Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway In today’s world, everything is overstimulated. All our senses are always busy. Our eyes are always seeking something. Our ears are always busy listening to something. Our tongue always wants to eat what it wants. As taste matters! Our skin always seeks comfort, and the mind is stuck in a loop where it keeps running. As we have entered the modern era, we have lost the power to control our senses. For example, if we like eating a burger, we eat it for its taste. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway But at the back of the mind, we know that this is not a healthy choice of food, and it can affect our natural wellness. But still, we choose fast and junk food over pure vegetarian sattvic food. Now that we know that something can harm us, why can’t we avoid it? This is because we don’t know the art of withdrawal, which is also known as Pratyahara in yoga.
As compared to the earlier generations, people today are often facing problems related to emotional and mental health. Why? Because people are not able to relax even if they are sitting quietly and without any work. The biggest reason behind it is that we don’t have the sense of pratyahara. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway We do not know how to calm our minds, how to put our senses at rest for at least some time. But some people complain that even while sitting for meditation, controlling the thought process or the mind becomes a difficult part. Again, the reason here is that the power that a human is born to manage himself or keep control over his desires is being lost day by day. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway But it is still not too late. Yoga has different ways to practice pratyahara. Pratyahara helps us in moving from the external world to the internal world very gently. And it helps us to modify ourselves in order to stay disciplined and healthy!
The meaning of Pratyahara
The word Pratyahara emerged from the Sanskrit language. It is composed of two distinct words. First, Prati, which stands for staying away or ‘back’!
The second word is Ahara, which means intake or whatever we take within us.
So, this defines Pratyahara as taking the senses away or back from the external objects that can harm our peace or holistic living. It means Pratyahara teaches us the art of stopping our senses whenever we want and choosing consciously. One should not misunderstand Pratyahara as something that asks you to keep your eyes, ears, nose or other senses closed. But it simply means that we should have the power to choose sensibly and to open our senses only to those things that do not disturb our inner peace or sensory experiences. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway Pratyahara is one of the 8 limbs of Ashtanga Yoga that has lost its meaning in recent years. But now, as the generations are facing different emotional, physical and mental problems, they are falling back to the vital disciplines of Yoga.
Pratyahara, the major part of Ashtanga Yoga
Ashtanga Yoga is one of the most powerful yoga forms that has been practised for decades, and those who understand it know the tremendous benefits of this form. Ashtanga Yoga holds the virtues to heal the human race naturally. It is a serene discipline that can transform anyone today.
As per Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, it is made up of 8 important limbs of yoga:
- Yama
- Niyama
- Asana
- Pranayama
- Pratyahara
- Dharana
- Dhyana
- Samadhi
Now Pratyahara comes on the 5th number. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway That is why it is called the fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga. Pratyahara is a mediator between the eight limbs. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway The first four limbs of Ashtanga Yoga hold the power to prepare the body and breath in order to lead a yogic lifestyle. And the last three works on the mind and emotion, making one much more aware of the life choices. Pratyahara is just like a bridge between these two aspects of Ashtanga Yoga!
The importance of Withdrawal or Pratyahara in Daily Life
Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway India is a land of great sages, yogis and saints. But have you ever thought about what made them different from us and how they became so great? The reason is the disciplined yoga practice. Yoga is the ancient practice of India; the classical texts of different yoga forms have hidden secrets that are a boon to the human race. If practiced i the disciplined way, yoa has the virtue to heal and shield the body, soul and mind without any medicine. Yoga is known to make one conscious and strong! Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway Be ot the physical strength, the emotional strenght or the mental power, yoga can bless one with all!
Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway One of such discipline of Yoga is the Withdrawal! Let’s say, intoxication or consumption of harmful food, when one falls sick due to poor life choices or sedentary routines, the doctor ask his to stay on a strict diet, which becomes the most challenging part for the patient! Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway Have you ever wondered that how come w allowed our senses so much that they started controlling us? Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway Therefore, practising Pratyahara in daily life not only avoids such distressing situations but also helps in making us wiser and healthier! When we won’t consume or adore anything bad, we stay clean and rejuvenated.
Pratayahara helps humans in the following ways:
- It keeps us calm
- It ensures peace to the mind naturally
- It helps us to control our senses
- It helps in meditation, pranayama, and other holistic practices.
- Improves our focus, concentration, and memory.
- Helps in balancing our emotions
- Ensures inner peace and silence.
- Makes us mindful and aware
- Helps in self-discovery
- Cultivates Self-Control
Different Types of Withdrawals in Yoga
Traditional and Classical texts of Yoga describe different types of Pratyahara or withdrawal that have been practised for years in attaining a self-controlled and healthy inner self.
- Withdrawal of the senses – Indriya Pratyahara: As the name suggests, Indriya stands for our different senses. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the GatewayTherefore, this kind of withdrawal or Pratyahara masters us in the art of withdrawing our senses from reacting compulsively to any of the disturbing external stimuli.
- Withdrawal of Life Energy – Prana Pratyahara: Prana is the life energy within us. When it is not flowing properly or is imbalanced, it can lead to restlessness, anger issues, emotional burdens, and physical illnesses. Therefore, withdrawal of this life energy helps in directing it inward, which reduces all these problems.
- Withdrawal from Action – Karma Pratyahara: This is one of the biggest types of Pratyahara that is very important in everyone’s life. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway It keeps us safe from performing any action that is compulsive or can harm us directly or indirectly. It also removes the feeling of overdoing something.
- Withdrawal of the Mind – Manu Pratyahara: Manu Pratyahara is an art that disengages our mind from continuous thought or habitual impressions. It helps us to keep our minds calm whenever we want and control them effectively.
How to cultivate pratyahara?
Pratyahara is a practice in yogic discipline that can never be forced. It comes only with deep and consistent practices. Different ways through which you can attain this virtue of yoga are as follows:
- Yoga Asanas: The poses that are comfortable and steady help in calming the nervous system and promote the reduction of sensory agitation, leading to the sense of pratyahara.
- Pranayama: Also known as breath work, it includes rhythmic breathing that helps in cultivating the art of pratyahara. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway Various practices like Nadi Shodhana also help in drawing the self-awareness inward.
- Shavasana: This is one of the most practised poses in yoga that helps in attaining true and deep relaxation and opening the path towards pratyahara.
- Yoga Nidra: Yoga Nidra is a guided yogic sleep that helps in withdrawing the awareness from different senses of our body and keeping them relaxed.
- Inner Silence: Also called Antar Mauna in yoga, this is one of the most affecting method of attaining pratyahara. Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway It helps us to observe our thoughts without reacting towards it. Because when we react unconsciously, Why Withdrawal Pratyahara Is the Gateway it weakens our sensory and internal system, making us prone to various mental, emotional and physical illnesses.
So, this was th rare facts about Pratyahara! To learn more aspects of yoga, stay tuned. Change your life by leading a yoga path with Ekant Yoga and learn every step towards holistic living!
