Examining the effectiveness of meditation music: can it really make one calmer and less stressed?

Ten years ago I've never heard of meditation music. Now it's all the buzz. Are meditation music CDs actually beneficial in aiding one to be far less anxious, considerably less nervous and more peaceful? The response is an undeniable yes. This is not to imply, however, that all music that is branded meditation music could make you a happier, much less stressed and more peaceful person. This is only true for genuinely spiritual and authentic musical recordings which invoke the empathies of the heart and soul and, therefore, create a revitalizing, as well as beautiful effect on the mind along with the entire nervous system.



The most commonly recognized definition of meditation music is music that is listened to during the course of meditation. We can conclude from this definition then, that it is next to impossible that every recording that may be appropriate to listen to during a meditative state will result in an actual relaxation response. Therefore we must conclude that the music that will have this kind of wonderful effect on the body and mind can only originate from musicians and artists that themselves have a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to not just the production of such music, but rather, in the art of meditation and the healing arts as well. As you will see, though, one needn't put in countless hours researching the precise meditation music CD because I am going to share a very simple, however foolproof solution to selecting which music fits the abovementioned guidelines.



Before I move forward I have to say that meditation music has been a continuous source of healing joy within my own daily life and the lives of my good friends and loved ones. In no modest measure am I motivated to compose this short article on the topic of the efficacy of meditation music for I have genuinely experienced its therapeutic and rejuvenating effects in my life.



Now let me just say that I am quite particular when it comes to choosing which meditation music CD will go along with me on my meditative journey. It is for this reason that I must whole heartedly recommend a company called Rootlight. Even after having researched numerous types of meditation music, including those involving nature sounds, classical melodies, drums, chanting, world rhythms and more, none of them can compare to my personal practical experience with the Rootlight music series. Each track seems to smoothly bring together a treasure chest of ancient wisdom. As you can see, I am quite partial to these recordings, in no way the least of which is because of their profoundly calming and, simultaneously, invigorating effects on the mind and entire nervous system.



This actually brings us to a crucial point. For music, any music for that matter, to be effective in relieving emotional tension and bringing back our bodies to balance and harmony, particularly following an exhaustingly trying day, it has to ultimately move us. And this is only possible when the melodies, words or a combination of both possess a tangibly renewing effect on our neurological system. In the interest of brevity, I'll focus on the autonomic division of our nervous system that is composed of the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. Even though the sympathetic nervous system that is in charge of our fight or flight response, which has come to be very much essential in our strenuous, busy day-to-day lives, it's the parasympathetic nervous system which serves to balance out our sympathetic nervous system, and in turn, return us to a level of calm and peace. Not having the parasympathetic nervous system we would basically fry ourselves out. Unbeknownst to the majority of people is that sound has a direct effect on the entire autonomic nervous system and the right kind of sound, as is the case with authentically conceived meditation music, can completely refresh our autonomic neurological system and restore balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches.



It doesn’t take much for one to discover this innately harmonizing quality of meditation music. In fact, I really hope that you may use it as a venerable litmus test for not only the caliber, but , the efficacy of the meditation music in question. As you start on your journey of choosing the right music for you, to be utilized with the aim of relieving tension and enacting a pronounced relaxation response, conveniently listen to a short sample of the CD and determine how it moves you. If you feel an almost immediate sense of relief then the recording is almost definitely an excellent one and will get the job done. That’s all there is to it. No need to make an effort to make yourself "feel" something. The fact is, when it comes to meditation music, it either works or it doesn’t. As you set sail this unique, great new journey, it is my earnest wish that you will be, dare I say, transformed into a far more peaceful, less nervous and far less stressed person and, as a result, a much happier soul.



My recommendation is meditation music from Rootlight. Visi their beautiful website and listen to samples of all their exquisite CDs.