How meditation music can support meditation

Meditation with or without music?

Some swear by it, others frown: Meditation music is a very individual matter. This is simply because music appeals to each person in a unique way. It would be quite presumptuous to make a blanket judgment on whether music can be used for meditation or not.

In general, meditation aims to follow one's own thoughts and consciously live in the moment. Simply accepting what happens and perceiving every state of mind is the highest maxim. And this is exactly where the right music can often help significantly. What is meant by "suitable" of course always depends on the chosen meditation technique.

Benefits of meditation music

Perhaps you are not yet fully convinced of musical accompaniment while meditating. That is also completely legitimate, after all, it is often said that all distractions should be avoided when meditating. Yet there are numerous arguments in favor of meditation music.

Easier entry

Blocking out disruptive noises: That is often easier said than done, especially for meditation beginners. Added to this is the fact that the completely silent room or the harmonious garden, which would theoretically be the ideal place to meditate, is simply not available to everyone. So what to do in a turbulent shared flat or during meditation on a train journey? Simply: Use meditative sounds to block out the environment.

Once you have found the music that suits you, you can focus entirely on this soundscape and make it your focal point, to which you can continually redirect your thoughts whenever they wander. Ultimately, it is no different from setting an image or mantra as this point.

Thus, musical tones can simply help immerse into the meditation practice. Especially beginners often find it easier to focus on music rather than delving into an abstract thought pattern. Meditative music that works with melodious chants can be helpful, for example.

Underlining the mood

Music can trigger strong emotions and is always associated with specific emotions. Why not use this fact for meditation? If you adjust the sounds to your mood, you can fully immerse yourself in introspection and influence your mind with corresponding music.

Whether calming or uplifting tones: Meditation music is a vast field in which you will surely find something for your practice with a little experimentation.

Besides sound bowl tones without a fixed melody, there are, for example, soothing nature sounds or pan flute songs with a hint of Native American influence.

Testing is part of the process here because it may take some time to find the right music.

The fascinating thing is: We automatically respond to music, whether we want to or not. In meditation, it can help to perceive one's own thoughts even more intensely and to dissolve inner barriers.

For instance, just feel inside yourself how certain music makes you feel: This experience is not possible in absolute silence.

Intensifying the meditation style

Music can also help make the meditation experience even more intense. If, for example, you use visualization techniques while meditating, music can help visualize the place even better. Mentally, you are in a forest or by the sea? Wonderful, for both scenarios there is plenty of auditory support! The principle: If it helps you, it makes sense.

As an added bonus, music ensures a more intense meditation experience by promoting the release of dopamine . This calms the heartbeat and lowers blood pressure, which in turn reduces stress levels. The result: You come out of the meditation session relaxed and calm.

Music for Meditation: Relaxation Guaranteed

Not every meditation music fits every style. A meditation style like Osho Kundalini for example, partly consists of movement forms like shaking and dancing; here the music can be a bit livelier. In the second and third phases, however, this type of meditation is quieter and the focus should be solely on perception. The Kundalini meditation music ideally consists of 3-4 different blocks, which optimally underline the individual phases.

In mantra meditation the state of awareness is supposed to be reached through the repeated recitation of a mantra. Here, classic mantras like Om in sung form can be supportive. How you incorporate the mantras into your practice is, of course, up to you: You can sing along yourself or make the melodic repetitions the focal point of your silent meditation.

A fixed guide on how to use music while meditating cannot exist, as everyone meditates differently. The individual experience is one of the factors that makes meditation so special.

That is why we want to give you just a few principles for meditation with music : Avoid very stimulating vocals, songs with frequent rhythm changes, and very loud music as much as possible - because whether you can come to rest through this is questionable. And now? You just have to press play, and the meditation can begin!