Meditations on Transcendence

Pratyahara is less a practice and more an inward magnetic pull, an attractive force originating from Krishna as Paramatma within. Like a chemical reaction in equilibrium, this process activates when external "reactants"—desires, thoughts of past and future—are eliminated, creating the perfect conditions for an inner pull. The "attraction force" of Kaarshna (Krishna’s pull) is then strongly felt, drawing consciousness inward. Freed from mental impurities, the mind naturally shifts toward its pure, inward state, where Krishna’s presence becomes the nucleus. Thus, pratyahara is a state of internal resonance with the Paramatma, an alignment of inner and divine forces.

प्रज्ञाविवेकः योगः (Discrimination is Yoga) In today's age of Kali Yuga, the proliferation of sense objects (viṣaya) constantly draws the mind outward, leading to distraction and spiritual disconnection. True yoga, however, is the ability to discriminate between outer entanglements and the inward journey. Through pratyāhāra, or turning the senses inward, we begin the practice of returning to the self, moving toward Krishna consciousness. The challenge lies in being externally present yet internally aligned with the divine. Remaining rooted within, while seemingly engaged with the world, is the essence of true spiritual practice in this age. — Raamrasa