Pratyahara: Where We Put Our Energy

“Yama-niyama-āsana-prāṇāyāma-pratyāhāra-dhāraṇā-dhyāna-samādhayo’ṣṭāvaṅgāni.”
Restraint, Observance, Seat, Breath Control, Sense Withdrawal, Concentration, Meditation, and Ecstasy are the eight limbs of Yoga.
- Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras II.29

In yoga, pratyahara is often described as the practice of withdrawing the senses inward. Instead of allowing our energy to be scattered across endless outer distractions, pratyahara invites us to redirect attention to the inner world.

It serves as a bridge between the more external practices—yama, niyama, asana, pranayama—and the more subtle, inner practices—dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. By softening our grip on the external, we create space to remember who we really are: pure consciousness.

Where Does Our Energy Go?

Much of our day is spent projecting outward. We worry about how we look, how others see us, and how we want to be perceived. These behaviors may seem harmless, but they consume an enormous amount of energy.

Pratyahara doesn’t mean we stop caring for ourselves or abandon beauty altogether. Instead, it asks:

How much of my energy goes into creating and protecting an outer image? And-what would happen if I let some of that go?

One way to support this practice is satsang-being with people who share an interest in yoga and self-realization. In supportive company, we feel less pressure to maintain a carefully crafted image and more freedom to simply be.

The Noise We Take In

In our modern world, it’s not just self-image that pulls us outward. Information bombards us constantly-news, TV, emails, social media, advertising. Each piece tugs at our emotions, demanding a reaction. Often, our strategy is to numb ourselves with gossip, alcohol, or distractions. But this only adds more agitation.

Yoga invites us to choose differently. Instead of layering more noise on top of noise, we can ask:

What calms my mind? What helps me digest what I’ve already taken in?

A helpful exercise is to notice distractions during practice. Write down what made concentration difficult in your asana or meditation. Seeing these thoughts on paper reveals what you’re “chewing on” and helps you decide what inputs to reduce.

The Inner Mechanics

Samkhya philosophy gives us a framework for understanding what happens in pratyahara.

We have five sense organs (buddhendriyas) and five organs of action (karmendriyas: speech, grasping, movement, elimination, procreation). These often function automatically-see brownie, want brownie, grab brownie.

But we also have the mind (manas), ego (ahamkara), and intelligence (buddhi). Through practice, we can pause between sensation and action, reflect, and choose. Instead of being pulled by impulse, we act consciously, guided by ethics and compassion. This shift reduces distraction, softens the ego, and brings peace within and around us.

A simple way to begin: practice observing like a witness. Notice thoughts without judgment or story. Recognise: this is just a thought, and let it pass. Each time you do, you move closer to buddhi-the quiet intelligence that perceives truth.

From Outer Fixation to Inward Revelation

Pratyahara reveals just how deeply our culture, habits, and conditioning shape our consciousness. Yet by turning inward, we begin to see more clearly, loosen the grip of ego, and touch the deeper Self.

As Sharon Gannon and David Life write in Jivamukti Yoga:
“Through pratyahara we can journey from the outer fixation to inward revelation.”

Practical Ways to Explore Pratyahara

Here are a few ways you can bring this limb of yoga into daily life and practice:

• Use the drishti (gaze) in asana. Keep the eyes open but soften what you see. Focus without fixating.

• Include inversions. Shoulderstand and headstand turn the world upside down, calming the mind and shifting perspective.

• Practice shanmukhi mudra. Close off the senses gently with the hands, and listen inward.

• Fast from media. Try a weekend without social media or television. Notice what spaciousness opens.

• Identify a personal “addiction.” Chocolate, work, scrolling, shopping… notice where your energy flows unconsciously, and experiment with softening its hold.

The Invitation

Pratyahara isn’t about shutting out the world completely. It’s about remembering that our energy is precious and choosing where to place it. When we stop scattering it outward, we find a deeper well within.

From there, concentration, meditation, and even glimpses of samadhi become possible.

So ask yourself:

Where is my energy going today-and how can I bring some of it home?

Read: Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul by Sharon Gannon & David Life