Antar Mouna (Inner Silence)
with Swami Nishchalananda,
24th September & 1st October 2022,
Online Course
£50 / £35
Antar Mouna (Inner Silence) : A Practical Means to Realise Advaita (Non-Dualism)
Conducted by Swami Nishchalananda (Founder of Mandala Yoga Ashram)
During these two sessions we will go deeper into the practice of Antar Mouna as a means to open us up to realisation of what we are on a deeper level.
Here are some guidelines into what we will be investigating:
The mind by nature tends to be more or less in a constant state of turbulence. Only the state of no-mind is peaceful. Antar Mouna aims to create a state of no thinking.
Don’t try to stop thinking!
A common fallacy held by many Yoga practitioners is that we should stop thinking. This is not ultimately very useful, even if it were possible.
In Antar Mouna we try to become Aware – to just BE – to let thoughts come and go, but to get more and more in touch with That which is behind thoughts and, in fact, all mental processes.
The sky never changes; it is unaffected by the clouds. Rest Centred in Being.
The mind is a process not an entity. It is not like a mountain, but more like a river – it flows. The thoughts flow one after the other. Because the flow is so fast, the mind appears to be an entity instead of a process. If you are hooked on thinking, then you never see the gaps – you jump from one thought to the next.
When you start to find the gaps then you become more aware; deeper truths start to reveal themselves to you. Instead of the clouds you start to see the blue sky behind.
Through Antar Mouna we are trying to increase the length of the gaps between thoughts and thereby become more aware.
You cannot cling to thoughts; they come and go. When you make the distinction that this thought is good and that one is bad, you are bringing the good thoughts closer to you, and pushing the bad thoughts further away. In this way, you identify with certain aspects of the mind and deny other aspects.
In Antar Mouna, we try to get in touch with the mind as it is, trying not to get identified with the mental processes, but rather with the Witness.
Fundamentally, you are not your thoughts but rather ‘Something’ which is able to know and observe the thoughts. Thoughts change; they come and go. As the Witness, you remain. You are the space in which thoughts arise. In Antar Mouna we are trying to get in touch with the inner space and the Witness.
Be in Here and Now, enjoying whatever is – your breath, the scenery, just sitting, the company.
Don’t dream of the future.
Be grateful. Then every moment of life becomes magical, a miracle.
Antar Mouna is designed to encourage this.
Purpose of Antar Mouna:
- to train us to stop identifying with the movements of the mind
- to tune in with the inner silence
- to make us realise that the perceived is not the perceiver
- to tune the mind to the Source
- to listen to that which IS
- inner Communion
- to gravitate from the periphery to the Centre.
- to leave outer sensory perception for inner Awareness
Every night when we go to sleep, we go into pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), but unconsciously. In Antar Mouna, we are trying to follow the same process as sleep (withdrawing the senses from contact with the outside world), but consciously. This may seem insignificant, but it makes all the difference.
During this course of two sessions, we will go deeper into the practice of Antar Mouna.
The Teacher : Swami Niashchalananda
Swami Nishchalananda is the Founder and Director of the Mandala Yoga Ashram in Wales. He has been a hugely influential figure in the development of Yoga in the UK for decades.
Over the years, many people have been touched by his inspiring yet down to earth teachings.
These online courses have made his work accessible to a whole new range of people in a format that maintains the essence of the teaching while makiing them practical and useful day to day.
Cost
The fee for this workshop is £50.00.
If you cannot afford the full fee you can pay a reduced fee of £35.00.
If there is financial hardship and you cannot afford the reduced fee please contact us.
Dates
- 24th September 2022
- 1st October
The Programme
- 10.00 – 11.00am : Introduction & Meditation Practices (Swami Nishchalananda)
- 11.00 – 11.50am : Hatha Yoga
- 11.50 – 12.00pm : Short break
- 12.00 – 1.00pm : Talk and Meditation (Swami Nishchalananda)
How to Book
Click on the button below to book online.
When you make your booking you will be sent a link to join the workshop on Zoom.
Tips for Online Yoga!
- A few minutes before the workshop starts, click on the link you received when you booked.
- The link might go straight to the workshop OR it might ask you to download Zoom first. If you need to download Zoom, it is very quick & easy.
- If the sound on your phone, laptop or PC is not so good you can buy bluetooth headphones, or plug in speakers and that will improve your experience of the classes.
- For the posture work, apart from when we the teacher is demonstrating try to follow the verbal instructions rather then looking at the screen.
- As the teacher is not present to advise you it is essential that you take responsibility for your own practice and to ensure that you stay within your physical limits.
- You can decide yourself if you want the camera on or off during the class. Your microphone will be turned off.
- Prepare a space for doing yoga. Make sure you aren’t disturbed by people, pets or phones during the class.
- You will need a yoga mat, a blanket for the deep relaxation and maybe a cushion for the meditation.
- During the meditation and relaxation, it is best if you practise in a semi-dark room.
- For meditation, be comfortable! You may sit on the floor with cushions etc, or on a chair.
