Dharana and Drishti: Focused Attention for Grounding

Dharana, the sixth limb of yoga, trains unwavering attention on a single point—typically breath, mantra, or visual focus (drishti). For trauma survivors, this practice serves as a powerful grounding tool. Flashbacks and dissociation occur when attention collapses into past trauma; dharana systematically trains the mind to anchor in the present. A survivor experiencing a flashback can consciously redirect attention to their breath or a stable visual point, using the mind's natural capacity for focus to interrupt the traumatic replay. The practice of drishti—soft, sustained gazing—offers particular benefit for those with hypervigilance, teaching the nervous system to maintain calm focus rather than scanning for threats. Patanjali understood that wherever attention goes, consciousness follows. By deliberately practicing dharana, trauma survivors develop the concentration skill necessary to choose their mental focus even under stress. Regular practice makes this redirection increasingly automatic, allowing survivors to break free from intrusive memories through the simple act of intentional attention.