Silence helps us conserve energy, watch ourselves, become sensitive and most importantly tune ourselves inwardly and outwardly.It develops listening skills and responsibility. Importance of observing silence How to observe silence

1. Mauna
A source of
silence
and
spiritual
energy

2. What is Mauna?
• The direct meaning of the word “Mauna” is the pledge of
silence.
• In yoga, spiritually motivated silence is called “mauna”.
• Mauna is not different from the definition of Yoga given
by Maharishi Patanjali “Yoga citta vritti nirodha” - “Yoga
is the cessation of mental modifications/fluctuations”
• ‘Mauna’ is derived from the word muni , an ascetic who
practices silence and it ideally symbolizes a state of
oneness with the Self.

4. What is silence??
• Silence is the relative or total lack of audible
sound
• Silence may also refer to any absence of
communication, even in media other than
speech.
• Spiritually, silence [nishchala niravta] is a state
in which either there is no movement of the mind
or vital or else a great stillness which no surface
movement can pierce or alter.

6. Its importance
• God, The Father, or Brahman is primarily The Supreme Silence.
• The soul, Atman (The Supreme Self) is Silence.
• The peace of the mind is Silence. Silence is the deep language of
the heart, and because of this, it is the true language of the wise,
• Beyond all noises and all sounds, is where the Silence is found. It is,
in reality, your profound being.
• To be deeply submerged in silence, actually means to open yourself
up completely for the UNITY with God.
 Each man who sincerely aspires to know God, must previously
know this Stillness. He is then the silence itself, and, in this way, he
becomes a Maha Mauni, realizing God, HERE AND NOW.

8. • Silence represents an immense power, and living proof of
God’s true eloquence.
• Each time we get into the state of profound sleep without
dreams, we experience the mysterious and ineffable state
of Silence, but the veil of ignorance (Avidya) hides this
experience from our consciousness.
• There is no better healing balm than Silence for those
humans whose hearts are aggrieved because of failure,
disappointment or loss.
• There is no better remedy than Silence for those whose
nerves are over strung due to their tumultuous lives,
stress and quarrels of all kinds.

10. • Mauna develops willpower; increases the control of the
imagination (Samkalpa), thereby inhibiting the impulse for
uncontrolled, hurtful or silly speech.
• Mauna helps us in respecting the truth, and also for
controlling anger, through Mauna we stop lying, and we
also get the power of endurance.
• Keeping silent also preserves PSYCHO-MENTAL energy
which can be transformed into spiritual energy – OJAS
-SHAKTI, resulting in growing inner peace and a mind
which is both peaceful and alert.
• This peaceful mind in turn plays an instrumental role in
healing psychosomatic diseases and makes suffering
easier to bear.

12. Spiritual indigestion??--
Still not convinced???

13. Scientifically….
• What’s wrong with noise??
– Research shows that noise can kill, as it increases the
risks for high blood pressure and heart attacks (3% of heart
attacks in Germany are due to road traffic noise). Noise
disturbs sleep and heavily impacts on people’s quality of
life. Besides its health and social costs, noise has
economic consequences in terms of reduced housing
value and taxes, as it is a relevant reason for people to
move out of cities into suburban areas.
• silence can help avoid several social problems connected with
speaking, such as getting into arguments, talking ill of others or
gossiping.

14. Story
• The railway train was running at full speed from Calcutta
to Delhi. In one compartment, two British passengers
were talking in English. Pointing at one monk (sadhu),
traveling in the same compartment, one British
passenger was telling the other, "Look, what a
deception! With such youthful age, healthy body, and full
capacity to work, this man became monk to get free food
and to loiter anywhere. There are thousands of such
monks in this country and people feed them in blind
faith."

15. • Criticism of this sort went on for a long time, but
the monk sitting on the opposite seat was
pondering deeply with a calm posture. When the
train arrived at one station and halted, the station
master saw the monk, bowed down before him
and asked in English, "What can I do in your
service, sir?“
• The monk answered in English, "One glass of
water will be enough. I want nothing else.“
• The two British passengers observed that the
monk spoke in such pure English. They felt
surprised. They never knew that the sanyasi was
educated. They had abused the monk so much
and still there was not a word by way of reaction.
His posture was the same, full of happiness as
before.

16. • The passengers inquired of him, "Well sir, why did you
not react to our criticism?"
• He replied, "Brothers, I remain engrossed only in the
thoughts of my life's work. I do not enter into any kind of
disputes."
• The peaceful posture and sadhana of the vow of silence
brought about a lot of regard on part of those two British
passengers.
• This sannyasi was Swami Vivekananda, the chief
disciple of the great monk Shri Ramakrishna
Paramhamsa. He was a great social and religious leader
of the nineteenth century. He became famous for his
unique speech in the World Religions Conference in
1893 in Chicago, U.S.A.

