My sadhana history, in this birth, is speckled with Maun days or Silence days. Basically, in my house when I am home alone, or in a room, or rarely at another fellow yogis house I go into silence. And focus on my inner “stuff”.

I don’t remember much of my early days of Silence which happened about 13 years back.

As usual, my first few 2 or 3 days of Silence happened at Isha Yoga Center. There is a formal structured Silence sadhana in the ashram. I don’t know the rules for it now… But at that time, one had to get admin permission for even one day of Silence sadhana. And the admin is usually weird about their permissions.

Sadhguru himself on the other hand is very liberal with giving silence sadhana, at least, that’s what I saw then (13+ years earlier).

Either case, I got my taste of Silence sadhana in Isha ashram. And even got some compliments *ahem* about being quite a powerful Silent person. 😀 (Yes, that happens).

Anyway,

Since then I have gone into silence quite often, on my own, without any permissions.

Often on Sundays – half or full day. Other holidays.

Silent Birthday Girivalam around Arunachalam

Once, I went into Silence on my birthday and went for a Girivalam (circumambulation) around Arunachalam mountain in Tiruvannamalai. I asked someone to write “mounam” in Tamil on a piece of paper. I carried it with me as an answer if anyone spoke to me. Had to use it once on the walk of about 15kms.

It was utterly wonderful.

I love India. I realised then, that I could simply carry a paper with “Moun” written on it and in most of these temple towns, (maybe even metro cities?) people will respect me. And allow me to be in Silence. Joy!

My Silence Sadhana practice

Recently, when I was off to go, not on a travel holiday, but on one such Moun day, my dad asked me,

“has Jaggi given you people special practices for your Silence?”

He thinks I am following some Silence practice prescribed by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (of Isha Yoga Center).

Well, I am not. I got a taste of a “formal Silence” sadhana practice (as opposed to the usual, ever present Silence in our lives) in his ashram and I loved it.

But I actually don’t follow Sadhguru’s ashram Silence structure at all. I, in fact, don’t prefer it. It may have a lot of benefits (you can try it out if you visit the Isha ashram, with permission from the admin) 😃 but for me Silence is largely about Pratyahara.

Pratyahara = Prati+ahara = taking away the food i.e. taking away all the various inputs into our system i.e. restricting sense intakes.

I told my dad, “Silence helps us cultivate Pratyahara i.e. it helps us Control or Bring awareness to our 5 sensory inputs.”

My typical sadhana on Silence days involve:

Eyes : keep it shut as much possible. Either ways, don’t indulge in scenic pleasure. But heal it, give it care as an organ it may need.

Mouth: no talking. But also pay attention to the taste attractions. And care for it – Oil pulling and other oral care.

Ears: is there a way to close the ears? 🙂 don’t run behind (with thought and attention) incoming sounds. Oil as needed as per health routine.

Skin: no idea, what can be done. Maybe someone might wear coarse material to put it in discomfort 😀 I have never done that. But I do care for it every now and then with the Ayurvedic practice of self-massage or Abhyanga and using besan instead of soap while bathing. Feels totally divine.

Smell: again no idea how to stop the smells coming in. But I have started Jal Neti, that helps the sinus healing part.

And most importantly, with sensory inputs reduced drastically, and not having the onus to engage with people – I can remain aware of the thoughts. The thought-awareness increases immensely. And as I am simply aware of ongoings of my mind, a lot of knots dissolve away.

Such are my Silence days.

For whoever it may help. I fully recommend Silence days to you and encourage you to build your own routine and mechanism in it so it addresses your most pressing internal needs.