Meditation and Music?

[mystic]

Hello! First post in here.
I have decided to enquire this question as I have mixed thoughts in this subject. Meditation wise, I'm a complete rocky. I have only been doing it for a bout a month. It's not enough for me to 'do' it, I feel mastering it is as important, else it won't be effective. Due to that, questions a rise, and with that, this thread.

What is your opinion on meditating with music? Assuming you pick the correct music, do you think it is effective? Do you achieve much more without, with? Depends on the person?

[muni]

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documen ... -Emptiness

Mind-Music. Enjoy.

[KonchokZoepa]

i think it is much more effective to do traditional meditations teached by the buddha. samatha vipashyana. or zazen. if you really want to become a ''master'' in meditation you need to read books about meditation

a psychology of meditation by rob nairn is a good book to understand the process of mediation better. how to do it, how not to do it , what avoid , how to be.

its hard to meditate correctly if you havent listened to any teachings on meditation how to meditate correctly. there are many pitfalls and wrong ways of meditating, where you actually end up repressing and doing harmful stuff to your mind and being.

i would suggest that you inform yourself plentifully with the teachings of meditation and just perservere and practice.

blessings

om mani padme hum

[seeker242]

I find that when you use music, you really aren't doing meditation in the Buddhist sense. You are just sitting there listening to music. Which of course, can be very pleasant. But if you are interested in training your mind, in learning how your mind functions, it's better to not distract yourself with music. Of course it's more difficult to do without such distractions, but that is a good thing if you really want to develop the skill to really master it. More challenge = more opportunity to develop skill, as long as you don't overdo it of course.

[Aemilius]

There is an old thread somewhere in Dharmawheel: Is it OK to meditate to music?

[mystic]

Thanks all for the replies. I'm actually convinced now that music offers a different variation and results. As mentioned in a comment here, I do look to challenge myself, learn how my mind works and train it. I'm still only 21 and on my first path.
I don't want tomstart a new thread... So i'd like to hijack mine and see if anyone has any tips and experience for a new comer?
I'm currently doing 20 mins before sleeping usually, focusing on breathing and my pulse most of my time. My goal is to reach 20 minutes in the morning and 20 in the eve.
I'm in the army at the moment, so it's a little hard for me to reach my goal and explore this subject as i'm limited in time. Some more important meditations books can also help!
Reading some of osho's books atm.
G'day!

[KonchokZoepa]

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Mind-A-Ps ... +rob+nairn

[LionelTeo]

Hey welcome,

I am also new to this forum.

I hope you enjoy your stay here.

I feel that an alternative to meditate with music is to listen to some guided meditation.

http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1835/

What I only use for my meditation is the mediation timer http://audiodharma.org/series/213/talk/2908/

I hope you enjoy your stay in the forums.

[oushi]

Meditating on music can be a powerful tool for practice. It is a pretty new device actually, because only recently music became predictable. I mean, precisely the same song can be played, and repeated. Human beings have 3 inborn fears, and one of them is fear of noise. Some aspects of our being are kept in continuous stress, to prevent eventual damage caused by sound. If one meditates on sound that is predictable, one can remove this tensions and hear the sound "as it is". This is attained through removing aversion or desire for sound, by repeating the same melody, over and over again.
Sound should be low, and music dynamic and melodic. I don't recommend peaceful "meditation music", because one will fall asleep. No lyrics, and no heavy music like metal, or even rock. Something on the edge of ambient and trance give the best results for me. Just sit, focus on the music, and relax. Sound will become sharp and clear, going deep inside.

[ClearblueSky]

It's true that with anything we meditate with, we have to carefully be mindful of that fine line between focused meditating, and just doing something we find enjoyable and relaxing. That said, different minds take different means, and anything perceived by any of the senses can be a meditation. If you want to meditate to music, really make the music the focus. Just as we can use something like breath or an image, I don't see why we can't use a sound too. In the same way, every time your mind wanders, come back to the sound. If the music starts evoking some emotion, instead of being overtaken by it, realize your mind is wandering, and then come back to the sound itself. I think that could be done with any sound, and maybe if you can do it to death metal without getting too stirred up then you're a really good practitioner.