Antar Mouna

Meaning

Antar Mouna (अन्तर्मौन) means “inner silence”. Antar = internal, mouna = silence. It is a systematic technique developed by Swami Satyananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga, based on classical pratyāhāra principles.

Unlike techniques that try to suppress thoughts, Antar Mouna works with them — observing them, allowing them, and eventually transcending them. It is yogic psychotherapy: cleansing of mental impressions (saṃskāras) through conscious observation.

Theoretical foundation

The Yoga Sūtras (1.2) define yoga as citta-vṛtti-nirodha — the cessation of mental fluctuations. But Patañjali also teaches (2.11) that subtle vṛttis are eliminated through dhyāna.

Antar Mouna follows this principle: don’t fight against thoughts, but observe them until they dissolve. The witness (sākṣī) remains still while thoughts pass like clouds.

The six stages

Antar Mouna is practiced in six progressive stages. The first three are preparatory (pratyāhāra), the last three are meditative (dhāraṇā/dhyāna).

Stage 1: Awareness of external perceptions

Objective: Develop detached observation of the senses.

1. Sit with eyes closed
2. Observe all sounds in the environment
3. Don’t judge, don’t label as “pleasant” or “unpleasant”
4. Simply note: there is sound
5. Expand awareness to other perceptions: temperature, pressure of body against floor, smells
6. Remain as pure witness

Duration: 5-10 minutes.

Stage 2: Awareness of spontaneous thoughts

Objective: Observe mental flow without intervening.

1. Withdraw attention from external perceptions
2. Observe the inner space (chidākāśa)
3. Notice thoughts that arise spontaneously
4. Don’t follow any thought, don’t develop it
5. Don’t try to stop them — simply observe
6. Thoughts, images, memories, emotions — all is material for observation
7. If you get lost in a thought, notice that and return to observing

Duration: 10-15 minutes.

Stage 3: Conscious creation and disposal of thoughts

Objective: Develop control over mental content.

1. Deliberately choose a thought (a memory, a person, an event)
2. Allow it to arise completely
3. Observe it with detachment
4. When ready, consciously dissolve it
5. Repeat with other chosen thoughts
6. Especially useful for processing difficult experiences or emotionally charged memories

Duration: 10-15 minutes.

Stage 4: Awareness and disposal of spontaneous thoughts

Objective: Apply developed control to thoughts that arise on their own.

1. Return to passive observation (as in stage 2)
2. When a thought arises, make the conscious decision: follow it or dissolve it?
3. Practice dissolving thoughts at will
4. Notice the space that remains when a thought dissolves
5. Eventually, thoughts arise less frequently

Stage 5: Absence of thoughts (the fertile void)

Objective: Remain in the space between thoughts.

1. When thoughts have calmed, observe the empty space
2. This void is not “nothing” — it is pure consciousness
3. Remain in this state without effort
4. If a thought arises, let it pass without attention
5. Return to the void

Stage 6: Spontaneous meditation

This stage is not “practiced” — it arises naturally when the previous ones have been mastered. It is the state of dhyāna described by Patañjali: continuous flow of consciousness without object.

Typical practice

A 30-45 minute session might be structured:

1. Initial relaxation (5 min)
2. Stage 1: External sounds (5 min)
3. Stage 2: Thought observation (15 min)
4. Stage 3: Work with specific thought (10 min)
5. Final silence (5 min)

Benefits

Psychological level:

• Processes memories and traumas without reliving them
• Reduces emotional reactivity
• Develops equanimity (samatva)
• Decreases anxiety and rumination

Spiritual level:

• Develops the witness (sākṣī-bhāva)
• Prepares for deep meditation
• Cleanses saṃskāras (latent impressions)
• Reveals the nature of mind as temporary and observable

Important notes

• Patience: First sessions may be chaotic — this is normal
• Non-judgment: The mind will produce all kinds of content; nothing is “wrong”
• Regularity: Daily practice, even brief, is more effective than sporadic long sessions
• Supervision: If intense emotions or traumatic memories arise, consider working with an experienced instructor

Antar Mouna is especially valuable for Western minds accustomed to introspection. Instead of imposing silence, it allows silence to emerge from observation.