("absorption [of the senses]") Pratya hara is the fifth of the eight component aspects of ashtanga ("eight-part") yoga, which was codified by Patanjali (1st century C.E.?).
Pratyahara is when one's senses are drawn away from the
sense items they normally experience.
It is done after mastering the sitting poses (asanas)—and
therefore being able to sit comfortably for lengthy periods of time—and after
mastering "breath control" (pranayama), which permits greater command
of one's physiological powers.
After gaining relative control over the body, one is ready
to turn one's attention within.
