Pratyahara is returning to the source, by which the senses do not come into contact with their corresponding objects then, the mind is in original form.
Our intellect is always trained to put one against the other like, ‘White is good therefore black is bad, small is good and the big is bad’ just the way we always put one against the other, when we say ‘you turn inwards away from the object’ then somehow in our psychology, many people who give their philosophy come with idea that the words ‘Turn In’ are asking the man to turn inwards, away from the object world outside. The thought goes that it is because objects in the world are bad and it is horrible and the world is painted in such a ghastly way that it does not become a spiritual way of looking at it. This world is supposed to be Maya Mithya and full of failures and misery. There is a lot of contempt about this world.
Those who have contempt for this world are not really into the inward spiritual journey. They have contempt for the world the way that it is and want the world with their own specifications. It is not that the world is bad but the world is not according to their own wishes. In a true sense this is not really turning inwards. Also try to find out those people who constantly say this world is bad and horrible. Do they leave anything in this outside world? They are looking for their own comforts and their own demands in this world. They are not agreeable for any compromise on that aspect. On the other hand many times they end up having greater demands in the world than the people who are ordinary and normal in this world.
Normally such people say that the world is horrible, that the world is temporary, and that it is for the sake of others, not for them. It is like the fox in the popular story who says that the grapes are sour. The story that we hear is that a fox tried to eat grapes but could not reach them therefore he said that the grapes are sour. We are happy with that story, which I heard even in my childhood. But after growing up I realized that there can be something beyond the superficial understanding.The fox X went out early in the morning and saw the beautiful grapes and felt hungry. Wanting to eat those grapes, he jumped for them, only to find out that he could not reach. But the grapes looked sweet from a close distance. And they appeared very good and so again, the fox tried a couple of times to catch the grapes. This time the fox almost touched the nose of the grapes. Not only do the grapes look sweet but the smell is also sweet and even the touch is also very sweet but unfortunately sweetness belongs to the taste and not to touch or smell or sight. By this time the sun came up and the fox X was also tired. So he resigned from any attempt and was going back, even at this time the grapes were very sweet for him but he could not reach it ! But suddenly when he saw that his friend fox Y who is bigger and stronger was coming in the opposite direction and he was very sure that this friend fox might get these grapes which he did not get . Fox X says “my dear friend, by going that way you might find the grapes hanging at the tree but don't try that because those grapes are sour”. A simple common sense is if those grapes are hanging there, it means that this fox has not eaten! How does he know they are sweet or sour!
So do not believe those who say the world is an illusion or bad or a dream version because they say so when they did not get what they wanted and the others are getting. So they say that this world is horrible like sour grapes.
World is a wonderful place; the world has such a great variety, that every moment something new is appearing in this world and therefore the world is very dynamic. This gives rise to another question.
If the world is so beautiful and wonderful and dynamic then why do we need to go inwards, why do we need to go to meditation?
The simple answer for that is that this beautiful mystery called the world is not just happening like that, it is coming from somewhere hidden deep inside. How many people are really enchanted by this mystery called the world? We don't know, in fact, one in 1 million doesn't even try to enquire about what is there behind this world. Only here and there a few would go in that particular direction. It is basically to see how they can explore to see that there is something extraordinary behind this world. We can appreciate that idea by watching the mango tree with varieties of mangoes. That huge tree with branches and leaves, flowers and fruits comes from a simple seed and you don't know what intelligence is there in that seed, that can bring about all these things. If one sample mango seed can have such an extraordinary message that it can be translated into millions of mangoes, is there a way that I can go to that depth to understand.
The idea of going deep inside the world is not possible for our limited instrument of body mind complex. We are like the simple waves of the ocean, getting stuck with the world is like us getting stuck with the beautiful, wonderful and glittering waves and then there is no way that we can go deep into the ocean. The very waves hide the ocean behind it. When the waves are so active they will prevent us from seeing how deep the ocean is. The waves are there in the ocean because of the depth behind. If you take the same ocean water in a cup you don't find any waves. Waves are coming because of the depth of the ocean and the depth of the ocean is so much that a Himalaya can be hidden very easily under that. The world outside is like a tip of an iceberg and down in the water is the huge ice mountain !
In the same way, what you see as ‘Manifested’ is the tip of the world but behind that there is a huge power ‘Unmanifest’ which is supposed to be extraordinary and enchanting. We need to really explore that. Somebody who has the courage and conviction to take up this challenge is the one who becomes a spiritual sadhaka. World is not negated but is something which is so extraordinary. It gives them the glimpses of that wonder what is behind this whole creation. The most important part of the creation is ‘Human Being’ and in case of human being only, you find somebody who is an extraordinary intelligent person, some dumb( as people say), somebody who is spiritual and somebody can be totally materialistic. All this variety is possible in humans and therefore it is very important to see that we explore this human being so that we can avoid any possibility of someone becoming a terrorist but a wise person. Naturally we cannot explore or compare a tree out there with a human being because , whatever we explore outside , with senses, have limitations. For that, we explore our own inner being and there we can find the Atman which is supposed to be Brahman and that's what is the source of all creation that is happening. That's one of the reasons why we turn inwards.
We don't get caught up in the world nor do we negate it, when we are turning inwards. The only means by which you can go in this particular journey is by being a witness to this world. Once you are a witness or Sakshi, then this world really opens up to you with all its grandeur.
Many times people ask what is the experience of withdrawing – ‘Pratyahara’ from the world. I have never done it in my lifetime, I was always involved in the world outside. The simplest answer to that question is, every night we go to sleep, we are withdrawn from the world. Not only that, when we leave the world behind and then go within , you are in a blissful state and that is the source of the whole creation, the source of all energy and the source of all wisdom.
Another minor point is that often people give the example of a turtle which withdraws limbs and goes into the shell. I'm not very happy with this particular analogy because the simple reason is that the turtle only goes inside when he is afraid of the danger in life and retreats.In Saadhana a sadhaka goes to reach the depth where one can find---- ‘The Most Exalted’, ‘The Experience’, ‘A Celebration’.
Earlier steps namely Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama are all really for us to be prepared for this Pratyahara. In Yama, Niyama, we crossed one phase and then went inwards to the next group. Asana, Pranayama . Pratyahara will take us to the inner world of mind or ‘Chitta’. The world we see outside is very limited by our perception and also it is only about the Present. But then, the world inside has got all the dimensions of past, present and future and in any moment can go to any part of the world. Therefore it's a big challenge to see how you can understand and then further we go on our real nature. Bahiranga yoga leads us to Antaryoga, which in turn takes us to Kaivalya. The Self or Atman!!
Written by, Yogashree N.V.Raghuram
Aug 2021