Silence is the Cure

"Silence indicates the quality of your conciousness" -- Sri Sri


Maun (silence) is a tool to exercise restraint on speech. Self-restraint increases our strength. The sadhaka, who is capable of observing silence over a long period of time, attains a kind of psychic power of whatever he says coming true. His mind gets introverted and develops a penchant for introspection. Silence, supplemented with japa, helps the mind concentrate gradually. Reflection develops into meditation and slowly all kinds of psychic powers are awakened.

Speech is the characteristic of every living being, while silence is the language of its Soul. Human life is an inconstant melody confined between two points of Absolute Silence. The eternal silence of the soul is broken when it enters the world made of the five elements. Then while taking leave of the world it merges back into the eternal stream of silence. What can not be achieved by speaking, is easily accomplished through silence. Speech has its limitations, but silence has no limitations whatsoever. Silence symbolises peace and is a means to peaceful living in the world.

So far as the importance of silence in the material world is concerned, it is considered that speaking only to the extent essential, while avoiding even a single unnecessary word, is practical silence. One, who speaks more than what is required, proves himself to be guilty of vain speaking.Silence has been given a place of great significance in spiritual life. It is believed that everything can be achieved through silence. Unfortunately, we either do not know the importance of silence or despite being aware there of fail to bring it into practice. Most of us start speaking at the slightest excuse and go on incessantly . A lot of our vital energy is unwittingly wasted. To check this squandering of energy, saints advise us to speak only when necessary and not to utter the second word, if it is possible to do with one. Mahatma Gandhi used to observe complete silence one day a week. It was called Mahatma Gandhi's Maun day. And people would be astonished at the great amount of work he could accomplish on that day.

Silence gives us strength and teaches us self-restraint. Self-restraint is required not only for the body, it is also required in the matter of speaking. As physical restraint gives us health and longevity, restraint of speech saves us from many troubles and difficulties. Most of the internal quarrels are started by some harsh word uttered by somebody.

Maun is an important vrata for building up strength. Whatever is said by one observing Maun contains relatively more truth. A talkative man is usually
a liar. Gandhiji used to say,"When in doubt, don't speak." Unnecessary and meaningless speaking are more likely to lead to strife. An adage puts it aptly, "Silence of one defeats a hundred." Pure Silence is within you. It is not just the absence of sound, or lack of noise. It is the ground, the basis of your very being. There is nothing to find out, nothing to prove. Just listen with your whole being to what is here, now. It is the most amazing thing you can ever discover. -- (found this article on Orkut)


"Most of the sorrow in the world is because of this: speech... what people say. If they kept their lips tight, ninety percent of the problems in the world would be over!" - - Sri Sri