Dhyana: Meditation

Rene Magritte's "The False Mirror."

“Tatra pratyaikatanata dhyanam.  Dhyana is the continuous flow of cognition toward that object.”                                                                                                                                       -Yoga Sutras, III:2

Dhyana is meditation.  It is the 7th limb of Ashtanga yoga.  Sharon and David write, “It is an effortless state that can arise only after you have trained yourself to sit still and concentrate on one object without distraction” (Jivamukti Yoga).  It is the realization of one-pointed focus, continuous and unbroken.  It is merging with the object of meditation and transcending body consciousness.  It is listening within and freeing the mind from thoughts.  Meditation allows you to merge with the source and experience union.  It frees you from the mental chatter and the fluctuations of the mind by revealing the truth within.  

Meditation, like all of yoga, is a practice.  It is extremely challenging, physically and mentally to sit still but the more you practice, the easier it becomes.  There are endless methods to meditate, but they all begin with finding a comfortable seat.  Once you have established your seat, whether it be in front of an altar or not, the choice of object to meditate on is endless.  You can think about union, connection to God, repeat a sacred mantra, watch the breath, or focus on a chakra.  Truly, you can meditate on whatever feels right to you and this may require trying out different methods.  To meditate, simply sit down, close your eyes, draw your attention inward and be quiet.

Magritte... the meditator has become one with the object of meditation.