“Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul”
-Plato
We have all experienced the calming power of music.
It only makes sense to use it in the cultivation of consciousness!
If you have been following this series, you will have already read about 5 of our Ten Techniques for Fast Relaxation.
In this post, we will cover technique #6:
Relaxing Music!
Music is one of the easiest and most intuitive ways to quickly change state.
Why not use it to relax quickly and deeply?
Now what is ‘most relaxing’, will very from person to person, but usually soft and peaceful classical music is the closest thing to a ‘universal relaxer’
More important than this, though… is for you to take the time to pay attention to the effect music has on you.
What music works best?
Does it really relax you, or does it just reinforce what you are already feeling?
It feels good to hear someone else talking or singing about what you are going through… it seems like “I am not the only one”… or “This person really ‘gets’ me”.
This ‘feel good’ is not relaxation.
It might be pleasant or comfortable to feel social approval or validation… but it is not real relaxation.
Real relaxation loosens up tension in your body… and softens attachments in your mind.
In addition, I encourage you to learn to distinguish between what is new and challenging and ‘tension’. I also encourage you to distinguish between what is ‘comfortable’ and what truly allows you to deeply relax your mind and body!
So how do we use it?
Carry your music with you.
Most mobile phones have mp3 players, now.
The ipod and other stand alone mp3 players have become more and more reasonably priced (I bought my ipod about 3-4 years ago and it cost me $400. I bought my wife’s ipod 2 years ago… it has 20 GB more storage, it’s smaller, it does more, and it has the latest software, and I paid just over $200 for it).
But you can also burn a ‘relaxation’ CD or make a ‘relaxation’ tape.
Carry some relaxing music wherever you go.
Now for the technique:
Relaxation Technique #6: Listen to Relaxing Music
- Take some time to really pay attention while listening to music
- Distinguish relaxation from the ‘feel good’ of social approval and/or validation.
- Notice which songs/artists/albums/etc. are really contributing to your relaxation
- Put some of those songs on a playlist (you can even name it ‘relaxation’) in an ipod or mp3 player that you carry with you. If you don’t have an mp3 player, then you can burn a relaxation CD, or find a classical radio station.
- Be ready to use these songs anytime you notice tension starting to build (excuse yourself to the bathroom if necessary).
- Get lost in the music for a few minutes as you deeply relax.
- Bring the relaxation and sense of ease into the rest of your day/tasks at work!
This again, is the simplest relaxation technique.
I’m willing to bet you already listen to music.
I’m pretty certain you have been relaxed by music before.
Now you can just take your relaxing music with you to bring some conscious peace and calm into whatever you do.
We’ll finish with another quote:
“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.”
-Kahlil Gibran
keep smiling,
Ben
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
True, music is very calming and in fact I use it often. At times though our muscles don’t respond. I have found that an ayurvedic massage of the body helps. Just tried it recently and wow it was great! It sort of gives on the power to use all the relaxation techniques.
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