Patanjali has given us an eight step ladder to know our true self. We all have heard or practiced: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Dharana, Dhyaan and Samadhi. Though, Pratyahara is the thread between our practice on the mat and one’s meditation practice.
What is Pratyahara?
The term Pratyahara is composed of two Sanskrit words, prati and ahara. Ahara means food or anything we take into ourselves from the outside. Prati is a preposition meaning against or away.
Pratyahara is defined as “senses withdrawal”, which is a preliminary step to meditation. By drawing the attention inward, pratyahara reduces disturbances in the mind (Vrittis). Thus, enabling the silence of the required for various meditative states.
According to yoga philosophy, there are three levels of Ahara; physical food, impressions from the five senses and associations with others. Traditionally, the practice of pratyahara is centered around withdrawal from any Ahara; which is not nourishing the body, mind or spirit.
How Pratyahara connects with our inner journey?
Once we have more discipline in our practices and our asana pranayam practice has prepared us to look towards the beauty inside of us. It is not possible for most of us to move directly from asana to meditation. This requires jumping from the body to the mind, forgetting what lies between.
The breath becomes slow, kumbhaka is more effortless. Then, the senses are withdrawn (just like a turtle pulls in its limbs in the shell).
There are four main forms of Pratyahara:
- Indriya-pratyahara—control of the senses
- Karma-pratyahara—control of action
- Prana-pratyahara—control of prana
- Mano-pratyahara—withdrawal of mind from the senses
Pratyahara is about the right intake of impressions. Most of us are careful about the food we eat and the company we keep. But we may not exercise the same discrimination about the impressions we take in from the senses. We accept impressions via the mass media that we would never allow in our personal lives. We let people into our houses through television and movies, that we would never allow into our homes in real life!
Be careful of the way you interact with the world. And, when your asana, pranayama practice is consistent. You will naturally be drawn to Withdrawal…
Iti Jain
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