inFocus of Sensual Energies/Feelings

The fifth state of yoga is listed as pratyahar which is the withdrawal of sensual energies from external interest in the first efforts of that practice and then the withdrawal of interest in the routine activities of the intellect.

Initially when one begins this practice, it means to pull in one’s focus from the world which is external to the physical body. When that is mastered one is beset with the challenge of restricting the interest which is inside the subtle body or psyche, so that such concern does not magnify or reinforce inner habits which are counterproductive to meditation objectives.

First the yogi understands that his sensual contact with external physical objects is problematic and contributes to unwanted anxieties. He makes the effort to retract interest to the world which is outside the physical body. After he gets some control over that, he finds that there are internal concerns which produce undesirable effects. Then he tackles these in an effort to reduce and eliminate them.

The curtailment of internal sources of unwanted anxieties is a tall order for a yogi. It makes him realize that the external physical world is the least of his problems. No matter if the physical world exist or not, his psychological environment which is so personal and private, has within it unwanted aspects which cannot be banished or eliminate merely by issuing willpower commands.

In this quest wishful thinking, hopes and imaginative ideas has no effect on the unwanted aspects. These can be removed only by other methods of practice which the yogi must discover or be taught by a yoga guru.

At the end of the day, drawing conclusions after much practice and frustration in the effort to bring the psyche to order, the yogi realizes that internalization is reliant on the level in which the internalization occurs. If it happens on a blank consciousness level, it is just that. If it is on a bland consciousness level, it is just that. If it is on a bliss saturated level, that is what it is.

If the need for happiness is enduring, no amount of criticism will remove it. The solution would be to translate to a realm in which the happiness derived from just being there itself matches the need, so that the conventional consciousness in that realm is blissfulness within the psyche of everyone there.