• Article 5 on Yoga and Memory is about how different meditation practices impact memory. We share Yogic Meditation Practices for Memory and explore potentiality of different meditation influencing brain function, improving clarity, and help memories stay sharp. As always, end with Key Takeaways.

This article has two authors. Dr. Natesh Babu, Director, CODE, S-VYASA and Dr. Atmakur Snigdha Madhuri, Assistant Professor, CODE, S-VYASA.

In Part 1, we reflected on memory (smṛti) as a sacred inner faculty that supports self-awareness, discernment, and spiritual growth. In Part 2, we explored how yoga fosters memory enhancement through stress regulation, improved brain plasticity, and emotional balance. We saw how consistent practice transforms the nervous system, creating ideal conditions for cognitive resilience. Building on this foundation, this article takes a more practical turn, exploring how specific yogic techniques can be tailored to target different types of memory. In Part 3, article provides a brief yet comprehensive explanation of how specific yogic tools—ranging from breath work to meditative practices that shall help improve different types of memory. In Part 4, we explore how pranayama-the conscious regulation of breath connects ancient yogic wisdom with neuroscience. We’ll see how specific breathing patterns influence brain function, improve cognitive clarity, and help our memories stay sharp. It ends with Key Takeaways. 

This is article 5 in the series on Yoga and Memory.

In today’s hyper-connected world, our attention is constantly pulled in multiple directions-mobile phones, breaking news, to-do lists etc. This scattered attention affects our productivity but weakens our memory. When the mind is too fragmented, information doesn’t get the chance to sink deeply enough to be stored.

Ancient yogic wisdom anticipated this mental struggle long before modern technology. Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutras, presents Dharana (concentration) and Dhyana (meditation) as sequential practices that strengthen mental stability and sharpen Smriti (memory). For him, a steady mind is the fertile ground where clear memory and insight grow.

In this article, we’ll explore how different meditation practices impacts memory. We explore the potentiality of different meditation or focusing techniques influencing brain function, improving clarity, and helping memories stay sharp.

Patanjali’s Perspective on Dharana, Dhyana, and Smriti

Dharana – Concentration

देशबन्धश्चित्तस्य धारणा ॥३.१॥

Deśa-bandhaś cittasya dhāraṇā – Yoga Sutra 3.1

Dharana is the act of binding the mind to a chosen point, object, or idea. This is not mere staring or thinking, but an intentional channelling of mental energy.

It is the stage where you choose your point of focus and gently but firmly keep the mind there. Just as a lens must be adjusted to bring an image into sharp focus, Dharana tunes the mind toward clarity.

Dhyana – Meditation

तत्र प्रत्ययैकतानता ध्यानम् ॥३.२॥

Tatra pratyayaikatānatā dhyānam – Yoga Sutra 3.2

Once Dharana is sustained, it transforms into Dhyana — an effortless, continuous flow of awareness toward the same object. The mind no longer jumps between thoughts; instead, it rests in a quiet, steady stream of contemplation. 

This is where mental processing deepens, allowing information to be encoded in long-term memory more efficiently.

Smriti – Memory

अनुभूतविषयासम्प्रमोषः स्मृतिः ॥१.११॥

Anubhūta-viṣayāsampramoṣaḥ smṛtiḥ – Yoga Sutra 1.11

Patanjali defines Smriti as the retention of experienced impressions without distortion. A purified memory is one that is accurate, undistorted, and free from confusion.

Dharana strengthens the encoding stage of memory, Dhyana supports consolidation, and Smriti represents the retrieval of what has been stored.

This triad works in a cycle: Dharana steadies’ attention → Dhyana deepens engagement → Smriti becomes sharper and more reliable.

Yogic Meditation Practices for Memory

1. Trataka (Steady Gazing):  A visual Dharana technique where one fixes the gaze on a candle flame or dot until the eyes water, then visualize it with eyes closed. This improves visual concentration and enhances the brain’s ability to retain visual patterns.

2. Breath-Regulated Dharana: Begin with slow, rhythmic breathing (such as Anuloma-Viloma or equal inhalation/exhalation) to calm the nervous system. Once the mind is quiet, direct your focus to a chosen point, mantra, or mental image. The breath acts as a bridge between scattered thoughts and steady focus.

3. Visualization Practice: Mentally rehearse shapes, colors, sequences, or even the steps of a task. By repeatedly creating and holding these images in the mind, both working memory and long-term recall improve.

4. Manasika Japa (Silent Mantra Repetition): Silently repeating a mantra anchors the mind in rhythm and meaning, strengthening verbal memory and reducing mental noise. Over time, this can become a seamless blend of Dharana and Dhyana.

Mindfulness, Mantra, and Focused Meditation

Mindfulness (Present-Moment Awareness): Known as Smriti-upasthana in Buddhist traditions, mindfulness is the practice of being fully present with the task at hand. It prevents cognitive overload caused by multitasking and distraction.

Research Insight: Mindfulness training increases working memory capacity and reduces mind wandering (Mrazek et al., 2013).

Mantra Japa: The steady rhythm of a mantra creates a predictable mental pattern that reduces overactivity in the brain’s default mode network, which is linked to mind wandering. 

Research Insight: Mantra meditation activates brain regions involved in attention control and emotional regulation (Bhasin et al., 2013).

Focused Meditation: Like a mental workout, focused meditation repeatedly challenges the mind to return to its point of focus. Each return strengthens attention “muscles” and the neural circuits linked to encoding memory. 

Research Insight: Even four days of focused meditation training significantly improve working memory and sustained attention (Zeidan et al., 2010).

Few Neuroscientific Studies:

Dharana and Dhyana activate the prefrontal cortex (for attention control) and hippocampus (for memory consolidation).

Long-term meditation increases grey matter density in the hippocampus — the brain’s memory hub (Hölzel et al., 2011).

Focused attention reduces default mode network activity, making it easier to encode new information (Tang et al., 2015).

Conclusion

Dharana and Dhyana are more than spiritual disciplines — they are structured mental training methods that sharpen focus, stabilize attention, and deepen memory.

By practicing them consistently, we create an inner environment where impressions are recorded clearly, stored efficiently, and retrieved accurately. In essence, they offer a timeless solution to a very modern problem: how to focus deeply and remember well in a world full of distractions.

Key Takeaways

1. Dharana is focused attention; Dhyana is sustained, effortless meditation.

2. Together, they enhance Smriti — memory that is clear and undistorted.

3. Simple practices like Trataka, breath-regulated focus, visualization, and mantra japa are effective tools for training memory.

4. Modern neuroscience confirms that these practices strengthen the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and attention networks.

In the next article, we will explore how practical yoga methods such as breath regulation, meditation, mindful movement, and relaxation can enhance attention, organization of thoughts, and recall for students and working professionals. These techniques go beyond improving memory—they help cultivate a calm, alert, and adaptable mind that supports continuous learning and balanced performance in everyday life.

References

1. Zeidan F, et al. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597–605.

2. Hölzel BK, et al. (2011). Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density. Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 191(1), 36–43.

3. Bhasin MK, et al. (2013). The relaxation response induces temporal transcriptome changes in energy metabolism, insulin secretion and inflammatory pathways. PLoS ONE, 8(5), e62817.

4. Mrazek MD, et al. (2013). Mindfulness training improves working memory capacity and GRE performance while reducing mind wandering. Psychological Science, 24(5), 776–781.

5. Tang YY, et al. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16, 213–225.