Alpha wave music

[Marc60]

Good morning,

does anyone has experience with alpha wave music with the purpose to increase focusing power?
can this really bring improvement?

[Marc60]

i am only asking that because Anapana doesn't bring me further.

[Matthew]

How are you doing Anapana? External aids will not help.

[inwentor]

How are you doing Anapana? External aids will not help.

Can you brief about that? I have the same question. Do using alpha, isochronic, binaural beats and other sound waves that are in the market to meditate can help us to progress quickly into the depths of meditation? Because focusing on the breath is also an external aid isn't it? In olden days, meditators used rhythmic sounds, drums to induce trance isn't it?

[rogp99]

*glances at profile* I don't think you can really follow "nothingness" until very late in the game (I messed up badly until someone told me that). The breath is basically the ground to see stuff.

Binaural beats are the worst, that's what I can only say about this.

[inwentor]

As per the advice I got from our members here, I started doing breath focused meditation. I started reaching the same state/depth if not more by breathing meditation now. I am not using any kind of external aid as of now, and also I hear people saying that the tunes are not advisable for some reason. Anyway I am not going to waste all of our energy in going on to discussing why. I am just going to take the answer as NO

[MarcT]

How are you doing Anapana? External aids will not help.

well, I am trying to be concentrated on the area between the upper lip and the nostrils. But I am not able keep focused very long. A good day I can focus during 2 to 3 minutes. Sometimes my attention wipes away after a few breaths.
I wouldn't use apha wave music during meditation. I doubt also about it.
I am just looking for a way to increase my focusing power.

[Matthew]

As per the advice I got from our members here, I started doing breath focused meditation. I started reaching the same state/depth if not more by breathing meditation now. I am not using any kind of external aid as of now, and also I hear people saying that the tunes are not advisable for some reason. Anyway I am not going to waste all of our energy in going on to discussing why. I am just going to take the answer as NO

Right answer

...
Because focusing on the breath is also an external aid isn't it? ...

No it isn't. You don't actually focus on the breath: you focus on the physical sensation in your body created by the process of breathing. This includes the air touching you internally and externally, the proprioceptive feedback of muscles moving - in your torso, neck, legs and arms, the diaphragm ... and so on.

So it is not an external aid at all: it is the very fabric of your physical being with which you are learning to relate as the first anchor of mindfulness.  Now some people imagine or experience that it can be a little difficult to have what seems such a "wide focus" of awareness. However, when taken in the context of meditation being first and foremost an activity carried out in a state where relaxation and focus are in perfect balance, these imaginations or experiences are down to not understanding this balance, not working in your meditation from a place of balance; trying too hard or trying too little.

[Matthew]

How are you doing Anapana? External aids will not help.

well, I am trying to be concentrated on the area between the upper lip and the nostrils. But I am not able keep focused very long. A good day I can focus during 2 to 3 minutes. Sometimes my attention wipes away after a few breaths.
I wouldn't use apha wave music during meditation. I doubt also about it.
I am just looking for a way to increase my focusing power.

As I've described above, whole body awareness, will likely be more useful.

If you are trying to increase your focusing power (concentration or Samadhi) without a balance between relaxation and concentration you may find yourself running round in circles like a coach and two horses that has one stronger horse: the stronger horse (focus) will pull the coach (your mindfulness) round in circles, rather than heading for the straight line - as the weaker horse (ability to relax in the practice) will not keep up with it.

This is one of the fundamental problems with focussing on one goal in meditation. As the Buddha taught the path it is a fine, balanced interaction between all eight folds of the path.

[boris]

I've read yesterday about it, it's called (MOD EDIT: Name of product removed) i was on some facebook page and it recomended me to it, it promises 30 years of meditative expirience to begginers, and i was like "yeah right". I don't buy into that, because i know everything that you get easily you can also lose easily, and you are "dependent" on gimmicks or that program. Somehow i KNOW that i already have what i need, just by meditating.

[mdr]

it promises 30 years of meditative expirience to begginers,

Right... 

I don't have 1/100th of experience and knowledge that our longstanding members do, but it really doesn't sound like a good idea (Alpha/ Beta/ Gamma whatever sounds.)
When we were thought Anapana at the retreat, they made sure there was no noise.
I don't remember the word in Pali, what's 'firm spiritual decision'  called in the original, but basically, you decide to sit for XY amount of time and you do it, you don't quit. Will power does it (at least in the beginning).

