Dharana

Dharana

"holding", "retention"; "concentration", "directing the flow of consciousness to the object"

According to the yoga doctrine and some tantric teachings, dharana is the focus of mind on one object, retention of non-dual state.

Nathas follow teachings of Gorakhnath who said in "Siddha-siddhanta paddhati" (2.37):

Dharana is [the state] when external and internal are of the same form of own true nature. This should be known in consciousness so that when [thought] appears it should be retained in formless state. Remaining persistently in [the state of] own [true] nature, blowing [the thoughts] like the fire of a candle is true quality of dharana.  

Yogi Matsyendranath in his comments on this text provides following explanation:

"Dharana is spiritual concentration. Chitta (consciousness of higher nature, Atman) reaches the state of identity or unity with internal or external object. Retention of this non-dual state of identity is true dharana".

Also, Maharishi Patanjali in "Yoga-Sutras" (2.52) gives following definition of dharana:

“Dhāraṇā is the mind’s (chitta’s) fixation on a point in space.”