Pratyahara, the fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga, is the practice of sense withdrawal—turning attention away from the external world and drawing it inward. While the senses normally serve as our connection to the outside world, they can also bind us to patterns of distraction, craving, and reaction. In yogic philosophy, this entanglement is part of what keeps us caught in samsara, the cycle of suffering and rebirth.
Turning inward through Pratyahara can feel unfamiliar—even unsettling at first—because it means letting go of the familiar pull of the senses. But this inward turn is not about deprivation; it's about discovering the vast, rich stillness within. It is a courageous and transformative act that quiets the noise of the outer world and prepares the practitioner for the focused inner work of meditation. In that silence, a deeper joy begins to emerge—one that doesn’t depend on sensory experience, but arises from the Self itself.
