Pratyahara
The fifth limb of yoga. Pratyahara is known as a sensory withdrawal. By eliminating the distracting stimuli of the outside world, we are able to directly focus on ourselves. This helps us to stay in tune with our own mind and body and know what we truly need at that moment. It does not mean we lose sight of the outside world, but instead that we can be aware of its presence while choosing to focus solely on our own internal self. Pratyahara can help us from making impulse decisions by withdrawing mentally from situations before reacting. In asana practice, Pratyahara can be accomplished by focusing solely on the current asana and how it feels within the body, examining the senses of the internal body and withdrawing from the external senses of the world around us. Remain aware of the things around you and knowing of their existence, although not disturbing your peace of mind or invading your thoughts.