After almost a year of weekly sessions ‘Music Listening Meditation’, I can still be pleasantly surprised by the difference between listening on my own, and listening with some other people who have come together with the same intention. We listen.
I know that in real life some of them may be driving, some may be cleaning their kitchen, some could be sitting quietly on their chair. We are in different times of our day because of the time zones, we bring a different mood because we are different human beings. So it seems the intention to listen is maybe the “only” thing we have in common. We listen.
We always do two sessions of approximately 20 minutes within the meditation hour. During the second session I ask the participants to try and focus on the group. This can be as much as being aware that there are others around us that hear the same sounds, that listen to the same music, that experience the same vibrations in their body. I am not sure if this awareness can create a physical connection, but it can have an impact anyway.
For me, that impact is like this: I enjoy the company of familiar and new people, I am grateful that people care to join. At times I choose music that is a bit hard to digest, and then it helps to know we are not alone in going through that. Sometimes a visualisation of how sounds go around in the circle is enough for me to bring up a smile, or to sense a new tingle at the back of my neck. Often the music sounds more intense than when I am listening alone. I hear more when I listen better.
Music Listening Meditation will probably not cause major transitions, but it can give you one hour of awareness, of intentional and focused listening. You observe, and don’t judge. You don’t have to try too hard: just let it happen. And if something else happens, that is ok, too.
We listen.
Music Listening Meditation takes place every Monday from 8-9 am SLT and that session is repeated on Wednesday from 12-1 pm SLT.
There is always a seat available for you at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Pelican%20Reef/31/156/22 .
Earlier blogs on Music Listening Meditation:
Part 1, Away from the buzz
Part 2, Disable the filters