The Spiritual Meaning of Silence - Mauna as a Yoga Practice

Let’s start with Patanjali’s defnition of yoga:
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः॥२॥

yogaś-citta-vr̥tti-nirodhaḥ ॥2॥

Yoga is the suspension (nirodhah) of the movements of mind. (citta vrtti)

When we meditate, we put ourselves in the seat of the ‘witness’ to the thinking mind, over time and with practice the meditator is hoping to glimpse the natural spaciousness of the mind. At first this might just be noticing the brief moments of space between the thoughts, however small. By attending to the natural and spontaneous suspension of thought, the meditator can gradually increase those moments, and a very experienced meditator could drop into the state of complete spaciousness and awareness. So to the yogi, one sense of the word ‘silence’ is that quiet of the state of non-thinking awareness of the mind.

Speech is the main way that we expend prana/life force energy. Mauna is the spiritual practice of limiting one’s speech, either for short, specific or long periods of time. By practicing mauna, one preserves the prana that is given through speech. Another benefit of mauna is developing an understanding of what we spend that speech on, much like going over our expenses or budget to see where our money gets spent, through the practice of mauna one can audit our speech. How much of my speech energy am I spending on untruthful, unuseful, or unkind speech? Am I uncomfortable with silence and therefore feel a compulsion to fill any space in a conversation with my speech? 

Outer silence can help us enter the world of inner silence. If we cannot be quiet outwardly, its much more difficult to be quiet inwardly. Mantra is one of the practices that can aid in developing the silence of mind. Spoken mantra that has been turned inward to a resonant ‘inner’ mantra, can help us to quiet the noise of the habituated thinking mind. Mauna, in the context of yoga practice, refers to the discipline of maintaining silence or abstaining from unnecessary verbal communication. It is a form of self-imposed silence that goes beyond mere absence of speech, encompassing a state of inner stillness and mental quietude. Mauna is considered a powerful tool for spiritual growth and self-awareness in various yogic traditions.

The practice of Mauna involves refraining from spoken words, as well as minimizing unnecessary external noises. By observing silence, practitioners aim to turn their attention inward, fostering introspection, mindfulness, and heightened awareness of thoughts and emotions. Mauna is often integrated into longer periods of meditation or contemplation, deepening the practitioner's connection with the inner self.

Beyond its role in personal introspection, Mauna is believed to conserve and channel one's energy, allowing for a more profound spiritual experience. It also serves as a means to cultivate patience, discipline, and detachment from the constant chatter of the external world. Many yogic traditions recognize Mauna as a valuable practice for individuals seeking inner peace, mental clarity, and a deeper understanding of the self on their spiritual journey.

Ways to practice ‘mauna’ in our modern world:
- Take a silent meal, if you are by yourself this also means no other media
- Enjoy time without headphones, media, devices (perhaps a walk or a certain time during the day)
- Meditate
- Practice mantra