Pratyahara and Ayurveda

 

Yoga has eight limbs. Yama (observance), niyama (disciplines), asana (postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (control of senses), and dharana (concentration), dhayana (meditation), Samadhi (absorption).

 Pratyahara is 5^th limb of the Astanga Yoga.

The ultimate aim of yoga is to make of our mind raise to feel oneness with Super conscious (Divine consciousness) state. To start with only by observing ourselves (yama), we can gain control on ourselves. By practicing asana (right postures) and breath control (Pranayama) one develops sense control and self- control, mind focuses to meditate. This practice of sense control, self-control is called as PRATYAHARA.

Pratyahara internalises energies to focus during meditation to enjoy the bliss of feeling the union with divine consciousness. In this state one realises that God and individual are one. 

What is Pratyhara?

The term “pratyahara” is composed of two Sanskrit words, prati and ahara. “Ahara” means “food,” or “anything we take into ourselves from the outside.” “Prati” is a preposition meaning “against” or “away.” “Pratyahara” means literally “control of ahara,” or “gaining mastery over external influences.” It has been compared to a turtle withdrawing into its shell—the turtle’s shell is the mind and the turtle’s limbs are the senses. The term is usually translated as “withdrawal from the senses,” but much more is implied.

In yogic thought there are three levels of ahara, or food. The first is physical food that brings in the five elements necessary to nourish the body—earth, water, fire, air, and ether. The second is impressions, which bring in the subtle substances necessary to nourish the mind—the sensations of sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell that constitute the subtle elements: sound/ether, touch/air, sight/fire, taste/water, and smell/earth. The third level of ahara is our associations, the people we hold at heart level who serve to nourish the soul and affect us with the gunas of sattva, rajas, and tamas (the prime qualities of harmony, distraction, or inertia).

How to practice?

Pratyahara is twofold. It involves withdrawal from wrong food, wrong impressions, and wrong associations, while simultaneously opening up to right food, right impressions, and right associations. We cannot control our mental impressions without right diet and right relationships, but pratyahara’s primary importance lies in withdrawal from or control of sensory impressions, which frees the mind to move within.

Result of practice of Pratyahara

By withdrawing our awareness from negative impressions, pratyahara strengthens the mind’s powers of immunity. Just as a healthy body resists toxins and pathogens, a healthy mind resists the negative sensory influences around it. Pratyahara helps us not to get easily disturbed by the noise and turmoil of the environment around us. Without it, we will not be able to meditate.

Ayurveda and Pratyahara

As per Ayurveda, having born as human being, to know our true-self is our primary Dharma. The karma that we have to follow this dharma is prescribed in Ayurveda.

The karma that we need to follow is intake of right food and practice of life style every day.

If one becomes aware of their Prakruthi and Vikruthi, of dosha constitution in them, it becomes easy to practice Pratyahara.

Pratyahara, as right management of the mind and senses, is essential and good for all constitutional types. It is the most important factor for mental nutrition. However, it is most essential for those with a vata constitution who tend towards imbalanced or excessive sensory and mental activity. All vata types should practice some form of pratyahara daily. Their restless vata distracts the senses, disturbs the motor organs and prana, and makes the mind restless. Pratyahara reverse harmful vata and turns it into a positive force of prana. Kapha types, on the other hand, generally su4er from too little activity, including on a sensory level. They may slip into tamasic patterns of being lazy, watching television or sitting around the house. They need more mental stimulation and benefit from sensory activity of a higher nature, like visualizations of various types. Pitta types generally have more control of the senses than the others and incline toward martial-type activities in which they discipline the body and the senses. They need to practice pratyahara as a means of relaxing the personal will and lettingthe divine will work through them.

Ayurveda recognizes that the inappropriate use of the senses is one of the main causes of disease. All mental disease is connected with the intake of unwholesome impressions. Pratyahara therefore is an important first step in treating all mental disorders. Similarly it is very helpful in treating nervous system disorders, particularly those that arise through hyperactivity. Most of the time we overly express our emotions, which loses tremendous energy. Pratyahara teaches us to hold our energy within and not disperse it unnecessarily. This conserved energy can be drawn upon for creative, spiritual or healing purposes as needed and can provide the extra power to do the things that are really important to us. Physical disease mainly arises from taking in unwholesome food. Pratyahara affords us control of the senses so that we do not crave wrong food. When the senses are controlled, everything is controlled and no wrong or artificial cravings can arise.

Senses withdraw from intake of wrong food, wrong impressions and wrong associations. Once senses are controlled, self – control develops to takein right food, right impressions and be in right association.

Thus both sense organs and action organs will work with perfect coordination to achieve self-realisation. That is why Ayurveda emphasizes right use of the senses as one of the most important factors in right living and disease prevention.