Bring Joy into your Life with this Technique: a step-by-step Guide
Discover the Secret to using Music Mindfulness Meditation for a happier and clearer Mind.
Hi. My name is Greg, and I’d like to share with you an amazing, yet simple practice you can do while listening to music.
Music mindfulness meditation has brought great joy to my life and made my meditation practice interesting, and diverse. By reading this article you’ll learn how you can listen to music more mindfully and enjoy benefits such as improved well-being, increased happiness, sensitivity, and awareness. Practicing this technique may also improve your concentration, and memory, and clear your mind.
Mindfulness and meditation
Meditation is an ancient method practiced for thousands of years mostly in Asia, but in recent 50 years, we have seen a rise in popularity across the globe. The purpose of meditation is different from one practitioner to another. Most people practice it to achieve a peaceful, relaxed state of mind. Those interested in personal development meditate to improve their concentration, memory, and creativity. Spiritual folks do it to achieve enlightenment and gain valuable life insights. Many people also use it for healing purposes because meditation helps process thoughts and emotions. You can read more about science and meditation in this article.
Meditation and mindfulness are related, but there is a difference.
Mindfulness is usually referred to as expanding awareness of the mind so it can perceive more. Noticing subtle parts of reality can be inspiring and beautiful. Mindfulness is not exactly concentration because its purpose is to expand awareness, not focus on a single area. Of course, mindfulness can be done on a particular object like observing your thoughts or a sense of sound. However, its ultimate goal is to notice the present moment entirely.
Practicing mindfulness can have great benefits. You’ll feel more joy from experiencing existence because you’ll see it clearly and sufficiently. More joy in life leads to happiness and a clear mind improves rational thinking and intuition.
Mindfulness means we notice what is really happening. That way we can direct ourselves with more clarity. — Greg Franz F.
Mindfulness can be done however you like, the only thing that matters is that you become fully aware of your experience. Now that I described mindfulness to you, let’s get into the subject of this article.
Music mindfulness meditation
Music mindfulness is a super enjoyable and effective meditation technique. It combines the principles of meditation with mindfulness and listening to music.
The desired outcome of mindfulness is to achieve a state of flow, which is the state of being absorbed in the present moment. You can tell you’re at flow if you lose track of time while doing an activity. It often happens when people do something (ex. listen to music, write, draw, play sports) or spend time with someone they really like.
I recommend using headphones during practice to experience total absorption with sound.
Feel free to experiment with a choice of songs to see which ones fit well. Ideally, the music you choose should be harmonious and interesting to you. You should be able to notice different sounds and experience them as a whole. I made a playlist you can use as an example, but it’s best to make it personal. The music should flow like a stream of water.
Okay now that you know how to choose let’s start with the technique.
Step 1 Stretch.
Physical flexibility helps to do any meditation. The reason for it is that your body will have to sit still with a straight back for at least 15 minutes. Stretching releases tension and helps the body and the mind remain stable. You can do simple Yoga asanas or another exercise you like.
Here is an example of a stretching exercise:
I call it “reach for the stars ”.
Stand with your back straight and raise your arms above your head. Take a deep breath in and exhale. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Now sit down with your legs extended forward and try to grab your toes. Reach as far as you can without forcing yourself. Repeat for a full-body stretch.
Step 2 Sit down.
Put on your headphones and find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed for 20 minutes. It can be a chair, a carpet, or a mat, choose whatever you like as long as your back is erect.
Step 3 Take three deep breaths.
Breathe slowly and deeply. Use your diaphragm for breathing to enjoy the most benefits.
Step 4 Notice your sensations.
Be aware of your body for a few moments. Is it relaxed or tense? Does it feel good or bad? Just take notice.
Step 5 Play music.
If you’ve done previous steps, you can begin music mindfulness. Play your song and gently close your eyes. Let them shut naturally.
Now focus on the variety of sounds you hear. Try to notice every instrument individually. Take a few moments for each one.
Now that you noticed all the sounds expand your awareness to grasp the whole song. Take a breath, and imagine you are the sound. Be one with it. Don’t try to focus on anything in particular. Just notice the vibrations you hear. And each time you lose focus on the music, take a breath and go back to listening mindfully.
Remeber to be kind to yourself. When you lose focus, a positive attitude will help you go back to mindfully listening to music.
Summary
Music mindfulness is a very pleasant technique that can bring joy into your life. By practicing it regularly you’ll raise levels of your awareness, and develop a clearer, and happier mind. Music is truly beautiful and focusing on it with our full attention can make our experiences more fulfilling. To sum it all up, practicing mindfulness is an excellent way to develop an honest appreciation and acknowledge the uniqueness of our existence.
Thank you for reading!
If you’d like to learn meditation feel free to contact me at blissful_breaths@proton.me
Here are other articles you may enjoy:
https://medium.com/technical-excellence/3-life-changing-meditation-insights-8516b42f1ac9
https://medium.com/illuminations-mirror/this-is-the-true-power-of-mindfulness-a4be71826117
