Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Dear All, Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few days even ? Can people talk about silence <note the irony>. Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you. Jai Maa Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 silence is the best. it breaks my cycles of defensiveness and cleverness. i've done it when i've been alone but not as a practice. i think it would be a good thing to do as a sankalpa, even if only for a number of hours. , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Dear All, > > Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few > days even ? > > Can people talk about silence <note the irony>. > > Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you. > > Jai Maa > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Dear Latha, I have a done a wonderful group silent retreat and now observe mauna on Friday mornings [12 midnight to 12 noon - a good bit while sleeping]. At the retreat many wonderful lessons about the practice of Mauna became apparent. First was just how noisy the mind is - all the self-talk, dialogue. What a waste! What a bother! But as the silence is observed that self-talk falls away and the mind calms. Many of the issues that you wrestle with simply fall away. You see them as insignificant and not needing your attention. The few things that are really there for you to deal with at this time in your life come to the surface. Another benefit is that instead of head-tripping so much, I found that my awareness shifts to my heart - a place of conectedness and contentment. It is also a place where there is no need to do the social bantering (Hi! How-are-you?-Fine-How-are-you? etc.) and yet you feel that you are connected and aware of those around you - not as a distraction but from a place of understanding and love. Like fasting, Mauna frees up energy that was being expended elsewhere. You find that you seem to have more time to apply to those things you really find useful. I will include below some teachings from Swami Sivananda on Mauana. Jayadeva On Mauna ..... from Master Sivananda Mauna means vow of silence. The organ of speech is a very great distractor of mind. Talking makes the mind outgoing. People find it difficult to observe Mauna in the beginning. Worldly people want company and talk. That is natural. Energy is wasted in idle talking and gossiping. This energy can be conserved by Mauna and utilized for the purposes of divine contemplation. If you practice Mauna for one or two months, then you will realize its advantages. Then you will not leave the practice. If the organ of speech is checked, the eyes and ears also can come easily under control. Mauna develops will power. Mauna checks the impulse of speech. It is a great help for the observance of truth and control of anger. Emotions are controlled and irritability vanishes. In ordinary persons there is not a bit of control of speech. They cannot put a check on the flow of speech. But, a Mauni first thinks whether his or her speech will wound the feelings of others, what sort of impression it will produce on the minds of others, and so on. A Mauni is very careful, very thoughtful and considerate in his or her speech. Every word is weighed before it comes out of the mouth. A Mauni can stay for a long time in seclusion, but a worldly and talkative person cannot stay even for a few hours in solitude. The advantages of Mauna are simply indescribable. Practice. Feel the peace and enjoy the silence yourself. Busy people should observe Mauna for at least one hour daily. If you can do it for two hours daily, it is all the better. On Sundays, observe Mauna for six hours or the whole day. People will not disturb you at that time. They will come to know that you observe Mauna at such and such hours. Utilize the period of Mauna in Japa and meditation. The organ of speech is a strong weapon of Maya to delude the Jivas and distract the mind. Quarrels, disputes, etc. occur through the mischievous play of this sense organ. If you control this, you have already controlled half the mind. The organ of speech is very mischievous, troublesome, turbulent and impetuous. It must be steadily and gradually controlled. When you begin to check it, it will try to rebound on you. You must be bold and courageous. If you wish to observe Mauna, you should keep yourself perfectly occupied in Japa, meditation and Mantra-writing. You should not come out of your room frequently. The energy of speech should be sublimated into spiritual energy and utilized for meditation. Then you will enjoy serenity, calmness, peace and inner spiritual strength. You should know and feel that you will derive much benefit from observing Mauna and experience much peace, inner strength and joy. Only then will you take pleasure in observing Mauna. Only then will you attempt to not even speak a word. Forced Mauna, simply to imitate or from compulsion, will make you restless and gloomy. During Mauna, you can well introspect and practice self- analysis. You can watch the thoughts. You can understand the ways of the mind and its workings. You can notice how the mind runs from one object to another in a moment's time. You will derive immense benefit from the practice of Mauna. Real Mauna is silence of the mind. Physical Mauna will eventually lead to the silence of the mind. Energy is wasted in idle talking. Mauna conserves the energy and you can turn out more mental and physical work. You can do a lot of meditation. It has a marvelous