online yoga forum

I'm interested in learning more about this and wondered if anyone could explain it to me - (really simply!! ) I was wondering if it is just meditation or is there something else to it aswel?

Hi Lizzy,
I am in yoga school and my teacher had us do an exercise to experience the withrawal of the senses. Obviously everone had different experiences. First she had us sit in meditation, then place a scarf over our eyes and nose then we had to take our hands and wrap them around our head and plug our ears with our thumbs, for about 20 to 25 min. The experience for some was frightening and clostraphobic, while others were able to really turn inward and felt very peaceful. Hope this helps.....

Namaste~

__________________
DaceYoga

eeeeek, the horror of being alone with the contents of your own mind. Dace, you didn't say whether you were one of the frightened ones or one of the peaceful....

Hi Lizzy, Pratyahara is the first mental step to plain old meditation — that is, after we've learned to sit comfortably, breathe well, and calm ourselves by being good and moral people.

It's about awareness and examination of exactly what is going on up there, the contents, the workings and the lack of control we have over them. At first, the more you look, the more STUFF you find. It gets pretty hectic. That's why we neglect to look and so let it all build up "unawares". But you really have to know the beast you are working with before you can proceed to tame it. Eventually, you experience a degree of power over this and some relative peace.

This is all designed as a preliminary to the next step (the sixth limb of yoga) Dharana, the attempt to hold the attention to a single object.

I hope this is clear.

[quote]....

Hey diddle,
I was one of the ones who experienced peace. However, I am deaf in one ear so I only had to hold one ear, so to me that was an advantage and I experienced nadis and found that peaceful not annoying as some individuals may find......



Namaste~

__________________
DaceYoga

Hey Dace this is really interesting, what do you mean when you say you experienced the 'nadis' - is that sushumna (ie both ida and pingala in balance?)

Another good way to practice withdrawing the senses is through a pranayama technique called brahmari (bee breath). You close off the ears and close the mouth and make a humming sound at the back of the throat right to the end of the breath. After only a few rounds you stop and you really feel a sense of calm and I personally find it much easier to get into meditation this way.

Hi TJ,
Nadis is the sound of silence in a sense or some people say its like having tinnitis which I do have anyway from being deaf. For some I have heard that nadis could cause someone to go insane even to the point of suicide. I think for those individuals they probably are not yogis. I am so glad I found yoga to bring me closer to God and I've learned so much about myself. I am following the right path. Anyway, Tj i hope this helped explain!


Namaste~

__________________
DaceYoga

Hey TJ I'm with you, I thought nadis were energy channels - you apparently have 72,000 in the body but the main ones are ida and pingala (which criss cross up through the chakras) ... I've not heard of them being the sound of silence. Can you tell us more Dace?

oops! You guys are right about nadis. As I was reading your comments I had to check my notes again. What I am talking about is not nadis it's nadam. Sorry! Have you heard of this? Its actually quite interesting......

Namaste~

__________________
DaceYoga

'Nadams'...interesting, I don't know what they are, tell us more please Dace!