confused

[bazel]

I just started listening to LF10 about 2 weeks ago. However, I find the track distracting, even at low volume. I have a little experience (more like experimentation) with meditation but it seems like my 'meditation' is non existent now. It's like my brain is competing to listen to or ignore the 'noise', while at the same time trying to follow my breath or repeat a mantra.

I'm also having a hard time with the length of the track. Most times that I have attempted to build a meditation practice, all suggestions/advice have been to start slow and build up. Starting slow usually meant attempting 5 - 10 minutes and building from there. Jumping into 40 minutes a day is a big leap! I've managed to maintain it so far but I can see this becoming my 'excuse' to not have time to meditate.

Are the full 40 minutes necessary to get all the benefits? Does LF10 have a definite beginning and end and if I stop in the midst am I not 'closing out' or winding down appropriately? I did not opt to purchase the 20 and 60 minute versions but if I knew then what I know now, I may have reconsidered!

Along these lines....is it okay/advisable to listen to the track while doing other things? Could I listen to LF10 for 20 minutes of meditation and then 20 minutes of yoga?????

I hope these questions aren't too crazy but I can't be the only newbie thinking these......well, I hope I am not!

Thanks,

Bazel

[GilesC]

Hi Bazel and welcome to the Project Meditation community,

No, you don't have to listen to the full 40 minutes.
Unlike a lot of other entrainment programs the tracks are not created with some 'lead-in' and 'lead-out' sections at the start and end, they just contain the entrainment beats/frequencies throughout the whole track.
For entrainment to be effective it's said that you need to be listening to it for at least 8 minutes before your brain takes effect from it (gets in tune with it, or whatever) though that will vary slightly from person to person.

You are correct that meditation should be built up over time, and starting with just 10 minutes is fine. I myself, now that I've had experience, typically meditate for 40 minutes with lifeflow once in the day and again for 20 minutes without lifeflow, but I too started at 15 minutes and built up to the 20 when I learnt mantra based meditation (I already had some meditation experience, otherwise I would have been told to start at 5 or 10 by my teacher).

So, certainly, just listen to the lifeflow track for 10, 15 or 20 minutes etc. as you feel comfortable. Meditation shouldn't be an effort, it should just be a natural process. Also, you can listen to lifeflow over speakers at other times whilst you get on with other things (not whilst driving etc. though) and that can be helpful (though you won't get the binaural beats effect).

I'm not sure what the latest 'deals' are on purchasing lifeflow as it was just 40 minutes when I bought it, but if the costs are different for different lengths, I'm sure you could contact the admin team and they will be more than willing to swap you over to the 20 minute versions if you prefer. They are most amenable to people's individual needs.

Hugs

Giles

[bazel]

Giles, thanks for your comments. You managed to get me out of 'how in the world am I going to do this' mode into solving how I can integrate LF into my morning practice. 20 minutes of meditation with LF and then 20 minutes of writing/journaling while listening to LF should do the trick.

Thanks,

Bazel