Acharya Prashant explains that suppression and restraint are essential methods in spirituality. He notes that while modern spirituality often views suppression as negative, it is a necessary step because one cannot wait for desires to be completely uprooted before living a life free from them. He emphasizes that one must learn to kill desires and control the mind, even though suppression alone is not sufficient and must eventually lead to the purification of the mind. He warns that if the mind is suppressed excessively for a long time, it may rebel, but most people have not even begun the process of restraint to claim their mind is rebelling. He further explains that the mind is fickle and constantly changes its colors, so one should not follow its every whim. Since most human actions are driven by primitive impulses and unconsciousness rather than awareness or righteousness, one should operate under the default assumption that their impulses are merely mental waves that need to be tested. He uses the analogy of dacoits entering a house; one only realizes their strength and one's own lack of control when one tries to stop them. Similarly, to know if desires are truly one's own, one must try to resist them. He concludes that by maintaining a skeptical view of internal impulses, one can avoid being swept away by every passing mental wave.
