Music-Induced Meditation

[Gautama]

This happened about a month ago and I never thought to post it, so many of the details will have been lost.

So, it was either a Tuesday or Wednesday night, I brush my teeth and get into bed. Then I instinctively grab my Zen and KSC75s for the night session of tunes. Quene up Steely Dan's "The Definitive Collection", closed my eyes, and I just sat there and really soakedk up the sound. Around the 7th or 8th song, my breathing changed on its own, an odd rhythm, short, shallow, quick. It felt odd, but "natural", so I continued it. Around 2 minutes later, something clicked, I was in awe. What I could see through my closed eyes was amazing, it was so awesomely black it was undescribably (sp?) awesome. It was like my eyes had shut off, and what I was seeing was in fact a result of NOT seeing. I truly believe this is what a blind person "sees" like. And feeling, feeling was completely gone. I could not feel myself breathing (which was surprsing since the breathing I was doing and was continueing still at this point was very hard), I couldn't feel my hands on my stomach, I couldn't feel the socks on my feet or the comforter over my legs. There was no feeling.

BUT THE SOUND! The sound came to life. I was one with the music. I wasn't listening to music, me and the music were just coexisiting as if it were meant to be. Unless you meditate and know how it feels when you and your body "synchronize" in deep meditation, you won't know how amazingly awesome this is. I'm a Buddhist, so I meditate often, but this was deep. Deeper than I've ever been before. This state lasted for about 2 songs, so like 10 minutes. At that point, I began to come back to reality and I had to open my eyes to make sure I truly had not gone blind, for it was really the surreal. It was perhaps the greatest feeling I've ever experienced in all my life.

 

[goldenratiophi]

I did the same thing for the first time a couple months ago. I was laying in bed when for no real reason I thought I'd grab my iPod and KSC75s and listen to something. I turned on Interpol's "Turn On The Bright Lights", closed my eyes and was totally blown away. I wasn't concentrating on anything my eyes could see; just the music. I can't really say it any differently than you did, because I felt the exact same way you describe. It's just mindblowing, especially with just the right album. Well maybe not as deep as you describe, but it was definitely awesome, and so much more amazing than anything I'd experienced before.

Of course, the common link in our experiences is.... the KSC75s, they work wonders!

 

[FalconP]

The gist of medidation is to be totally aware of the moment -- to soak up all sensory input without making any judgement or attempt to weave stories. Hence, an expert can medidate while doing just about anything -- typing on the keyboard, eating, anything.

As for myself, I find it difficult not to judge the music that goes into my ears, hence only silence or random sounds work for me.

 

[Gautama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FalconP /img/forum/go_quote.gif The gist of medidation is to be totally aware of the moment -- to soak up all sensory input without making any judgement or attempt to weave stories. Hence, an expert can medidate while doing just about anything -- typing on the keyboard, eating, anything. As for myself, I find it difficult not to judge the music that goes into my ears, hence only silence or random sounds work for me.

The thing is, meditation wasnt my intent in this situation, it just came over me and I embraced it.

 

[Thelonious Monk]

i was listening to "machine gun" by jimi hendrix. i completely spaced out. i was just there, and so was the music. it was amazing. i don't need drugs; i've got jimi. just the part where the drums and bass were getting more intense, and and the dissonant vocals... oh my god. that was audio nirvana. it was out of a crappy boombox, and i was at the computer. totally awake, totally unaware. it was just me and the music. my dad came in and started to yell and then i regained control. the only other time i've had a more intense passion with the music was when i first stole all of the thelonious monk my dad got from a friend. wooooooaaaaahhhh, man. it wasn't trance-like, it was just... i was so blown away by this guy, so captivated by mr. monk. i don't borrow his likeliness for use as my internet identity for no reason. while i'm a rocker/mullethead first, nothing makes me as enamored with the music as the king of bebop himself.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Are you sure you were meditating? Almost sounds like you slipped into a partial dream state while lucid. It happens to me now and then while drifting off listening to music. I'm no expert, but that's what I believe happens. It is fun, isn't it?

 

[Gautama]

^^I believe I was meditating, as thats how I feel during my good meditation sessions.