We step out and what do we see. Do we see the green of the trees, and the birds twittering about. Do we see how much dust covers the leaves. Thoughts go through our mind, it is so dusty. And the crows are making a racket, I wish they would shut up. I am giving small examples from day to day living.

You can be in any country and be critical of what you see. There is a very nasty WhatsApp picture going about. It shows an ignorant man who is scratching his bottom. The photographer thought it was funny. Many of us laughed at the pix. Did we stop to think where he was coming from, and where we were coming from. I am not a saint and neither are you, my friends. Stop to think, what are the feeling we would have. Contempt, disgust, or compassion. Now the photographer, what was he thinking. I have taken a brilliant snap. People will laugh and sneer.

Pratyahara is withdrawal of our senses

I come back to our feelings. Do we feel superior because we would never do anything like this. We are speaking about Pratyahara. Pratyahara is withdrawal of our senses. It is absolutely essential for us to practice it as our senses our the source of our expressions. We communicate with our senses. Our eyes view the object, our ears hear the sound, our nose smells, our tongue tastes, and our sense of touch feels. We are affected by our senses and they influence our thoughts. Our senses can enhance our negativity because of how we understand and perceive the situations. We are subject to assault of our senses by the media and it definitely affects us.

A simple practice

How do we extricate ourselves from such a tricky state. A simple practice: Close your eyes. Listen to the sound of your breathing. Do it with counting backwards from 54 to 1. Now become aware of the sounds around you. Just listen to the sounds, do not identify who or what is making it. The softest sounds and then the loudest sounds. Again counting backwards from 54 to 1. Now shift to internal awareness, hear the sound of your breath. Just add the mantra So Ham. You can count or just do it. Shift to external awareness. Let your sense of hearing scan the furtherest sounds and then come to the closest sound.

This is a very powerful practice called Antar Mouna. It means inner silence. No effort is required from you. Sit straight either on the floor or on a chair. You can even practice lying down. It will calm you and quieten your thoughts. It also makes you respond proactively.

Aim Hrim Klim.