What is Dhyana? The word Dhyana has been derived from the Sanskrit word 'Dhi', which means to contemplate, reflect, think, or be occupied in thought. According to Maharishi Patanjali: तत्र प्रत्यैकतानता ध्यानम् ।।3.2।। "An incessant flow of attention on the concentrated object is called Dhyana." Dhy ana has been defined by the Samkhya school of Philosophy as "Dhyanam nirvishayam manah” which is translated as "the liberation of the mind from all disturbing and distracting emotions, thoughts and desires." Dhyana always starts with Dharana, i.e. concentration; the mind becomes steady and one-pointed through concentration, and when concentration leads to the uninterrupted flow of thought towards one object that becomes Dhyana. The two Sanskrit words "Dhyana" and "Nididhyasana" are sometimes used for Meditation, but there is a difference as "Nidhidhyasana" means "reflection or contemplation," a method used by the Monastic tradition of Vedanta Philosophy. Whereas, Dhyana is a conscious and voluntary attempt is made to still the activity of the conscious mind. Through withdrawal of senses and concentration, one-pointedness of mind is achieved and then concentration is changed into meditation. Some Misconceptions about Dhyana Dhyana is not merely thinking about something or repeating sacred mantras or concentrating on a particular thought or object. It is not a ritualistic worship or prayer for material gains and boons. The word Dhyana has been lucidly used for Dharana and suggests concentration and musings of various kinds with closed eyes. In fact, ordinary students, researchers, and thinkers use Dharana and Dhyana indiscriminately. Dhyana cannot be taught. It is not an expressive subject, but an experiencing art where the consciousness of the aspirant is diffused evenly within and without the body, without fading or showing signs of division. Importance of Place, Season, Time, Diet, Posture, and Nadishuddhi Before Practising Dhyana PLACE: Ancient scriptures emphasized various places like under peepal trees, temples, cowsheds, holy places, river banks, caves, and forests for good meditation. The most important factor in selecting the place for practice is the environment. The surroundings of the place should be calm, peaceful, and clean. A positive environment in itself charges one with energy, inspiration, and the will to strive for the quest for spiritual enlightenment. It is advised that one should always practice in the same place every day to build up spiritual vibrations. SEASON: Vasanta and Sharad - these two seasons are proper for the practice because too much cold and heat is not in the air and the practitioner does not suffer from the problems generated by the season. TIME: For Dhyana, there are four periods in the whole day of 45 minutes duration each during sandhis (Junctures) - These are before Sunrise (Brahma Muhurta); noon, Sunsets, and midnight. The best time is considered as Brahma Muhurta. DIET: During the practice of Yoga stomach should not be overloaded; it should be half filled with food, one quarter with water, and the rest with air. The Ancient Scriptures describe three types of food - Satvik, Rajsik, and Tamasik. The most important attribute of diet is that it should nourish basic body constituents (Dhatus i.e. skin, flesh, blood, bone, marrow, fat, and semen) and should be pleasing to taste buds and agreeable to the digestive system. The Sattvik diet contains all the above-mentioned attributes. Rajasik and Tamasik diets are not suitable for the practitioners of Dhyana. POSTURE: Asana is the 3rd limb of Ashtanga Yoga, which is the specific body position, which opens up the energy channels. When asanas are practiced, steadiness develops and Prana moves freely. Asana brings steadiness, health, lightness of limbs, and mental equilibrium and prevents fickleness of mind, bringing agility, balance, endurance, and vitality. The asanas suitable for meditation are: Siddhasana, Padmasana, Muktasana, Swastikasana, Sukhasana, and a few others. In all these meditation postures, the emphasis is on the erect posture. Dhyan The postures used for practicing meditation are: SIDDHASANA (The Accomplished Posture): Siddhasana has been rated as the foremost among the 84 lakh asanas. All the other asanas are useful for achieving a healthy body but the Siddhasana is useful for meditation, prayer and worship, Pranayama, and Samadhi. While sitting on the ground, the perineum should be pressed with the heel of one foot and should be placed on the other foot on the genitals. Remaining still and steady, with the senses controlled, gaze steadily into the eyebrow centre; it breaks open the door to liberation. This is called Siddhasana. It has been mentioned in scriptures that varying results are obtained by fixing the gaze in different ways. Bhru Madhya Drishti: Gazing at the centre of eyebrows Sama Drishti: Looking straight ahead Nasikagra Drishti: Gazing at the tip of the nose. Ardhonmesha Drishti: Half-open eyelids. Netrabandha Drishti: Closed eyes. PADMASANA (The Lotus Posture): While sitting on the ground with the heel of the left foot resting on the right thigh to be as close as possible to the navel. Then the right foot should be placed on the left thigh in such a way that the heels touch each other as near the navel as possible. The vertebral column and the body should be kept erect. Care should be taken that knees touch the ground. The hands should be placed in the lap, palms upward, or on the knees. The whole procedure is to be repeated by altering the sequence in which the feet are placed on the thighs. This asana, like Siddhasana is used for meditation, prayer, worship, and