Yoga Stories Episode 12: Pratyahara

How do you talk about withdrawal of the senses? (Or indeed how do you present that in a photo?) That's how pratyahara is most often translated. The fifth limb of yoga is perhaps something that happens to you when you practice consistently, rather than a recognisable practice or tradition that you can follow. After our discussion about Prana, however, it makes more sense in that context: by making the mind the master of the "sense organs" you can learn to put them under your control, allowing you to focus the mind more successfully.

One really common distraction we are all having to learn to control, which makes pratyahara more difficult, is the smart phone. Indeed any of our electronic devices nowadays is designed to stimulate and occupy the "monkey mind". So for many of us the first step to Pratyahara is going to be switching off the phone.

And when does your teacher stop being your teacher? There's a definite difference of opinion there!