A Guided Meditation using Sounds

Sound can be a distraction during meditation.  Noises can pull you from the state of calm that may come with meditation.  But the goal of meditation may not be to distance yourself from what is around you but to create awareness of your external and internal environment.

It is almost impossible to avoid sounds as you meditate. Sounds come and constantly.  But sounds don’t need to be a distraction.  You can use sound in your practice.  You can use any sound.  You may notice sounds around you, in your room, or you may notice sounds outside of your environment, like cars passing or birds singing.  You may notice internal sounds like the sound of your breath.  There might be subtle a sound like the hum of a computer.

The sounds you hear become an anchor, an object of the senses that helps keep your mind present to the moment.  Your mind tends to think about the past or the future, it is not usually in the present moment, the now.  

During this meditation, you will start by listening to the sound of your breath.  Then you may choose to explore listening to any other sounds that become aware of, noticing the qualities of each sound.  Every sound has certain qualities, like how loud the sound is, and the pitch of the sound.  Sounds may come and go, they may be very close to you, or far away.  To meditate on a sound is more than being aware of the sound, it is noticing these qualities.

In this meditation, I will lead you through the experience of becoming aware of the sounds around you.

The practice

Get comfortable, either sitting or lying down. If seated, ensure your feet touch the floor or a book. You may have your knees bent over a pillow if you lie down.

Take a moment to settle in, and adjust your position if you need to get comfortable.

Close your eyes, or let your gaze soften by looking just in front of you. 

Bring your awareness to the breath, but instead of focusing on the physical feeling of the breath, listen to the sound of the body breathing.

Open up your awareness to other sounds present. Let your awareness focus on one sound. Tune into this sound, and listen to the sound and the qualities of this sound.

Notice how the mind recognizes the sound. When a car goes by, you know it is a car. Your mind puts a label on the sound. You may have the image of a car. 

Instead of identifying and defining each sound, try to focus on the experience of hearing.

Imagine your ears are microphones. A microphone does not label the sound but picks it up.

Keep noticing one sound until another sound demands your attention. Then, place your full attention on this sound.

 Be curious as you listen.  Try not to label the sound. Just hear it for what it is, a vibration that your mind perceives as sound.

Bring your awareness back to the breath.  Let your breath flow with ease. You don’t need to force your breath. Let your attention rest on the sound of the breath.  Notice the sound of the inhale and the sound of the exhale.

Take a few breaths focusing on the sound of breathing.

When you are ready to let the meditation go, open your eyes.  

Sound Meditation Guided Audio

I recorded a guided audio for you to practice the meditation on sound. The audio is about 8 minutes.

Sound Meditation Practice tips

Wear headphones if possible.

If at any time during the meditation, you become physically uncomfortable, create some movement.  You can shift around in your seat or even get up and walk around.  

Don’t force your breath.  Let it flow normally, but observe the sound of the breath.  If noticing your breath creates discomfort move on to another sound, noticing a sound that is near you.

If your mind is restless, you are not doing anything wrong.  Meditation is the process of training your brain to focus fully in the moment.  If you notice your mind has wandered off, return your attention to the sound you were observing, with no judgment.  You may need to do this several times during the meditation.

Enjoy!