Do you meditate with or without music?

[Kalandriel]

Well, what say you? :bigblue:

I do with and without, depends on the mood, and circumstance.

(psst, how do I make it a poll? :bigredblu )

[KEishin]

I have to - otherwise my brain starts bouncing off the walls, like a pinball, looking for some sort of external stimuli. :)

[Kalandriel]

Ah hah! I figured out my poll dilemma!

[aluokaloo]

both, there are days when I have to have something going on the background, because superfluous noises continuosly fill my head. There are days when I can clear my head without music.

[Malcolm]

When I did meditate, years ago, I used to listen to tribal drum tracks and native american flutes....Wish I still had those CD's.

[XanderAmon]

Other because sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. There are times when I feel music would distract me, others when I need it to get myself in a relaxed state... and sometimes because music can trigger some interesting images (mmm, smells like radiomancy)! It all depends on the "vibe" I'm getting at the moment.

[Astara Seague]

for me music is essential to a good meditation, not loud and no words something soft in the background it just helps me alot!:floating:

[Cassie]

Both. I try to do "quick meditations" from time to time where-ever I happen to be when I have a few moments of spare time. That is without music.
For deeper,longer meditations I usually use either music, chanting or breathing exercises.

[Raven Reed]

Both.

[Gypsy flower]

I said with, but on second thought not always I love to walk outside and go find a spot to just sit and listen to the silence:vanish:

[Rowan MoonDragon]

I was going to vote with but after reading everyones posts I voted both because even though when I "formally" meditate I use music, there are times during the day during work when I need to get away that I will go meditate for a few moments without music.

[Meadhbh]

With, otherwise my thoughts go all over the place and its a waste of time. I prefer something with heavy percussion, although it doesn't have to be drums necessarily.

[Agaliha]

Usually with music.
Never ones with lyrics I can't understand because they can influence me and I don't want to wonder if what I was experiencing was caused by the lyrics and me creating a story in my head or if it was something else.
I do have tons of world/ethnic music that has lyrics...but I don't know what they are saying exactly...I just let the music and sound tell me what it is about. I don't know Sanskrit, Hindi, Hungarian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Aboriginal...etc.
So I use the ethnic/world, light techno, "new age" oh and violins [I love violins!] for mine.

[Everwynd]

Music or at least some sort of sound, like an indoor fountain. I have a lot of music that is instrumental or chanting and that seems to work well. Sometimes I find just the right song and put it on repeat. But that's only for when I'm indoors.

[EternalMaiden]

With, otherwise my thoughts go all over the place and its a waste of time. I prefer something with heavy percussion, although it doesn't have to be drums necessarily.

(Meet your chaos, and it subsides.)

I listen to music while meditating only if I want a muse vibe or trance state to go into. Sometimes it's hard to be spirtually heightened by a view, or to desire silence.

So, I'll turn on something without words and melodic. (Usually very Pagan Goddess, so I can feel woman and that womanly subtly sexual nature, while communing with nature. Lol.)

Is that sinful?
(It's a serious question, really. )

[Geministar]

.

So, I'll turn on something without words and melodic. (Usually very Pagan Goddess, so I can feel woman and that womanly subtly sexual nature, while communing with nature. Lol.)

Is that sinful?
(It's a serious question, really. )[/quote]

Thats not sinful at all IMO. Its completley natural to be in tune with our sensual and sexual side. I think it makes me feel like a woman if that makes sense.
I meditate with and without music depending on the when and where I'm meditating at. Sometimes I just need the silence but most of the time I need the music. The backgroud noise and the beautifel melodies help me get to where I need to be in my meditation and I find I can get to that point faster and better usually with music.

[Teresa]

I do both and it really depends on a few things as to which I do but mood does play into it.

[bbnflpn]

i prefer to do it with music, i cant think other wise
but i do meditate with out (when my boyfreind is trying to sleep)

[ap Dafydd]

Only ever done it without, never ever fancied it with music. Don't think there's a piece of music that has the right ambience and goes on long enough (apart from the newage tinkly winkly binkly stuff that I can't stand anyway!)

Outside with birdsong and the leaves rustling is good.

But the only time I tried it inside with the window open, a loudspeaker van came by extolling the virtues of an election candidate! Didn't really help the atmosphere at all...

gwyn eich byd

Ffred

[jcldragon]

Most Buddhists, and many Hindus, would say that using music, is just giving your mind one more external thing to focus upon. They say that in meditation one must learn to ignore all external phenomena. More strictly, in meditation one should also learn to ignore all internal phenomena, as well. Then, when you sit, you just sit.

If in meditation, you find yourself listening to the internal dialog of your mind, (the flow of words in your head), then you still haven't achieved the point of meditation, which is stillness. There are lots of ways of doing that, and which ones will work for you, is something you'll have to figure out individually, (one size does not fit all).

