Pratyahara & Curiosity

Pratyahara - the 5th limb of Yoga, invites us to draw inward from the stimulation of the external world and to look within at the habits which may not support our wellness or well-being. We come into this place with a sense of curiosity, which was recently identified as the “antidote to addiction” in a January 16, 2021 article in the publication Inverse about recent brain research done at Brown University’s School of Medicine, results of which were published in an upcoming book, Unwinding Anxiety (to be released in March, 2021) by author Judson Brewer, a researcher and professor at Brown. The studies showed that it is not willpower alone that is effective in changing behavior, but rather bringing awareness and curiosity to that which we wish to change, and that our brain defaults to habits and its “comfort zone.” In this practice of developing our awareness and curiosity about our patterns and habits, we can also begin to evaluate which of our responses has the most reward. Coupled with this practice is the Satvic practice of identifying the truthfulness about our behavior, i.e. what is desirable, what is unpleasant, and what feels enslaving in our experience. In regards to our practice of Pratyahara, the withdrawing of our senses and breathing into the stilling of the mind in the present moment through asana and meditation, perhaps we can re-wire the brain’s gratification network to one of Aparigraha, non-attachment.

So maybe, the more time we can spend in our practice of yoga & meditation, the more effective we can become at making choices that align with our wellness desires versus responding to our autopilot behaviors.

Whether you are wanting to decrease, eliminate, or add specific behaviors to support your wellness and well-being, be gentle with yourself, release self-judgement, and honor the small steps and shifts you make towards your desired goals and way of being in the world … Namaste …