Meditation and music?

I had a discussion quite sometime ago with someone about music and meditation, and found it quite interesting how certain sounds can make meditation easier, for example you may like the sound of running water yet others like a steady drumbeat, or chants. Have any of you experimented with different sounds for meditation, have you found some takes you deeper than others, does a specific sound help you any? And do any of you meditate in complete silence?

I find that Llewellyns music is good. Its not often I meditate in silence but the sound of nature in a country park is good for floating off though.
Hugs x

The didgeridoo (spelling?) was the most surprising one I used (not a real one of course) but it's got an amazing sound.

I meditate in silence. It never entered my head to do it while listening to music or other sounds. Now I feel inspired to try it with one of my favourite CDs : Storm over the Rain Forest. It's great, lots of fat raindrops falling on leaves, streams rushing along, frogs croaking, birds calling, and other forest noises, muted rolling thunder and the crack of lightning... Despite what you'd think it's a very relaxing CD to listen to and I can't wait to attempt using it for meditation.

It's definately worth trying and that cd sounds perfect, even if you find you prefer silence in the end, I think the thing is with a lot of people it is very difficult to get total silence, there may be a car passing, a dog barking down the street and household creaks and groans all of which can be very distracting. I'd experiment with different sounds too, please let us know how you get on.

Hello Violet,
I find those CD's that contain Natural Sounds most helpful in acheiving a relaxed and meditative state.

I myself find rain and thunder very relaxing, However you can get them with Ocean Waves, Dolphin or Whale Song 9Whale Song is particularly haunting in a good way)

I agree with Soaring Bird that some of Lewellyns Music is very good.
I would also like to add , just as matter of interest, That during my Development Circles at my local Spiritualist Church, In both open and closed Circle, Relaxing Music was always employed during our Guided meditations.

Best wishes Lightseeker.

Hi Lightseeker, I like the sound of thunder and rain too but I don't know if I could use them for meditation i'll have to try sometime, one of my all time favourites is gregorian chants though i've not used those for a while

i tried using 'the shamans heart with hemi-sync'. gosh..beware, its supposed to put you in deep trance. used it about 4times and stopped. must work. after the first to second im gone. dont know where, i come round later. i stopped using it in the end. still got it. may try it again but i didnt see the point when each time i put it on by the second music i had gone and then i come back at the end and miss the whole thing. so it must work? it says its a deep trance state and says do not put this on when driving :-) at the mo i use chant music for paradise, im there right through and enjoy listening to the monks latin chants x

Hi Aura, that music, i'll look it up it sounds intriguing, thanks.

yes..must absolutely work. got it off ebay but each time i put it in i go..i just go. i come round after. apparently meant to work even more with headphones. does something to the brain. i didnt use headphones. just put it in cd player. but iv never listened to the whole cd. by second track, i dont know what happens, i come aware when cd is over. has happened each time. very weird. must do what it says- puts you in a deep trance state! it happened every time. it does warn on the box you must not drive and have it on x

Hi Aura,

does something to the brain

. that actually alarms me, I threw a cd away once because it said it did something to the brain, I didn't even try it.

iv stopped using it. though iv thought id like to try an experiment and ask my daughter to sit with me and put it on with headphones and ask her to see what happens..eg if , when i go,..i wonder if communication will happen...Mmmm.... just a thought...lol. just wonder how deep i go with that. if it does affect the brain id like someone to sit and see what happens.. just an experiment i think id like to try. but yes...really odd cd. i did stop using it x

I think that any meditation affects the brain because it temporarily changes the brain wave pattern.

I have a large wind chime that is attuned to Fm and it resonates beautifully...a bit like a singing bowl. I often think that the sound of it would make a great sound to meditate to.

that sounds lovely feather x

Those big ones give off some lovely sounds the smaller ones tend to tinkle which can be as annoying as a tap dripping

Yes they can be annoying, Violet. Although I have so many wind chimes around the house and garden...I hardly notice them unless there is a strong wind and then it gets a bit clangy and tinkly.... this large one has a beautiful deep resonance and only a gentle breeze is needed to get a soft vibration going....it is pipe and wood.

I had 2 clocks I could hear in silence, I found listening to them helped, but soemtimes the heating turned on and then game over. So, if I want to do it in actualy peace I turn the heating off, lights all off etc. I havnt lately though, I use music as it keeps me calm and I dont get distracted by the sounds outside, people moving, snoring, etc, lol.

I think music tends to activtae the part of the brain that we use to meditate. So it works that way, also I use the beats to bring energy to me. works too.

this large one has a beautiful deep resonance and only a gentle breeze is needed to get a soft vibration going....it is pipe and wood.

Yes I much prefer those to the jingly ones when the ats knock my jingly ones I have to go stop them jingling.

Yes I get what you mean Eyeopen, the house is never truly silent, I always use music now.

Yeh, I also find it easier at the moment with music as I get intense movements in my jaw, etc, crunching all the time, better to drown it out!