Ever since that bombastically beautiful Harvest Moon a few weeks ago, I have been feeling the pull of the earth more profoundly. Fall has descended. My attention is turning inward, and this leaves me with a wonderful sense of relief. Pratyahara has become the queen of my practice.
What is Pratyahara?
Pratyahara is one of the eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga (not the physical Ashtanga Yoga– see these earlier posts for clarification). It is the 5th limb, where the yogi begins to shift the practice to the inner realms. Pratyahara has been translated many ways (of course!), but the definition I am most keen on comes from Nischala Joy Devi:
Encouraging the senses to draw inward is Pratyahara.
The way I understand it, practicing pratyahara releases us from the illusion that we are unhappy that is caused by the distractions our senses are susceptible to. That is to say: you are whole, you are happy, you are absolute bliss at your core; eliminating distractions will help you remember that.
Why is Pratyahara a perfect practice for autumn?
Both practically and energetically here in in the Northern Hemisphere, fall is a natural time to begin focusing on indoor tasks. The blooms and abundant fruits of summer have faded, the night lingers and perhaps the explosive, frenetic pace of summer has simply worn us all out. What a wonderful time to return to the inner realms of our lives and consciousness.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fall is the time of Yin, which completely supports the practice of pratyahara. Moreover, in Ayurveda, Autumn is Vata (air), which after the Pitta (fire) of summer can leave one feeling a bit agressively ungrounded. More evidence that now is the time for Pratyahara.
What to do?
I think it is really important to take time every day to be quiet (not just at bedtime) and to get intentional rest. Often, in those times of silence and release, you will find insights about what exactly you need to do to begin turning inward, away from external distractions. The things that work for me are
- Forward folds (especially seated forward folds) and Yin Yoga.
- Uncomplicated meditation.
- Mono-tasking (only taking on one task at a time).
- Adjusting my diet to honor the change in season.
I will take each of these practices (and more) in turn over the next few posts, refining and expanding on how they relate to Pratyahara and how they can help you become calmer, more clear and more happy.
Blessings, Kelly
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