Pratyahara and Dharana

Turning Inward

With asana and pranayama, the external practices (bahiranga) are complete. Pratyahara and dharana begin the internal journey (antaranga) - the progressive interiorization of attention that culminates in samadhi.

Pratyahara: Sense Withdrawal

Pratyahara is the fifth limb - the withdrawal of the senses from their objects. The word combines prati (against, away) and ahara (food, taking in) - turning away from sensory intake.

The Nature of the Senses

The senses naturally pursue their objects:

• Eyes seek forms
• Ears seek sounds
• Nose seeks smells
• Tongue seeks tastes
• Skin seeks touch

This outward pull is constant. Attention is scattered across the sensory field, fragmented by the multiplicity of stimuli.

Patanjali describes it:

“svavisaya asamprayoge chittasya svarupanukarah iva indriyanam pratyaharah” (II.54) “Pratyahara is when the senses cease to engage with their objects and follow the nature of the mind.”

The Significance

Pratyahara is the hinge between outer and inner practice:

Before pratyahara: Attention is externally directed, following sensation

After pratyahara: Attention can be directed inward, following intention

Without this capacity, deeper meditation is impossible. The senses constantly pull the mind outward.

Misconceptions

Pratyahara is not:

• Blocking the senses (you can still see and hear)
• Numbing awareness (consciousness remains acute)
• Suppression (nothing is forced)

Rather, it is mastery - the capacity to direct attention regardless of sensory input. The senses function, but they no longer compel.

Practice

Pratyahara develops gradually through:

Withdrawal of attention: Systematically directing awareness away from external stimuli toward internal focus - the breath, body sensations, an internal object

Reducing stimulation: Creating environments conducive to inward focus - quiet, simple spaces; reduced media consumption

Developing dispassion: As vairagya (non-attachment) grows, the senses lose their grip. What is not desired does not compel.

Supported practices:

• Yoga Nidra (systematic relaxation with internal focus)
• Trataka (steady gazing that fatigues the visual drive)
• Pranayama (breath focus naturally withdraws attention)
• Mantra (sound focus overrides external sounds)

The Fruit

“tatah parama vashyata indriyanam” (II.55) “From that arises supreme control of the senses.”

When pratyahara is established, attention becomes voluntary. This is liberation from sensory compulsion - a prerequisite for all deeper work.

Dharana: Concentration

Dharana is the sixth limb - binding the mind to a single point of focus. The word comes from dhri (to hold, maintain) - holding attention steady.

“desha bandhash chittasya dharanah” (III.1) “Concentration is binding the mind to one place.”

The Challenge

The mind, by nature, moves:

• Thought follows thought
• Memories arise unbidden
• Fantasies play out
• Plans intrude

This movement is the vrittis - the fluctuations that yoga aims to still. Dharana is the direct assault on this tendency.

The Method

Dharana requires:

An object of focus: The mind needs something to hold. Traditional objects include:

• A part of the body (heart, third eye, navel)
• An external object (flame, image, symbol)
• The breath
• A mantra or sound
• A visualization

Sustained attention: The mind is brought to the object repeatedly. When it wanders, it is returned. This is the work.

Patience: The mind will resist. It is conditioned to move. Each return is practice; each wandering is not failure but opportunity.

Characteristics

Dharana is:

• Effortful (requiring will to maintain)
• Interrupted (attention still breaks)
• Progressive (capacity increases with practice)

The distinction from dhyana (meditation) is qualitative: in dharana, the flow of attention is still broken by distractions. When it becomes unbroken, dharana has become dhyana.

Objects for Dharana

The breath: Perhaps the most accessible. Attention rests on the sensation of breathing - the movement, the temperature, the texture.

Bodily points:

• Heart center (spiritual emotions)
• Third eye (insight)
• Crown (transcendence)
• Navel (stability)

External objects:

• A candle flame
• A yantra (geometric diagram)
• An image of a deity
• A natural object (flower, stone)

Sound:

• A mantra repeated mentally
• The internal sound (nada)
• OM as the universal sound

Visualization:

• Light
• The guru
• A deity
• A symbol

Practical Guidance

Choose one object: Multiple objects fragment attention. Select one and stay with it.

Start with short periods: Five minutes of genuine concentration is worth more than an hour of distracted sitting.

Use a timer: Knowing the duration is set frees the mind from checking.

Reduce strain: Concentration should be steady but not tense. Find the balance.

Practice regularly: Daily short practice develops more capacity than occasional long sessions.

Expect wandering: The mind will wander. This is normal. The practice is returning.

The Relationship

Pratyahara and dharana work together:

Pratyahara creates the conditions: By withdrawing from external pull, attention becomes available for internal focus

Dharana applies that attention: The freed attention is directed to a single point

Together, they bridge from the physical (asana, pranayama) to the meditative (dhyana, samadhi).

The Transition

When pratyahara is established, dharana becomes possible. When dharana is sustained, it becomes dhyana. This progression is natural:

• Senses quiet → attention available
• Attention focused → concentration develops
• Concentration sustained → meditation arises
• Meditation deepens → absorption occurs

The practices are distinct but continuous - stages of a single movement inward.