Inner Space

It seems those of us who come to yoga are seeking something....most of search for inner peace, true contentment, true joy....something to bring us to the magic place of balance and harmony.  Even yoga philosophy and science recognizes the only way we can have this is by having a relationship with God. Along the yoga path we discover and uncover our soul and when our soul is allowed to connect back with its Creator, something magical happens.  We transform and begin to exist at the soul level and see one another soul to soul.  We are created for community and called to love one another.  Thank goodness our yoga practice gives us tools for just that....connection to our soul and to Spirit.  One of these tools is what is known as Pratyahara.  Pratyahara is the pivotal point in the practice of yoga where the path leads from the exterior to the interior landscape of the body. Pratyahara translates directly as “sense withdrawal” and is the fifth limb or branch of an eight-staged yogic approach to the unification of body-mind-spirit.

Coming from the Sanskrit prati, meaning “away” or “against” and ahara, meaning intake of food or other substances, pratyahara signifies the withdrawal of the senses—turning the consciousness inward to release external stimuli. While pratyahara may seem like a difficult concept to grasp and practice, it’s something that we are already moving toward in meditation and asana practice when we concentrate on our breath. Working with pranayama (breath work) leads us toward internal awareness as we release conscious responses to externalities.  We learn to let go of the stimuli our senses intake.

Pratyahara is the fifth of the eight limbs as explicated by Patanjali, and is the bridging force between external and internal yoga practices. The first four limbs of yoga are more external. They consist of yama, which includes non-harming and truthfulness, niyama, which constitutes duties and tasks that can lead to a healthy life, and asana and pranayama. The practice of pratyahara allows us to move into the last three limbs of yoga, which are internal: dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (bliss, state of true contentment, true peace and true joy).

By withdrawing our attention from the external environment and by focusing inward on the breath, on sensations, and the emotions attached to those sensations, we still the mind and increase our awareness of the body. With this awareness and focus we can move deeper into the practice of yoga, learning to move through our limitations, fears and expectations. The key to practicing pratyahara is observing the body, breath and sensations as a detached witness, as if you were watching and feeling someone else’s body. Used with compassion and discipline, pratyahara enriches the practice of yoga and leads to deeper stages of concentration and meditation.

How do you cultivate pratyahara your own practice? Since pratyahara involves moving away from your racing thoughts and coming to a place of inner stillness, the next time you’re in a yoga class and attempting a pose that challenges you, notice whether anxiety or fear arise. You may even fantasize about coming out of the pose or the ever so popular 'suddenly needing a drink of water'. But rather than seeking escape, choose to move deeper into the pose using your breath and drishti (focal point of gaze). This will lead to an awareness of your physical body’s ability to sustain deep postures. Withdrawing from your busy thoughts will lead you to discover more subtle things happening in your body, mind and spirit. You can also cultivate pratyahara in savasana using techniques like yoga nidra,which can take you into a deeper state of relaxation and quietness.

In meditation, move toward pratyahara through pranayama (breath techniques). Simply focusing on your inhales and exhales will begin to quiet your mind and the outside world. Another technique is visualization, which can quiet external stimuli. You might visualize a vast landscape, like an ocean or a field. The absence of details in these kinds of scenes will help you from becoming distracted. Beginning your meditation in a quiet place will also allow you to move into pratyahara more quickly.

Pratyahara isn’t just good for your yoga practice. It’s a useful skill that will influence your whole life. In our overstimulating culture, we easily slip into noise, distraction and the lure of media and technology. We check our cell phones every time they beep, and we crowd our lives with diversions like television, games, alcohol and even food. Though none of these things are inherently bad, they can take over our lives even in moments where silence and stillness would more fully nourish, enhance and enrich our days. Cultivating pratyahara keeps us in the driver’s seat of life.

Remember whatever you long for...whatever you crave......whatever you can't get enough of....THAT is your God.  And so I ask you....is is it satisfying for the long haul in all situations? Is it life giving? If not, one may consider going inward.  Tune in to tune out, folks.  Your soul is speaking.

Onward. Inward. and yes.....Upward.

Trish