In Ashtanga Yoga, Pratyahara is the critical bridge between the outer world and the inner spirit. It comes after you have regulated your energy through Pranayama and serves as the necessary foundation for Dharana (Concentration).
Swami Vivekananda explained that Pratyahara is the power to “unplug” the mind from the senses at will.
The Problem: The Energy Leak
Vivekananda observed that we are constantly leaking our mental energy (Prana) out into the world. If your eyes see a bright screen, your mind “flows out” through the eyes to that screen. If you hear a loud noise, your mind rushes out to the sound. This leaves the mind scattered and weak.
Pratyahara is the power to stop that leak. It is the ability to stand between the sense organ and the mind and say: “I am not going to join you.”
The Method: The Drunk Monkey
His most famous teaching on this is the Drunk Monkey analogy. He likened the mind to a restless monkey, drunk on the “wine of desire” and stung by the “scorpion of jealousy.” If you try to force such a mind to be still, it only becomes more violent.
The Technique: The Witness Exercise
Instead of fighting the mind, Vivekananda suggests “watching” it into submission:
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Sit Still: Find a steady posture for about 15–20 minutes.
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Let it Run: Let the mind run wherever it wants. Do not try to stop a single thought.
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Be the Witness: This is the secret. Do not identify with the thoughts. If a thought of food comes, watch it as an outsider. If a thought of anger arises, observe it without becoming angry.
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Identify: Mentally repeat to yourself: “I am the witness; I am not these thoughts.”
The Result: The Beginning of Power
After a while, the “monkey” gets tired of jumping because you are no longer giving it the “fuel” of your attention. As the mind settles down and stops reacting to the outside world, you have achieved Pratyahara. You have conserved your energy and are now ready to focus it like a laser in the next step: Dharana.
Vedik Mind 