Pratyahara - Revision history

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Xenja moved page User:Xenja/Pratyahara to Pratyahara

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Xenja at 14:38, 4 May 2026

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	Intensive engagement with a topic, led by interest, leads to highly effective learning processes, and the learner connects to a particular extent with the knowledge they have acquired. The learner experiences the high level of effort involved as enjoyable and can easily concentrate on the learning material. <ref>Annie Murphy Paul (4 November 2013):[https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/32503/how-the-power-of-interest-drives-learning ''How the Power of Interest Drives Learning'']. In:''kqed.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>		Intensive engagement with a topic, led by interest, leads to highly effective learning processes, and the learner connects to a particular extent with the knowledge they have acquired. The learner experiences the high level of effort involved as enjoyable and can easily concentrate on the learning material. <ref>Annie Murphy Paul (4 November 2013):[https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/32503/how-the-power-of-interest-drives-learning ''How the Power of Interest Drives Learning'']. In:''kqed.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>

	=== Pratyahara and natural science ===		=== Pratyahara and natural science ===
	[[File:Antique Telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory 002.JPG\|thumb\|250px\|Antique telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory.]]		[[File:Antique Telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory 002.JPG\|thumb\|250px\|Antique telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory.]]

	Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), whose scientific writings have received relatively little attention compared to his poetry, also attached great importance to the nature of the sensory process in his intensive research. It was important to him not to separate humans from the object of observation within the process of perception and insight to knowledge, but rather to view both in an overall context. In this way, nature and spirit would connect with each other and simultaneously stand in contrast to one another.		Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832), whose scientific writings have received relatively little attention compared to his poetry, also attached great importance to the nature of the sensory process in his intensive research. It was important to him not to separate humans from the object of observation within the process of perception and insight to knowledge, but rather to view both in an overall context. In this way, nature and spirit would connect with each other and simultaneously stand in contrast to one another.<ref name=":1">Daniel Christian Wahl(10 September 2017): [https://designforsustainability.medium.com/the-tip-of-the-iceberg-goethe-s-aphorisms-on-the-theory-of-nature-and-science-ba6e12ebd5f1 ''The Tip of the Iceberg’ Goethe’s Aphorisms on the theory of Nature and Science''] In:''medium.com''. Retrieved 4 May 2026</ref>


	However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.363</ref>		However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.363</ref>
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	Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:		Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:

	"~~Human beings~~ themselves, ~~insofar~~ as they ~~use~~ their healthy senses, are the ~~greatest~~ and most ~~accurate apparatus~~ that ~~can~~ exist; and ~~that~~ is precisely the ~~greatest misfortune~~ of ~~modern~~ physics, that experiments ~~have been separated~~ from human ~~beings, as it were,~~ and ~~that~~ nature ~~is recognised solely in~~ what artificial instruments show, ~~indeed, that~~ what ~~nature~~ can ~~achieve is thereby limited and proven~~."		"Humans in themselves, in so far as they are employing their healthy senses, are the most powerful and most precise physical instruments that exist; and it is precisely the biggest demise of the new physics, that one has separated the experiments from the human being and merely tries to understand nature through what artificial instruments show, thus limiting what she can accomplish in an attempt to prove it."<ref name=":1"/>


	Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, and is distinguishes from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Books/GA001/English/MP1988/GA001_c16.html ''Goethean Science'']. Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref>		Rudolf Steiner also sees human beings as the central element and describes how natural processes raise questions in people, encouraging them to explore these questions in greater depth. For him, this need to explore the essence of something is true science, and is distinguishes from research that serves an external purpose, such as the advancement of technology: "…It is something entirely different to observe the processes of nature in order to place its forces in the service of technology, than to seek, with the help of these processes, to look more deeply into the being of natural science. True science is present only where the human spirit seeks to satisfy ''its'' needs, without any ''external purpose''."<ref> Rudolf Steiner: [https://rsarchive.org/Books/GA001/English/MP1988/GA001_c16.html ''Goethean Science'']. Retrieved 23 February 2026. </ref>

