23d (edited) • Yoga
Why We Do Yoga + Pratyahara
It's natural for us to seek happiness externally because the human body has 5 senses.
- Sight
- Sound
- Smell
- Taste
- Touch
All of our senses open outwardly, they point outward - so naturally as human beings we are naturally seeking sense enjoyments and pleasures externally. The thing is, if we're not careful, we can become dependent on those externals as a source of happiness (foods, places, people).
Desirous attachment then arises. Desirous attachment is one of the main root delusions. Delusions lead to suffering. With wisdom, we can recognize this and understand that our peace of mind does not come from external sources - peace comes from within.
This is why yoga was created - for us to go inwards for our peace instead of seeking it externally. We go inwards to connect.
This is the 6th limb of yoga, called Pratyahara, or sense withdrawal. It's often a misunderstood limb of yoga but definitely a good one to know and practice. Practicing sense withdrawal is great way to bring the practice off of your mat and into daily life. A few ways you can practice Pratyahara (sense withdrawal)
- Go for a walk outside in nature with no headphones
- Drive in your car without the radio off and connect to the experience
- Reduce strolling time on your phone or set a screen limit timer
- Do the dishes our chores without music or TV in the backround
- Focus on the breath.
If you want to try it - pick one of these things, practice it with intention, then report back how your experience was. Have you heard of this limb of yoga before?
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Why We Do Yoga + Pratyahara
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