Pratyahara - The Practice of Turning Inward

In this episode we arrive at the fifth limb of yoga - Pratyahara. 

Pratyahara is often translated as “ withdrawal of the the senses.

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Thank you for joining me here. Lisa x

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome to CannyStars Yoga. Hi, I'm Lisa, a lifelong student of yoga and Ayurveda, and a lover of travel and discovering the sacred woven through everyday life. Thank you for joining me as we explore yoga philosophy, the eight lens of yoga, the wisdom of Ayurveda, and the many styles of yoga practice that help guide us back home to ourselves. Whether you are new to yoga or have been walking this path for many years, this podcast is here to support our growth gently, practically and selffully. A gentle note before we begin: this podcast is offered for educational and inspirational purposes only. It is not medical or psychological advice. Please always listen to your body and seek professional care when needed. So take some time for yourself. Take a slow, steady breath in, and exhale arriving here with me. Hello and welcome back to our journey through the eight limbs of yoga. In our last episode, we explored pranayama, the practice of conscious breathing, and how the breath becomes a bridge between the body and the mind. If you missed it, you can go back and take a listen and then come back here and join me. And today we arrive at the fifth limb of yoga, pratyhara. Pratyahara is often translated as withdrawal of the senses. And that might sound a little unusual. It might even sound like we're being asked to shut ourselves off from the world. But that's not what Pratyahara is inviting us to do. Instead, it's about learning to choose where we place our attention. It's about recognizing that our senses are constantly being drawn outward. Every day we're surrounded by sights and sounds, conversations, advertisements, notifications, emails, news, music, opinions, endless information. And our attention has been asked to move in a hundred different directions. And without even noticing, our nervous system can become exhausted. Perhaps you've experienced that feeling. You finally sit down after a busy day, maybe the television's on, your phone's in your hand, a podcast is playing, and you're thinking about tomorrow's to-do list. And although you've stopped moving the mind, it's still racing. Our bodies are sitting still and our attention is everywhere. And Pratyhara gently invites us home. It reminds us that not every sound needs our attention, not every notification deserves an immediate response. And not every thought needs to be followed. In many ways, Pratyhara is a practice of reclaiming our attention. Because where our attention goes, our energy follows. If our attention is constantly scattered, we often begin to feel scattered too. But when we intentionally draw our awareness inward, something begins to soften. You can find more space, more clarity, and more peace. And one of the things I love about this teaching is that it doesn't ask us to reject the world in any way. Yoga has never been about escaping life. It's about learning how to live within it with awareness. And we can still enjoy technology and connect with others. Of course, we can participate fully in our lives. And the difference is that we begin making conscious choices rather than reacting automatically. Instead of reaching for our phone, the moment we wake up, perhaps we just take one conscious breath first. And instead of filling every quiet moment with noise, perhaps we allow ourselves a few moments of silence. And instead of constantly consuming perhaps, we just simply notice. Notice the birds outside and the gentle breeze on our skin. And my favorite is taking my shoes off and just noticing the feeling of our feet touching the earth. Sometimes the greatest nourishment for ourselves comes from allowing ourselves to receive what is already here. In Ayurveda, we often speak about the importance of protecting our senses. Everything we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell influences our mind. Just as we carefully choose nourishing food for our bodies, we can also begin choosing what nourishes our senses. Considering carefully lifestyle choices such as what books are we reading, what conversations are we having, what media are we consuming, that's a big one. Thinking about how we feel after scrolling for 20 minutes, and how do we feel after spending 20 minutes in nature? Our nervous system knows the difference. Pratchahara invites us to become aware of that difference. One of my favorite ways to experience this practice is simply through nature. Sit quietly beneath a tree or walk slowly along a beach, just watching the clouds moving across the sky. Something begins to settle. The senses don't disappear. And in fact, they often even become more alive. Instead of being overwhelmed by stimulation, they become peaceful. They begin to support presence rather than distraction. And that's the heart of Pratshahara, not escaping the world, but creating enough quiet that we can truly experience it. And like every limb of yoga, this isn't about perfection, but the practice of simply noticing. Noticing when your intention feels scattered and just gently bringing it home again and again. Because every time we return to ourselves, we strengthen our capacity for presence. We become a little calmer, a little clearer, a little more connected. And before we finish today, I'd like to leave you with a simple practice for the week. Choose one moment each day to experience life without distraction. It might be just drinking your cup of tea without a phone, walking outside without listening to anything, sitting quietly for five minutes and simply noticing the sounds around you. Experiencing the gift of being fully present. And as you do, notice how it feels to give your full attention to one simple moment. Perhaps you'll discover that the peace you've been searching for isn't somewhere else at all. It's always been quietly waiting underneath the noise. May this week's practice bring you a little more awareness, a little more kindness, and some more peace into your everyday life. And I'll meet you back here next week as we continue exploring the wisdom of yoga. Lots of love to you. As we close today's podcast, thank you so much for spending your time with me. If you'd like to stay connected, you can find more yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic wisdom at countingstars.com.au. And you can also practice with me in studio or online. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook at Counting Stars Yoga and subscribe to the Counting Stars Yoga YouTube channel as we explore sacred places. Until next time, take a breath. Move gently through your day, sending you lots of love.