a quick break from our cycle of practices inspired by the 8 Limbs of Yoga to focus on practices for our special Meditation Month and getting outside for these environmentally focused holidays.
Action does not get one to the destination, action IS the destination. – Brian S. Woods
Bonus Daily Meditation Challenge & Today’s Positive Practice
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try a moving meditation. I recommend a meditative hike or drive! Check out the US National Parks Pass if you love meditative hikes – this covers US national park entrance fees for a year, and helps support public conservation.
Driving is my favorite meditative activity, I definitely have the “monkey mind” so having something big to focus on is very helpful for me, and these meditative drives often result in solutions to problems or my best ideas.
