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Meditating with Tinnitus?
dantepw
Veteran
in Meditation
I sat for meditation today and mindfully noticed some buzzing inside my ears. Having a second thought about it, I guess I always had it and never realized!
What about you guys, have you ever noticed some ringing/buzzing inside your ears?
What about you guys, have you ever noticed some ringing/buzzing inside your ears?
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I have tinnitus...And at times (times when it's intense) I use it as a meditation tool....
Yup, I've lived with tinnitus for so long now, it is only a focus either when others mention it, or it gets so loud it becomes intrusive. There is never any absence of it; it never stops. it merely fluctuates in its volume and intensity. I also have hyperacusis which is irritating to say the least.
Meh, there you go.....
Are you sure its tinnitus and not what AJhan Sumedho calls the inner sound or the sound of silence. Its a phenomena not well known in Buddhism but is well known in Hindu and SIkh meditations as the sound of the inner light. I started hearing it about six months after I started meditating.
More info here:
http://blog.meditation-presence.com/ajahn-sumedho-the-sound-of-silence-nada/
Usually just a constant tone but at times it can sound like whistles or crickets over top of or layered into the tone.
It's almost akin to meditating with an itch but with no option to scratch.
No, don't worry! There's no problem, I'm perfectly aware of it, whether anyone mentions it or not....
I have ringing in my ears too. It's never bothered me when I try to meditate.
I've got used to it over many years and don't pay it any attention....except when people start threads on it....
Ask the self "Is it sound or noise?"
Do you have tinnitus, @shoshin? Is it a frequent experience...?
Infuriating, isn't it?
Beautiful video @Shoshin , thx!
I agree!
Curiously, the tinnitus I have is precisely, but precisely the sound of a thousand birds all singing together.
Sometimes, (like now) they seem distant and remote (on a scale of 1 - 10, the current level is at around 3).
At other times, it is exactly like being in the large and spacious aviary of a city zoo.
At dawn. In spring.
There is no way, in such an environment that you can stop these numerous birds, singing.
(this is the actual Snowdon aviary at Regent's park Zoo, built in 1964, in London).
The cacophonous sound is at times, utterly overwhelming, and can be both inhibitive and debilitating.
Add to that, that there seems to be one little noisy bleeder singing louder and more stridently than the rest, and the fun intensifies!
My tinnitus is also imitative - that is, if I hear, for example, an ambulance siren, or a shop alarm going off, with no interruption to its insistence, my ears will carry on 'playing' the noise for at least an hour, maybe more....
So yes, I hear internal 'sounds' - and they're bloody noisy.
There is no cure, or treatment, for tinnitus by the way. And Hyperacusis brings its own sweet set of complications!
@dantepw
It is illuminating to observe in formal meditation, how our endless sense input can be intentionally entangled into becoming identity fodder or not.
How this incoming, living and departing input can move with innate freedom unless coerced into supporting the needs of the Ego's dream.
All what we see, smell, taste, feel, think and hear,
the teacher of suffering's cause or it's transcendence.
Yes I do but it's not a big deal, it's constant day in day out, you can either make it a friend/sound or make it an enemy/noise ...I've chosen the former and as I say it a good meditation tool...
One can see it as a call to meditation bell that keeps on ringing and ringing and ringing..................................
If mine stayed on an even keel, it wouldn't be so bad. It's the fluctuation that gets me... sometimes, it's so loud, it's actually literally deafening....
If people can't see you have a hearing disorder, (no hearing aids) they can be quite rude.
Fortunately my colleagues are enormously sympathetic.
The lady who originally interviewed me, actually wears 2 hearing aids, and my immediate supervisor ALSO suffers from chronic tinnitus, so she's very understanding.... but sometimes, those unaware, can be very cruel....
Mine does vary, but not that much. It must be very intrusive. My sister has a real problem with it too.
"Meditating with Tinnitus? "
Tis a matter of "Mind over Matter"
Well I DO Mind, and it DOES matter.
Given that the severity of my tinnitus is monitored on a 6-monthly basis, so severe is it considered by my Audiologist, it's really quite a challenge to consider it as something that 'don't matter'.
Mind over matter is in this sense all about meditation practice and ones ability to overcome/manage a given situation ...
BTW I've seen specialists too and had different treatments over the years, it's in both of my ears, but the right one is the loudest in fact when having a conversation I have to make sure I sit with my good ear to the speaker...
But I don't make such a big deal about it...Hence "I don't mind and "it"don't matter !"
Yeah, I never make a deal out of it either, I'm just bringing it up because it's a point of discussion here.
I only refer to it when and if it's relevant.
Otherwise, nobody would ever know.
Just brought this in from another thread - maybe it helps, maybe not.
Lionduck Veteran
5:49AM
Ah, we are the tinnies! Like @ourself and @federica, it is there every moment of every day and night.
--
What she said.
