Music as Meditation

You can use the music in Podcast Episode 6 as a background for meditation, yoga, massage and so on, but you can also use it as the focus of a meditation practice. To do this, simply listen to it with your full attention. Having your attention on the music will flood the body, mind and emotions with the vibrational qualities of the music in a more intense way than happens if the music is simply in the background. Sit or lie down, close your eyes, and bring your attention to the music. Whenever you find your attention has wandered, bring it easily back to the music. As always, don't strain or try to force your mind to follow the music, just be easy about it and "take it as it comes".

These same meditation guidelines apply to any of our meditations. The focus in the meditations varies. It may be the body or the breath, or the focus may simply be to follow the gentle instructions in the guided meditations. In this case, the focus is the music.

It's important to understand that it is not a mistake when the mind wanders from the music. Everything the mind does, everything that happens, is part of the meditation. So don't try to concentrate or force the mind in any way. The only criteria for "right meditation" is that it is easy. The goal, if there is a goal, is effortlessness, but even if we are find ourselves making an effort sometimes, that's OK. Just back off and continue.