Seers in the subcontinent have laid great emphasis on the concept of mauna as an ideal trigger for introspection and reflection.
Derived from the word muni that refers to an ascetic who practises silence, mauna ideally symbo-lises a state of oneness with the Self.
Sankara described this state as one of the three essential attributes of a sannyasi, along with balya or being child-like and panditya or wisdom.
Mauna is a state that's beyond speech and thought, said Ramana Maharshi. It is when you live "without the ego-sense".
He eventually made silence his medium of instruction .The ancients set aside an entire month in winter for such spiritual discipline to culminate with a day devoted to complete silence, the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight of Magha known as Mauni Amavasya.
Meditation undertaken on this day is believed to be extremely meritorious, especially at the confluence of the three rivers at Prayag or Allahabad. Sadhaks assemble at Prayag to practise rigorous month-long austerities known as kalpa-vas, which ends with the observance of Mauni Amavasya.
Mauni Amavasya is also a day, especially during the Kumbh mela, when a holy dip in the Ganga is considered auspicious and rewarding.
Yoga literature describes the three rivers — Ganga, Yamuna and (mythical) Saraswati — in metaphorical terms as the Sushmna, Ida and Pingala Nadis within the body which have to be brought into equipoise to enter the state of mauna or samadhi.
The quest for Oneness has attracted many a seeker on the path of contemplation through the practice of silence. Silence was the defining characteristic of both Mahavira and Buddha's search for meaning.
The transforming voice of silence led Ramana Maharshi to regard mauna as the best and highest form of diksha or initiation.
Tamil saint Thayumanavar followed the discipline of mauna till it became his natural state of being.
He described it as "that state which spontaneously manifests after the annihilation of the ego".
Mauni Amavasya is a day of spiritual sadhana, a prod of the ancients to goad us into the practice of mauna, of getting us into the habit of calming the restless mind.
Someone talks of the seven steps towards golden silence, of how to let go of fears, anxieties and jealousies, of the need to overcome the fear of silence itself which we all have, by beginning with "just sitting and being quiet".
Apart from its festive and religious import, Mauni Amavasya is a call of the inner Self, of the need for initiating an inner 'dialogue' with oneself, of the need to start the spiritual journey .
Vedantic seers have defined the state of freedom from mind — mauna is the key to that spiritual dimension, which enables one to be a witness to the mind.
Mauni Amavasya is an ideal time to control the Vikshepa or distractions of the mind and focus attention within.
So, "Be Still and Know Thyself".
Derived from the word muni that refers to an ascetic who practises silence, mauna ideally symbo-lises a state of oneness with the Self.
Sankara described this state as one of the three essential attributes of a sannyasi, along with balya or being child-like and panditya or wisdom.
Mauna is a state that's beyond speech and thought, said Ramana Maharshi. It is when you live "without the ego-sense".
He eventually made silence his medium of instruction .The ancients set aside an entire month in winter for such spiritual discipline to culminate with a day devoted to complete silence, the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight of Magha known as Mauni Amavasya.
Meditation undertaken on this day is believed to be extremely meritorious, especially at the confluence of the three rivers at Prayag or Allahabad. Sadhaks assemble at Prayag to practise rigorous month-long austerities known as kalpa-vas, which ends with the observance of Mauni Amavasya.
Mauni Amavasya is also a day, especially during the Kumbh mela, when a holy dip in the Ganga is considered auspicious and rewarding.
Yoga literature describes the three rivers — Ganga, Yamuna and (mythical) Saraswati — in metaphorical terms as the Sushmna, Ida and Pingala Nadis within the body which have to be brought into equipoise to enter the state of mauna or samadhi.
The quest for Oneness has attracted many a seeker on the path of contemplation through the practice of silence. Silence was the defining characteristic of both Mahavira and Buddha's search for meaning.
The transforming voice of silence led Ramana Maharshi to regard mauna as the best and highest form of diksha or initiation.
Tamil saint Thayumanavar followed the discipline of mauna till it became his natural state of being.
He described it as "that state which spontaneously manifests after the annihilation of the ego".
Mauni Amavasya is a day of spiritual sadhana, a prod of the ancients to goad us into the practice of mauna, of getting us into the habit of calming the restless mind.
Someone talks of the seven steps towards golden silence, of how to let go of fears, anxieties and jealousies, of the need to overcome the fear of silence itself which we all have, by beginning with "just sitting and being quiet".
Apart from its festive and religious import, Mauni Amavasya is a call of the inner Self, of the need for initiating an inner 'dialogue' with oneself, of the need to start the spiritual journey .
Vedantic seers have defined the state of freedom from mind — mauna is the key to that spiritual dimension, which enables one to be a witness to the mind.
Mauni Amavasya is an ideal time to control the Vikshepa or distractions of the mind and focus attention within.
So, "Be Still and Know Thyself".
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