Experimenting with Meditation Meditation, with all of its physical and spiritual rewards, is a practice worth adopting. By looking for ways to improve your meditation sessions and learning about new methods to try to new elements to incorporate, you can deepen your meditation and reap even more of its benefits. Although meditation has a definite practical aspect and is, to that extent, a serious practice, it can also be an opportunity for fun, enjoyment, and play. Experimenting with new meditative techniques can be a way to take advantage of this opportunity. If you try something in your meditation that doesn't end up working for you, nothing is lost. At worst, you have enriched your life by trying something new and have learned a little something about yourself in the process. The Benefits of Meditating with Sound One way to expand your practice of meditation, no matter what style of meditation you typically practice, is to incorporate an element of self-produced sound such as chanting or song. Often, meditation is assumed to be a silent practice, and we seek quiet places where we are uninterrupted by the noises of life. This silence is good for meditation and can help us clear our minds of the clutter of daily life. However, sound can also be a good addition to a meditation session, and sound you produce yourself can help you meditate in a number of ways. By humming, singing, or chanting while you meditation, you help yourself focus on the moment by doing something active that is not related to anything outside. In other words, you help keep your mind from wandering. Additionally, creating sound while you meditate can help you train your breathing, growing your lung capacity and strength so your breathing is more even and controlled and your meditations are deeper. Chanting and Humming in Traditional Meditation Historically, many groups have used sound as an element of meditation, both religious and secular. Chanting is an important element in many religions, both Eastern and Western. In some religious traditions, chanting is associated with meditative, prayerful states, and in some ways chanting represents a separate activity which nevertheless promotes union or communion with the divine. The well-known syllable "om" or "aum" is present is several traditions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, and often represents a totality or unity of body and spirit, which can be incorporated in meditations. Sound in Non-Religious Meditation If you do not practice a particular tradition of meditation and use it only as a relaxation or self-improvement technique, you may be hesitant to incorporate chants, songs, or sounds from religious meditation into your own practice. Because meditation is a personal practice for you, start experimenting with sound by humming in a low, sustained tone during your meditation. Strive to hold the note for as long as you can, but don't strain your lungs so much that the note wavers. Inhale slowly and repeat the process for the duration of your session. When you have become comfortable with humming a single tone, humming a tune could be the next step. You could use a song that you already know and that relaxes you, or you could improvise and hum notes as they come to you. Either way, take care to make sure humming does not distract you from your practice; if it does, perhaps silent meditation is best for you. Sound in Group Meditation The presence of other people is another factor that may deter some people from incorporating sound into their meditations. If you meditate in a meditation hall, yoga class, or other gathering, you may feel uncomfortable humming, singing, or chanting in this setting. The best approach to this situation is to bring up the use of sound in the whole group and experiment together. If this is inappropriate for your situation, consider adding in an extra session at home to try using sound. If you find that it helps your meditation, you could do more solo meditations or find a group that is more open to sound. Whether or not you change your regular meditation practice, it doesn't hurt to give sound a try.