Dharana Meditation Basics

Om Namah Shivaya has an alternate which is Om Namo Shivaya. Both are valid for that mantra. In inSelf Yoga™, that mantra is used primarily for bringing the mind to order, when it is in a stubborn rebellious mood, where it forcibly processes thoughts when the yogi has no desire to do so.

There is another factor which is that before doing meditation in fact, a yogi should be in an arrested mental state, where his mental and emotional interest does not venture outwards, either to procure physical senses objects, or to view subtle ideas which arise spontaneously in the mind, or which develop on the basis of memories which are stored in the subconscious compartment of the psyche.

The achievement of having a stilled mind is known as pratyahar. To know if a yogi mastered that, he should check the condition of his interest, while he is in a relaxed condition, from which the mind does not venture outward to procure sense objects.

This is when the coreSelf is in a state of radiance, where it radiates energy continuously and does nothing else. It is not involved or occupied with mental or emotional theatre. In that condition he is aware of self radiance which is spiritual energy which pours out of the core, just as a brilliant light sheds illumination at a constant rate.

In that experience, suddenly, the yogi will be aware of a sound resonance, naad. That is a continuous sound frequency which is heard by the yogi. This may be to the right, left, upward, downward, to the rear or seemingly in every direction.

It may not be compelling. The yogi may hear it and give some attention to it. Or he may hear and ignore it. If he hears and adheres to it with little or much attention, it will zone out from him, where it is no longer heard after a short period or after a long time.

While hearing naad or while realizing that it ceased, the yogi may chant the assistive mantra of Om Namah Shivaya. These three conditions are the preliminary approach to the dharana deliberate focus. This is the listing.

• being in radiance awareness with no flash of thoughts or memories.
• being in radiance awareness and hearing naad resonance
• being in radiance awareness with or without hearing naad and contributing a fraction of attention to making the sound of Om Namah Shivaya while remaining in self radiance