Читать книгу Ashtanga Yoga - The Intermediate Series - Gregor Maehle - Страница 35

Pratyahara consists of a catalog of techniques used to focus the mind inward, thus forming the essential prerequisite for the arising of the higher limbs. It is ideally practiced in Padmasana or a similar potent asana and within the state of kumbhaka (breath retention). During kumbhaka we focus initially on locations within the gross body, which constitutes stage 1. Stage 2 is reached when we visualize the chakras of the subtle body and the mind is made to rest on them. This process is strongly intensified if it occurs within the framework of asana and pranayama. During this time of practice, the senses are prevented from “logging on” to their usual objects of desire, thus establishing inward focus.

The practice of pratyahara is based on the following concept: When the senses come into contact with objects in the external world (object being defined as anything that can be experienced by means of the senses), the objects arouse in the beholder reactions such as desire or repulsion, which all tend to ripple the surface of the lake of the mind. Some objects when presented to the mind will even bring about a downright storm. Once this has happened, it is difficult or impossible to use the mind as a tool for meditation. In pratyahara, you avoid the disturbances of the external world by settling the mind on something that is not in the outer world; you withdraw your senses into yourself “like a turtle withdraws its limbs.”¹³

There are several categories of suitable pratyahara objects, which are principally categorized according to subtlety. The practitioner starts with gross objects, those that are perceptible to the senses. Typically these are the so-called drishtis (focal points), such as the tip of the nose, the eyebrow center, the big toes, the tip of the tongue, the nostrils, the highest point of the palate, the navel, the ankle, or other body parts; and of course the bandhas, principally the Mula Bandha (pelvic lock).

Once the yogi’s focus is established on the gross level, subtle objects are chosen. The typical subtle objects used for pratyahara are the chakras. One starts by clearly visualizing the muladhara chakra; once attention is established there, one goes on to svadhishthana chakra, and so on. At this early point, you visualize only the following dimensions of the chakra: number of petals, color, and position (in case of the Muladhara, that would be four petals, dark red color, and a location near the tailbone). You have established proficiency in pratyahara when your focus during kumbhaka can be kept on the chakras, one after the other, without the senses grasping external objects.