Mind Relaxation

For those looking to escape the day-to-day drudgery of the city, or the relentless inner monologue of their own mind, no one will blame them for wanting to relax with some ambient pan flute. But the reality is, when you're out in the world and emotions are running high, and anxiety is building, you might not be able to channel the comfort of your home stereo system and soothing spa sounds. "It's a matter of personal preference, and also of intention," says meditation teacher and author Sharon Salzberg. "If your intention is mostly to relax, and get to a calmer space, the music might help. If your intention is to see the patterns of your mind more clearly, silence might help."

Examples of religious mantras include the Jesus Prayer in the Christian tradition, the holy name of God in Judaism, or the om mantra of Hinduism, Buddhism and other Eastern religions. This technique is good for beginners because breathing is a natural function. If you're a beginner, practicing meditation may be easier if you're in a quiet spot with few distractions, including no television, radios or cellphones. Focusing your attention is generally one of the most important elements of meditation. Now, I began to wonder whether or not I had been misguided all along. Maybe my compulsion to find and listen to new music was actually more of a distraction than something that left me feeling grounded.

So-called meditation music therefore is a kind of crutch that hinders our practice rather than helping it. Traditionally there would simply be silence or ambient background noise to accompany meditation. "Meditation with music" can very easily turn into "sitting and listening to music", which may be a relaxing and fun hobby but isn't really meditating.

These are all also well-documented effects and goals within the various Buddhist meditation systems too. It brings us closer to being able to understand life and our place in it, and helps us transcend the ego by connecting meditation music with those around us in a more positive, holistic, and healthy way. Thanks to the relaxing properties of peaceful music, you can focus more attention on the task at hand without feeling the pull of a wandering mind. If you find yourself thinking about other things , gently redirect your attention to the present moment, the sound of the music, and the feelings in your body that the music evokes. While 20 minutes is a good minimum time for music medication, even one song can help reduce stress and restore energy.

Several years back I used to spend a lot of time just listening to music quietly in a dimly lit room - classical, jazz, blues, rock, and heavy metal. I am not going to call this meditation, but I will say that if you find meditation terribly boring and are unwilling to sit quietly in a silent room, then listening to music is better than watching TV. That being said, you really need silence to meditate.