Breathe In, Now Breathe Out

Agreed, music is intoxicating and emotionally influential which defeats the purpose of meditation. That's why I call instances of thoughtfully listening to music "trips" just like being on a drug. If you're the one making the music on the other hand, that would be a far different story.

When it comes to practicing mindfulness, it helps to carve out space at home that’s dedicated to it. Adding movement can also take the pressure off of feeling you have to simply “be” during meditation. I’ve used a virtual reality headset for years to help me focus with amazing results. Strapping the sizable device to my face and selecting visuals like a peaceful forest or sunny beach effectively removes all external distractions, allowing me to truly quiet my mind.

Each time you sit down to meditate, try a different kind of music. If soft, soothing music doesn’t work, try something with a more upbeat melody the next time. Or, if instrumental music was unhelpful, try something with lyrics.You don’t always have to use music traditionally associated with meditation, like nature sounds or chanting.

Ultimately, insight is what turns any ordinary experience, like relaxation, into a profoundly satisfying experience. And you can listen to any music you choose, to develop insight. In fact, it’s also known as insight meditation. With mindfulness, you’re not looking to achieve any particular state . Instead, you’re working meditatively with whatever comes up.

That part of you that can’t stop thinking and has a hard time settling down. Binaural beats are a great choice to meditate with if you want to lower your stress and anxiety levels. Combine body scanning with breathing exercises and imagine breathing heat or relaxation into and out of different parts of your body. Concentrate on feeling and listening as you inhale and exhale through your nostrils. When your attention wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing.

This music became known as “meditation music” and the assumption grew up that we should listen to music while meditating. Decide what kind of meditation works best for you. This might mean trying multiple forms of mediation to see which one works best. Breath is an essential aspect of any form of meditation.

And if you’re trying to listen to music then you can’t fully concentrate on your breathing. While new age music has become a cliche in the wellness world, there isn't a singular definition of meditative music. "What we're trying to cultivate with mindfulness is a quality of attention, where you're present with each moment," says Winston.

Binaural beats work by playing two slightly different frequencies of sound into each ear. Many meditators, especially beginners, find that when they combine music with their practice, they feel calmer and more peaceful. Meditation can also reduce the areas of anxiety, chronic pain, depression, heart disease and high blood pressure. "Physically, people find they have improved mood, they sleep better and better memory and concentration."

But noticing all the silence in one violin bow stroke for example is really difficult. That’s why I sometimes use this practice to sharpen my focus. Pay attention to your direct experience of the body, your feelings, and your mind, without trying to add anything to the situation. However if you’re listening to music, then treat that as a meditation too. So-called meditation music is meant to be relaxing, and of course meditation does help you to relax too, but it goes beyond that and helps us to be more alert and focused. Music is likely to get in the way of those activities.

Then I found them here and so appreciate you sharing them! Looking forward to continuing to infuse your beautiful energy into my meditations & affirmations. Remember that you may need to do this for every voice track if you have your voice recording separated into different tracks! Again, this may be the case if you recorded it in sections. To begin recording where you left off, use the selection tool again and Meditation Music click on the audio track to the right of where the previous recording ended.