One of the most important practices for Yoga is mauna which simply means “silence” or “silence of the mind.” The Hindu Yoga tradition emphasizes that wisdom, insight and Self-realization can only be gained via controlled silence. Mauna is a essential practice for maintaining metal discipline and austerity.
For the yogi it can mean doing asanas silently and meditatively. Modern yogis who play music from a playlist while doing asana deprive themselves of an ideal opportunity to experience spiritual growth via silence. This is likely the reason why the use of music is frowned upon by many traditional yoga teachers. For a lay person, mauna can be developed by refraining from speech and eliminating the burden of speaking for a few minutes or even a few hours at at time on a daily basis. Those who practice mauna this way usually find it to produce a calmer and more peaceful state of mind.
For the yogi it can mean doing asanas silently and meditatively. Modern yogis who play music from a playlist while doing asana deprive themselves of an ideal opportunity to experience spiritual growth via silence. This is likely the reason why the use of music is frowned upon by many traditional yoga teachers. For a lay person, mauna can be developed by refraining from speech and eliminating the burden of speaking for a few minutes or even a few hours at at time on a daily basis. Those who practice mauna this way usually find it to produce a calmer and more peaceful state of mind.
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