soothing influence on the brain and nerves. By the practice of Mauna, the energy of speech is slowly transmuted or sublimated into Ojas-Shakti (spiritual energy). Observe Mauna for your own spiritual growth and not for making the public understand that you are a great yogi. Always scrutinize your motives in doing any action. Do not make gestures and signs and uh-uh-uh sounds, which is tantamount to talking. This is worse than talking. There is more wastage of energy in uttering uh-uh-uh. If circumstances prevent you from observing Mauna, strictly avoid long talk, big talk, tall talk, all unnecessary talk, all sorts of vain debates and discussions, etc., and withdraw yourself from society, as much as possible. It is better you observe Mauna for sometime in seclusion and try to evolve. After perfection, you can work wonders in a short space of time. Try to become a person of measured words. This itself is Mauna. The practice of Mauna should be gradual. Observe Mauna daily for an hour. Gradually increase it - two hours, three hours, six hours, twenty-four hours, two days, one week, and so on. During the period of Mauna you should not show any gestures and various other movements of the hand, and should not utter uh-uh-uh. If anything is necessary, you can write on a piece of paper. You should try to avoid such slips also. The energy of speech should be sublimated into spiritual energy and utilized for meditation. May you attain Peace through silence! May you enter into the stupendous ocean of Silence through Mauna! May you become a Maha- Mauni or a Jivamukti through Mauna! May the Lord grant you strength to observe the vow of silence without any break! Om Shanthi! , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Dear All, > > Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few > days even ? > > Can people talk about silence <note the irony>. > > Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you. > > Jai Maa > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Thanks for this post. Really I only observed silence in our retreat, but I must to try observe this sadhana again. In fact the control of tongue is with food and speek. Jay Maa! Satsangha remember us the tools in our way to God! Jaya Swmiji! I love all you KalachandraLatha Nanda <lathananda > wrote: Dear All,Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few days even ?Can people talk about silence <note the irony>.Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you.Jai MaaLatha Messenger 6.0 - jogos, emoticons sonoros e muita diversão. Instale agora! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Sitting in silence will not go to waste; some day you will reap the harvest of peace. baba hari das - Aphorism 73 , Kala Chandra <kalachandra2003> wrote: > Dear Lathaji > Thanks for this post. Really I only observed silence in our retreat, but I must to try observe this sadhana again. In fact the control of tongue is with food and speek. > Jay Maa! Satsangha remember us the tools in our way to God! Jaya Swmiji! > > I love all you > Kalachandra > Latha Nanda <lathananda> wrote: > Dear All, > > Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few > days even ? > > Can people talk about silence <note the irony>. > > Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you. > > Jai Maa > Latha > > > > > Sponsor > > > > Links > > > / > > > > > Terms of Service. > > > > > Messenger 6.0 - jogos, emoticons sonoros e muita diversão. Instale agora! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Namaste All, Yes, my fasting and silence for a day or a few days leads to deeper meditations. Doing my mantra in silence leads to deeper meditation and creates a stronger bond within. Gurudeva wrote in Raja Yoga; To speak is to create, just as to think is to create. Both go hand in hand, for the word is to thought as a child is to his parents. Hence, the control of awareness and the tongue is of the greatest importance in the transmutation of the creative energies. With Love Om Nama Sivaya Kanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Dear Jayadeva, I agree with your experience deeply. Especially about the energy that is freed up when we abstain from chatter. Ardis "Jayadeva" <omjayadeva > Tue, 14 Sep 2004 11:02:47 -0000 Re: Silence Dear Latha, I have a done a wonderful group silent retreat and now observe mauna on Friday mornings [12 midnight to 12 noon - a good bit while sleeping]. At the retreat many wonderful lessons about the practice of Mauna became apparent. First was just how noisy the mind is - all the self-talk, dialogue. What a waste! What a bother! But as the silence is observed that self-talk falls away and the mind calms. Many of the issues that you wrestle with simply fall away. You see them as insignificant and not needing your attention. The few things that are really there for you to deal with at this time in your life come to the surface. Another benefit is that instead of head-tripping so much, I found that my awareness shifts to my heart - a place of conectedness and contentment. It is also a place where there is no need to do the social bantering (Hi! How-are-you?