What is Inner Sensuality?
Inner sensuality refers to “pratyahara”, or our inner senses.
All our inner senses come alive throughout our nervous system as we progress on the path. In yoga the change in sensory experience is called “pratyahara” which is often interpreted to mean losing or giving up attachment to sensory experiences. This is sometimes taken to mean killing involvement in the senses, or controlling them. Something anti-sensual, like that.
This has led to bizarre practices in some cases, running away from natural experiences of the world. This is a limited interpretation of pratyahara. What pratyahara really means is “expansion inward of the senses,” meaning we sense more and more divine qualities inside that are initially more charming than physical sensuality, so we are naturally drawn to them. We do not reject physical sensuality. We just begin to operate on a broader spectrum of sensuality as our nervous system opens inside. In time, even our physical senses are heightened as inner sensuality opens up, and our sensuality is seen to be a broad continuum.
All the while, we keep up our daily practices, which are the underlying cause of the transformation. The rise of pure silent bliss consciousness, a fundamental constituent in this process, keeps us beyond the grip of ego attachment to the widening sensory experience.
Click on “Main Lessons” above to learn daily practices or read more here:
Lesson 121 - Pratyahara: Expansion of the senses inward
At the forum:
Shutting off the senses