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	[[File:2026-05-02 Cite Aurobindo.png\|~~mini~~\|A quote from the Indian philosopher and yoga master [[w:Sri Aurobindo\|Sri Aurobindo]] (1872–1950) from "Letters on Yoga"]]		[[File:2026-05-02 Cite Aurobindo.png\|thumb\|420px\|A quote from the Indian philosopher and yoga master [[w:Sri Aurobindo\|Sri Aurobindo]] (1872–1950) from "Letters on Yoga" referring to two methods of living in the Supreme<ref>[https://sri-aurobindo.co.in/workings/sa/24/0007_e.htm "Letters on Yoga"]. Retrieved 16 April 2026</ref>
			]]

	'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga\|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali\|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama\|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana\|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana\|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation\|Meditation.]]		'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga\|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali\|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama\|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana\|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana\|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation\|Meditation.]]

Xenja at 15:27, 2 May 2026

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			[[File:2026-05-02 Cite Aurobindo.png\|mini\|A quote from the Indian philosopher and yoga master [[w:Sri Aurobindo\|Sri Aurobindo]] (1872–1950) from "Letters on Yoga"]]

	'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga\|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali\|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama\|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana\|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana\|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation\|Meditation.]]		'''Pratyahara''' is the fifth stage of the eight stages of Ashtanga Yoga or [[W:Raja Yoga\|Raja Yoga]], which was described by [[W:Patanjali\|Patanjali]] in the Yoga Sutra. Pratyahara follows [[W:Pranayama\|Pranayama]], the control of the breath, followed by the next stages [[W:Dharana\|Dharana]] (concentration) [[W:Dhyana\|Dhyana]], the [[Meditation\|Meditation.]]

Xenja: little changes in references and wording

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	The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit\|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST\|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<ref>Uwe Bräutigam: [https://www.paranormal.de/ebooks/pdfVersionen/kriya.pdf#page=25&view=fit ''Einführung in den Kriya Yoga - An Introduction to Kriya Yoga''] (German). In:''paranormal.de''. Retrieved 21 April 2026.</ref>		The Sanskrit term pratyahara ([[Y:Sanskrit\|Sanskrit]] प्रत्याहार, [[W:IAST\|IAST]] ''pratyāhāra'') is derived from the verb root ''hr'' "to take" and undergoes a modification to ''hāra''. It is preceded by the two prefixes ''ā'' "towards, to, in the direction of" and ''prati'' "back", whereby ''prati'' becomes ''praty'' due to the following ''ā''. Pratyahara literally means "to take back" or "to withdraw".<ref>Uwe Bräutigam: [https://www.paranormal.de/ebooks/pdfVersionen/kriya.pdf#page=25&view=fit ''Einführung in den Kriya Yoga - An Introduction to Kriya Yoga''] (German). In:''paranormal.de''. Retrieved 21 April 2026.</ref>

	Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:		Patanjali writes in Chapter 2, verses 54 and 55 of the Yoga Sutra:<blockquote>''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' \|\|54\|\|''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' \|\|55\|\|

	~~''svaviṣaya-asaṁprayoge cittasya svarūpānukāra-iv-endriyāṇāṁ pratyāhāraḥ'' \|\|54\|\|~~		"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree of control of the senses."<ref>[https://www.gita-society.com/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Patanjali-yogasutra.IGS.pdf ''Yoga Sutra'']. In:''gita-society.com''. Retrieved 17 April 2026.</ref></blockquote>The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through pranayama the mind becomes collected and focused. The [[w:Prashna Upanishad\|Prashna Upanishad]] uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the second chapter (second question), Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:<blockquote>"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<ref>[https://estudantedavedanta.net/Prashna Upanishad - Swami Sarvanand Sanskrit-English]. In:''estudantevedante.net''. Retrieved 27 February 2026.</ref></blockquote>In the [[w:Gherandasamhita\|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<ref>''Gheranda Samhita, Sanskrit-English.'' Sri Satguru Publications. SSP Edition, Delhi 1979. p. 36.</ref>
	~~''tataḥ paramā-vaśyatā indriyāṇām'' \|\|55\|\|~~

