Question
Can you tell me if audio CD's for deep meditation are worthed?, I mean do you think it can rather be some kind of mental manipulation?
I'm sending you the web page so you can have a look to it www.skyhero.com
Answer
Hi, Suzette.
I don't know anything about these particular CD's but certainly some kinds of sounds can produce a state of relaxation, even deep relaxation. This can be helpful if you are really tense or have some chronic body trauma.
However, in the long run such things by themselves are just a temporary break unless we can get some insight into the causes of physical and mental tensions, anxiety, trauma, etc. For this, the best place to start is in noticing ourselves, how we think and react, becoming transparent and sensitive to our inner life.
The first step is to see if we can discover a quiet in which we can notice both the inside and the outside, without any judgment about what is noticed, or another way to say it is to be able to also notice the judgment when it comes up. Sitting quietly without any particular mental goal or activity is a good way to explore this.
Sitting quietly with some awareness may result in some relaxation in the body but that is a by product of being interested in noticing. It is not a goal in itself. The important thing is the noticing, not necessarily what is noticed. It is this space of silent awareness that brings intelligence to our actions and to our body/mind. It is not something that we produce when we sit meditatively. It is something that is already here. It is the energy around us and throughout us, though it usually becomes so constricted within us through fear, anxiety and, primarily, from our lack of experience with letting ourselves see ourselves openly, honestly and undefendedly.
If you are very tense, then something relaxing like the tapes, or like taking a walk outside or exercising, might make it a little easier to sit quietly in meditation.
I hope that helps. Please write back to talk more about what I've written or to ask more about it.
Best wishes,
Jay
