On to the 5th Limb of Yoga - Pratyahara. Pratyahara is "the conscious withdrawal of energy from the senses". Sometimes this can happen subconsciously, like when you are concentrating on something so deeply that you don't hear someone call your name.
Photo by Linus Nylund on Unsplash
Pratyahara is a tricky limb, with much debate and discussion in the yoga community over the years. Personally, I like to think of Pratyahara as one step closer to actual meditation.
Going back to Pranayama, the 4th Limb, where the focus is on controlling ones energies and impulses, Pratyahara takes it a step further and focuses on controlling the input from our 5 senses.
Now, this doesn't mean shutting yourself away from the world and literal sensory deprivation. It is more a metaphor - deprivation of the bad input to allow the brain to receive only the good input. However, limiting sensory input from time to time, especially in today's age of social media and immediate access to basically any information (both positive and negative), is needed in order to filter the good from the bad.
In this Limb, the brain is thought of as more of a whole body. A whole body requires food to power it and provide nutrients. Junk foods or highly processed foods don't provide the same quality of nutrients and energy as fresh produce, complete protein sources, and whole grains. In order for our body to receive the benefits of proper nutrition (effective immune system, consistent energy levels, etc.), we have to remove the overly processed junk. The brain works under the same concept. In order for the brain to take in the best sources of "nutrition", we have to rid it of the "junk" that can clog it up or slow it down.
The most common method of practicing Pratyahara is Indriya pratyahara where one focuses on withdrawal from external stimuli received via the 5 senses by concentrating on one's natural breathing pattern or by turning one's attention to a favored chakra.
Some things to think about as points of reflection regarding this Limb:
When was the last time I was so focused on a task that I forgot what was going on around me?
Should I do more of this task?
How do my senses influence my behavior - when I smell a bad small? See something unfavorable? Hear something that is harsh? How do different textures make me feel? Taste food that has gone bad?
See you all next week!
-Charlene 🧡
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