Pratyahara Practices in Yoga Nidra

 Pratyahara and the types of it

The withdrawal of the senses (jnanendriyas or buddhiindriyas) and the organs of actions (karmendriyas) is named Pratyahara. 

At the stage of Pratyahara, the consciousness of the individual is internalized in order that the jnanendriyas, the sensations from the senses of touching (tvak), hearing (shrotra), seeing (chakshu), tasting (rasa) and smelling (ghrana) don't reach their respective centers in the brain. Also the karmendriyas, the forces inherent in the physical organs are internalized too. These forces of the organs are the vocal chords (vak), hands (pani), feet (pada), excretory organs (payu) and reproductive organs (upastha).  

This involves withdrawal of senses, or sensory inputs into our physical being, coming from our five senses, namely organs creating a sensory overload, and hence hinders collection of the mind, dharana, the next stage of Ashtanga Yoga. 

Control of our senses requires mastery over the flow of prana, as that is what drives the senses. To stop the scattering of valuable vital energy of the body or prana, we need to seek control over its flow, and harmonize it. This is done through various practices including bringing the entire focus to a single point in the body.

As we mentioned before Pratyahara is the control of forces of organs of action and also the control of the senses. This leads to the two types of Pratyahara. First, the Control of Action (Karma Pratyahara), which entails not just control of motor organs, but also right action or work, and Karma Yoga, surrender of every action to the Divine and performing it as an act of service. And Second type, the Withdrawal of Mind (Mano Pratyahara), which is practiced by consciously withdrawing attention from anything that is unwholesome, and distracting for the mind such as by withdrawing attention from the senses, and directing it inwards.

Pratyahara Practices in Yoga Nidra

In Yoga Nidra we use different kinds of Pratyahara practices. Some of them are:

- Pranayama Pratyahara – Breathing consciously and doing different Pranayama practices without using the fingers is one of the beloved practices in Yoga Nidra. Practicing this type of Pratyahara we automatically withdraw from the external and bring our focus inwards towards our breath, as connection with the external senses and stimuli are all severed gradually.

- Ajna Dharana Pratyahara - Another method that is used to aid in the development of Pratyahara is to concentrate on the point between the eyebrows. This can bring us instantly in a very deep spiritual level.

- One sense Concentration Pratyahara. Also common practice is to concentrate on one sense, such as hearing, smelling, touching etc. The mind has a natural tendency to roam between the sensory inputs. In this situation, as there are no longer any other significant sensory inputs, when the mind gets tired of hearing, smelling, touching etc., it is forced to turn inward.

- Antara Akasha Pratyahara – Working with specific regions inside the body, for specific results.

- Vital points Pratyahara – Drawing prana from specific points we can create an advance stage of internalization.  

- Nadis Pratyahara – Working with our meridians is a very deep practice of Pratyahara.

- Nadi Vigyam Pratyahara – Working with the pulsations in the nadis is also an advance level practice of Pratyahara.

Yoga Nidra is a very deep practice and not a simple relaxation technique. It has so many things to work with and is a Highway toward awareness and Samadhi!