Q. What is yoga?
A. Chitta vritti nirodha iti yoga
what is chitta? Chitta is something that is a reflection of God. This is to be differentiated from Chitt. After chitta something within it wants to enjoy and that is the soul. One has to go way beyond the soul to reach chitta. Preventing the Chitta from assuming the illusion of soul is Yoga. It has nothing to do with the exercises etc
Chitta has 5 aspects. Only 3 are known to most people. Advanced disciples experience the other two
The 3 aspects are Kshep, Vikshep and mudha. They are part of the rajas, sattwa and tamas guna. In mudha the Chitta refuses to meditate and if it tries it goes into slumber rather than meditation.
The other two are ekagra or single mindedness. Here the Chitta focuses only within and nothing else outside. When it stays there for a while, then nirudha the highest appears. In this state, no object of focus is left.
Can thoughts be controlled? Yes. The trick is simple and written in Mahayoga vigyan, autobiography of a yogi and God talks with Arjuna.
One must learn the technique and follow it patiently
Bhavin