Dhyana Meditation black Unisex t-shirt
The term “Dhyana” is often translated into English as “meditation,” and while this translation is not incorrect, it is somewhat reductive. Within the framework of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, Dhyana carries a highly specific connotation. It is not simply a generic contemplative exercise, nor does it refer to guided visualization or intellectual reflection. Rather, as Patanjali states in Sutra 3.2, Dhyana is “pratyaya ekatanata”—the continuous, unbroken flow of awareness directed toward a single object.
In this context, Dhyana is the natural deepening of Dharana. Whereas Dharana still involves effort, redirection, and the possibility of distraction, Dhyana emerges when the mind becomes still enough to remain effortlessly absorbed. This is why, in the Yoga tradition, Dhyana is not a technique so much as a state—a refined condition of the mind cultivated through disciplined practice. It is distinct from ordinary thought or contemplation, and prepares the practitioner for Samadhi, the culmination of the yogic path. Understanding Dhyana in this way helps us appreciate that meditation in Yoga is not merely therapeutic or mental hygiene—it is a philosophical and spiritual pursuit aimed at liberation.
