In the past I was taught by my yoga teachers that the word pratyahara meant ‘withdrawal of the senses’. You might have gotten this message, too, each time your teacher leads you through the yoga relaxation and says something like, ‘Now still the mind and draw your five senses inwards so they don’t distract you.’ That’s a big ask. First of all, you still have to keep at least one of your senses on alert because you’re listening to the instructions, aren’t you? It’s not a simple matter to train ourselves out of being externally oriented through our senses. So, I was delighted to discover Richard C. Miller’s audio recordings and his approach to Yoga Nidra because his emphasis is different. It’s the notion that pratyahara is ‘the restoration of the senses and mind to their natural functioning’. Instead of suggesting that we need to be like a turtle drawing its head into its shell, the Miller way encourages us to acknowledge and welcome sensations as they arise in every moment. This is based on trusting that in a relaxed and open state we will be able to respond to situations clearly and appropriately. I’m only learning how to do this late in life. Rather than being the equivalent of a turtle with my head tucked into a tough, protective shell, I realise that when I’m willing to fully experience life I can somehow transcend difficult experiences and just be myself in the midst of any circumstances. This state of mind is incredibly freeing. David Garrigues, direcctor of the Ashtanga Yoga School of Philadelphia, has said in his article Pratyahara: Withdrawing the Senses & Truly Enjoying Your Yoga  that ‘using your body and your breathing to change your relationship to the sensory information you receive helps you bring more mind, more psychology, more honesty and authenticity to your awareness and your self-reflection.’ Rather than escaping from sensations, we be with them as a way to create greater awareness and clarity.