Pranayama, but it has the added distinction that it is decidedly more effective and useful than Siddhasana for physical well-being. SUKHASANA (The easy posture): While sitting on the ground with cross legs comfortably, the hands should be placed on the knees. Those who cannot perform Padmasana or Siddhasana for meditation, prayers or Pranayama may sit in this posture. This asana is named such that anybody can sit in the posture comfortably for a long period. It is advised for aspirants who have stiff legs. The position of hands and eyes should be just like Siddhasana or Padmasana. NADI SHUDDHI: It has been mentioned in the scriptures that before proceeding with the practice of Yoga it very essential to cleanse the nadis. Shatkarma cleanses the internal system and organs of the body, and the asanas make the body strong, by pratyahara five senses are controlled and by practicing pranayama the body becomes light and radiant. Dhyana helps in self-realization and with Samadhi enlightenment is attained. Hence one should practice in this order; otherwise, there is the likelihood of getting harmed by the practice of Yoga. Pranayama is practiced to understand and control the pranic process in the body. Breathing is a direct means of absolving prana and how we breathe sets off pranic Vibrations which influence our entire being. Prana and mind are intricately linked. Fluctuation of one means fluctuation of another. When either the mind or prana becomes balanced the other is steadied. Hatha Yoga says to control the prana and the mind is automatically controlled. Hatha Yoga says let the mind be, concentrate on the body functions and vital energy, and the mind becomes quiet in itself. When the nervous impulses are steady and rhythmic, the brain functions are regulated and the brain waves become rhythmic. The breathing process is directly connected to the mind. While practicing meditation, the fluctuating mental waves create a barrier between the practitioners and the object of Dhyana. So to control the mind one must have control over breathing. It has been found that through Pranayama, Mudra, and Bandha and certain postures that regulate the prana, the mind can be brought under control. To achieve the stage of Dhyana, a few Pranayama are very essential to practice - they are Nadishodhana, Bhastrika, and Bhramari Pranayama. Types of Dhyana Meditation is a very unique universal phenomenon integrating all religions, traditions, languages, and cultures, irrespective of caste, creed, color, and nation. Every aspect of day-to-day human living involves one or the other form of meditation. In all religions, namely Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, and Jewish meditation appears to be an integral part of prayer. Eminent sages and others have described meditation in different ways, depending evidently on their own experiences. This goes to confirm the Vedic saying - Truth is one, but the wise interpret it differently. DHYANA IN BUDDHISM: Buddhism offers two traditional meditation forms: the first is called Samatha Meditation, its purpose is to develop concentration, and the second is called Vipassana meditation, its purpose is to develop understanding. The purpose of Samatha meditation is to reach a state of connection, whereas the aim of Vipassana meditation is closely related to the process of enlightenment. DHYANA IN JAINISM: Preksha Dhyana: Preksha literally means "to look". It means to gather the attention of the mind inward and constantly looking within which allows the practitioner to become free from the world of name and form, and abide in Absolute Truth Consciousness. Preksha Dhyana can be practiced anytime, anywhere but regular practice at a fixed time daily brings speedier results. The steps that follow in this meditation are Shwasa Preksha (Breath awareness), and Animesh Preksha (gazing at an object). Sharira - Preksha (Body-awareness), Vartmana Preksha (Awareness of present), Ekagrata. This can be practiced while sitting lying or standing. This Dhyana gradually releases tension and brings relaxation to the body, develops a deep-silent and slow breathing pattern, sublimates the effort to speak undesirable things transforms the mind, and brings quiet, calm, and relaxation. TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION: It means meditation on the Transcendent and not any extraordinary transcendental type of meditation as made out by many, distinct from the traditional age-old technique of AJAPA JAPA. Constant - continuous repetition or recitation of special Seed [Beeja] Mantras in a monotonous manner with concentration upon the incoming and outgoing Prana. The mind-thought travels with and is identified with breath, the Life Force. Dhyan According to Gheranda Samhita - Dhyana is said to be of three kinds: Sthula Dhyana: Contemplating either the Murthi (image) of one's Guru or God (Ishta Devata) is known as Sthula Dhyana. The object of Sthula Dhyana can be vividly visualized; this type of Dhyana is for beginners. Sukshma Dhyana: The object at this Dhyana is Kundalini, the Serpent Power after it has crossed the region of the eyes. Then it becomes imperceptible. Jyotirmaya Dhyana: Tejodhyana is said to be 100 times superior to Sthula Dhyana. In this Dhyana, while the yogi is meditating, he sees a light and fixes his mind on that. The light which the yogi sees is an inner light and not a light outside, which he can perceive. Strictly speaking, this light is neither an image nor a precept. A yogi who is successful in Bhramari Kumbhaka hears certain inner sounds that blend with the light that he sees and the yogi's mind is fixed on