Pratyahara

(“withdrawal [of the senses]”) In the
ashtanga (“eight-part”) yoga first codified by Patanjali (1st c. C.E.?), pratyahara is the fifth of the eight
constituent elements of yoga practice.
Pratyahara occurs when one withdraws the senses from the sense
objects they ordinarily perceive. It is
done after one has mastered the sitting positions (asanas)—and thus can
sit comfortably for long periods—and
after one has gained control of
“breath” (pranayama), which allows
heightened command of one’s physiological capacities. Having gained relative mastery over the body, one is then
ready to focus attention inward.