18. Practicing Mauna
• There are many kinds of
Mauna:
1. The complete control of the act
of speaking is named Vak
Mauna. This invoves control of
the organ of speech- vak
indriya
2. The complete suspension of all
the voluntary physical actions
is Kashta Mauna. However, in
the state of Vak Mauna and
Kashta Mauna, the fluctuations
of the mind are not suspended.

19. 3. The almost complete dismissal of all doubts
from the mind, which follows the firm
realization concerning the illusory character of
this world and that all [macrocosm] is nothing
else but Brahman [God], is Susupti Mauna.
Susupti
actually refers to the way the human
consciousness in the state of profound sleep
without dreams works.
4.Brahman (GOD-The Father) is named Maha
Mauna, as He is the supreme impersonation of
the Silence. Maha Mauna is the ‘true Mauna’.

20. Try It!!!
• Set aside 1 or 2 hours or a specific time for the practice of
Mauna daily.
• If that’s not possible, try it on the weekends or on holidays.
• Let everybody around you know that you are practicing Mauna
before you start so that they take care not to disturb you and to
avoid conflicts or misunderstandings.
• The easiest way to practice silence may be to live in (temporary)
isolation without too many possible distractions.
• Silence and solitude go hand in hand, find a quiet place in a
library, a room in your home, a place in hostel, a room in a
church/temple; somewhere where you will not be interrupted.

21. • Try not to read newspapers, listen to music or watch T.V because it
will not only bring new information into the consciousness, but also
the reactivation of some latent impressions linked with certain
thoughts from the subconscious mind (samskaras), and thereby the
peace of mind might be perturbed.
• It is necessary to reduce actions such as writing notes, making
gestures, or expressing our thoughts to the ones nearby. It is
recommended even for laughing to be restrained.
• Respect people who are trying to be silent..do not disturb them.
• A silent retreat in a spiritual center, supervised by an experienced
spiritual teacher, could be ideal for silence

23. • At home devote 3 or 4 days to silence and spiritual inquiry, at the
end of practice take out a sheet of paper and write all the creative
ideas, positive thoughts and benefits of this practice, reflect upon
how you feel.
• Diligent, constant and detached effort must be made to keep silent
both physically and mentally.
– One must keep reinforcing the practice even if one fails
every-time and practice it step by step.
– Try not to get disappointed with yourself and avoid saying, “I
cant keep quiet!”…keep trying…..
• When we are successful, we will be also able to control our ears (or
the sense of hearing) much more easily, because if we get to control
Vak Indriya, it may be stated that we already control half of the
mind.

24. Om chanting is considered as silent prayer.
The easiest way to get in touch with this
universal power is through silent Prayer. ...
Perfect prayer does not consist in many
words, silent remembering and pure
intention raises the heart to that supreme
Power. Shut your eyes, close your mouth,
and open your heart. This is the golden rule
of prayer. Prayer should be soundless words
coming forth from the centre of your heart
filled with love. .... Silence is the language of
Om. We need silence to be able to reach our
Self. Both internal and external silence is
very important to feel the presence of that
supreme Love.

25. • We should only try to be a human being who practices Mauna
based on an innermost need and conviction, and not because it is
a new Yoga technique, which is now in fashion.
• It is wonderful to conserve our energy in order to love God as
much as possible, and it is essential to consecrate more and more
time for an interior life of meditation, of introspection and of
contemplation of our Supreme Self (Atman).
• Through Mauna, we discover THE INNERMOST VOICE OF
SILENCE, and realize that, through the Supreme Self (Atman),
each of us is one with God.

26. In the attitude of
silence the soul finds
the path in a clearer
light, and what is
elusive and deceptive
resolves itself into
crystal clearness. Our
life is a long and
arduous quest after
Truth.
Mahatma Gandhi

27. 'Tis better to be silent
and be thought a fool,
than to speak and
remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln
I have often
regretted my
speech, never my
silence.
Publilius Syrus,
in Maxims

28. “We need to find God, and
he cannot be found in
noise and restlessness.
God is the friend of
silence. See how nature –
trees, flowers, grass-
grows in silence; see the
stars, the moon, the sun,
how they move in the
silence…We need silence
to be able to touch souls.”
Mother Teresa

29. Let us be silent, that we may hear the
whispers of the gods.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

30. Thank
you

31. References
Internet sources:
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.google.com
• Mauna - by Gregorian Bivolaru
• Inner Peace - Sri Aurobindo