So, what is meditation?
There are many traditions and religions and trends that define what meditation is or should be. The Wikipedia page on Meditation gives a nice overview of where to start if we want to go into depth with that and I surely encourage you to do so if you are interested.
For the purpose of this blog – and the Music Listening Meditation sessions I host weekly in Second Life – I stick to my own words “Away from the buzz”. Meditation is an activity that can take your mind off the ‘buzz’ it is occupied by.
Whether your buzz is shopping, or partying, or grief, you may need a break. Whether you are looking for quietness to cure a hangover, to catch up with sleep or to find inner peace, no judgement here. It is your buzz, and your wish to get away from it.
And what is Music Listening Meditation?
There is a difference between ‘listening to music while meditating’ and ‘meditating through listening to music’. In the first case, music provides a calming background to whatever form of meditation someone practices; ambient music that is not supposed to disturb or disrupt.
In the case of Music Listening Meditation, it is the music itself that triggers an active form of listening, it is the center of the attention, the heart of the meditation.
Music Listening Meditation in Second Life
The music – or sounds – I select for the sessions in SL are not meant to make you feel relaxed. They are not elevator music that calms you down. They are often sweet and beautiful, yes, but also unexpected and at times they will be annoying and harsh and strange. It takes effort to listen in concentration and with an open mind, to let all vibrate in your ears and brain and body. It takes effort to observe how the sounds affect you, without judging.
And thát is what will take you away from your buzz. (At least, that is how it works for me.)
Having said all this, the sessions are also nice to just listen to good music in good company. The music varies from Philip Glass to Brian Eno, from Benjamin Britten to Sigur Rós, from Xavier Rudd to Pauline Oliveros. And guaranteed no pan flutes!
If you want to experience it for yourself, join us in Second Life on Monday from 8-9 am SLT or on Wednesday from 12-1 pm SLT. Both sessions in one week have the same playlist.
There is always a seat available for you at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pelican%20Reef/31/156/22 .
You can find part 2 of my journey here: https://wordpress.com/post/slmusiclab.com/701
Disclaimer: as you may have guessed, I am not a professional or even amateur meditation teacher. However, I strongly believe that there is a level of meditation that anyone can practice, in any given situation. To get away from the buzz.