Pratyahara - Retraction Of The Senses

Many spiritual leaders have suggested their own paths for their followers. One such path which is very methodical and logical is Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. Patanjali, the great ancient exponent of Raja Yoga, wrote that the path to enlightenment embraces eight stages. This eight-limbed approach, known as Ashtanga Yoga is not to be mistaken as a step-by-step approach but a multidimensional approach in which all eight limbs are practiced simultaneously. 

The 8 fold path consist of the following:

1. Yama
2. Niyama
3. Asana
4. Pranayama
5. Pratyahara
6. Dharana
7. Dhyana
8. Samadhi

I have covered Yama, Niyama in earlier blogs and in this blog I will covere Pratyahara. I will leave it to the reader to refer the numerous documentation available on Asana and Pranayama. 

This limb of Ashtanga Yoga deals with the preparation to meditation. Pratyahara means drawing back or retreat. The word ahara means "nourishment"; pratyahara translates as "to withdraw oneself from that which nourishes the senses." In yoga, the term pratyahara implies withdrawal of the senses from attachment to external objects.

When we came into this world we came with a basic defect. Rather than being focused inward to understand our true purpose of this existence, we focused outward to enjoy the sense objects of this dream world. As I have covered earlier, desire for objects of this world is unending and is as much a cause for misery as it is for temporary happiness when acquired. Hence every scripture talks about the need to give up desires. But this is easier said than done. In this phase of Astanga Yoga we are asked to withdraw, the analogy being a tortoise withdrawing into its shell to protect itself. So, what is being said is that we should withdraw internally to protect us from the desires.

So, how do we withdraw? Does it help to withdraw from the world and go to a dark cave where the sense organs cannot find any sense object to desire? Just because I move away does not mean I have gone away from desires. Without a proper training of the mind, any attempt to withdraw can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms which may be worse than going after the object of desire. 

Can I be in this world and ensure my sense organs and action organs are prevented from reacting to objects of desire? We have read in The Adventures of Ulysses by Homer about a set of sirens singing so well that anyone listening would be suicidally prone to jump ship and go to them. Ulysses had himself tied with chains to the ship whereas his crew covered their ears when their ship passed by the sirens.  He heard them sing and was strongly tempted to jump, but was held back by the chains. Do you think such a solution will help us withdraw from the outside objects?

So, what is the way out? To understand the withdrawal process, we need to understand the out seeking process and trace backwards. When we see an object of desire like a flower, jewelry etc. with our sense organ, the eye, a signal is sent to the Mind. The mind is like a clearing house getting all these signals, but not knowing what to do. Should I pluck that flower or not? Should I buy that jewel or not? The mind goes to the Intellect for guidance. If the intellect is pure, it will make a well reasoned decision and tell the mind what to do and that in turn tells the action organs what to do. 

There is one missing element here still. Why is it that someone can get attracted to drinking by seeing an advertisement for liquor and it does not affect me in the least? Why is it that a new book attracts me whereas it does not have any impact on my friend? The question is why do we desire what we desire? The answer to that is our hidden desires accumulated over several births which have created a pattern in our Identity and since, out of ignorance of our true self, we have identified with the Ego which has dethroned the Soul, we as a separate entity are impacted by our accumulated desires. These give rise to related thoughts which create desire in the mind when sense organs sense those objects.

The intellect has for its guidance either of 2 entities. It can take the guidance of the pure effulgent Soul or the impure Ego which has dethroned the soul. So depending on what is guiding the intellect, the decision conveyed to the mind will differ.

Now that we have a model, let us come back to withdrawal. The sense organs need to move away from sense objects. The mind has to be guided by the intellect, which in turn should ensure it is not clouded by emotions of the mind, but by the effulgence of the Soul. The intellect also should sharpen its focus internally and realize that it has to unite with the Soul and not be swayed by the Ego. This completes the withdrawal process and leads a seeker on the path of Divinity. 

All the above is fine to read and admire.  But how is this put into practice? We will cover that in the subsequent step called Dhyana.

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