Pratyahara (Sensory Withdrawal)

The action of Pratyahara is taking one’s vision inward and lovingingly moving away from the transient world of change and thought. The practice of Pratyahara translates into a deeper level of meditation both on and off our yoga mat. The experience of it is much like disappearing into the vastness of all that “IS,” but without a notion of defining anything. It is the utter “IS”-ness of everything beyond definition of form and figures.

Most of us have probably experienced Pratyahara without knowing it.

Remember a time when you were totally absorbed in the beauty of nature. In your mind’s eye take yourself to the ocean’s edge, let your eyes drift to the blue of the horizon where the sea, the sun and the sky all blend together. In that moment of beauty everything just IS. Any definition of that kind of experience of vastness would be short of words. Words only point to a definition. Where are they are pointing? They are pointing in the same direction of Pratyahara.

They are pointing inwards towards the truth of our existence and away from internal and external distractions of body and mind. Some would say that Pratyahara is a quieting path, moving away from the world of cravings, both in our mental field and in our physical existence, and leading towards God.

My experience of Pratyahara is a conscious inward movement towards Love (all kindness, all generosity, complete and total presence of Now)

For the experienced yogi, Pratyahara is an obvious evolution of the first 4 limbs of Patanjalis 8 limbs of yoga and the next step in an advanced yoga practice. It is a movement of deepening one’s mediative experience both on and off the mat through conscious effort and purity of intention to movement inward towards Love.

However, even for those who are not quite as experienced in meditation and yoga, Pratyahara has a relevant place in every day life. As a practice and exercise of Pratyahara we can simply make the conscious decision to move our vision inward and turn towards our highest truth and purity. We can do this simply by quieting both our external and internal worlds. We can turn off the radio, TV, computer and the chattering mind. We can unplug from the busyness of everyday life if only for a few minutes. We can turn off our phone for a few hours.

Decide not to worry and instead trust in the divinity that brought everything into being–including you and me. Regardless of the outer circumstances and conditions of our lives and world, we can trust in the innate goodness of life to unravel with the perfection and timing of Love. We can choose peace rather than war, generosity rather than greed and Love rather than hate. Any and all movement of Love towards a more conscious inner and outer life is a movement of Pratyahara.

If this message speaks to your heart, I invite you to join me this week in the practice of Pratyahara both on and off the yoga mat.