[rogp99]

Right... 

I don't have 1/100th of experience and knowledge that our longstanding members do, but it really doesn't sound like a good idea (Alpha/ Beta/ Gamma whatever sounds.)
When we were thought Anapana at the retreat, they made sure there was no noise.
I don't remember the word in Pali, what's 'firm spiritual decision'  called in the original, but basically, you decide to sit for XY amount of time and you do it, you don't quit. Will power does it (at least in the beginning).

I'd try something with less grandiose claims and more basis in neurology

Anyway, it's aditthana, or resolution in English, quite a difficult topic though.

[mdr]

Right... 

I don't have 1/100th of experience and knowledge that our longstanding members do, but it really doesn't sound like a good idea (Alpha/ Beta/ Gamma whatever sounds.)
When we were thought Anapana at the retreat, they made sure there was no noise.
I don't remember the word in Pali, what's 'firm spiritual decision'  called in the original, but basically, you decide to sit for XY amount of time and you do it, you don't quit. Will power does it (at least in the beginning).

I'd try something with less grandiose claims and more basis in neurology

Anyway, it's aditthana, or resolution in English, quite a difficult topic though.

Thank you rogp99! At the retreat, we learned the term in translation from English to my mother tongue, so in previous post i losely translated it back... And i thought to myself: goodness, no way anyone will know what i am talking about! 
Thanks once again!

[MarcT]

As I've described above, whole body awareness, will likely be more useful.

I don't really know what whole body awareness implies.
As I can imagine this needs also a lot of attention, hence focusing power. If I am already not able to keeped focused on a small part of my body this looks rather more difficult to me and for me.

My problem is really my wandering mind. At least I improved in the sense that I am getting quicker aware when my attention wiped away. I started Vipassana september last year maybe I am to impatient.

[rogp99]

I was thinking about asking in a separate thread, but anyway.

I tried to sit cross-legged and straight up, then when I take a breath I can feel the breath going in, the breathing muscles doing their jobs. The problem is my diaphgram often get "blocked" by my belly. I wonder if my posture have something to do with it.

[Yes2life]

 I use binaural beats like Delta Waves, Alpha Waves and Theta Waves to create a state of relaxation which is perfect for learning, studying, concentration, meditation and deep sleep.

[stillpointdancer]

Never tried this but it sounds interesting. Many studies have shown that vibrations have an effect on the brain, and one plus for meditating with others is joining in with chanted mantras. I remember once spending two or three months meditating at home to rock music, which I found to bring lots of energy to the meditation. Anyone else tried that?

[Matthew]

As I've described above, whole body awareness, will likely be more useful.

I don't really know what whole body awareness implies.
As I can imagine this needs also a lot of attention, hence focusing power. If I am already not able to keeped focused on a small part of my body this looks rather more difficult to me and for me.

All your imaginings are just that. It is best to gain experience. I described in some detail whole body awareness of breathing:

No it isn't. You don't actually focus on the breath: you focus on the physical sensation in your body created by the process of breathing. This includes the air touching you internally and externally, the proprioceptive feedback of muscles moving - in your torso, neck, legs and arms, the diaphragm ... and so on.

So it is not an external aid at all: it is the very fabric of your physical being with which you are learning to relate as the first anchor of mindfulness.  Now some people imagine or experience that it can be a little difficult to have what seems such a "wide focus" of awareness. However, when taken in the context of meditation being first and foremost an activity carried out in a state where relaxation and focus are in perfect balance, these imaginations or experiences are down to not understanding this balance, not working in your meditation from a place of balance; trying too hard or trying too little.

My problem is really my wandering mind. At least I improved in the sense that I am getting quicker aware when my attention wiped away. I started Vipassana september last year maybe I am to impatient.

That improvement is important. And don't worry - everyone's first problem is their wandering mind so nothing unusual there

Regarding impatience .. it's important to sit without expectation. Just do it for doing it, not to get anywhere. In our goal-oriented societies this may sound strange yet I feel it is the only way to get the balance between effort and relaxation firmly established in the beginning.

Kindly,

Matthew

[Thomas D]

This is one of the fundamental problems with focussing on one goal in meditation. As the Buddha taught the path it is a fine, balanced interaction between all eight folds of the path.

I've been knocking my head at the wall for ages trying to understand and progress in meditation. What helped me greatly was by taking on the whole eight fold path, then a lot of things fell into context.

[MarcT]

Thank you Matthew