Busy minds during meditation?

I guess different people enjoy different things.

To me listening to white noise and trying to meditate is like trying to meditate to the sound of looped car crash sound effects, or a baby crying on repeat.

It is not soothing to me, not conducive to meditation, and leaves me unsettled after meditation.

A babbling creek, thunderstorm, ocean waves, wind chimes, and singing bowls work much better for me personally.


I bought a metronome many years ago for this purpose, and found it pointless, unless you are using a meditation which requires an external object of focus.

If your meditation requires you to focus on an external object like a candle flame or a metronome maybe it might be useful, for me it's just a distraction.

It depends on your goals for meditation I guess, there are thousands of types of meditation none have the same goals or methods. There is no one universal way to meditate, nor is there one universal goal of meditation, nor is there one universal outcome from dedicated practice.

It really depends on your goals, and the type of meditation you are doing, as to what might help you or hinder you.

My meditation is rather obscure and I've found very few who share it.

So perhaps take my advice with a pound of salt or two.

A "babbling creek", thunderstorm, and ocean waves are all prime examples of white noise...don't get caught up in the idea that radio static is the only thing that qualifies as white noise...again, white noise is ANY repetitive (and potentially infinite) sound that can easily fade into the "background" and be used to shut out distractions...some people prefer "natural" sources of white noise, such as ocean waves or crickets chirping, others prefer more "manufactured" sources, such as music or static...most people don't really care tho, white noise is white noise

As for the metronome...perhaps I'm missing something here, could you explain how sound (a metronome) equals light (a candle)...

Maynoth, Ive posted a few of Deuter's tracks from "Tibet", on the "what are you listening to" forum along with links to download the specific tracks from my dropbox. Their pretty mind melting so check them out....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colors_of_noise

Contains audio examples.


http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/white+noise

noise containing many frequencies with equal intensities.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question47.htm

white noise is a combination of all of the different frequencies of sound. You can think of white noise as 20,000 tones all playing at the same time.



Pink noise is slightly more organic sounding than pure white noise, but still in my opinion not good for meditation.

Nothing beats natural phenomenon for an organic sound that is soothing. I find both white and pink noise agitating and unsettling to my mind and not conducive to meditation.

That is just my $0.02 if you like it and find it useful stick with it.

...I suppose that white, pink, or purple doesn't really matter...so long as you drown your monkeys.

A metronome, and a candle can both be external objects of focus for use in meditation, focusing on an external object can help in building one pointed concentration, and can also induce neuronal habituation.

Alluvius wrote: ...I suppose that white, pink, or purple doesn't really matter...so long as you drown your monkeys.

Well, for me I've tried to use white and pink noise for meditation, both cause negative side effects, agitation after meditation, a feeling of general malease, mind fog, etc.

This is why I do not recommend anyone use them.

I've never had any issues with natural sources like thunder/rain storms, babbling creeks, ocean waves, etc.

I think you're missing my point here...

What I'm trying to say is: there is no "right" way to eat a Reese's...find something that works for you and go with it...

Ahem...isn't trying to "clarify" things exactly how the Jedi/Sith Light/Dark forum was turned into one about drinking??? lol

No...:whistle:

...Actually...seeking clarity has driven many to drink