Pratyahara
Pratyahara is derived from two Sanskrit words: prati and ahara, with ahara meaning food, or anything taken into ourselves, and prati, a preposition meaning away or against. Together they mean "weaning away from ahara", or simply ingestion. What is the benefit of withdrawing our senses? The way to consciousness is going inward and the way to dis-ease is going outward.
Pranayama
Sutra 2.49 says: Tasmin satisvasa prasvasayoh gativicchedah pranayamah Tasmin -
on this sati – being accomplished svasa – inbreath, inhalation prasvasayoh – outbreath, exhalation gati – movement, motion, path vicchedah – cessation, stop pagepranayamah – regulation. Pranayama is the regulation of the incoming and outgoing flow of breath with retention.
It is to be practiced only after perfection in asana is achieved. It's more then just breathing friends.
Asana
The third limb on Patanjali's 8-Limbed path tells us more about the inner workings of ourselves than the outer workings. What sensations are we accepting and which are we rejecting?
