In Yoga Nidra's books we can read that it is a Pratyahara Practice, but this is a simplification of what it really is. Yoga Nidra includes the Pratyahara Practices in the beginning of it and leads at the end to Samyama Practices. According to this point of view, Yoga Nidra is not a supplementary Yoga Practice, but a whole Sadhana, with which someone can explore the deepest parts of existence and reaches to Samadhi.
At the first stages of the Yoga Nidra Practice we give much importance to Pratyahara as the Sadhaka (practitioner) must introvert the mind energies (manas) and bring them back to Inner Space. Pratyahara (Devanāgarī प्रत्याहार) is the withdrawal of the indriyas (the energies of the organs of senses and actions) and is the fifth step or branch, from the Eight Stages of Yoga, according to Yoga Sutras, Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. So Pratyahara is not the withdrawal of senses only, but the withdrawal of indriyas, which are karmendriyas and jnanendriyas.
Pratyahara, is a gate which, from the external stages, Bahiranga, (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama) leads the practitioner to the internal stages, Antaranga (dharana, dhyana, Samadhi). According to Samkhya Dharasana, it is a Royal Way which leads from Manas (mind), to Ahamkara (cosmic ego), to Buddhi (Mahat, Cosmic Intelligence), from there to Mula Prakriti (Primary Cause) and at the end to Purusha, Kaivalya (Self, Liberation). Having actualized the Pratyahara stage, a practitioner is able to effectively engage into the practice of Samyama.
Pratyahara is defined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali verse 2.54 as follows:
“When the mental organs of senses and actions (indriyas) cease to be engaged with the corresponding objects in their mental realm, and assimilate or turn back into the mind-field from which they arose, this is called Pratyahara, and is the fifth step.”
The late parts of Yoga Nidra Practice as the concentration on the Archetypical images, the dissolution of images, the gates, the clear light etc. are parts of Samyama Practices. Samyama (Devanāgarī संयम), means holding together, tying up, binding, integration. Combined simultaneous practice of Dhāraṇā (concentration), Dhyāna (meditation) & Samādhi (union with the Self). It is a tool to receive deeper knowledge of qualities of an object or situation.
Samyama is defined in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali verses 3.1 through 3.6 as follows:
“Fixing the consciousness on one point or region is concentration (Dhāraṇā). A steady, continuous flow of attention directed towards the same point or region is meditation (Dhyāna). When the object of meditation engulfs the meditator, appearing as the subject, self-awareness is lost. This is Samādhi. These three together [dhāraṇā, dhyāna and samādhi] constitute integration or Saṃyama. From mastery of Saṃyama comes the light of awareness and insight.”
Yoga Nidra is a Royal (Raja) Tantric Sadhana, (Spiritual Practice) which can lead the Sadhaka to the Self. The Internal Space is as vast as the universe around us and someone can explore the Internal Space through Yoga Nidra. If travelling around the world is a very nice experience! Travelling into Inner Space is thousand times more exiting! Yoga Nidra is the Spacecraft!!! A travel towards the Center of the Existence, towards the Self!
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