What does it really feel like to turn the focus inward?

In this 90 min workshop with Aly, we’ll explore Pratyahara, or the withdrawal of the senses, with the aid of a blindfold (optional). The room will be dimly lit, with no music, to aid in the transition from the outward world to the inner world. Without our eyes and ears to distract us, we’ll focus on awareness of the breath, positional awareness of the body using our own sense of touch and exploratory movements. Students are urged to explore intuitively throughout.

The yoga poses will be familiar poses suitable for all bodies. The goal is to see how we experience these poses differently without the eyes. No ability to look for guidance. No visual comparison. No checking the clock. No checking out our clothes. And how does this impact the mind?  The only dristi (or focus point) we will have is within.

There will be a Pranayama that develops the sense of Pratyahara further, and a short meditation on this theme to end the practice.

This will be a depply experiencial class exploring this fifth limb of the eight limb path of Yoga. We live in a society that actively works to grab attention and literally steer the mind away from the self. This workshop will develop the tools you can use to reign mind back in. Leave with a better understanding and a felt sense of Pratyahara, as well as an understanding Pratyahara's role in preparing for meditation.