Tapa of Silence — Mauna Yoga
Mauna (silence) is the Tantric practice of abstaining from speech — cultivating the interior space from which authentic expression arises and encountering the Vak (divine sound) that precedes all human language.
Mauna (silence, muting) is prescribed in virtually every yoga and Tantra text as an essential practice — both as a discipline (vow of silence on specific days) and as a meditation (inner silence from which all external practice derives its power). The Tantric understanding of Mauna goes deeper than simply not speaking: it refers to the discovery of Para Vak — the primal, pre-verbal sound of consciousness from which all language emerges. Ramana Maharshi demonstrated the power of Mauna most fully — his presence in silence was considered his primary teaching, described as more powerful than any verbal instruction. The Yoga Vasistha states: 'Silence is the highest form of teaching.' Mauna periods are standard in traditional ashrams — typically observed on Ekadashi (11th lunar day) or during specific retreat periods.
Silence is the highest language. From it, all mantras arise. In it, all mantras dissolve. Practice silence — it is the deepest yoga.
Texts such as the Yoga Vasistha distinguish outer mauna — the vow of verbal silence — from kashtha mauna, the deeper stilling of the mind from which the outer silence draws its power.
Yoga Vasistha
Written about in
- What Tantra says about habit and discipline
Mauna is scheduled, not spontaneous — traditionally observed on Ekadashi, the eleventh lunar day, or during set retreat periods. Tying a practice to a date on a calendar is how tantra keeps it from depending on how anyone feels that morning.