“In Sūtra 1.10 Patañjali defines Nidrā as a
Citta Vṛtti or, a specific type of cognition, one
where Tamas is the object, to the point where
the mind’s link with external stimuli is cut off.
How do we discern between states such as
Pratyāhāra as a disengagement, or Samādhi,
where one is as if empty of one’s own character,
and what is seen as the experience of Tamo Nidrā?”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter One verse 10

“Prāṇāyāma leads to this. Pratyāhāra,
to see without the senses distracting or pulling the mind,
and Dhāraṇā –
To see without the mind losing itself,
because of colouring or expectations.
Dhyānam arises out of this.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 49

“Pratyāhāra –
To see without the senses distracting or pulling the mind.”
– TKV Desikachar on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“Pratyāhāra is a process that encourages us
to explore the means by which we can learn
to step out of the flow of the river of the senses.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“Pratyāhāra is the absence of a link
from the mind with the senses,
rather than the absence of a link
from the senses with the mind.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“Pratyāhāra is the ability of the Manas
to resist the dance of the senses.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“Pratyāhāra is not feeding the tendency of the Citta to
automatically form a positive, negative, or neutral identification
with whatever stimuli the senses present to it.
From that we can begin to understand how
their external gathering activities stimulate our conscious
and especially, unconscious choices.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“The Dasa Indriya or ten senses of experience and action,
whilst seen as belonging to the Bāhya Aṅga or five external limbs
in the eight limb Aṣṭa Aṅga Yoga of Patañjali,
are also the gateway to the Antar Aṅga or three internal limbs.”
– Paul Harvey on Yoga Sūtra Chapter Two verse 54

“Pratyāhāra means withdrawing from that on which we are feeding.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 152

“Pratyāhāra does not mean we look at an object and say.
‘We are not going to look at that object’.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 153

“If we are completely absorbed in the breath in Prāṇāyāma,
automatically there is Pratyāhāra.”
– TKV Desikachar Religiousness in Yoga Chapter Eleven Page 153

“Amongst other roles Ujjāyī
is a breathing technique that
can facilitate the ability to remain
in the doorway of awareness,
neither going in and introverting, when
tempted by the manoeuvring of the mind,
nor going out and extroverting, when
tempted by the shimmering of the senses.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

“Don’t get stuck on the sticky.
Learn Prāṇāyāma.
Learn Pratyāhāra.
Learn Nādānusandhāna.
Learn Adhyayanam.
Learn Dhyānam.”
– 108 Yoga Practice Pointers

Links to Related Posts:

• Pratyāhāra is not feeding the minds identification with the senses……
• Reflections on TKV Desikachar’s Teaching and Svatantra……