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Before you begin to meditate, you want to make sure that the atmosphere is perfect. You want to be in a space that allows you to go wherever your mind wants to take you, and you may be still for some time, so you want to make sure that the space is also warm. You have probably thought about lighting and may have lit some incense, but have you thought about the music? Our senses can be especially heightened during meditation, and we should be working across the board to create the best atmosphere for our bodies. If you're still thinking about the best music for meditation, here are some ideas.

 
 
 
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Often people listen to rainforest sounds, such as rain and birdsong. Natural sounds are often considered to be useful for meditation as they bring the body back to the earth, and remove us from any stress of modern life. These sounds are often built into the best meditation apps, and you can often pick between sounds and music. CALM is listed on Top10 as a useful app for unguided meditation, and it comes with lots of calming natural sounds. 

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years in South East Asia, and is traditionally silent. However, Tibetan chanting has become popular throughout the world in recent years, since the Dalai Lama and his choir signed to DECCA records, and played Glastonbury in 2015. During meditation, monks will also use healing sounds to mark different segments of meditation, with a focus on healing sounds. Traditional instruments such as singing bowls mark the journey from conscious to unconscious meditation, and have a round, soothing sound to naturally mark shifts in meditation without alarming or disturbing thought. 

You might be familiar with wind chimes, but you might not know that they have been used for thousands of years as part of deep meditation practices. Much of Tibetan meditation finds its roots in Buddhism and ancient Shamanism which is deeply rooted in nature. Windchimes are hung during meditation, and even permanently built into temples, with the idea that as the wind blows, the chimes are awakened and you are brought back to the present moment. They were also thought to ward off evil spirits, and today you can see examples of ancient windchimes at Buddhist temples all over South East Asia. 

 
 
 
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With an increased interest in meditation in the west, you don't have to travel all the way to Tibet to experience traditional meditation, as there are brilliant retreats here in the UK. You can also build practice into your busy life, by using apps that offer short bursts of guided meditation practice.

We've embraced meditation as a way to help ease symptoms of depression and reset our thinking. Whilst this means that you can often pick the length of a meditation session to suit your lifestyle. For this reason, it is important to meditate to music that can quickly take you to a place of calm. This might mean that you have to listen to your favourite album or artist, or even music that might not be considered 'traditional' meditation music. Mediation is a lot harder than people often think, but it is also about finding your own path and making the time work for you. 

There is no right or wrong in meditation, and over time you will find that your tastes change; you may end up meditating silently, or to the sound of wind chimes. However, whether you prefer the sound of nature or some vintage Billy Joel, the goal is to enjoy your meditation, and develop a practice that works for you. If your current music isn't working for you, try switching it up until you find the best accompaniment to your meditation.