Music while meditating?

YoungBuddhist

Recently when I have been meditating I've started to listen to some relaxing music while doing it, but I often find that rather than concentrating on my breathing I begin to concentrate more on the rhythmic flow of the music I'm listening to. Is this good/bad? Should I stop listening to music so that I can focus more on my breathing, or just focus on the music instead of the breaths?

aMatt

Is this good/bad? Should I stop listening to music so that I can focus more on my breathing, or just focus on the music instead of the breaths?

Good/bad/should don't really apply. If you need the music to relax, and/or it ensures a continued practice, go for it! Following the music might cause less sensitivity to your mind's bouncing, though. Maybe turn it off after awhile when you feel relaxed and focus on the breath? Its really up to you.

genkaku

It's too easy to get sidetracked. I don't favor it.

Vincenzi

yes, depending on music and practitioner... it works.

shadowleaver

I don't put on music while meditation on purpose. To me, meditation is, first of all, not trying to add something to your experience but rather be with that experience as it is, whatever it is.

However, I try to meditate in many kinds of settings rather than just in the quiet of my bedroom/Zen center. In that case, if music (or any other sensory input) is present, that is absolutely fine with me. The key for me is that I'm not the one turning it on.

NOTaGangsta

Do it for too long you might get attached.

abhishek_laser

Nobody became enlightened meditating while listening to music. There is a reason why meditation is supposed to be done in silent places and noble silence is observed during meditation retreats. Sense restraint is an important part of mental cultivation. We are bombarded with the contact with the five senses all throughout the day, if your not going to practice sense restraint when you are meditating then when will you practice sense restraint, not to mention the benefits of meditation coming from the fact that the mind does not wander between the senses and staying with one object.

I_AM_THAT

Nobody became enlightened meditating while listening to music.

And you know this for a fact?

Kwantum_Kev

I have to kindly disagree with the majority sentiment here and say that I think certain types of music can be very conducive to effective meditation, and I myself use it almost every time I meditate. I do find that it is important to use music that doesn't have "a lot going on". I prefer music with resonant rhythms, with low frequencies, and easy transitions.

To comment on @abhishek_laser's assertions that 'Nobody became enlightened meditating while listening to music' and 'There is a reason why meditation is supposed to be done in silent places and noble silence is observed during meditation retreats', I might remind him/her of the many, many chants that Buddhist monks are known to use for preparing for meditation, such as the "Om Mani Padme Hum", and several others. Indeed, almost every school of Buddhism has some form of chanting. One can argue whether it is used for mediating, or only for preparing to meditate I suppose.

In any case @YoungBuddhist, I say follow your own path and use whatever methods for meditating that work best for you. No one knows your mind better than you, and if you find that you are better able to meditate with music, then so be it. I have a number of CD's that I use for meditation, and I am constantly seeking out new ones. If you would like a partial listing of some that I have in my collection, feel free to send me a message through the forum.

Also, I might suggest searching on Amazon for mediation music, or relaxation music. Just be sure you are able to preview some of the tracks before you buy though. I have purchased some CD's without doing that, and sometimes deeply regretted it.

Best of luck - namaste'

Kwan Kev

newtech

Recently when I have been meditating I've started to listen to some relaxing music while doing it, but I often find that rather than concentrating on my breathing I begin to concentrate more on the rhythmic flow of the music I'm listening to. Is this good/bad? Should I stop listening to music so that I can focus more on my breathing, or just focus on the music instead of the breaths?

Hello:

I think its important to have a clear definition of what is meditation, and what are you developing with the exercise.

Do i think that meditation will be adviced by the Buddha?. No. But certainly it can be used as a relaxation method.

With metta.

zenmyste

Nobody became enlightened meditating while listening to music.

This is true. And dont forget, buddha didnt become enlightened chanting, or studying sutras etc etc..

People need to Just sit.. and find their own truth.

Hubris

True Zenmyste!(re: ...Find our own truth)

Then again nowadays people would not necessarily find enlightenment half-starved like an ascetic would either, I think if it works to tame the monkey mind then maybe it is of benefit. Buddha, the man, would have changed with the times, as must we. We live in a world with the hum of the refrigerator, a toilet flushing, a clock ticking, and so forth.

I have ADD, and the relative quiet makes my monkey mind worse, and I try to no avail to quiet it, chanting (the resonance of it)helps - or if I am in a place I can't chant aloud, I hum softly to myself saying a mantra in my mind.

For me it's THAT I practice, not necessarily how per se, I do not feel a need as a lay-person to take judgement from others about my practice.

DhammaDhatu

listening to music is like learning to ride a bicycle using training wheels

there comes a time when the training wheels are taken away

regards

DD

jll

make up your mind.
do you want to listen to music or meditate?

GuyC

Hi All,

Nobody became enlightened meditating while listening to music.

For what it's worth - I have heard of a monk in the early days of Buddhism who became Enlightened when he heard a poor woman singing about suffering. Too bad I can't remember the source, I will let you know if I find it.

Metta,

Guy

Cinorjer

I listen sometimes to a recording of Korean sutra chanting or some flute music. I highly recommend Paul Horn. Don't use music that is melodic (meaning has a catchy, repeating tune) or has someone singing words you can understand or your mind will focus on the words. I don't understand a word of Korean, so it's just sounds to me when the old monk taps the drum and chants.

Having some sort of background noise going on is neither good nor bad, but helps to put a little variety in your meditation. One of my favorite places to meditate was noisy train stations, for instance. The sound of humanity becomes a sea of sound. Use music like you do walking meditation; as a way of learning how to cultivate a meditative mind anywhere, at any time.

When I first started going to meditation classes, there was a noisy air conditioner unit in a window that drove me crazy. I can still hear the tick of that darned fan. I even offered to buy the guy a new one. Instead, he told me to use it as a tool. When I could stop fighting the air conditioner and just let whatever sounds were available to my ears go in and out with no mental comment, I'd know that I was doing it right.

So sounds are sounds and music is music. The Buddha had the music of the forest birds to meditate with. I had a noisy air conditioner fan. Go figure.

Kwantum_Kev

listening to music is like learning to ride a bicycle using training wheels

Perhaps you are right @Dhamma Datu. But is it not better to use the training wheels and eventually learn to ride without them than it is to give up riding entirely because someone insists you get rid of them before you are ready?

Seems to me there is a lot of judgment in this thread, when in reality, I believe the Buddha would advise us to do whatever works best for us. Things are surely much different now than there were 1500 years ago, and I would expect the Buddha would understand that as our world has changed, so have some of our methods.

Namaste'

Kwan Kev