Sound Awareness Meditation Technique
Listening Meditation Technique
Background:
This simple, yet profound meditation technique, does not belong to any particular religion or sect. Its origins, generally, lie in the Eastern Philosophies and due to its effectiveness it has been adopted by various schools of meditation.
Tools Required:
- An alarm clock, stop watch or other time device.
Benefits:
Primary Benefits:
- Builds choiceless awareness of the present moment.
- Builds ability of detached observation – ability to let go.
- Silences the mind of thoughts.
- Provides insight into the workings of your mind.
Secondary Benefits:
- Develops the auditory system.
- Promotes health and wellbeing.
Cautions:
Your auditory system will improve significantly by practicing this technique, so please protect your ears when exposing yourself to very loud places as you will be more susceptible to sound induced hearing damage or tinnitus (ringing in the ears). If you feel the place is way too loud (like a dance club, rock concert, etc.) just use a common pair of ear plugs, they work fine.
Step-by-step Instructions: Follow the step by step guided meditation below to practice this technique.
- Sit in a comfortable cross legged position. You may also lie on your back, sit on a chair or lean against a wall for this meditation.
- Set your alarm or other time device for 20 minutes.
- If sitting, elongate your spine upwards, lengthen your neck and subtly bring your chin back and in like a soldier at attention. This will align the spine with the back of your head.
- Close your eyes.
- Rest your hands in any comfortable position.
- Close your mouth, swallow your saliva creating a slight vacuum and place your tongue against the roof of your mouth. After this point there should be absolutely no more movement of the body. No fidgeting, scratching, shifting – nothing – be like you are frozen in time.
- Take 5 deep, slow breaths though the nose. This will oxygenate your blood and relax you.
- Now bring you attention to your breath without trying to manipulate it further in any way, just become aware of its flow. Spend a few minutes just observing it intimately till it starts to become regular and relaxed.
- At this point turn your attention to the ambient sounds in the environment. Slowly expand your awareness to the most distant sounds you can hear and start to pay close attention to them. Just listen to the actual sounds that are taking place without getting thinking involved as best you can. If the sound is constant, just attend to it, if it rises and then dissolves, notice that. The quality of your attention should be that of a detached witness – you are just standing apart and listening to the music of life. If you find yourself lost in a mental story line, notice those thoughts and then gently return your attention to the sounds you were attending to. Spend some time, up to five minutes or so listening to the far away sounds and then slowly bring you attention to sounds closer and closer to you. Continue this till you are listening to the sound of your breath or other sound in very close proximity to you. Thats all there are to this simple, yet very effective meditation.
Hints and Tips:
- You can practice this meditation anywhere, so take advantage and experiment with it in various areas of your life.
- Try this meditation when it is raining, using the sound of the rain as the object of your careful attention. It helped reveal to me the secret below.
Secret of Sound Awareness Meditation:
This meditation is certainly designed to bring you into the present and develop your power of detached observation, but the illusion that this meditation works to dissolve is the illusion that there is an inside and an outside. Listen very, very carefully and you will realize that all sounds are only taking place inside you. That everything is only taking place inside you. You are everything. Observer is the Observed. Tat Vam Asi – Thou Art That.
Thanks for the hints and tips! they are indeed very helpful.
I am thrilled to join this site. Thank you anmol for such a wonderful guidance and experience. I remember my childhood days i used to meditate, inspired by some of the books i read, and tried to awaken the kundalini shakti after that i forgot everything because of the busy life but when i happened to read your website i am thrilled and started again doing yoga. Once again thank you so much. I think i am back to those days where i enjoyed the calmness of life.
This is already a part of my daily routine and I love it…
Hi anmol,I’d like to ask you if this make sense for you.I thought that kundalini yoga is suitable only for men,because it begins everything from the base,and the base of a man is positive pole,so man is more advantagous than a woman because from a positive pole it can arise such power,is it true!!
Amazing meditation technique! Many thanks Anmol for pointing it out. I have personally practised it and it works wonders. It boost concentration and awareness immensely and right from the very first session. It also helps to be a witness in the present moment very easily. I am now trying to carry this awareness all day long.
Hi Naman,
There are many reports as such. Certainly I can verify seeing the most beautiful, divine, whitest of white light internally, so I would think other such subtle sensory experiences are very possible.
Best,
Anmol
hi anmol i have heard that one can hear such inner astral sound when ones kundalini is awakened is it true
Hey Farzad,
Great to hear you are enjoying the website and from the statements you just quoted, I see you have discovered the very heart of the Truth.
Thanks a lot for your feedback.
All Good Wishes,
Anmol
Hi!
I found your great website some weeks later & I’ve been reading your fantastic posts
till I come across these familiar & mindful statements that really blew my mind “that everything is only taking place inside you. You are everything” Really awesome!
this is a great meditation, thanks a lot for sharing it
& for all the efforts you’ve made for this impressive blog
Hey Mahesh,
Perfectly put. Thanks for you feedback.
Cheers,
Anmol
meditation is nothing but a art of listening…if u r more interested in this type of meditation technique, then plz refer to http://www.osho.com ….thank u for reminding me….
Hey Evelyn,
One of my favorite meditation techniques too. Glad you are enjoying it.
Cheers,
Anmol
Thanks for the meditation for the second week. I love it. Evelyn
Hey Eric,
I could not have said it any better :-). Am sure your comments are going to inspire many to dive in and enjoy this meditation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Best,
Anmol
This is a great chapter. Anyone that that hasn’t tried out this type of meditation while its raining really is missing out. I know you say this technique is for developing your power of observation, but I think the serenity it brings to you while you just listen to rain is priceless.
Ramesh,
Your feedback is much appreciated. Interesting you have pointed out this profound phrase “Observer is the Observed.” Understand that and you have understood it all.
“Observer is the Observed”
Wow!!! Simple, yet intense.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve said “this is just a fantastic site”.
Ramesh
Most Welcome Alex.
Thank You