Pratyahara - The Fifth Limb

Anecdotal Anatomy

Withdrawal of the Senses.

Returning to Yoga-8, the limbs of practice, E61 is all about Pratyahara (the fifth limb) withdrawal of the senses. Even after decades of study, practice, and teaching, there are aspects of Yoga that are a constant curiosity, Pratyahara is one of them.

Sherry & Theresa decided to go on a field trip before tackling this notion of sense withdrawal and went floating. That’s right, floating. Floating is akin to what we used to refer to as a, “sensory deprivation tank.” That was the expectation, total sensory deprivation. While the hosts did not withdraw from all their senses, they talk a bit about how the focus of floating in darkness that is the same with eyes open as closed, had an influence on their sensory experience that opened doors to understanding Pratyahara in a new way.

Floating offered a new language with which to offer clarity (or at least an alternate road to clarity).

This episode touches on what Pratyahara is, how it can be practiced in the modern world, and benefits of practice. Pratyahara is the 5th of 8 limbs and is the first of the more contemplative practices. Talking about Pratyahara brought up other subtle body anatomy maps (chakras, koshas, and more) which curiously overlay each other in symbiotic ways.

Pratyahara asks us to notice what we notice.

This conversation covers some of the basics, but if you wish to understand Pratyahara (or any of these limbs) in a more scholarly way, absolutely find a teacher with whom you can do the deeper dives.

Major voices in the transmission of these teachings were sourced, including BKS Iyengar, Richard Freeman, TKV Desikachar, & Dr. David Frawley (see below for links)

Sources:

Light on Yoga – B.K.S. Iyengar

Mirror of Yoga – Richard Freeman

Heart of Yoga – T.K.V. Desikachar

Pratyahara - Yoga's Forgotten Limb, by Dr. David Frawley

If you're local and want to FLOAT, check out:

Sense Zero Float in Yardley

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