Meditation can help you live a life free of anxiety, stress and tension. It clears your mind, calms your emotions and helps you feel rejuvenated from the inside out.
You will become a healthier person mentally if you meditate. But do you know how you can concentrate better when meditating? You can do this when you play music. Soothing music helps to create the right setting, which helps in your meditation.
What Is Meditation?
Meditation is a simple practice to gain clarity in our thoughts, find inner peace and enhance our cognitive abilities. The best thing about meditation is that anyone can practice it. All you need is a few minutes of your time and a quiet place even YogaWorks is great place to start!
Before delving into the benefits of meditation when combined with music, we need to first clear up a few misconceptions.
1. Meditation is not a form of concentration.
Concentration is when you put your undivided attention on an object.
2. It’s not exercise.
Meditation doesn’t consist of postures, breathing techniques, or rigorous movements. Meditation is all about searching for you inner soul and embracing it fully.
3. It’s not about giving up control.
Meditation doesn’t consist of voices, sounds or any involuntary movement.
Music and Meditation
Listening to music while meditating is good for both the soul, the mind and body. It refreshes you and your mind. There are different kinds of music you can listen to while meditating, including:
- Gregorian Chanting
This kind of music (baritone) has been used for hundreds of years and continues to be popular in modern times. You can also go for primordial sounds (like Om) which is another branch of music similar in form to chanting.
- Indian Classical Music
Indian Classical Music’s popularity has crossed borders. Meditating with this kind of music playing in the background can be a wonderful experience.
- Sounds Of Nature
Whether it’s the fluttering of the leaves, the sound of the wind or chirping of the birds, the sounds of nature can have a calming effect when meditating.
- Instrumental Music
Classical guitars, chimes, violin, piano, guitar, and harp tunes are always melodious and beautiful.
Here are some of the main benefits of listening to music while you’re meditating:
1. Stress Relief
Listening to music and meditating at the same time can significantly reduce the levels of stress and anxiety. Stress is a very common issue nowadays but it doesn’t mean that’s ok. Stress can lead to long term chronic diseases if not managed.
2. Deep Meditation
Including music in the background can improve your cognitive abilities and enable you to meditate more effectively. It’s been said that people who meditate while listening to music can find inner peace.
3. Body Healing
Incorporating soothing music in the background as you meditate will stimulate your body to heal itself.
4. Balanced Emotions
Maintaining an emotional balance is essential and listening to music as you meditate can help you do just that. Those who have been doing this find that they are better at dealing with emotions.
5. Sleep Quality
Sleep is very important to achieve good health and increased productivity. Meditating while listening to the right kind of music can help you reduce your stress levels, relax your mind and prepare you for a good night’s rest.
If you are interested in incorporating music to your meditation practice, here’s a 3-hour track designed specifically to help you find balance and healing: