Yoga For Concentration And Focus (5 Daily Practices)

Yoga For Mindfulness And Focus

There are many exercises to cultivate mindfulness and focus such as running, repeating movements, breathing, etc. But yoga for concentration and focus gives us the best results. To maintain concentration and focus you need to remove stress from your life first, you can check out pranayama for stress, yoga for stress, and healthy lifestyle tips for more on stress relief.

Yoga For Concentration And Focus

The Yogic Process

In the yogic process, the practices are of the fifth limb (Ashtanga Yoga) to achieve mindfulness and focus. The process is called Pratyahara, which is withdrawing the focus from the other senses and remaining at a point.

The yogic word ‘asana’ has multiple meanings to convey the depths of experiences that we will have as we journey through a yoga practice. The very basic meaning of asana is ‘posture’; it represents the physical arrangement of the body, including the position of the eyes and toes. It also means ‘seat’, to indicate the stability that a steady and disciplined practice can create within our mental and emotional structures. The meaning that is closest to my heart is ‘attitude’, where we imbibe the esoteric significance of each posture. Most asanas are named after sages, flora, fauna, and celestial bodies. When we practice an asana, and as we become flexible and strong, we can also imbibe the qualities of what the posture is named after.

Pranayama and Yoga for concentration and focus are going to help us synchronize the mind and the body. This helps us reduce the thought jumping from one to another which makes us change actions and stay steady at one point.

5 Daily Practices Of Yoga For Concentration And Focus

5 Daily Practices Of Yoga For Concentration And Focus

1. Trataka (Concentrated Gazing):

This is a cleansing technique of yoga for concentration and focuses to clear eyes and mind.

Items Required:

  • Candle
  • Table
  • Bolster or a yoga mat

Arrangement:

  • Place the bolster or the yoga mat on the floor and sit on it in a cross-legged posture.
  • Place the table arm distance away.
  • Light the candle and place it on the table.

Procedure:

Yoga For Concentration And Focus - trakara
  1. Focus on your breath and gaze at the flame without blinking as much as possible.
  2. Gradually increase the gaze at the flame without blinking to 60 seconds.
  3. Close your eyes and visualize the flame at the point between the eyebrows.
  4. Steps 1 and 3 are a cycle, repeat the cycle two more times.
  5. After three cycles are completed, sit with eyes closed and focus on breath till it gets normal.

Benefits:

When Practiced regularly, this technique enhances single point focus.

Precautions:

Not suitable for people with psychic problems.

2. Mindfulness Meditation:

Mindfulness meditation is a simple process but not an easy one because it is involved concentrating on the breath.

Procedure:

Yoga For Concentration And Focus - mindfulness meditation
  1. Sit on the floor with a cross-legged posture, palms resting on the thighs and spine comfortably erect. (You can start practicing on a chair if sitting on the floor is not so comfortable for you)
  2. Close your eyes, and relax your shoulders, forehead, and facial muscles.
  3. Focus on the breath in stillness observe the breath as much time as you can in the beginning and gradually increase the time.
  4. You can mentally count from 50 to 1 like inhale and exhale 50; inhale and exhale 49 and so on.

It is natural to miss the count as the mind wanders a lot and if it happens to, start over from 50. You are supposed the master counting with a focus on the breath and mind.

Benefits:

With regular practice, focus and concentration will improve.

3. Vrksasana (Tree Pose):

Vrksasana is a standing yoga pose in a tree pose. You have to balance the body on the single leg in this asana.

Regular practice of Vrksasana you will slowly reveal what you are capable of becoming. A tree draws stability from its roots, allowing the trunk and branches to sustain through strong winds and rain. Similarly, we can learn to weather the storms in our lives by focussing our mind on the reserve of strength and peace from deep within us.

Procedure:

Yoga For Concentration And Focus - vrksasana
  1. Stand up on your feet ground to the floor.
  2. Tuck the tailbone down towards the earth and pelvis towards the body like an extension through the spine.
  3. Roll the shoulder back and drop back towards the hips.
  4. Focus on the breath.
  5. Shift all the body weight to the left leg and lift the right bending the knee and place the foot on the crook of the left inner thigh (or a little lower to the crook).
  6. Join the palms in the Namaste position and place them on the waist.
  7. Set the gaze at a point and focus on the breath. Gradually increase to 10 breaths.
  8. Repeat the same on the other side.

Benefits:

Improves balance, stability, and concentration.

4. Garudasana (Eagle Pose):

The garudasana is also a standing yoga pose on a single leg.

Garudasana Steps:

Yoga For Concentration And Focus - garudasana
  1. Stand up on your feet ground to the floor.
  2. Tuck the tailbone down towards the earth and pelvis towards the body like an extension through the spine.
  3. Roll the shoulder back and drop back towards the hips.
  4. Focus on the breath.
  5. Inhale; bend the knees, sinking the hips a little down, exhale; bend the elbows and place them on the hips.
  6. Inhale; lift the right foot and cross over onto the left leg shifting the body weight to the left leg. Hook the right foot around the left calf touching the toes to the calf.
  7. Then lift the arms and cross the right elbow over the left elbow. Hook the elbows and move down towards the chest. Open the palms and join together.
  8. Keep your eyes fixed at a point and hold the pose counting breaths for as much time as possible. Gradually increase to 10 breaths.
  9. Repeat the same on the other side.

Benefits:

Improves focus, strength, balance, and concentration.

5. Chanting Mantra For Concentration And Focus:

Chanting eventually makes us meditate. Meditation requires focus, which is difficult to achieve. But, when you chant with concentration, the mind gets focused.

Bija Mantra is one of the types of mantra in which a particular single syllable is repeated to activate a particular chakra.

Scientists say that when a mantra is chanted rhythmically, it creates a neuro-linguistic effect. Such an effect occurs even if the meaning of the mantra is not known.

But knowing the meaning of what you are chanting tunes your mind towards reaching your goal.

Regularly practicing these yoga for concentration and focus will help you master anything you want in life. You can start practicing the techniques with little adjustments in the beginning and try to get the perfect posture and procedure gradually.

Does yoga help concentration?

You’re aware of the benefits of yoga for fitness, but practitioners also use yoga for concentration —it’s been shown to improve focus, attention, and memory.

How does yoga sharpen concentration?

Yoga and other forms of moving meditation integrate physical movement with breath awareness and focused attention.

Which yoga asana improves concentration?

Tadasana helps improve concentration by balancing breath, and increasing awareness. Tadasana or the Mountain pose helps improve concentration by improving our posture, balancing our breath, and increasing awareness.

How does yoga improve concentration physical education?

Yoga helped improve concentration and focus by calming the mind and getting rid of distracting thoughts.

Does Tree Pose increase concentration?

The quintessential yoga balance, and a posture in which you’re standing on one leg, Tree Pose really requires attention and concentration to stabilize.

Leave a Comment