-Fine-How-are-you? etc.) and yet you feel that you are connected and aware of those around you - not as a distraction but from a place of understanding and love. Like fasting, Mauna frees up energy that was being expended elsewhere. You find that you seem to have more time to apply to those things you really find useful. I will include below some teachings from Swami Sivananda on Mauana. Jayadeva On Mauna ..... from Master Sivananda Mauna means vow of silence. The organ of speech is a very great distractor of mind. Talking makes the mind outgoing. People find it difficult to observe Mauna in the beginning. Worldly people want company and talk. That is natural. Energy is wasted in idle talking and gossiping. This energy can be conserved by Mauna and utilized for the purposes of divine contemplation. If you practice Mauna for one or two months, then you will realize its advantages. Then you will not leave the practice. If the organ of speech is checked, the eyes and ears also can come easily under control. Mauna develops will power. Mauna checks the impulse of speech. It is a great help for the observance of truth and control of anger. Emotions are controlled and irritability vanishes. In ordinary persons there is not a bit of control of speech. They cannot put a check on the flow of speech. But, a Mauni first thinks whether his or her speech will wound the feelings of others, what sort of impression it will produce on the minds of others, and so on. A Mauni is very careful, very thoughtful and considerate in his or her speech. Every word is weighed before it comes out of the mouth. A Mauni can stay for a long time in seclusion, but a worldly and talkative person cannot stay even for a few hours in solitude. The advantages of Mauna are simply indescribable. Practice. Feel the peace and enjoy the silence yourself. Busy people should observe Mauna for at least one hour daily. If you can do it for two hours daily, it is all the better. On Sundays, observe Mauna for six hours or the whole day. People will not disturb you at that time. They will come to know that you observe Mauna at such and such hours. Utilize the period of Mauna in Japa and meditation. The organ of speech is a strong weapon of Maya to delude the Jivas and distract the mind. Quarrels, disputes, etc. occur through the mischievous play of this sense organ. If you control this, you have already controlled half the mind. The organ of speech is very mischievous, troublesome, turbulent and impetuous. It must be steadily and gradually controlled. When you begin to check it, it will try to rebound on you. You must be bold and courageous. If you wish to observe Mauna, you should keep yourself perfectly occupied in Japa, meditation and Mantra-writing. You should not come out of your room frequently. The energy of speech should be sublimated into spiritual energy and utilized for meditation. Then you will enjoy serenity, calmness, peace and inner spiritual strength. You should know and feel that you will derive much benefit from observing Mauna and experience much peace, inner strength and joy. Only then will you take pleasure in observing Mauna. Only then will you attempt to not even speak a word. Forced Mauna, simply to imitate or from compulsion, will make you restless and gloomy. During Mauna, you can well introspect and practice self- analysis. You can watch the thoughts. You can understand the ways of the mind and its workings. You can notice how the mind runs from one object to another in a moment's time. You will derive immense benefit from the practice of Mauna. Real Mauna is silence of the mind. Physical Mauna will eventually lead to the silence of the mind. Energy is wasted in idle talking. Mauna conserves the energy and you can turn out more mental and physical work. You can do a lot of meditation. It has a marvelous soothing influence on the brain and nerves. By the practice of Mauna, the energy of speech is slowly transmuted or sublimated into Ojas-Shakti (spiritual energy). Observe Mauna for your own spiritual growth and not for making the public understand that you are a great yogi. Always scrutinize your motives in doing any action. Do not make gestures and signs and uh-uh-uh sounds, which is tantamount to talking. This is worse than talking. There is more wastage of energy in uttering uh-uh-uh. If circumstances prevent you from observing Mauna, strictly avoid long talk, big talk, tall talk, all unnecessary talk, all sorts of vain debates and discussions, etc., and withdraw yourself from society, as much as possible. It is better you observe Mauna for sometime in seclusion and try to evolve. After perfection, you can work wonders in a short space of time. Try to become a person of measured words. This itself is Mauna. The practice of Mauna should be gradual. Observe Mauna daily for an hour. Gradually increase it - two hours, three hours, six hours, twenty-four hours, two days, one week, and so on. During the period of Mauna you should not show any gestures and various other movements of the hand, and should not utter uh-uh-uh. If anything is necessary, you can write on a piece of paper. You should try to avoid such slips also. The energy of speech should be sublimated into spiritual energy and utilized for meditation. May you attain Peace through silence! May you enter into the stupendous ocean of Silence through Mauna! May you become a Maha- Mauni or a Jivamukti through Mauna! May the Lord grant you strength to observe the vow of silence without any break! Om Shanthi! , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > Dear All, > > Has anyone ever observed silence as an aid to sadhana ? A day, few > days even ? > > Can people talk about silence <note the irony>. > > Would love to hear from you on how silence has helped you. > > Jai Maa > Latha Sponsor / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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