According to Equinox V1 No.4, citing Vivekananda in the footnote on page 103,

"It will be noticed that Pranayama itself naturally merges into Pratyahara as concentration on the breath increases."

I think your understanding is correct.

It goes on to say about specific excercises:

"The first lesson, then, is to sit for some time and let the mind run on, until it is realized what the mind is doing, when it will be understood how to control it. Then it will find that the thoughts which at first bubbled up, one over the other, become less and less numerous; but in their place will spring up the thoughts which are normally sub-conscious. As these arise the Will of the aspirant should strangle them; thus, if a picture is seen, the aspirant by means of his will should seize hold of it before it can escape him, endow it with an objectivity, after which he should destroy it, as if it were a living creature, and have done with it. After this mastership over the senses has been attained to, the next practice namely that of Dharana must be begun.
"

Hope that helps.

From my experience, Pranayama will get there faster and in a steady mode, like your brain becomes 1 thing instead of right/left jumble of thoughts and impulese, I think the alternate breath establishes an equilibrium. Sometimes it feels like someones fist is pressed up against my forehead in that mode, and time as normally perceived 'stops'. Another one I saw and practice sometimes is combining thougths with opposites to destroy them. Not my idea but also effective.

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