Word ‘निरोध’ has profound meaning in mind-space however its usage in day to day life has made its meaning so lowly that when your ear-drums sense this word, you in 21st century, get obnoxious thought chain about physical excitement and soon the meaning of the word become null and void. This is all thanks to lack of life oriented education in our curriculum. Some schools do teach Yogic exercise, but their teachers are not well-trained, self-realized souls. They teach everything like machines, to machines. If Patanjali is missing in text book, it is difficult to understand right meaning of word ‘निरोध’ and what remains in mass mind is popular govt. ad about prevention of infectious disease. Grim.
To know the right meaning, we must sit with mighty mind scientist, Rishi Patanjali. Rishi Patanjali mastered this word ‘निरोध’ by starting his famous book Yog
Sutra with following verse :योग = चित्तवृतिनिरोध !
Just a single sentence to define Yog! Only scientists can define formula this way! No word blabbering. Short and profound definition of Yog! Yoga is the state of no-mind!
Here, word ‘निरोध’ does not mean absolute suspension of all the mental faculties nor does it mean absolute opposite (As in case of addicts living in trance). It simply means, stoppage of mental faculties, running here and there behind unwanted, worthless thoughts, leading to the concentration of the mind, which is absolutely necessary for attainment of any object that human seeks.
When there is no mind, you are in Yoga. So you may do all the postures, but if the mind goes on functioning, if you go on thinking, you are not in yoga. Yoga is the state of no-mind. If you can be without the mind without doing any posture, you have become a perfect yogi. It has happened to many without doing any postures, and it has not happened to many who have been doing postures for many lives.
You don’t have to take Sanyas to become Yogi. Instead, learn to be master of mind, निरोध it while you focus on your present duty and experience Yoga with God!
Can we निरोध our चित्तवृति? If not, how do we expect life to treat us well? If there is no focus, there is no gain, spiritual or material.