	"The withdrawal of the senses is as it were, their assumption of the form of mento-emotional energy
	when not contacting their own objects of perception.From that accomplishment, comes the highest degree
	of control of the senses."<ref>[https://www.gita-society.com/wp-content/uploads/PDF/Patanjali-yogasutra.IGS.pdf ''Yoga Sutra'']. In:''gita-society.com''. Retrieved 17 April 2026.</ref>

	The ancient texts on yoga contain different interpretations of pratyahara. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali explains that through pranayama the mind ~~experiences concentration~~ and ~~alignment~~. The [[w:Prashna Upanishad\|Prashna Upanishad]] uses the image of bees following the queen bee everywhere to describe this process in the second chapter (second question), Verse 4. Below is a translation of this verse by Swami Sivananda:
	"He from indignation appeared to go out upwards (from the body); thereupon as he was about to go out, all others seemed to go out and he being established, all others were established. Just as bees go out, and settle down when she settles down, so did the speech, mind eye, ears (etc.). Being satisfied they praised the Prana."<ref>[https://estudantedavedanta.net/Prashna Upanishad - Swami Sarvanand Sanskrit-English]. In:''estudantevedante.net''. Retrieved 27 February 2026.</ref>

	In the [[w:Gherandasamhita\|Gherandasamhita]] (17th century), the fourth chapter on pratyahara contains an interpretation according to which one should "withdraw his mind" from good or bad speech, sweet or bad smells, sweet, acid, bitter or astringent tastes, and bring everything within the control of the Self.<ref>''Gheranda Samhita, Sanskrit-English.'' Sri Satguru Publications. SSP Edition, Delhi 1979. p. 36.</ref>

	The [[w:Vasishtha Samhita\|Vasishtha Samhita]], the [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita\|Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita]] and the [[w:Shandilya Upanishad\|Shandilya Upanishad]] speak of a “powerful withdrawal” (''balat aharana'') that one must practise during pratyahara, as it is the nature of the senses to wander towards sensory objects.		The [[w:Vasishtha Samhita\|Vasishtha Samhita]], the [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita\|Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita]] and the [[w:Shandilya Upanishad\|Shandilya Upanishad]] speak of a “powerful withdrawal” (''balat aharana'') that one must practise during pratyahara, as it is the nature of the senses to wander towards sensory objects.
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	:"During the course of the practice you will have to withdraw the mind again and again from the sense-objects and fix it on the point of meditation. That Yogi who is well-established in Pratyahara can meditate quite calmly even in the battlefield where countless machine-guns roar in a continuous stream." <ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=918&format=html ''Raja Yogic Method of Mind Conquest'']. In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>		:"During the course of the practice you will have to withdraw the mind again and again from the sense-objects and fix it on the point of meditation. That Yogi who is well-established in Pratyahara can meditate quite calmly even in the battlefield where countless machine-guns roar in a continuous stream." <ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=918&format=html ''Raja Yogic Method of Mind Conquest'']. In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>

	Moreover, Sivananda says, that pratyahara is the first thing a spiritual aspirant has to acquire.		Moreover, Sivananda says, that pratyahara is the first thing a spiritual aspirant has to acquire.<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=357&format=html ''Guide to Sadhakas'']. In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref> The importance is also emphasized by the following description:
	<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=357&format=html ''Guide to Sadhakas'']. In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref> The importance is also emphasized by the following description:

