Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: Musings on Music & Meditation / The Art of Listening to Music

Have you ever thought of listening to music as a form of meditation? Here are some thoughts on music and meditation shared by renowned spiritual leader and Art of Living Founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar begins with a definition of meditation:

“Meditation is moving from sound to silence.”

We usually think of music as something opposite  - from silence to noise (if it is heavy metal, rock music – the more noisy categories of music). Or we cam think of music as moving from silence to melliflous sound (if it is the more harmonious kind like flute music or western classical) and back to silence.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar asks:

“What can we do when the piano is being played?”

He suggests : “We can just close our eyes, relax and sink into the music.”
He advises we combine the music and meditation.

“What is Meditation? Deep relaxation. So, we will sit, relax, keep our eyes closed and let the music flow through us. Our whole body is anyway hollow and empty and the music can fill it.”

This is the perfect tip on how to listen to music and enjoy it in the most thorough way.

“When you listen to music, it is better to just be with the music.”

But what do we normally do, asks Sri Sri Ravi Shankar?

“Usually, what happens is that we put on the radio and television and we keep talking. Music keeps going on or we sit in a performance with eyes open. We are just watching what is happening here and there. So we are not really absorbing the music or taking hundred per cent advantage of the music.”

“To me, when you listen to music, you should just relax. Close your eyes and relax. When you are listening to flute music, you should feel that music is flowing within you. Through sound you can relax. Similarly, if you are listening to piano, it can be so meditative and so relaxing. This is the art of listening to music. It is very good!”

Instead of playing music, let's listen to it for a change!