What is the meaning of 'chitta vritti nirodha'?
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definition
"True mastery lies not in suppressing the mind's movements, but in embracing total awareness, allowing the poison of our thoughts to dissolve into stillness."
According to Osho, chitta vritti nirodha is not suppressing the mind’s movements but allowing them to cease through lucid, total awareness. Nirodha means that by seeing a vritti—like anger—completely, its poisonous nature is realized and it naturally subsides. Repression (virodha) only buries seeds that grow. Understanding is the alchemy: deep, present seeing dissolves modifications into stillness.
It means you don’t push thoughts and feelings away; you watch them so clearly that they calm down on their own.
Why this matters practically
- Prevents the rebound of suppressed emotions and turns turmoil into insight.
- Gives a practical method: when anger arises, observe it fully instead of fighting it.
- Cultivates effortless inner peace without force, guilt, or self-violence.
- Gives a practical method: when anger arises, observe it fully instead of fighting it.
- Cultivates effortless inner peace without force, guilt, or self-violence.
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