Pratyahara: A Gateway to Bliss

16 February, 2024

Last week I briefly touched on pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses. Patanjali, author of The Yoga Sutras, describes pratyahara as a bridge between the external world of asana (postures) and pranayama (breathwork) and the internal world of dharna (focused concentration), dhyana (meditative absorption) and samadhi (bliss or enlightenment).

In yoga, we use physical poses and breathwork to help us turn our attention inwards. It is this turning of our attention inwards that is pratyahara.

“Withdrawal from the senses requires that we disengage them from their objects, so that they may follow the form of the mind’s true nature instead,” writes Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. When our focus is so deeply inwards it becomes temporarily unaware of external sensory inputs, we put ourselves in a meditative state which is where the true magic happens.

It’s not always easy and requires effort, which is why it’s called a practice. But the rewards are worth it. “The senses are like a mirror,” says twentieth century guru Swami Satyananda Saraswati in his commentary on the Yoga Sutras. “Turned outward they reflect the outside; turned inward, they reflect pure light… They find peace by taking the form of the mind itself.”

Anyone who has experienced even a tiny a moment of bliss in meditation knows what Saraswati means. Pratyahara is one of the keys to unlocking this. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to sit in lotus position or even be still to practise pratyahara. There are different ways of achieving a meditative state. Sure, sitting cross legged and trying to empty your mind can work, but so can moving or, dare I say it, even dancing. It’s finding what works best for you. Because if it works for you, you’re more likely to practise and it’s the practice that will lead you to the rewards of dharna, dhyana and perhaps even samadhi.

Practice suggestion: Try different ways of meditating. When you find one that works for you, that fits into your life, practise. And practise again. Practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, but it does bring possibilities and perhaps sometimes tiny glimpses of magic.