{"id":28351,"date":"2015-07-02T17:22:10","date_gmt":"2015-07-02T21:22:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wanderlust.com\/?p=28351"},"modified":"2016-06-17T13:38:16","modified_gmt":"2016-06-17T17:38:16","slug":"two-meditation-states-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wanderlust.com\/fr\/journal\/two-meditation-states-music\/","title":{"rendered":"Two Meditative States that are Best with Music"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is the first\u00a0article in a series about how to use music to enhance whatever you\u2019re doing, whenever you\u2019re doing it. See also:\u00a0Why the Soundtrack to Your Life Matters<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a05\u00a0Lush Soundtracks to Inspire Your Practice<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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The stereotypical depiction of meditation is sonically austere: a yogi in a remote cave, Zen monks sitting silently for hours. But for certain types of meditation, music can be an incredibly powerful tool. It all depends on the meditative state you seek. Wanderlust spoke with meditation expert Charlie Knoles about when and how to bring music into your meditation practice:<\/p>\n

The Four Meditative Experiences<\/h3>\n

All the thousands of meditation techniques that exist are connected to four fundamental meditative states:<\/p>\n

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  1. Present Moment Awareness: <\/b>This state is common to techniques such as Zen, Vipassana, and mindfulness, where you bring your attention to the present moment. There\u2019s no awareness of past or future, just what is happening now.<\/li>\n
  2. Intention-based Meditation:<\/b> Rather focusing on the present, you bring your attention to a future desired state. This experience is common to hypnosis, creative visualization, prayer, and manifestation.<\/li>\n
  3. Energized Body-Mind Meditation<\/b>: This is the experience of peak performance states, runner\u2019s high, kundalini, vinyasa. You\u2019re body is energized, you\u2019re heart is beating, you\u2019re doing things, but at the same time your mind is completely calm. You are operating at peak capacity in a perfect state of flow.<\/li>\n
  4. Transcendence<\/b>: In this state you go beyond the intellect and ego, losing sense of time and self but gaining sense of universality.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Music is neither here nor there for the states of Present Moment Awareness and Transcendence. At best, it\u2019s not distracting. But for Intention-based Meditation and Energized Body-Mind Meditation, music can be highly effective.<\/p>\n

    Music for Setting and Manifesting Intentions<\/b><\/h3>\n

    When you\u2019re setting an intention in meditation, the goal is to get so clear on what you want that it absolutely has to happen. You need to be very calm, but also very focused. I have found that music is key to accessing these somewhat contradictory states simultaneously.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s what I recommend:<\/p>\n