I have had Tinnitus so long that it is just part of the scenery. Occasionally it is all of the above. But don't feel sorry, don't play those violins.
Everyone has something.
There was a fellow who grew up without legs. He used artificial legs and was only aware of his "handicap" when others brought it up. He did quite well, lived a successful life. Feel sorry for him if you want. He did not feel sorry for himself.
There is a woman who lost an arm to a shark . She relearned how to surf at a high level and has won many professional contests. She is considered one of the top female surfers in the world. I don't feel sorry for her. I feel admiration for her determination and self-assurance. (I have trouble just standing up on a board without the surf)
We all have something. But, if we have self assurance, if we are self-confident, if we are aware, that something does not, can not and will not 'have' us.
Peace to all
Hello~ to those who happen to read this post~ how are you.
I have suggested earlier to federica to try Lotus Sutra practice for her tinnitus.
So I am going to post how to practice Lotus Sutra. Before that, there are few important matters to point out. ( in case anyone wants to try for their illness or want to pray for loved ones on the other side , or for you family members especially for his/her children )
If one have any problem with accepting the following issues, its not the right time for one.
And I sincerely sincerely ask not to leave negative comments on this post ( you can leave any comments on my other posts but not this one, i beg of you ).
you will be doing these three- 1.self reflection 2. repent 3. resolution -
I will try to explain a little about this,
its based on cause/effect relations that happening throughout at least 3 life times ( past life(lives), present life, future life) and by looking at your present self & present life, you can guess vaguely your karma of previous life(lives). For example, if someone is poor(poverty), that means someone had lied a lot in previous life. ( this is just an example to help you grasp this concept here ) so, if there is unhappiness such as illness, mental problem, ect, that means you have done something in your previous life that caused this unhappiness. Hens, we don't exactly know what kind of negative karma we had accumulated but we are repenting that while chanting. ( also, resolution part is that you promise yourself that you will try to accumulate good karma in this life )
on prayer part-
we are praying to The True Law, the Law that governs everything in this universe, the highest Dharma, formless Tathagata who is the buddha of all the buddhas, the Truth.
We are asking for help & wisdom & guidance while praying. So reverent mind is very important and most importantly, not doubting(about this practice) is important.
and try to drop the pride, ego, selfishness, arrogance ( if any ) and be humble in front of The Law.
on chanting part - This is tuning yourself ( miniature universe ) to Buddha channel.
also a journey back to your past life. We are going back to past life and make our past karma to sleep. ( actually, Tathagata is doing this for us but we need to tune in his channel to be able to do this ). also, dirt in our "life" will fall off one by one while chanting.
on physical pain - you might get certain pain while practicing, don't worry too much, because that is the part that you have problem already most likely and, over time you will feel better.
so now, here we go, this is how to do Lotus Sutra Practice.
1. -sit in lotus position ( legs crossed )- if you have physical problems you can sit on chair but try not too get comfortable since this is practice.
- gather your palms together, look straight forward as if buddha is there looking at you.
2. chant slowly 3 times " Nama Saddharma Pundarika Sutra" : we are greeting Tathagata, letting him know that we are about to start praying.
3. start chanting "Nama Saddharma Pundarika Sutra" at your pace, volume ( as you can hear your voice is loud enough)
Keep on chanting while you're doing self-reflecting, repenting, making resolution, and praying. - minimum duration is 1 hour but you can try 30 minutes at first. and start increase over time later.
once you have chanted for aimed (planned) duration,
Chant three times slowly and finish your practice. ( saying good by to Tathagata for now )
Hope this helps you not confuse you.
wishing you all the blessings from Tathagatha of The True Law.
thank you so much for reading this rather long & confusing post, I really appreciate it.
나마살달마분타리가소다람
나마살달마분타리가소다람
나마살달마분타리가소다람
I actually saw an interview on my local station that boasted tinnitus could be gone in 9 months with some kind of music treatment. I'll post the link when I'm home.
Lately it's been more annoying than usual and with more layers.
I think most cases are caused by damage to the inner ear, so it's hard to see how listening to music could cure it.
I think I got mine because I used to play the drums with no earplugs...
Thank you, @KarikoPuppies for your post.
I don't know 'how' I got mine. My dad had it too.
As a classical musician, he was pretty frustrated with it.
Listening to 'strong' "full-orchestra givin' it some" concertos, was a challenge for him.
you are very welcome
How awesome to have a classical musician dad (feeling very envious !)
http://soundoptions.ca/
I have not researched it fully as of yet but I do plan to.
I would tend to agree but some say they no longer have it after treatment.
It seems to be the worst around this time of year and has been deafening for the last week and a bit so I'll see what it costs and figure it out from there.
I wonder if it's covered.
For me its most usually the left ear. At the present moment the noise is background so not to hard to deal with. Until it gets really loud. Sometimes just a few minutes other times much longer. Quite often I'm able to forget about it.
For me it doesn't seem to have much to do with the ears. The sound comes from the middle of my head.
