Intelligence, memory, and concentration are highly regarded human virtues that many seek to refine. There are yogic exercises whose purpose is to excite the brain and nervous system, refining memory and attention, leading to enhanced intelligence. Developed initially to assist practitioners in entering and sustaining meditative consciousness, yogic exercises of concentration also build mental clarity, awareness, and memory. By practicing them consistently and regularly, you can develop your overall mental ability, which, in turn, generates willpower, determination, and the strength to overcome adversity.
What Are Concentration Techniques?
A concentration practice is any exercise that enhances concentration, deepens awareness, or boosts mental power. The goal is to master the ability to place the mind on one point for a long time. The point of attention itself isn’t more critical than the capacity to sustain attention steadily. Practiced consistently, these methods prevent memory loss, sharpen the mind, and develop mindfulness in everyday life.
Dharana (The Yoga of Concentration)
Dharana, the sixth limb of yoga, is concentrated attention in asana, pranayama, and meditation. In Sanskrit, the word Dharana translates to “concentration,” and it refers to those practices thatcondition the mind to be clear, steady, and single-pointed. You may concentrate upon an external object (such as a picture or deity) or an internal one (such as a chakra).
Boredom and fear disrupt concentration and create distractions. For the best results, choose your goals and techniques wisely. If a practice feels too easy, you’ll lose interest, and your mind will drift. If it’s too difficult, fear and resistance will arise, pulling your attention toward something more comfortable.
Dharana prepares the mind for the next stage of yogic growth—dhyana (sustained meditation), which ultimately leads to samadhi (enlightenment).
Drishti: Focusing the Mind
Why Practice a Drishti?
With the focus on one point, consciousness is turned inward, and the mind remains untouched by external distractions. A drishti serves to refine concentration, resulting in intense focus.
Utilizing a Drishti in Yoga
In asana practice, a drishti (focal point for your eyes) greatly enhances mental concentration. It’s particularly strong in balancing postures such as Tree Pose and Eagle Pose. Spine-lengthening postures, forward bends and backbends, engage the spinal column and energize the nervous system. Inversions such as Headstand and Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana) increase blood and oxygen circulation to the brain, which strengthens its function. (Our membership website features two “Brain Boost” yoga sequences specifically for enhancing memory and mental acuity.)
In pranayama, the mind is concentrated on the movement of the breath into and out of the body. Controlled breathing increases oxygen and prana (energy) in the brain and body and enhances concentration and brain function.
Meditation is one step ahead of Dharana, requiring even more intense concentration. Done separately or in combination with asana and pranayama, meditation removes mental debris by curtailing excessive thought—energy-draining and muddying clear thinking. Through internal drishti (such as concentrating on the third eye or sixth chakra) while meditating, the brain is stimulated and clarity of focus developed. Other aids such as yantras, mantras, and visualization can assist.
Expert practitioners may experiment with more advanced Hatha Yoga practices to further develop mental concentration. Bandhas combined with these techniques improve concentration. Some mudras and Shatkarmas (such as Trataka and Khechari Mudra) also substantially increase mental clarity.
Benefits of Concentration Techniques
Asana, pranayama, and meditation are strong brain-stimulating and mental strengthening tools. The advantages are immense: through the practice of Dharana, brainpower can be enhanced, grounding in the present established, and distractions reduced. In principle, these yoga exercises can even prevent or reduce the symptoms of dementia, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, and other memory disorders.
As Paramhansa Yogananda taught, the mind must be one-pointed in order to succeed: “Most people’s problem is that they think about something else while doing an action. They don’t know how to concentrate fully on what they’re doing in the moment. You must learn to focus on one thing at a time with all your mental energy. Give it your complete attention. Half-hearted efforts lead to failure and unhappiness.”