The Circumstances and Need of a Temporary Withdrawal and Quiet of the Being

There are occasions where the practice of silence and a temporary withdrawal from the hustle and bustle of the outer life, to the degree feasible, becomes a necessary part of the sadhana for the practitioner of yoga. Yoga is, by definition, a change of consciousness, and it involves an inward and upward movement of awareness off of the surface interactions of the physical, vital and mental planes, to the psychic and spiritual levels of existence. As certain changes take place, the individual may feel an extraordinary need to quietly assimilate and experience the inward movement and any effort at communication, outer vital activity or mental action becomes both burdensome and counter-productive. This is not, generally something that takes place ‘all the time’ and is not a justification for complete withdrawal from the outer life for all seekers; rather it is a recognition of different phases of the transition from the vital consciousness of the external being, to the psychic and spiritual consciousness of the awakening yogic practitioner.

For the seeker who has not experienced this state before, there can be an overpowering feeling of massive silence descending, or a state of distancing oneself from the outer flow of life, or an intense pressure to focus inwards. These states, when the arise, need to be attended to, in order for the necessary energetic changes to take place and solidify in the being.

Sri Aurobindo observes: “The condition which you feel is one which is very well known in sadhana. It is a sort of passage or transition, a state of inwardness which is growing but not yet completed — at that time to speak or throw oneself outward is painful. What is necessary is to be very quiet and remain within oneself all the time until the movement is completed, — one should not speak or only a little and in a low quiet way nor concentrate the mind on outward things. You should also not mind what people say or question, — although they are practicing sadhana, they know nothing about these conditions and if one becomes quiet or withdrawn they think one must be sad or ill…. The condition lasts often for a number of days, sometimes many, until something definite begins. Remain confident and quiet.”

Sri Aurobindo, Integral Yoga: Sri Aurobindo’s Teaching and Method of Practice, Chapter 11, Human Relationships in Yoga, Talking with Others, pp 335-338