	:"Pratyahara itself is termed as Yoga, as it is the most important Anga in Yoga Sadhana. The first four rungs deal with ethical training and purification of the body, mind and Nadis. Now with Pratyahara proper Yoga begins, which eventually culminates in Dharana, Dhyana and finally in Samadhi."<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=503&format=html Eight Fundamentals of Raja Yoga]. ''In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.''</ref>		:"Pratyahara itself is termed as Yoga, as it is the most important Anga in Yoga Sadhana. The first four rungs deal with ethical training and purification of the body, mind and Nadis. Now with Pratyahara proper Yoga begins, which eventually culminates in Dharana, Dhyana and finally in Samadhi."<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=503&format=html Eight Fundamentals of Raja Yoga]. ''In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.''</ref>
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	[[File:A posture in ashtanga yoga (20).jpg\|thumb\|Kurmasana (Sanskrit कूर्मासन, IAST ''kūrmāsana''), the "turtle pose", is a yoga pose that, when performed, a contracted centeredness can be felt.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSvVjm4tk ''Kurmasana - the tortoise pose''] In:[https://www.youtube.com/@YogaArte youtube.com/@YogaArte]. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>]]		[[File:A posture in ashtanga yoga (20).jpg\|thumb\|Kurmasana (Sanskrit कूर्मासन, IAST ''kūrmāsana''), the "turtle pose", is a yoga pose that, when performed, a contracted centeredness can be felt.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSvVjm4tk ''Kurmasana - the tortoise pose''] In:[https://www.youtube.com/@YogaArte youtube.com/@YogaArte]. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>]]

	[[A:Heinz Grill\|Heinz Grill]] (*1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<blockquote>"Pratyahara is a kind of reversal of the natural direction of flow of the senses and		[[A:Heinz Grill\|Heinz Grill]] (*1960), author and spiritual teacher, describes pratyahara not only as a prerequisite for meditation, but also as a way of promoting a synthesis between spirit and world that is neither a withdrawal from the outside world nor an attachment to it. This process is opposed to the natural sensory process and is motivated by a mentally guided perception:<blockquote>"Pratyahara is a kind of reversal of the natural direction of flow of the senses and it occurs through initiation out of the spirit."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Spiritualising of the Body'', p. 121, ISBN: 3-935925-58-1. </ref></blockquote>To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:
	it occurs through initiation out of the spirit."<ref> Heinz Grill: ''The Spiritualising of the Body'', p. 121, ISBN: 3-935925-58-1. </ref></blockquote>To practise pratyahara, he recommends keeping your eyes open to avoid daydreaming. The next step is for the practitioner to become aware that they convey unconscious emotions, desires and intellectual knowledge through their eyes:

	:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the ''sakshi''."<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill (9 December 2023): [https://heinz-grill.de/en/cancer-sunlight-meditation/ ''Guiding the senses and its significance for healing'']. ''In:Contributions to a new Yoga Will''. Retrieved 28 February 2026.</ref>		:"They glace, for example, at a forest landscape and, with their sense processes directed to the trees and forms they see, the need to go for a walk there is immediately carried over. Strictly speaking, people do not experience themselves in the reality of the outer world they are looking at, but due to their many needs of sympathy or antipathy and through their inner lying emotions they experience mostly their inner world. […] The first process of freeing the senses from one’s own emotions and the resulting projections, is to observe an object in the outer world or, for example, a piece of text, objectivity for a long period of time perhaps for two to five minutes. Finally, the gaze can be turned away from the object and an attempt can be made to describe what has been seen with objective criteria. What words were in the text, what is the main thought, what is being said, the sentence structure as it is in reality? The uncertainties that ultimately arise, can always be overcome through a repetition of the sense-observation, so that the reality, as it is, appears completely as reality. Those practising in this way attain the viewpoint of the so-called witness, which, for example, in yoga is called the ''sakshi''."<ref name=":0">Heinz Grill (9 December 2023): [https://heinz-grill.de/en/cancer-sunlight-meditation/ ''Guiding the senses and its significance for healing'']. ''In:Contributions to a new Yoga Will''. Retrieved 28 February 2026.</ref>
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	=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===		=== Deep relaxation and regeneration ===

	Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUisd5kQLEo&t=1043s ''Pratyahara im Patanjali Yoga Sutra – YVS518 – Kap. 2, Verse 54-55''] (Min. 17:23–18:22). ~~In: ''Yoga Vortrag – Yoga Vidya'' (YouTube-Kanal). Abgerufen am 17. November 2025~~.</ref>		Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUisd5kQLEo&t=1043s ''Pratyahara im Patanjali Yoga Sutra – YVS518 – Kap. 2, Verse 54-55 -Pratyahara in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra – YVS518 – Kap. 2, Verses 54-55''] (German) (Min. 17:23–18:22). Retrieved 20 April 2026.</ref>

	According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.		According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.

