Collection: Meditation - #8 Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche 'Sound Meditation Practice for Beginners'
[Transcript]
YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE 00:00
So now I will teach you one more meditation technique.
So sometimes we need to – we need option because although meditation is very easy, but after some time we feel bored; "Oh again that sensation, yesterday also sensation, today gosh sensation again... I like the idea of meditation, but I don't like the practice of meditation." (Laughter)
So if you feel like that then need to change, so technique need to change.
So another technique is sound meditation. So how many of you want to learn sound meditation? Raise your hand. Mmm, good.
For the sound meditation, there are two steps; One, how to listen to sound? Second, sound meditation. Okay?
So first how to listen to sound.
So can you hear? Everybody if you can hear this sound, raise your hand. Mmm, now you know how to listen. (Laughter) So the first step is finished. (Laughter)
And should I teach you second step?
AUDIENCE MEMBER 01:23
Yeah. (Laughter)
YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE 01:25
Second – (Laughs) – second step has one big secret. So should I tell you the secret? The secret is –
AUDIENCE MEMBER 01:38
There is no secret. (Laughter)
YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE 01:41
The secret is sound meditation is already done. (Laughter) Finished.
You understand or not? (Laughter) How many of you not understand the secret? Raise your hand. Meaning is I ask you, can you hear the sound? You say yes! So that is the sound meditation. You aware of sound. Right? The ear and mind both listen to the sound, so that is the sound meditation.
Only the object is different, the essence is same, be awareness – the awareness. It's just – awareness is one, but when you use awareness with the body or sensation then it become awareness of the body, awareness of sensation. Now you're using sound and it becomes sound meditation.
And it can be visual object, can be smell, taste, sensation even thought and emotion also. But thought [and] emotion if you are new to meditation, you have to wait for a while. First, you have to do this space – this foundation meditation like feeling, sensation, sound, this one first. Okay?
So now we're going to practice this sound meditation together. So please keep your spine straight, you can – if you have back pain you can use chair like me. As long as if you can keep your spine straight, little bit straight you know, don't worry little bit like this, little bit like that, little bit like that, no problem. So just a little bit relatively keep your spine straight. Loosely, yeah loosely keep your spine straight and close your eyes.
So first relax your body. And relax meaning not relax is also allowed. And be aware of sensation from head to feet.
Now, please listen to the sound.
Okay, now finish. How was it? So sound meditation's better or the meditation with the sensation feels better? Sound better raise your hand. Okay, body sensation raise your hand.
Okay, so it depends on the personality. So if you feel body is more easy, you have to begin with the body – sensation in the body. If you feel sound is more easy, you need to begin with sound first.
But even if you feel sounds good now, tomorrow okay, next day so so, next day gosh, sound... So you will feel bored and then back to the body you feel oh nice. I thought I have particular connection with sound not the body, but actually sound is better. You will feel like that after few days later. So that's normal so you need to change different technique.
Although, there's many different technique, but actually only one, right? What is the one?
AUDIENCE MEMBER 06:59
Awareness.
YONGEY MINGYUR RINPOCHE 06:59
Awareness.
So another important thing is awareness is important, but when you listen to sound you are not particularly thinking about awareness, right?
And not need also because you already recognize awareness, I told you awareness is important – the recognition of awareness is important, I already introduced you awareness. So that view stays back of your head – back of your mind, behind your heart, the view. And then the motivation that you want to meditate with the sound, that's the meditate – that's the motivation. So this view and meditation change the quality of the listen – listen to the sound – automatically.
So you didn't have to worry look for where is the awareness? I can hear the sound, but the awareness where? Not necessary to look something extra. Yeah, but then there's – later the awareness without object or something like this, step by step you can practice in the future, okay?
(Source: https://youtu.be/ukTaodQfYRQ)
[YAPSS Takeaway]
The object of meditation can change, but the essence is the same. So by changing the object, it become a different meditation technique.
"Only the object is different, the essence is same, be awareness – the awareness. It's just – awareness is one, but when you use awareness with the body or sensation then it become awareness of the body, awareness of sensation. Now you're using sound and it becomes sound meditation. And it can be visual object, can be smell, taste, sensation even thought and emotion also." ~Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche
