Antar Mouna (Inner Silence)

Antar Mouna (Inner Silence)
 
Antar mouna is a meditative technique that leads to inner tranquillity and silence. Antar mouna helps in attaining pratyahara (withdrawal of the mind from the sense objects), the fifth stage of raja yoga. Muni is the person who has attained the state of inner silence. Antar mouna is the process of rooting out impressions (Samskara) deep in the subconscious mind. This leads to a speeded-up process of removing tensions from the mind. Generally, it is practised in the form of no speaking while carrying of normal life. If one stop talking but still remain concerned with the practice. One’s interaction with the world will merely flow out through the sense organs of eyes, ears, etc. instead of mouth. Try to be detached. From things around us.
 
Many people find that in the beginning a lot of strong negative emotions and thoughts arise. This can make one unhappy but this is necessary part of the process of purging the mind, but it should be done more slowly. The duration of mouna can be increased as the mind becomes more harmonised. It induces pratyahara (sense withdrawal, cutting off perception). Regular practice of antar mouna brings about a gradual release of pent-up mental tension and suppressed emotions. In Buddhism, the practice is called as ‘Vipassana’.
 
Stages of Practice:
The practice has six successive stages. One should devote at least one month at each stage. The best time to practice it is before going to bed or early morning.
 

1. Awareness of sense perception – Sit in meditative asana and direct the awareness to the outer world intentionally. The perception of outer world is received through sense organs (except eyes as eyes are closed). Feel all the perceptions (touch, hearing & smell). Intentional perception leads to disinterest automatically. This induces stage 2.
2. Passive awareness of spontaneous eruption of thoughts – One becomes aware of spontaneous samskaras exploding from the subconscious realms of the mind. One should allow all thoughts to arise in the mind without suppression. Some thoughts may be disagreeable and repulsive, don’t reject them. Do not make any effort to create thoughts. Let them arise naturally…and disappear naturally. It is not necessary to try to think, only let the thoughts arise spontaneously, one should try to be a witness of the thinking. Remain disinterested. One may be relieved of past experiences, negative thoughts, supressed desires, phobias and tensions. This is practised until mind becomes reasonably calm and free. Some may experience periods of time where the mind seems blank, thought stop. After regular practice over a period of time one may start to see thoughts that one did not think existed in the mind. One may relieve childhood memories. As one begins to perceive deeper parts of the subconscious mind, one may see visions (beautiful or frightening). These visions must also be exhausted. Eventually it can lead to a state of mental tranquillity and one-pointedness. Then move to stage 3.
3. Conscious creation of thoughts – it is exactly opposite of stage 2. Instead of spontaneous thoughts, in this practice, thoughts are chosen at will. It releases knots and blocks. In this stage, one has to create conscious thought of strong emotions or visualize a scene at will. These thoughts may be of mis happenings, events, more unpleasant the better. After dwelling on the thought for some time it is consciously rejected. Then another thought is posed and again rejected after some time. This process is repeated. In this way, many suppressed thoughts are purged. After practice of a few months, proceed to stage 4.
4. Awareness and disposal of spontaneous thoughts – in this stage, like stage 2, one becomes aware of the spontaneous thoughts. However, one should choose prominent thoughts that arise and reflect on them for a short time. Exhaust them at will. Repeat the process. This stage is to face deeper, subtle thoughts and visions buried in subconscious mind. Throughout the practice, one should remain detached from the thoughts, otherwise he would be distracted. Before practising stage 4, mind and body should be relaxed. Without this, the subtle impressions will not arise. So, it should practise after japa or ujjayi pranayama or kaya sthairyam. After practice of a few months, one should move to stage – 5.
5. Thoughtlessness (Nirvichara awastha) – At this stage mind should be reasonably calm, blank, but alert & without sleep. Thoughts will arise but intensity will be weak. Supress all these thoughts. This will lead to thoughtlessness. At this stage one should adopt a psychic symbol as focal point for concentration.

Process – Sit comfortably with closed eyes, practise stage 4, aware of chidakasha, watch carefully, if any thought arises, immediately reject it, be alert, if one sees visions, wipe it, aim is to attain & maintaining a state of no thought and no vision, make a resolve, repeat the resolve, ultimately a state of thoughtlessness will arise, be alert & aware, not to sleep. Master this stage and be ready for stage 6.

1. Psychic symbol awareness – when one attains thoughtless state then the mind has to be moulded so that it patterns itself   into the form of a symbol. Create an inner image of psychic symbol, fix all attention on the symbol, if it fades away, bring it back, maintain constant awareness of psychic symbol, do not sleep or develop interest, then one will glide into the state of dhyana.

Reference: A systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya – by Swami Satyananda Saraswati