Music and Meditation
Listening to Music and Meditating
Meditation is often done either to silence or with a guided meditation, but what about listening to music? While it might not be something you should do in the beginning, you can definitely use music to help get you into the right state of mind for proper music and meditation.
Meditate to Silence When You First Start
You will eventually get to a place with your meditation practice where you are able to choose whether or not you want to listen to music, but in the beginning, it might not be the best idea. It is good to get used to meditation where it becomes more of a natural habit that is easier to do, before adding in outside distractions like music. Of course, this is also up to you. Some people are actually more relaxed with a more open mind with certain types of music, as opposed to complete silence.
Choose Your Music Wisely
The next thing to consider is the type of music you listen to. Don’t listen to people who tell you that you can only meditate to relaxing music, like the type often used with guided meditations. This is great for many people, but you are an individual and you might find that something with lyrics or even music like rock is relaxing for you specifically. It is good to start with more relaxing music, preferably without lyrics, but you can also experiment as listed below.
Experiment with Different Styles of Music
A great thing for you to do is to start experimenting with different styles of music. Think of a few different styles, whether they are your favorite or not, and do the same type of meditation practice while listening to each one. Pay attention to how it affects your mind, thoughts, and feelings during a simple session. Don’t get frustrated by how it might be different, as the music can often have a larger impact on how your meditation practice goes, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Start with soft and relaxing music that is just instrumental, with no lyrics. Do a 5-minute meditation practice with this, then move on to other styles, with lyrics or not. Do you notice that certain types of meditation are easier with certain types of music? This can be a fun experience for you to enter even deeper meditation. Explore music and write down the experiences in a journal.