the blend. Thus, the sound, the light, and the knowing mind become one. Gorakshapaddhati describes two types of Dhyana: Sakala and Nishkala. These two are akin to the Sthula and Sukshma Dhyana of Gheranda Samhita. Aumkara Dhyana There is one type of Dhyana that is very popular among yoga practitioners i.e. Aumkara Dhyana, which is performed as follows : For practicing Dhyana one must move to an isolated place or in a room and sit in any meditative posture. By keeping the body erect, eyes closed and the hands in Jnana Mudra on the knees, one should start chanting “OM” loudly. The word OM has to be repeated again and again loudly. The vibrations of the sound should affect the body as well as the surroundings of the place so that one feels that it is not only the mouth but the whole body from head to toe repeating it, and not only gets that room the whole atmosphere filled with the Aumkar sound. These affect the body and mind equally. The body gets relaxed, peaceful, happy, and healthy. This process influences both Annamaya and Pranamaya kosha equally. The practice involves a lot of patience and energy. Initial practice should start with 10-15 minutes depending on the person's physical and mental capacity. This state is very important because this is the foundation of Aumkar Dhyana. The second step consists of closing one's mouth and repeating and chanting the word mentally. The chanting should continue only in the mind. This will saturate the mind like the oral chanting saturated the body. This process is slightly more difficult than the first step, but the regular practice of the first step makes it easier to chant mentally. While chanting bodily, the room gets vibrated but while mental chanting the body becomes room for the person chanting and his whole body starts vibrating with an AUM sound. This also can be practiced initially for 10-15 minutes and increase the duration gradually. This practice can be continued for a few months. With the practice, the mind and body are soothed and become calm and peaceful. When the process of mental chanting becomes effortless the state of Dharana is achieved, i.e. concentration or Ekagrata, which will lead to Dhyana. The third step of AUM Dhyana is simply listening to AUM. After saturating the mind with AUM chanting mentally one starts with the third step. In this step neither body nor mind is to be used, but simply listen. The chanting of OM physically and then mentally, it becomes very easy to hear the sound of "AUM" which comes from one's own heart. It appears that the sound is emanating by itself and no effort is required to chant physically or mentally. This is called Ajapa Japa. Whatever is mentioned above this state of Dhyana is not very easy to attain. It requires patience and practice to achieve the results. There is progressive evolution. Practice of various components of Yoga cannot make one adept in Yoga in a couple of months. The senses have to be thoroughly subjugated. Divine virtues have to be cultivated. The mind has to be controlled thoroughly. It is an uphill task. Benefits of Dhyana The relation between body and mind was widely accepted by the ancient scholars. It is a well-accepted fact that the regular practice of certain asanas, mudras, pranayamas, dhyana, etc. bestows remarkable changes in physical and mental functions. The psychosomatic linkage is being increasingly recognized by the practitioners of modern medicine, in a sense that unless the mind is involved the body cannot be treated and vice-versa. Dhyana is an important Yogic technique. The regular practice of Dhyana bestows many benefits to the practitioner - some direct and some indirect. It not only helps the practitioner to control many mental problems but also helps a person to rise to the highest level of spiritual experience. Negative emotions like fear, anger, depression, stress & tension, panic, anxiety, reactions, worry, etc are reduced and a calm state of mind is developed. The total personality and outlook of the aspirant change for the better, so that he manages to face adverse situations in life in a better manner and discharge his duties more efficiently. The practice of Dhyana gives the person a positive personality, having positive thoughts and doing positive acts. Dhyana also increases concentration, memory, confidence, clarity of thoughts, and willpower, the receiving power of the brain, and decreases the level of fatigue. A yogi who meditates regularly develops a magnetic and charming personality. Those who come in contact with him are much influenced by his sweet voice, powerful speech, lustrous eyes, brilliant complexion, strong healthy body, good behavior, virtuous qualities, and divine nature. Just as a grain of salt dropped in water dissolves in the mater, just as the sweet fragrance of Jasmine pervades the air, so also the spiritual aura of a Yogi becomes infiltrated into the minds of others. In his Yoga Sutras Maharishi Patanjali has mentioned certain powers a Yogi may acquire through concentration and Meditation. For example, through sustained and prolonged concentration on the hollow of the throat, a Yogi can transcend hunger and thirst. Such a claim can be verified only by practicing the specified concentration method. Many scientific studies have been conducted and are being conducted to prove the claims made by the ancient scholars. It has been revealed by the studies that the application of Dhyana is a highly effective tool not only for health rejuvenation but also helps tremendously to cope with stressful situations faced by present-day society. Source : Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga