Have you noticed that when you have a pain in the body but you are busy doing something that distracts you, you end up forgetting about the pain so you don't feel it? The pain actually disappears when your mind is focused on something else. But when you suddenly remember the pain, then it instantly re-appears! Our minds are powerful! We literally create our reality with our minds! That on which our mind is focused gets heavier and expands, becomes more important than anything else, and everything else in which our mind is not focused disappears. Our senses follow our mind. Wherever our mind goes, our senses follow. If there is a mosquito bite in your arm and you think about it, it itches. If there is a sound outside that you have not noticed and someone tells you about it, you immediately hear it because your mind turns into it. But maybe before noticing it you were so concentrated on a conversation that nothing else outside was perceived. Prathyahara is the fifth limb of yoga. It is the withdrawal of the senses, which helps the mind to be focused. For this purpose we practice asana (yoga postures) and pranayamas (regulation of the breath), because on a peaceful breath and a comfortable and steady posture our mind can be still and not distracted by the outside. When there is no reaction on the mind, the senses are not driven away, and the stillness can be in place. The best moment for practicing Prathyahara is when we are in Savasana. It is through the practice of Prathyahara that we access the last 3 limbs of Yoga called Samyama: Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. If you want to explore a little more about those 3 limbs check my profile and look for the philosophy posts called: #dropsofyogicwisdom #prathyahara #withdrawalofthesenses #ashtanga #8limbsofyoga #yogasutrasofpatanjali #yogaphilosophy
