grahaṇa-svarūpa-asmitā-anvaya-arthavattva-saṃyamāt indriya-jayaḥ
Mastery over the senses can be achieved from samyama on their perception, essential nature, the sense of “I”, their connections and purpose
Here, Patanjali presents the culmination of the pratyahara practice introduced at the end of Chapter Two of the Sutra-s.
The single-pointed focus of samyama is directed to the senses themselves. As with other practises, Patanjali advocates a gradual progression from one level of experience into a subtler one. The initial focus is on the processes pf perception (grahaṇa) and on the functioning of the 11 sense organs:
The 5 organs of knowledge: hearing, touch, vision, taste, smell
The 5 organs of action: speech, hands, feet genitals, anus
And the organ of thought: that aspect of the mind that regulates the other senses
The next level/object of samyama is directed to the specific kind of things that the sensory organs help you to grasp: vision is feed by colour, shape, movement, etc., hearing is feed by sound/vibration, etc., etc.
Then there is the personality assumed in these things: “I feel” “I like” “I dislike”, etc. etc. Then there are also the connections that weave all this together and, finally, the ultimate goal or final purpose.
With the above in mind, this practice can free your sensory conditioning/limitless desire for sensory pleasure.
Damian Cadman-Jones is an authorised teacher of Prana Vashya Yoga™
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