Is listening to music while meditating just escapism?

[Xenophon]

I based that comment of mine on this comment() of HoldAll.

If listening to music isn't meditation(as classic meditation is about quietness) then technically speaking movement isn't meditation either, as classic meditation is about being in a static position(sitting).

Is it? That's the hoary old image: Buddha under his bodhi tree. But the nigh-as-hoary Therevada tradition makes a big thing of walking meditation. Wat Sanamnai where I sojurned dispenses with simple sitting altogether in favor of staying seated and making a series of arm movements. They also split time about equally between that and walking, as do a great many of the old-style Buddhists.

The point I was driving at (perhaps erratically) is that walking, sitting, what have you are all acts of the meditator. Music, of its nature, obtrudes the mood of the composer. As such, it represents an ineradicable distraction.

 

[HoldAll]

I based that comment of mine on this comment() of HoldAll.

If listening to music isn't meditation(as classic meditation is about quietness) then technically speaking movement isn't meditation either, as classic meditation is about being in a static position(sitting).

That's a valid point. However, walking meditation is not usually accompanied by music either, as far as I know.

For a time I was running with a (neo-tantra) NewAge crowd where we'd sometimes do Osho's Dynamic Meditation in which music and losing yourself in movement play a major part. It's a good exercise but I wouldn't classify it as 'meditation' today.

I try to maintain an empty mind whenever I take a walk but that's not meditation either in my book, more an attempt to carry over what I've learned during sitting meditation into daily life, a continuation of my daily practice. I don't mind street noises during these walks but any music from car radios, for example, tends to throw me off course; the worst are familiar pop songs which get stuck in my head, it's almost impossible to get rid of those.

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2024

The point I was driving at (perhaps erratically) is that walking, sitting, what have you are all acts of the meditator. Music, of its nature, obtrudes the mood of the composer. As such, it represents an ineradicable distraction.

For me, the empty mind is a state where anything could happen from one second to the next whereas music always follows a predictable beat or at least some kind of melody; compared to an empty mind, it's orderly and harmonious (or sticky sweet, as is the case with much meditation music). When meditating my goal is a blank canvas on which both intruding thoughts and music would only add unwelcome splotches of colour.

 

[Tiana Silvermoon]

I don't mind street noises during these walks but any music from car radios, for example, tends to throw me off course; the worst are familiar pop songs which get stuck in my head, it's almost impossible to get rid of those.

Technically speaking, you should be able to focus on meditation despite anything that goes on around you (except for dangers). And when you learn meditation, you might even focus on distracting or annoying things to learn how to let them go. For example you may meditate on pleasant sound/music one week and on unpleasant the next week. In the end you find out that it doesn't matter what sound you hear if you don't attach an emotion to it.

 

[HoldAll]

Technically speaking, you should be able to focus on meditation despite anything that goes on around you (except for dangers). And when you learn meditation, you might even focus on distracting or annoying things to learn how to let them go. For example you may meditate on pleasant sound/music one week and on unpleasant the next week. In the end you find out that it doesn't matter what sound you hear if you don't attach an emotion to it.

I read somewhere that meditation meant 'ceasing to struggle'. What this also means for me is that I don't shut out any noises that may surface in my environment - my street usually produces noises because that's what streets do, so I don't have any quarrel with it; my neighbour runs his washing machine so I calmly accept that instead of struggling against the noise, and if he plays music, I'm ok with that, too. What you're suggesting, however, is a totally novel idea for me… reminds me of a story about a Buddhist master who had this checking-out test for his students: He'd ask them to sit in silent meditation with their eyes closed. After a while, he'd drop a stack of phone books, and whoever flinched was not ready yet because it meant that they weren't 100% accepting of their environment. So your suggestion would be to deliberately create a noisy environment to strenghten my meditational muscle, so to speak; good idea but I think I'm not ready for this yet but thanks for the input anyway!

 

[Xenophon]

That's a valid point. However, walking meditation is not usually accompanied by music either, as far as I know.

For a time I was running with a (neo-tantra) NewAge crowd where we'd sometimes do Osho's Dynamic Meditation in which music and losing yourself in movement play a major part. It's a good exercise but I wouldn't classify it as 'meditation' today.

I try to maintain an empty mind whenever I take a walk but that's not meditation either in my book, more an attempt to carry over what I've learned during sitting meditation into daily life, a continuation of my daily practice. I don't mind street noises during these walks but any music from car radios, for example, tends to throw me off course; the worst are familiar pop songs which get stuck in my head, it's almost impossible to get rid of those.

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2024

For me, the empty mind is a state where anything could happen from one second to the next whereas music always follows a predictable beat or at least some kind of melody; compared to an empty mind, it's orderly and harmonious (or sticky sweet, as is the case with much meditation music). When meditating my goal is a blank canvas on which both intruding thoughts and music would only add unwelcome splotches of colour.

I guess that's what I'd like to have said. (The sincerest form of flattery: "Doh! What that guy said!")

Post automatically merged: May 1, 2024

Technically speaking, you should be able to focus on meditation despite anything that goes on around you (except for dangers). And when you learn meditation, you might even focus on distracting or annoying things to learn how to let them go. For example you may meditate on pleasant sound/music one week and on unpleasant the next week. In the end you find out that it doesn't matter what sound you hear if you don't attach an emotion to it.

I tend to fall into the purist camp, but what you say here reminds me of Philip Kapleau (I can't recall whether it's in Three Pillars of Zen or not.) After his initial satori and some further practice, his teacher sent him to wander and practice elsewhere as is the custom. He would up in a Thai wat where during meditation sessions stray dogs fairly often fought beneath the meditation hall (built on stilts as it was.) He noted that, with practice, this ceased to be a hindrance to practice.