“It is often in silence that we observe the most authentic communication taking place between people who are in love “ ~ Pope Benedict XVI
We talk a lot, all the time.
If not with others, we talk to ourselves.
If not out loud, we chat
incessantly in our heads.
And if not face to face, thanks to technology, we communicate all the time by texts.
Considering how speech makes a major part of our being, it is wise for us to have a look at how we do
this and see whether we are doing it
properly.
A scripture was recording
conversation that took place between the Buddha and a prince named Abhaya. It was
said that only words that are factual,
true, beneficial, endearing and
agreeable are worth saying. All these
qualities are to be perfected by proper time of saying, in sympathy for living
beings.
However, if we were to apply those qualities to filter our day to day conversation, it seems that we would end
up with nothing or very few to say all day.
Is it best then for us to
stay in silence most of the time?
The Trappist monks of Roman
Catholic religious order have very inspiring practice on speech. They typically
have only three motivations to speak to one another - to get a particular work
project carried out efficiently, to engage in a community discussion, or to
discuss one’s spiritual progress with a director or confessor. While few of
them may take the vow of silence, in general, Trappist monasteries are very
quiet as the monks stay in silence most of the time in adherence to the
guideline for speech. So much so that it was common for people to get the wrong
impression and think that all monks of the order take silent vow. I, for one, used
to think so too.
“Silence enables us to be attentive to what is going on, to all the ups and downs” ~ Joseph Goldstein
I wonder if this is why the
rule of Saint Benedict encompasses silence in the first place, so those who
practice it are able to be fully attentive to what is going on. Then again, I could
probably say with more certainty, that this is one of the reasons talking, including
writing and reading, is generally not allowed in meditation retreats. I love the
silence imposed during retreats. There is a lot happening as I listen to my own internal chatters, that not having to talk to others is very restful. When the chatter
in my head begins to cease as well, it is pleasantly and peacefully quiet.
Curiously, this seems to be
rather challenging for many others. Of all other main rules in retreats,
silence is something that people in general would eventually desert. I never really
understand why.
It has been widely accepted
that the practice of Yoga and Meditation go hand in hand. That is, if they are
not actually the same thing. However, the modern practice of yoga currently
revolves mainly around physical postures. With this alone, it appeared to me that a lot have been omitted
tremendously from the original teaching, including guidelines for speech.
Each time I inquired on this matter, most teachers would only refer to the
well-known eight limbs from the renowned Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. The
sutra laid guidelines for daily conducts such as ahimsa (non-violence) and satya
(truthfulness) and so generally, the modern yoga tradition would apply these
guiding principles on speech.
While this is excellent, I
could not dismiss this nagging feeling that there should be much more into it
than merely the two principles. And I am happy to have discovered that there
really is.
Few months back, I was
introduced to the practice of Mouna
(sometimes spelled Mauna) by Yogi
Charu, a wonderful classic Hatha Yoga teacher. Back then, the practice was
introduced as kriya or cleansing for the tongue, which is a smart introduction
to those who are not used to silent practice.
So I looked it up and was
amazed by this practice of Mouna. And I am even more amazed (but not
surprised) that this practice did not get as much attention as other practices
in this era of modern yoga.
“Spiritual
aspirants must observe Mouna for some hours daily.” ~ Swami Sivananda
If we refer to the celebrated
saying of Pattabhi Jois - “Yoga is 99% practice and 1% theory”, how many of us, so-called yogi, would refer to the word ‘practice’ as anything other than
the rigorous asana practice? But look, apparently Mouna or silence is to be
observed daily. Moreover, it is for some hours, not 5 or 10 minutes.
The practice of Mouna can initiates simply as control of speech. At its highest form, referred to as maha mouna, the silence reaches the mind and all thoughts are completely annihilated. I suppose this is the very silence that embraces all our beings, which is usually still beyond our limited minds.
Unfortunately, humans nowadays are conditioned talk all the time. So, to stay really silent would actually be a hard work. I suppose that is why Swami Sivananda also pointed out that Mouna is tapas (discipline) of speech. For most of us, Mouna as discipline of speech alone is a good starting point.
At our own stage, it is possible to integrate the practice as much as we can. Stay clear from our not-so-smart phones, relax and enjoy the sky, or perhaps, sit still and
watch our breathes. Invite the practice of silence, discover the sound of silence. Thus hopefully, comes peace, with-in and with-out.
“Silence is
ever speaking.” ~ Sri Raman Maharshi
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