Dhyana Yoga

Dhyana Yoga is one of the eight limbs of Astanga Yoga proposed by Sage Patanjali in his ‘Yoga Sutras’. The word ‘dhyai’ comes from Sanskrit, which means “to think of”. A popular form of Dhyana Yoga is the Kundalini Yoga. The Dhyana Yoga system is specifically described by Lord Sri Krishna in chapter 6 of the famous ‘Bhagavad Gita’, wherein he explains the key Yoga systems to his disciple, Arjuna in the battleground of Kurukshetra.

In the Ashtanga Yoga, Dhyana is practiced together with Dharana and Samadhi comprises the Samyama. In Dhyana, the mediator is not conscious of the act of meditation but is only aware that he exists (consciousness of being), and aware of the object of meditation.

There are different forms of Dhyana Yoga. The aim is to withdraw all senses from various objects of interest and focus on one object. Dhyana Yoga produces a state of calm. The main objective Dhyana Yoga is to cleanse the subconscious, develop concentration, clear the mind, and bring about various stages of unified unity with God.