{"id":23391,"date":"2024-01-29T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movementformodernlife.com\/blog\/?p=23391"},"modified":"2024-01-29T14:30:03","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T14:30:03","slug":"yoga-for-concentration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movementformodernlife.com\/blog\/yoga-for-concentration\/","title":{"rendered":"Find it Hard to Focus? Practice Yoga for Concentration\u00a0| Helen Krag"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WHEN WE ARE FOCUSED AND ABLE TO CONCENTRATE, WE ACT WITH GREATER INTENTION AND ENGAGEMENT IN OUR LIVES. HELEN KRAG EXPLORES YOGA FOR CONCENTRATION.<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the past week I have jammed my husband\u2019s beloved coffee machine, misplaced my credit card and failed to respond to an essential email which had disastrous consequences (my telephone and broadband service was cut off!). Each of these unfortunate events happened because I was not fully focussed on the task in hand!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know I am not alone. There are, inevitably, times in our lives when it is hard to focus. Perhaps we are not able to give something the attention it requires, or maybe we feel distracted or skittish. We may experience it as a detachment from our lives and people around us. It can affect our ability to get things done. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Links between yoga and our brain have been the basis for numerous scientific studies. A 2019 review<\/a> published in Brain Plasticity <\/em>looked at 11 studies examining the effects of yoga practice on brain structures, brain function and cerebral blood flow. It concluded that yoga practice appears to impact positively on the structure and function of key areas of the brain, which is good news for our ability to focus and concentrate.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cTrue concentration is an unbroken thread of awareness.\u201d <\/p>\nB.K.S. Iyengar<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Iyengar likens concentration to awareness. This \u2018unbroken thread of awareness\u2019 can lead to a greater ability to pay attention, be present and engage with the world in a meaningful way.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we focus and concentrate, life is more fulfilling! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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YOGA FOR CONCENTRATION<\/strong>: ANCIENT WISDOM<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ancient yogis were preoccupied with concentration and focus. The Yoga Sutras<\/a>, thought to have been compiled some 1600 years ago, are attributed to the sage Patanjali. The over-arching theme of the Sutras is the cultivation of one-pointed focus<\/em> to discern the difference between thought and consciousness.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patanjali is associated with developing the \u2018Eight Limbs of Yoga\u2019 which map out a pathway leading to the outcome of Samadhi<\/em>, or enlightenment.  The sixth limb is Dharana<\/em>, a Sanskrit word which translates as \u2018concentration\u2019 or \u2018complete attention\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Listen to Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life<\/a>, a series of talks with Vidya Heisel<\/a> centred around Patanjali\u2019s \u2018Eight Limbs\u2019.  <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The Sixth Limb: Dharana<\/a> is specifically about refining the ability to focus and concentrate. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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YOGA FOR CONCENTRATION<\/strong> IN THE MODERN DAY<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patanjali\u2019s texts, and indeed the Eight Limbs, were captured at a time when yogis would remove themselves from day-to-day life (world renunciation) to practice. Furthermore, the only posture presented in the Yoga Sutras was that of sitting to meditate. So, both the context and outcomes were very different from yoga today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern day yoga for concentration commonly involves combining asana,<\/strong> yoga postures, with: <\/p>\n\n\n\n