Pratyahara
In first grade we are taught that we have five senses: touch, taste, smell, sight and sound.
But did you know that many neurologists and environmental psychologists concur that we actually have 9 senses?
Add to the original 5:
➡️ Thermoception: sense of heat or changes in temperature
➡️ Nociception: sense of pain or perceived threat to tissue integrity
➡️ Equilibrioception: sense of balance
➡️ Proprioception: sense of where the body is positioned in space
and we can agree that our bodies are remarkably tuned in to our external environment through an incredible collection of sensory cells that respond to specific phenomena.
(Just FYI: some experts posit that we actually have 21 senses if we include the finely nuanced internal responses to gravity, air pressure, motion, pheromones, etc. that happens under our skin, often without our conscious awareness.)
To address the onslaught of external stimulation our senses are constantly engaged in, yoga philosophy developed the concept of Pratyahara, which means “withdrawing of the senses inward.”
Next time you’re in Final Relaxation (savasana) try this Pratyahara Meditation:
First, become hyper-aware of the sounds you hear in the room around you. Then, move deeper and listen to the sound of your breath moving in your own body.
Next, become hyper-aware of the feeling of your clothes and the sensation of the air on your skin. Then, move deeper and feel the blood moving in your own veins.
Now, become aware of the color behind your eyelids. Then, move your gaze inward. Gaze gently inward and soften your senses.
As you rest, allow yourself to move toward inner silence as you listen, feel and look inward for the wisdom of your body.
Click the button below to LISTEN for FREE to this Guided Meditation. Scroll down till you reach Meditation and Systematic Relaxation Practices and find “Pratyahara Meditation” for Contemplation.
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