Dharana
- Christine Clardy
- Dec 21, 2025
- 1 min read
I finished leading my last yoga class of 2025 with the usual words of thanks, a closing bow, and—since it would be weeks until class met again—the suggestion that everyone do some meditating over the break. There wasn’t much response, until I added, “Remember that meditating is never just ‘meditating.’ We always meditate ‘on’ something. So, choose what you choose, and concentrate on that!” The change of wording was significant. People nodded—they already knew this! Someone said, “Sounds good,” and I heard someone else say, “Will do.”
Choosing a particular focus is what mades meditation possible. If we sit there with no plan, quiet time quickly feels overwhelming. Like getting into a dentist’s chair not knowing when you’ll be allowed to leave, the experience becomes congested with layers of anxiety that outweigh potential benefits, and we may fail to show up at all.
This 8-minute recording assists you with putting focus on the breath—the classic resting place for our attention during meditation. If you notice that such a “resting place” is elusive, don’t fret. This meditation addresses our natural vacillation between attention and inattention as a necessary component of dharana, the first and foundational stage of meditation. On this Winter Solstice day, you may hear talk about seasons, cycles and change... and in this simple meditation on breathing, may you allow room for the same.
New classes in 2026, as well as Private and Semi-Private Sound Baths: