When consciousness internalises by uncoupling from external objects the senses do the same.
Yoga Sutra 2:54
Pratyahara translates as “sense withdrawal”. The idea of looking internally rather than externally. We spend so much time looking out, filling our senses but without some inward direction are we just projecting our thoughts and emotions onto the outside world unnecessarily?
Human beings have a definite tendency to look out on the world as the source of their unhappiness, their dis-ease, their discontent. We spend time searching outside ourselves for contentment. If only I had a better job/more money/the perfect partner/could lose weight then I would be happy. And then we get those things and realise still, something is missing.
Looking inward is not, however, the same as introspection. During introspection were are still using the senses and the emotions and if we aren’t careful the Ego can soon go crazy with questions during introspection: ”why me?” ”when?”, “what if?”
Sensory withdrawal is different and I’m not going to pretend it’s easy. It involves reigning in Ego and judgement. It involves letting go of what the Ego tells us is “bad” and “good”. It is about realising that how we see things is only our angle of vision and not truth.
There is nothing wrong per se in sensory experience. I love music, cupcakes, the blogosphere, Australian soap operas (well I’m only human!), but I also want to be sure I make time to not be surrounded by these things. To work out who I am.
How can we incorporate Pratyahara into our yoga practices? Well we have to be fully aware of our sensory experiences before we can withdraw from them. We can do this through our practice of asana, exploring our bodies, finding our capabilities and our limitations, finding our breath.
Then with the use of correct breath and pranayama we can explore the asana more deeply. It doesn’t have to be a complicated or advanced posture – a simple Mountain pose or Warrior will suffice. Here we can find our edge, the place where we find both strength and ease. We may find our capabilities and limitations change here. We may find our previous judgements of the posture were only that, judgement and not truth at all.
And this is where we begin to draw the senses in. We stop thinking about the posture and start being the posture. We withdraw from discomfort, from consciously holding the posture. And this is pratyahara. (Emma describes this beautifully in this post).
Finding this place is not something I can teach anyone. It is something that needs to be found by each individual. Explore space. Explore time in quiet solitude and see what happens.
Pratyahara comes when it comes. It is part of our practice, of our journey. Let go of those things that no longer serve you and step within.
How do you feel about Pratyahara? Have you ever experienced a similar feeling for example during a technology fast or retreat?
~~~~
Parts of this post were rejigged from a similar post I wrote last October. Just in case you were wondering!
