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Patañjali states, "Yogaś citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ." He is saying that if you can master your thoughts, then your practice or sādhanā will improve and proceed. If you cannot control your thoughts, then you cannot meditate. You sit in meditation, engaged in your mantra practice or whatever it may be, and you think, "I hope someone will give water to my garden." You are physically at home with your plants; it is a good thought. Then you think again, "I hope my neighbor's dog will not go every day making dirt in my garden." Thoughts are running; you are sitting here, but your thoughts are there. Once Mīrā asked the great saint Tulsīdās, "What should I do in my family where I am married? They have no devotion to God at all." Tulsīdās said, "Where there is no bhakti to Rāma, that place is not for living." She answered, "Yes, but you know, here is only my body; my thoughts and my mind are there where my Lord is." So the physical body is here, but your feelings are there where your beloved—God, the beautiful, or anything—is. A mother goes shopping, but her feeling is with the child left alone at home; she wants to return quickly. Thus, vṛttis come and go. When thoughts are there and thoughts go out of the body—meaning your aura—then there is nothing. And when there is nothing, your practice cannot be successful. But you cannot block your thoughts. You cannot lock your thoughts. Therefore, control the senses. Do not listen; do not hear negative talk from people. Even if it is negative, say, "Thank you, it is not my subject." And if it is my subject, I know; you need not tell me how you want me to do it. Do not try to see those kinds of pictures of people or things which disturb you, which awaken negative feelings. And do not go to certain places where there are stinky smells that remind you for days and days, things that do not smell.