Pratyahara

Pratyahara is the fifth aspect of the eight steps of Ashtanga Yoga or Raja Yoga ( eight -membered Yoga), as described by Patanjali in one of the oldest surviving works on Yoga, the Yoga Sutra. It follows the pranayama (4th level, the breath control ) and leads to Dharana ( 6th level, concentration) and dhyana ( meditation). It's about the disciplining of the senses ( Indriya, " sensor" ), such as taste, sight, hearing, smell, touch and the mind through a self- after - inside - straightening.

Through this internalization of consciousness sensations to be generally more aware and more controllable. Through regular practice as carrying out further steps easier. It is not, however a limitation of the senses, on the contrary, the mind to perceive subtleties to be trained, which would otherwise remain hidden from the senses.

On an advanced level is also taught how the activity of the involuntary muscles can be affected. These techniques go smoothly into the pranayama. Another technique of Pratyahara is to focus on the point between the eyebrows, the ajna chakra ( third eye ).

Interpretations

The Sanskrit term pratyahara is derived from the verb root hr ( take ) and modified to Hara. Anticipation, the two prefixes ã (back to, towards ) and prati (back ), which is to praty by the following ã. So Pratyahara literally means taking back or retracting (of something). In the source code of yoga, there are different interpretations of Pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali these first looks at Asana and Pranayama. He explains that the spirit is collected and aligned by pranayama. In this collection of mind it refers, if it is received at the end of the second chapter on Pratyahara. Literally it says: " Pratyahara (the state), when the senses have no contact with their own objects and it is as if they accepted their own form of the spirit. " In Patanjali So Pratyahara is no volitional activity of the practitioner, but the result ( siddhi ) of the Spirit collection by pranayama. This view is explicitly stated in some comments. So Vyasa writes: "If the queen bee flies up, afterwards the bees swarm when the queen bee alights, also the bees settle down. In the same way the senses are controlled, when the mind is dominated " Hariharanandaji Aranya is in his commentary even clearer ." In other forms of discipline of control of senses meaning should be kept away from the objects or the mind must be strengthened and reassured, or any other methods must be used. But this is not necessary in Pratyahara; the determination of the mind is sufficient. In whatever direction the spirit is brought voluntarily always, the senses follow him ... " A similar interpretation of Pratyahara is found in the Gherandasamhita from the 17th century. It says in the fourth chapter to Pratyahara: " Wherever goes the wandering and restless spirit, from where it is to be redeemed and brought under the control of the Atman. "

In contrast, the Vasistha Samhita, the Yogavajnavalkya Samhita and the Sandilya Upanishad ( Upanishads ) interpret the Pratyahara as an active process. In the first two scriptures it is said unanimously: " The nature of the senses is to migrate to the sense objects. The powerful retraction ( balat aharana ) of them is called Pratyahara. "Here is thus assumed that the practitioner must do something. A detailed guide on what to do, is not described. Also in the Hathapradipika is talk rather of an active doing. It describes pratyahara as "the gradual withdrawal of the senses, such as eyes, etc., which are directed to their objects, this is called Pratyahara. "

A third, very different interpretation can be found at Gorakhnath, one of the founders of Hatha Yoga. With him Pratyahara becomes a physical exercise ( asana ), namely to reverse attitude Viparita Karani Mudra. This is where the idea comes into play, the head is a shell that is filled with the nectar of life ( Amrta ). This dripping steadily down to the navel, and we were there from the fire of the sun (solar plexus, solar plexus, Manipura Chakra ) consumed. In this sense, Pratyahara is described by Gorakhnath as the retention of this nectar. In Gorakshashataka it says: "The sun attracts the nectar flow from the moon to him. This withhold is called Pratyahara .... The navel is above and the palate below, the sun is up and the moon is down. This exercise is known as Viparitakarani .... "

Source

Uwe groom: " The history of Pratyahara " in VIVEKA, books for yoga, Issue 37