Xenja: correcting little mistakes in references

2026-04-29T14:43:39Z

correcting little mistakes in references

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Xenja at 14:36, 29 April 2026

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	<gallery class="center" widths="275px" heights="270px">		<gallery class="center" widths="275px" heights="270px">
	File:Taman Negara, Malaysia, Tropical rainforest.jpg\|In the rainforest, very little light reaches the forest floor due to the dense vegetation. As a result, large leaves and lush growth are typical.		File:Taman Negara, Malaysia, Tropical rainforest.jpg\|In the rainforest, very little light reaches the forest floor due to the dense vegetation. As a result, large leaves and lush growth are typical.
			File:Arnika (Arnica montana), Nationalpark Hohe Tauern, Kärnten.jpg\|Arnica Montana<br>Plants in the mountain area are exposed to intense sunlight and consequently exhibit a more compact and structured growth habit, as well as more intense colours.
	</gallery>		</gallery>

Xenja at 14:33, 29 April 2026

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	[[File:Indian flapshell turtle by Tisha Mukherjee 01.jpg\|thumb\|"Who draws away the senses from the objects of sense, as the tortoise draws in his limbs into the shell, his intelligence sits firmly founded in wisdom."<ref>[[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/58 ''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 58'']] In:''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 17 April 2026.</ref>]]		[[File:Indian flapshell turtle by Tisha Mukherjee 01.jpg\|thumb\|"Who draws away the senses from the objects of sense, as the tortoise draws in his limbs into the shell, his intelligence sits firmly founded in wisdom."<ref>[[https://bhagavadgita.org.in/Chapters/2/58 ''Bhagavad Gita Chapter 2 Verse 58'']] In:''bhagavadgita.org.in''. Retrieved 17 April 2026.</ref>]]



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	The [[w:Vasishtha Samhita\|Vasishtha Samhita]], the [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita\|Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita]] and the [[w:Shandilya Upanishad\|Shandilya Upanishad]] speak of a “powerful withdrawal” (''balat aharana'') that one must practise during pratyahara, as it is the nature of the senses to wander towards sensory objects.		The [[w:Vasishtha Samhita\|Vasishtha Samhita]], the [[w:Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita\|Yoga Yajnavalkya Samhita]] and the [[w:Shandilya Upanishad\|Shandilya Upanishad]] speak of a “powerful withdrawal” (''balat aharana'') that one must practise during pratyahara, as it is the nature of the senses to wander towards sensory objects.

	According to Uwe Bräutigam, there is another interpretation of pratyahara by [[w:Gorakhnath\|Gorakhnath]] (early 11th century), one of the founders of Hatha Yoga. "For him, pratyahara becomes a physical [[exercise]] (asana), namely the inverted posture [[Sirsasana\|''viparita karani'']]." Here, the idea comes into play that the head is a bowl filled with the nectar of immortality [[y:Amrita\|''amrita'']] (Sanskrit अमृत, IAST ''amṛta''). This nectar drips steadily down to the navel, where it is consumed by the fire of the sun in the region of the solar plexus (''manipura chakra''). According to Gorakhnath, pratyahara is the retention of this nectar through the adoption of the inverted posture.		According to Uwe Bräutigam, there is another interpretation of pratyahara by [[w:Gorakhnath\|Gorakhnath]] (early 11th century), one of the founders of Hatha Yoga. "For him, pratyahara becomes a physical [[exercise]] (asana), namely the inverted posture [[Sirsasana\|''viparita karani'']]." Here, the idea comes into play that the head is a bowl filled with the nectar of immortality [[Y:Amrita\|''amrita'']] (Sanskrit अमृत, IAST ''amṛta''). This nectar drips steadily down to the navel, where it is consumed by the fire of the sun in the region of the solar plexus (''manipura chakra''). According to Gorakhnath, pratyahara is the retention of this nectar through the adoption of the inverted posture.
	<ref>Uwe Bräutigam: [https://www.paranormal.de/ebooks/pdfVersionen/kriya.pdf#page=25&view=fit ''Einführung in den Kriya Yoga - An Introduction to Kriya Yoga''] (German) In:''paranormal.de''. p. 25. Retrieved 21 April 2026.</ref>		<ref>Uwe Bräutigam: [https://www.paranormal.de/ebooks/pdfVersionen/kriya.pdf#page=25&view=fit ''Einführung in den Kriya Yoga - An Introduction to Kriya Yoga''] (German) In:''paranormal.de''. p. 25. Retrieved 21 April 2026.</ref>

