A heartfelt blog written by a practicing yogi on an empty stomach
Many times we aspiring yogis greatly stress upon the Pratyahara principle.
Pratyahara is the withdrawal of our five senses-seeing, hearing, listening, tasting, feeling, by focusing on ourselves rather than the external distractions of life. It helps to give respite to the mind from constant clogging of thoughts, worries, and frustrations. This can be achieved by immersing oneself deeply into the physical yoga practices.
For a foodie and adventure enthusiast like me, this idea can sometimes feel too rigid. We are used to feeling the constant wave of wants and needs arising and now we have the means of instant satisfaction. Swiggy for food cravings and Netflix for entertainment wants. I mean who doesn’t dream of a night accompanied by hot brownie with ice cream and a show to binge on – Strangers Things? Bridgeton?
And once you succumb to the want of the senses, then arises the guilty question – ‘am I not eligible to do yoga?’, “is my will power not strong enough?, and “…how many brownies is too many brownies?”.
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How yoga helps in a tasteful life?
The answer isn’t quite so black and white. Our minds have been shaped by years, decades even, of automated thoughts and subconscious patterns. Embracing yogic practices doesn’t mean we strip away all pleasure and live like ascetics in a cave. Rather, yoga teaches us to savor life more fully by bringing awareness to our choices. It’s not about denying yourself that sushi craving or declaring brownies off-limits forever. It’s about noticing the craving, understanding where it comes from, and then consciously deciding whether indulging serves you in that moment. Sometimes it absolutely does! The magic of yoga isn’t in restriction, it’s in cultivating a mindful balance where we can enjoy life’s pleasures without being enslaved by them.
Yoga brings equilibrium in all dimensions of one’s personality – in actions (and reactions), in thoughts and in speech as well.
The deeper one goes into their practice, the craving of food or stressful eating automatically decreases. The cravings or longings get more refined as awareness of the body and mind increases. Swadhyaya (introspection) here, becomes a key tool. Swadhyaya is the art of looking at oneself from a third person’s point of view (sakshi bhava or witness state). Another meaning of Swadhyaya is self-study or enhancing knowledge based on our actions. For example, imagine an argument that went down with a friend. Instead of endlessly replaying it with justifications for why you were right, swadhyaya invites us to pause and observe: What triggered our reaction? Were we truly listening, or were we waiting to defend ourselves? This reflective practice helps us learn from our experiences rather than simply repeating old patterns.
It also brings the focus back on ourselves. What is right for one person may not be right for the other.
So when I decide to have that sushi, swadhyaya teaches me to ask: Am I ordering it mindlessly out of habit, or do I genuinely want it? If the answer is yes, then I go guilt free and make my reservations at the restaurant. Once we bring awareness to our choices, we naturally start honoring them. We stop eating mindlessly, and we start to enjoy more deeply. That’s the difference yoga makes.
Principle of Vairagya
Just being conscious of your needs is sometimes not enough. What if you decide you wanted something and it is not in your reach. This leads us to explore the concept of detachment.
Let’s imagine that Lonavala doesn’t have sushi places around, which I am currently wanting. The disappointment, the irritation, and the feeling like you’re being singled out for all the pain and misery in the world while settling for the mess wala lauki ki sabji (a traditional side dish of bottle gourd). What now?
Here comes Vairagya, the practice of detaching from our desires without losing our joy. It’s about not letting unfulfilled cravings dictate our peace of mind, incorporating samatva bhava or equanimity into our everyday lives.
This is especially relevant today, when we’re drowning in options—food delivery apps, endless streaming choices, dating apps where partners are just a swipe away. Everything promises instant satisfaction. But we quickly realize that immediate gratification rarely leads to lasting fulfillment. When every craving can be satisfied instantly, we lose our ability to truly appreciate what we receive.
Vairagya teaches us to pause, to wait, to trust the timing of things. It’s okay if my sushi isn’t available right now. When the time is right, I’ll make that trip to Mumbai, and it’ll taste even better for the anticipation. As they say, sabr ka phal meetha hota hai.
So here’s what yoga has really offered me- through swadhyaya, to learn to savor pleasures consciously, and through vairagya, to find peace even when we can’t have our pleasures. That’s the balance. And through balance comes more freedom. Everything comes in good time. Sushi or lauki ki subji – I’m grateful either way.
Much love and light