I have put together my own indoor waterfalls for my office & my bedroom. These mask over a lot of the extraneous random noise in the world. Additionally, the sounds water makes, are known to put the mind into the alpha state, which is associated with meditation. From my garage, I put together a 2 gal hexagonal aquarium with a cascading water filter. I put rocks into the aquarium with a shell cupped on top to catch the cascading water. That makes for a nice water gurgling noise, which is rather musical. ;)

When I give myself a Massage Treatment (http://www.jamesclairlewis.com/pages/massage/selfmassage.html), I use some soothing background music. This could be used while doing Deep Meditation exercises, as well. I figure that if there is going to be a distraction, it might as well be one that will lead your mind into a meditative state. Voyage Beyond Space & Time (http://www.jamesclairlewis.com/music/voyage.mp3) is my 24 meg, and 26 minute composition.

I think tools like these are useful in helping people get "there". Once you know how to get "there", then you can put the tools away. After you've gotten used to meditating with and without the tools, then you can practice meditating while doing all of your normal mundane activites... After all, isn't the point of all this, to simply be "there" all the time?

[Mouse]

Usually without. I can sink into a fairly deep meditation quickly and keep my mind still if there isn't heaps of distractions. (for example i have no problem meditating in the school playground because the noise is so constant i can block it out, but i can't meditate in the same room as someone watching a movie without a great deal of difficulty.)

If I do use music most of the time it's on my diskman and it'll be one song really loud on repeat, and usually it wont be music designed for meditation, it'll be tatu or placebo. I find that If it's loud enough it blocks out all other sounds and I can't think if the music is loud. I can't hear the words, and i can't hear my thoughts. It's a kind of silence. I don't like to do it often though, because it's like cheating, and it's bad for my ear drums.

Other music I'll use if i'm meditating with someone who needs music is the "feng shui" but i don't remember who it's by.. I'll look it up..


Ahh.. here it is.. part of the mind body soul series!

[Mizu no Tennyou]

I find that music helps my mind focus more. If I do it without, every single sound distracts me. I some times go into a trance while listening to music even when I am not meditating. ^^ By the way, any suggestions for good meditation music?

[star_belfire]

I do both actually depends on where I am. Sometimes I meditate on my break at work and I don't have music there.

[StarCraftLia]

.

[elfmage]

I voted "other," because it depends on my mood, and what kind of meditation I am doing, eg just a plain "mind clearing" exercise, or something specific like a visualisation exercise.

[PoisonIvy]

Most generally,though I never paid much attention,I suppose there is music in the background when I meditate after my yoga.

[RavensEye]

For me it depends on the type of meditation and situation. Sometimes I do dance meditation with and without music. other times to try to focus if I am having an off day meditating I used certain drum music, Celtic or oriental music to get focussed and on it goes.

[WinterTree]

Without. Music tends to distract me.

[ravenscape]

Repetitive instrumental music (acoustic or techno) are part of my method to achieve trance state. For other forms of meditation I prefer silence. Chanting works well too for inducing trance.

[KeelinConvallaria]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. When I'm meditating during the day, I tend to use music to drown everything out, but at night I don't normally use music.

[Cyzarine]

Both...and as well, bells...beads...whatever seems to help me at the time.

[The Lady]

However, I have done it to music to help set the mood or to help me relax faster.

[Ivyrose]

I have a cd of the sea which really helps me turn my brain off. I have to have it on repeat though as its only about 40 mins long

[Beowulf]

With. Blocks distraction from the six other people in my house.

Beowulf~
:viking:

[RakliDipity]

Without it, I can't seem to find the right kind of music to help me

[wolf]

I have a shamanic drumming CD that is great for meditation ... depending on what track you start the CD on, you have a different length of meditation, and it includes a call back.

Sometimes I make the music myself, either by drumming or playing Native American Flute.

[Dio]

I usually meditate much better when there is no music. I tend to concentrate too much on the music if it's playing, rather than actually meditating.

[WiccanGoddess]

It depends on my mood. If I'm hyper, I must have silence. If I'm calm and neutral, music must be played. If I'm tempermental, I have to hear drums.

[Sequoia]

Other: Explained!

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. Depends on my mood. :)

[Brandon Bee]

It really depends on my mood. Sometimes I listen to music because it calms me. Other times, I can focus on meditation without music.

[arianrhods_daughter]

Other-because I use both at different times depending on what Im doing and whether music is available at the time or I just want to listen to nature

[2steps]

both but normally with music

[phoenix9]

im not consistent. Also, does falling water (rain, shower, waterfall) count as music?

[Phoenix Element]

Generally, without music. I prefer it with music, but I'm too cheap to buy cds for it :)