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	:"During the course of the practice you will have to withdraw the mind again and again from the sense-objects and fix it on the point of meditation. That Yogi who is well-established in Pratyahara can meditate quite calmly even in the battlefield where countless machine-guns roar in a continuous stream." <ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=918&format=html ''Raja Yogic Method of Mind Conquest''] In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026</ref>		:"During the course of the practice you will have to withdraw the mind again and again from the sense-objects and fix it on the point of meditation. That Yogi who is well-established in Pratyahara can meditate quite calmly even in the battlefield where countless machine-guns roar in a continuous stream." <ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=918&format=html ''Raja Yogic Method of Mind Conquest''] In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026</ref>


	Moreover, Sivananda says, that pratyahara is the first thing a spiritual aspirant has to acquire.		Moreover, Sivananda says, that pratyahara is the first thing a spiritual aspirant has to acquire.
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	:"Pratyahara itself is termed as Yoga, as it is the most important Anga in Yoga Sadhana. The first four rungs deal with ethical training and purification of the body, mind and Nadis. Now with Pratyahara proper Yoga begins, which eventually culminates in Dharana, Dhyana and finally in Samadhi."<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=503&format=html ''Eight Fundamentals of Raja Yoga		:"Pratyahara itself is termed as Yoga, as it is the most important Anga in Yoga Sadhana. The first four rungs deal with ethical training and purification of the body, mind and Nadis. Now with Pratyahara proper Yoga begins, which eventually culminates in Dharana, Dhyana and finally in Samadhi."<ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=503&format=html ''Eight Fundamentals of Raja Yoga
	''] In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026</ref>		''] In:''sivanandaonline.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026</ref>


	=== Releasing and beginning anew in the conciousness ===		=== Releasing and beginning anew in the conciousness ===


	[[File:A posture in ashtanga yoga (20).jpg\|thumb\|Kurmasana (Sanskrit कूर्मासन, IAST ''kūrmāsana''), the "turtle pose", is a yoga pose that, when performed, a contracted centeredness can be felt.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSvVjm4tk ''Kurmasana - the tortoise pose''] In:''Yoga Arte''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>]]		[[File:A posture in ashtanga yoga (20).jpg\|thumb\|Kurmasana (Sanskrit कूर्मासन, IAST ''kūrmāsana''), the "turtle pose", is a yoga pose that, when performed, a contracted centeredness can be felt.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jSvVjm4tk ''Kurmasana - the tortoise pose''] In:''Yoga Arte''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>]]

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	Intensive engagement with a topic, led by interest, leads to highly effective learning processes, and the learner connects to a particular extent with the knowledge they have acquired. The learner experiences the high level of effort involved as enjoyable and can easily concentrate on the learning material. <ref>Annie Murphy Paul (4 November 2013):[https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/32503/how-the-power-of-interest-drives-learning ''How the Power of Interest Drives Learning'']. In:''kqed.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>		Intensive engagement with a topic, led by interest, leads to highly effective learning processes, and the learner connects to a particular extent with the knowledge they have acquired. The learner experiences the high level of effort involved as enjoyable and can easily concentrate on the learning material. <ref>Annie Murphy Paul (4 November 2013):[https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/32503/how-the-power-of-interest-drives-learning ''How the Power of Interest Drives Learning'']. In:''kqed.org''. Retrieved 29 April 2026.</ref>