I use in-ear white noise generators, tiny little hearing aid type devices and they make a huge difference. It doesn't eliminate it or drown it out, what it does do is quietly hiss at the same frequency as the whistle and gradually I have grown to accept it and barely notice it now.
I don't tend to wear them much any more and the tinnitus is still there if I make an effort to find it but on the whole it doesn't bother me any more.
That might be because you have it a similar level in both ears? Mine is worse on the left hand side.
White noise helps some sufferers
Honestly I'm not sure because I'm deaf in the left ear but the eardrum works still.
I find it hard to pin it down to just the right one.
Or maybe one is the tone and the other is the crickets.
All I know is it gets worse by the year.
Yes, I second all of that....
When I pay attention to the ringing, (more like very high pitches whistles, I fine that it is usually stronger in the left ear, but not always.
Sometimes the pitch or pitches vary; sometimes I hear multiple pitches in one ear and one pitch in the other.
The noise is either louder in quiet areas or more noticeable for the lack of other noises.
When I get tired, it really tends to kick in. (and) I have not noticed a significant difference between when I am caffeinated and when I am not.
Naturally(?) white noise doesn't help.
I got mine courtesy of the US Marine Corps. We didn't know what ear protectors were then, I think we called then helmets. Going to bed with the business end of a 155 close to the 'fortified' tent probably didn't help either.
While I would enjoy the sound of a babbling brook without the 'ringing', as I said before, I don't let the beast ride me. I have been know, though, to take it for a walk now and then.
By the way @KarikoPuppies, I too adhere to the tenets ot the Lotus Sutra. However, yours is the lineage of "Umanndara Pundarika Sutrum" or " Nama Saddharma Pundarika Sutra", I follow the norther lineage through China (Tien Tai or Tendai) to the "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo". I am SGI and have been for over 49 years.
I do not assume a special position such as the Lotus. My prayers, in part, are prayers of appreciation, not repentance. Our practices are different as are our traditions. However, I will not argue the relative merits of any branch or school of Buddhism on this site. (I know you have not done so, either). There are many wonderful people all practicing different forms of Buddhism on this site, as you know.
By accepting that we all have different traditions and that we are each, shall we say, 'fond' of our specific traditions, we can none-the-less engage in friendly dialog and banter and encourage and, sometimes, just 'be there for and learn from each other.
Of course It is all right to say something like, "Look at this; Perhaps you will find it helpful" as you have (@fedrica was more than gracious in her wording of her statement of "Thank you but no thank you".)<3.
Lets keep our hearts big and our arms open to take in the beauty of all we behold.
Peace to you
Peace to all
Hi Lionduck, I respect your choice of practice
I only vaguely know SGI or Namyohorengekyo practice so I cannot say much about it.
( I did hear some stories from former members but that is what they say not my experience ). All I know for sure and believe with faith is that Lotus Sutra is Shakyamuni Buddha's teaching and no one else's ( at least in this saha world ) The more I learn, study & practice Lotus Sutra, I realize that most of all the big religions say the same thing. Its the people who think & say we are believing in different God or different philosophy. So I try not to depend on people but The True Law, The Highest Law that Shakyamuni Buddha said to believe.
wishing you a happy week ahead ~~!!
Probably a pretty common condition in ex-service people I should think?
I reckon I got mine from being a machine-gunner in the Army Reserve, being a gunner is rather like standing next to a road drill.
Ah, it's the gift that keeps on giving.
It is interesting during hearing tests:
Is that the tone or my ringing?
Which is the tone? One of them is flat.
What do you mean, "Don't anticipate"?, I heard it. Oh you didn't start yet? On my!...
Just looked up to see the white clouds in the blue sky above the green trees.
Opps! ADHD kicked in. But that is a different subject all together. 
This is why I can no longer be subjected to conventional hearing tests. Because the sounds emitted trigger the tinnitus, and I can't tell what is 'them', and what is 'me'.
"Why are you pressing the button?"
"Because I heard a sound..."
"But...I didn't play anything....."
"Well, I still heard something...."
"You can't have done...."
"Excuse me...?!"
"Sorry, I mean, what you were hearing wasn't any sound sent by me...."
"No, right... I have tinnitus...."
"Oh well, these tests aren't going to help you...."
"It's in my medical notes.... 'Imitative Tinnitus'...."
"Yeah, sorry..." (Flipping through notes) "I missed that...."
"So..today's really been a total waste of your time and mine, hasn't it....?"
"Yes..... Have you been referred to an audial Specialist?"
"Yes. I thought that's what you were....Isn't that why I'm here? To see a specialist?"
"No, I've just got you down for a standard hearing test...."
......Cue banging head on desk......
That's on a good day isn't it?
[Note to @KarikoPuppies: I hope I didn't appear to be lecturing. If so, my apologies]
"On a cleeeear day, I can hear foreeeeever...."