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Achieving peace on and off the yoga mat requires a quiet mind and focus on the present.
BY SHAILAJA MENON
As set out in the fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga, or the eight- fold path of the Patanjali Yoga
Sutras, pratyahara means ‘to bring back’. It refers to the withdrawal of our senses from the distractions of the world. Like a tortoise withdrawing its limbs into its shell, our minds too should be able to withdraw from the pull of our senses.
This is because, if we cannot apply the concept of pratyahara, we really have no ability to meditate. In fact, no kind of focus is possible as long as our minds remain under the influence of the senses.
Thus for achievement of any kind, in any field, it is important that we are able to withdraw from the many
distractions the world provides, and focus on the job at hand through the application of pratyahara. This in turn, releases a fountain of energy from within us that spurs us on to achieve more.
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