Pratyahara

     In Sanskrit, Pratya means "to withdrawal" and Ahara means "to anything we take in by ourselves, such as the various sights, sounds and smells our senses take in continuously." Therefore the fifth limb of Patanjali's Eight Fold Path, is a practice of the withdrawal of the five senses.

     During this practice, the practitioner draws the senses inwards to bring attention to the inner world instead of expending energy exclusively on the outer world. What we perceive in the outer world is just one part of our whole Consciousness and the inner world needs to be experienced.

     This practice acts as a connection, connecting the outer practices of Yama, Niyama, Asana and Pranayama to the inner practices of Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi.  

     This is a short practice that can be used to cultivate the withdrawal of the five senses. As you go about your day, try to not judging anything, the weather, other people, smells, what you hear as well as what you see. Just be the observer without though or judgment, experience what is at that current moment without defining or narrating the experience.

     As the average person goes about there day, they do not fully appreciate the present moment because we are to busy placing judgment on everything which creates barriers between you and creation, as well as creating a barrier between you and other people. 

     As we place judgment on other people, we take there humanity away from them. As we slowly take someone's humanity away, we then are justified in how poorly we can treat them because of how we see them. It is easy to see the worst in people or to see just there faults, but you need to remember and accept that you have faults of your own.