	=== Pratyahara and natural science ===		=== Pratyahara and natural science ===
	[[File:Antique Telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory 002.JPG\|thumb\|250px\|Antique telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory.]]		[[File:Antique Telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory 002.JPG\|thumb\|250px\|Antique telescope at the Quito Astronomical Observatory.]]
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	However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.363</ref>		However, mainstream research in the 17th century was significantly influenced by the development of the microscope and telescope, and the fascination with making the previously invisible visible led to a mistrust of the human sensory process and thus to objects becoming increasingly isolated from the observer.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.363</ref>


	Goethe was not opposed to physical apparatus; on the contrary, he made use of it himself. However, he emphasised that it was the individual who mattered, with their knowledge and ability to interpret what they saw correctly. If, for example, someone devotes themselves to microscopic observations, they need knowledge of the laws of vision, of light and shadow, and of perspective.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.367</ref>		Goethe was not opposed to physical apparatus; on the contrary, he made use of it himself. However, he emphasised that it was the individual who mattered, with their knowledge and ability to interpret what they saw correctly. If, for example, someone devotes themselves to microscopic observations, they need knowledge of the laws of vision, of light and shadow, and of perspective.<ref> Hartmut Böhme: [https://www.hartmutboehme.de/media/HB_Metaphysics_Phenomena.pdf ''The Metaphysics of Phenomena: Telescope and Microscope in the Works of Goethe, Leeuwenhoek und Hooke''] In: Schramm, Helmar / Schwarte, Ludger / Lazardzig, Jan (Ed.): Collection, Laboratory, Theater. Scenes of Knowledge in the 17th Century. Berlin New York 2005. p.367</ref>


	Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:		Goethe thus regards humans and their senses as highly significant for natural science and criticises the fact that science seeks to exclude humans from its research:
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	Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUisd5kQLEo&t=1043s ''Pratyahara im Patanjali Yoga Sutra – YVS518 – Kap. 2, Verse 54-55''] (Min. 17:23–18:22). In: ''Yoga Vortrag – Yoga Vidya'' (YouTube-Kanal). Abgerufen am 17. November 2025.</ref>		Sukadev Bretz describes how pratyahara can induce deep relaxation, which in turn is very important for the regenerative capacity of the human body. Beta waves, which occur when we are awake and produce stress hormones in certain situations, are reduced. Alpha waves, which produce calming neurotransmitters, increase, and in some cases delta or theta waves, which are active during deep meditation or sleep, may even occur. This promotes the body's ability to regenerate and strengthens the immune system.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUisd5kQLEo&t=1043s ''Pratyahara im Patanjali Yoga Sutra – YVS518 – Kap. 2, Verse 54-55''] (Min. 17:23–18:22). In: ''Yoga Vortrag – Yoga Vidya'' (YouTube-Kanal). Abgerufen am 17. November 2025.</ref>


	According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.		According to Heinz Grill, the sensory nerves are strengthened when it is possible to first make the more instinctual, motor nerves retreat.
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	<gallery class="center" widths="275px" heights="270px">		<gallery class="center" widths="275px" heights="270px">
	File:Taman Negara, Malaysia, Tropical rainforest.jpg\|In the rainforest, very little light reaches the forest floor due to the dense vegetation. As a result, large leaves and lush growth are typical.		File:Taman Negara, Malaysia, Tropical rainforest.jpg\|In the rainforest, very little light reaches the forest floor due to the dense vegetation. As a result, large leaves and lush growth are typical.
	File:Arnika (Arnica montana), Nationalpark Hohe Tauern, Kärnten.jpg\|thumb\|Arnica (Arnica montana), Hohe Tauern National Park, [[Carinthia]], Austria, European Union]]\|Arnica Montana<br>Plants in are exposed to intense sunlight and consequently exhibit a more compact and structured growth habit, as well as more intense colours.
	</gallery>		</gallery>