There are two types of introversion, vishayakara vritti and brahmakara vritti. Vishayakara vritti means the tendencies of the mind in the frame of sensuality. During introversion the mind and its patterns assume the shape of the vishayas, the sensual objects. In brahmakara vritti, the mind and its patterns assume the shape of Brahman, that is the cosmic awareness, the divine awareness, God awareness or spiritual awareness. In yoga, introversion is known as antar mukha.
When the person whose mind is in the frame of vishaya becomes introverted, he is the loser and society is the loser. He achieves nothing. He comes out only to balance his psychological state. However, when one who has developed the brahmakara vritti, the spiritual awareness, becomes introverted, he comes out with jewels, valuable ideas, philosophies, accurate decisions, and so on. Introversion has to be defined.
The mental tendencies must remain in the frame of spiritual consciousness and then this antar mukha vritti, introverted tendency, becomes the most precious vritti. If a spiritual-minded person becomes antar mukha, his senses are withdrawn, he is not the loser and society is not the loser. However, if an unevolved person, who has not worked through his emotions and passions – hatred and jealousy, raga and dwesha – somehow, due to some shock, neurosis, deep-rooted attachment, or sensual passions, becomes introverted, he reverts to darkness. He is the first loser, his family is the second loser and society is the third loser.
A clear distinction has to be made between the introverted personality and introversion in the spiritual personality. There are people who live in fantasies. They may have fantasies for money, enjoyment, name and fame, or anything. They live in a world of their own. That is not brahmakara vritti, that is vishayakara vritti, as their mind is assuming the shape of enjoyment or ordinary sensual enjoyments. In yoga it is antar mukha vritti in relation to brahmakara vritti that is being emphasized.