This is an 8-part series of 5-minute practices inspired by the 8-limbs of yoga and offers something for everyone with an option to try something new outside of what modern life wants you to think yoga is.
To honour International Yoga Day, I’m sharing “The Path Within”, a FREE 8-part video series. Each practice is just 5 minutes. Each one inspired by one of the eight limbs.
Practice 6: Dharana
Dharana comes from the root “dhri,” meaning to hold or sustain. Dharana is the moment we stop scattering and start focusing. It’s the art of choosing what gets your attention — and then gently returning to it, again and again.
In a distracted world, focus isn’t just a skill. It’s a survival tool. Neuroscience calls this “attentional control” — the ability to direct and maintain awareness without being hijacked by every notification, noise, or thought.
When we practise Dharana, we reclaim our energy. We shift from reacting to responding. We remind our nervous system that it’s safe to settle into one thing at a time.
Today’s practice will use the breath and a visual anchor to centre the mind. It’s not about emptying your head — it’s about returning, gently, to what matters.
Skip to 1 Minute 28 Seconds to begin the practice
To integrate:
Dharana teaches us that attention is a muscle. It strengthens through repetition and kindness.
To carry this into your day:
Choose one task today to do without multitasking. Just that one thing.
Place a small object (stone, candle, leaf) on your desk as a visual anchor, return to it when you feel scattered.
Use the breath as your reset button: three slow inhales and exhales when your mind feels loud.
You don’t have to be laser-focused all day. Just keep coming back.
What might shift if you gave your presence, fully, to one thing at a time?
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