Pratyahara is seen as the bridge from the external practice to the internal practice. The fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga is preparing the individual to enter the more intense level of controlling and harmonizing the inner world. Pratyahara comes from 2 Sanskrit words, “prati” which means against or away, and “ahara” which means food. Pratyahara can be translated as control of ahara – control of the food. Food refers to anything that we take in or consume. This is not only food for the body but also food for the mind and the soul. Pratayahara also can be understood as ” to master the control over external influences”. Let’s find out more, why is it important for an individual to have a sense of control over external influences in a journey of spirituality and wellness.
Our external expression is representative of what is going on inside our mind – the thoughts we are having affect our feelings and mood that eventually also affect the way we interact with others. That is why managing to think positively will generate a feeling of good mood and ease while doing interpersonal interactions.
The practice of Pratyahara shows the withdrawal that involving disengagement from the external disturbance / wrong food that is consumed or taken by the physical body through senses ( indriya ) to more subtle bodies of mental and emotional.
- Indriya Pratyahara
It started to become a habit that our daily activities dealing with so much amount of external interferences. Our minds got so busy by what we take through our sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste. Not knowing how to set up the right intake of the external impressions made us almost impossible to get a relaxed state of the mind, which is very necessary to have a healthy balanced mind most of the time. It helps us to make a better decision when it comes to problem-solving, allows us to create a positive vibe, and able to keep us away from taking any misleading actions. Thing such as ‘mind fasting’ or ‘diet for the mind’ exists just like diet for the body. It detoxifies and re-nourish the mind with healthier ‘nutrition’. To withdraw our senses inward, it takes us to temporarily cut off the external impressions from getting in too much by closing our indriya and harmonize together with the breathing.
- Prana Pratyahara
Having a strong and steady flow of prana or vital energy is highly beneficial for a balanced individual. Breathing can be trained and practiced regularly by doing Pranayama. It’s essential to control the prana so that we can avoid focusing too much of that energy on the senses.
- Karma Pratyahara
Withdrawal of any actions that may cause harm or suffers for others. I believe that it is not limited only to actions that we are doing, but also by our words and thoughts. Karmaphala is the fruit or the rewards of every action that has been made. Karma Pratyahara tells us to make the right actions in service to humanity and the divine. To practice it, there are 2 ways. The internal practice by doing puja reciting the mantra or perform a certain ritual to the divine. While the external practice lies in any kind of service we are doing to all beings. Everything is a service to God and humanity. Our duty is to act, not to seek the reward. The reward will come according to how good or bad actions that we’ve completed.
- Mano Pratyahara
Withdrawal of the mind. A mind is a powerful tool either by creating success and abundance through transformations or an unhealthy mind that can create suffers through self-destructive thoughts. Before we reach to higher spiritual work of samadhi
( union ), one must know how to control or at least have control of the mind. When practicing Mano Pratyahara, it is more than just withdrawal from external stimuli but also to actively control the reaction to it and redirect the attention inward.
It will need us to commit and discipline to practice Pratyahara. It is not something that we master just one night. Take one step after the other. It will eventually bring us closer to internal satisfaction and spiritual bliss.
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