DHARANA AND THE FORMATION OF OBJECT RELATIONS: A KLEINIAN READING OF YOGIC CONCENTRATION

Abstract

This study examines Patanjali's concept of धारणा (Dharana) (concentration) through the lens of Melanie Klein's object relations theory, exploring how yogic concentration practices parallel and potentially facilitate the developmental processes Klein identified in early psychological formation. By analyzing the structural similarities between Dharana's progressive internalization of external objects and Klein's theories of introjection, projection, and the movement from paranoid-schizoid to depressive positions, this paper argues that yogic concentration represents a sophisticated psychological technology for reworking primitive object relations. The research demonstrates how Dharana's systematic approach to object-focused attention mirrors Klein's understanding of how the psyche develops through relationship with both internal and external objects, offering insights for both psychoanalytic practice and contemplative studies.

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