Hello!
Actually i suspect some kind of music i occasionally listen to results in a poorer meditation.
Could this be true? Or could simply listening to music be bad for meditation? May music let disturbing remnants in one’s mind?
Thanks for sharing.
om shanti
When you say, “poorer meditation” what are you experiencing?
Some people prefer music or chanting, others want dead silence. I personally feel beginning meditators should do what is more comfortable for them. Experienced meditators should occasionally explore that which makes them uncomfortable. For example, an experienced meditator may find that they have a lot of discomfort when there is noise around. At some point, that should be an area of exploration for them.
Any type of music can be problematic under the right circumstances. For example, it is shown that loud noise can lead to a stronger sympathetic nervous response (fight or flight). Therefore, normally soothing music played too loud can have the opposite effect.
Another example would be some music may remind us of something from the past. When you play that music, it elicits an emotional response that creates discomfort. It would be easy to label playing that music as bad because it creates a feeling of discomfort. However, it can be argued that the evocation of said emotion is an opportunity to properly integrate that emotional experience from the past.
[quote=panoramix;15026]Hello!
Actually i suspect some kind of music i occasionally listen to results in a poorer meditation.
Could this be true? Or could simply listening to music be bad for meditation? May music let disturbing remnants in one’s mind?
Thanks for sharing.
om shanti[/quote]
Sorry, I am bit unclear about what your experience is. Are you having disturbing remnants (thoughts or feelings) coming into your mind during your meditation that you feel may have provoked by music that you had been listening to [I]prior [/I]to meditation? Or are you having this experience while listening to the music during your meditation?
If you would, please clarify for us.
Namaste,
Hello both,
After five years of daily practice, periodically it is impossible to me to make my mind repose, thoughts every time arise and put my practice astray.
As i frequently find my mind replaying musical fragments listened in the past (while engaging daily routines), i was wondering if that could have a negative effect on meditation.
The question is: ?Could some kinds of music be unfit for achieving Chitta Shuddhi?
Thanks for answering.
om shanti
I don't listen to music during meditation. I use easy / relaxation music with my yoga though. Here is an old post on music, zazen, noise and voluntary solitude.
As an offshoot to my simple living work, I now use the practice of "voluntary solitude" to give me a more peaceful life. The same way I pick and choose which complexities of living I allow in my life, I now do the same with noise and commotion.
I first learned of this concept when reading a book by the granddaddy of backpacking Colin Fletcher. He described the benefits of pure solitude by walking alone. It occurred to me I was addicted to noise and commotion.
I felt like my mind was going to explode some days. Music and noise kept repeating in my brain all night and my sleep was fitful. I had the TV blasting all day with the stock channel or the news or whatever. It didn't matter if I watched it or not, I just liked the noise.
I had the radio or CD going whenever I was driving. Even on the trail when hiking or biking, I had on earphones and at the pool a radio blaring. My mind was full of noise and I could never seem to get any escape with noise even in my sleep.
Once I started with voluntary solitude and shut off the noise, I went though a period of noise withdrawal for a few days, but gradually could see things were getting better. Sometimes our peace is disturbed by other means than noise. I've seen persons going out to be alone in nature and they bring their computer or paperwork with them.
Maybe they have removed some of the fuel for their stressed life but cannot let go of it all and must still feed their addiction even while in nature. Be aware of peace disrupters in your life, irrespective of whether they make sounds or not.
I now am very choosy when it comes to noise pollution and other disruptions entering me that can be cured by using solitude, deep quiet and renunciation. When we are quiet within we are in an easier position to find peace. I've known some people that have a completely quiet day once per week seeking quiet for their mouth and speak to no one in addition to seeking quiet for their ears.
Other persons I have talked with just make an effort to lower the volume of the noise they intake as well as lowering the volume of the noise they output...lowering their voice. No matter which road you choose, now is a wonderful time to seek the solitude of nature and practice voluntary solitude in whatever degree you choose.
Whatever the area of mind abuse - a sick mind that is constantly busy cannot heal itself without rest. Nor can that mind think rationally when it is sick. Meditation on nothingness (zazen) helps quiet a "sticky brain" that seems to hold onto everything. I can get positive results with just 15 to 20 minutes a day sitting meditation time. It helps if I sit at regular time. I meditate on nothingness, although some meditate on an object
If you can get to a half hour meditation time, that is great. Do not confuse zazen with sleep. Having a brain awake and empty if far different from a brain asleep and still producing thoughts and dreams. It just takes time and practice. Morning works better for me than mid day...there are less things distracting me earlier in the day usually.
The important point is to just do it and do it regularly and do not make demands on your meditation practice or have expectations. Balance is very important in life. We need some spiritual practice and some physical as well. We sometimes forget we are spiritual beings residing in physical bodies living in physical world and need effort in both areas.
There are many other ways to use meditation besides traditional sitting meditation. There is also working mediation and walking mediation practices. If you do yoga, you can try combining meditation with your Yoga practice. Mindfulness meditation all starts with being aware of ones breath.
I also make use of meditation tools such as a meditation timer. One type is a $10 CD that sounds a gong after a preset time. The other one is an expensive $100 electric gong timer that can also be used as an alarm clock or Yoga timer.
Sometimes I might use the 15 minute preset time just to get into a state conducive to meditation and when the gong goes off keep sitting until I feel like getting up naturally. These are usually the best sessions for me, although they require a person to have some freedom of time. Seldom can I sit for longer than 30 to 35 minutes at a session due to time and my ability.
But, don't get caught up in ego and try to mediate ad infinitum thinking the longer the better. One out of balance practitioner I knew bragged how he could meditate the main away from his rotting teeth with long hours of meditation. In his case too much sitting and too little oral hygiene -- stay balanced.
Any sort of timer is fine except one that jars you out of meditation in an abusive and agitating manner. A timer frees one's mind from worrying about such things. This should also apply to our alarm clocks in the morning. I use a CD clock that plays birds singing.
Start your day off in peace. If you need further advice, there are many good books, videos or tapes on meditating from your local library that can help. Also many internet resources.
Hi! I admire your dedication to your meditation, as I am only beginning to establish a daily practice. There are many types of meditation techniques out there! Have you tried to switch up your practice?
I have been learning from Tibetan Buddhist teachers and students, and recently had an amazing workshop experience with venerable Traga Rinpoche here in Arizona. He spoke at great length on ways to practice, such as shifting your focus around, questioning the nature of mind and the nature of your thoughts, and he suggested switching back and forth between calm abiding and single pointed concentration.
Single pointed concentration is a tool for training the mind.
I believe Traga might say that the music is a distraction to the blissful state of mind’s pure awareness, and that samadhi is crisp and alert, not just relaxed.