Question: Using background sounds for meditation

[aersound]

Hi all,
I'm new to the board and was wondering if people commonly listen to background sounds (water, nature, binaural, etc) to help them in meditation. I'd like to know what types of sounds people find helpful as I'm trying to create ones that are the most beneficial.

- do you listen to sounds in long sessions?
- do you prefer certain types of sounds (nature vs. generated tones)?
- is there a certain place you go to listen (website, iTunes, YouTube)?


Thanks!
Aersound

[JonW]

Hi aersound,
Welcome to the forum. Good to have you on board.
Sound meditation has always been a big part of my practice. Sometimes I meditate to music. Sometimes I meditate to the sounds of nature. It depends on my circumstances in the moment.
How are you going about getting to know mindfulness?
All best wishes,
Jon

[aersound]

Thanks Jon,
I'm learning it through guided meditation (through apps) but as I try them on my own, background sounds help me focus. Throughout the day I'm also using it in the background while working which I've found helps me find center quickly.

Thanks for your feedback!

[Gareth]

Sound meditation has always felt very natural to me. Like Jon, I often meditate to music or ambient noise.

[aersound]

Sound meditation has always felt very natural to me. Like Jon, I often meditate to music or ambient noise.

Thanks Gareth, is there a specific type of ambient noise you prefer? I've created ambient nature noises for meditation but I wonder if people use binaural audio, audio tones as much or at all in meditation.

Thanks for the feedback!
Aersound

[Gareth]

I use music of various genres or the ambient noise around me. Be that tweeting birds or screaming children.

[JonW]

'Be that tweeting birds or screaming children.'

At the same time?
Cue Hitchcock music...

[UniversalCitizen]

Hello to you all.
I'm new here but I'd like to share my experience with sounds & meditation.
A few months ago I had a great meditation while it was raining outside, the weather was warm & I had a window open. I usually find anchoring to the ambient noise in the environment works best for me so the rainfall was a welcome addition to that days practice.
But here's the thing, today I tried to recreate that experience using recorded rainfall sounds & although the early part of my practice was good I found myself entering the dream state towards the latter part.
I'm don't think I was particularly tired as it was early afternoon but I definitely didn't find the recorded sounds provided the same experience. I know no two practices are the same so I shall put it down to experience & continue anchoring to the ambient sounds.
I've also realised over the years that any sounds with a structured time signature don't work to well for me, I find myself counting the beats & predicting the next measure. I guess that's the musician in me.

[UniversalCitizen]

Oh & just to add, I don't think entering the dream state from time to time is a bad thing, it can be a great way of exploring the subconscious mind. Just don't fall asleep :-p

[JonW]

Hi UniversalCitizen,
Welcome to the forum.
Those experiences sound interesting but it's useful to bear in mind, as you say, that no two meditations are the same and that it's futile to attempt to recreate any experience.
Also, mindfulness has got nothing to do with exploring the subconscious mind, only noticing what is in our experience as it arises, without judgment.
Keep it simple and you won't go wrong.
All best,
Jon