Silent Lifeflow

oneflewover · May 25th, 2009, 12:10

Hi Everybody ! A question arose whilst i was sitting with Lifeflow 9 the other day. How effective would the entrainment be without the sound effects ? I ve been sitting with Zen and other practices for many years and have to admit that Lifeflow feels a little bit like cheating

but i do find it extremely motivating and believe it has moved me forward in my practice.
One of my teachers once said that you can listen to music or meditate, you cant do both at the same time. This has always stuck with me, though i appreciate that Lifeflow is not just music. Has anybody had the opportunity to sit just with just the 'beats' ?

Graham
_/\_

GilesC · May 25th, 2009, 14:55

Hi Graham

This is true, you can't listen to music and meditate in the sense that you meditate to let go of thoughts. Listening to music (or any sounds) will create thoughts and prevent that process. However, it's possible to meditate with the music as a focus, but this won't be the same sort of deep meditation that you would typically experience from mantra based meditations.

If the Lifeflow did not have the music/sound effects and just had the entrainment frequencies then they would work just as well, however I guess some people would feel a little cheated as if they'd bought a track of almost nothing.

When I meditate with lifeflow, I quickly get into the meditative state where I'm not focused on the sounds, so it's no issue for me. The Lifeflow is just something there that's doing it's job, I have no focus on it, I'm simply just aware that it's there.

Hugs

Giles

Bhavya · May 28th, 2009, 02:30

Hi Graham
I prefer to turn down the LF tracks to almost zero and it seems to work just as well that way.

Bhavya

oneflewover · May 28th, 2009, 21:55

Originally Posted by Bhavya

Hi Graham
I prefer to turn down the LF tracks to almost zero and it seems to work just as well that way.

Bhavya

Thank you Bhavya that makes a lot of sense. So i ask myself - why didnt i think of that ?

Graham

bashmaki · May 29th, 2009, 06:10

I am a long time meditation practitioner like yourself; I could tell immediately that the sound didn't agree with me. Like Bhavya I began turning down the volume to nearly nothing. It seems to work for me. Also you will realize that meditation is just as deep with or without LifeFlow. It seems that once the work is done with LF it sticks even without the CD. Proof to me of an excellent product.
Gus

GilesC · May 29th, 2009, 11:20

Originally Posted by bashmaki

Also you will realize that meditation is just as deep with or without meditation.

Either a very profound statement or a typo.

Did you mean music

bashmaki · May 29th, 2009, 15:31

Originally Posted by GilesC

Either a very profound statement or a typo.

Did you mean music

You will probably never hear anything profound from this end Giles. It was merely a typo. One of my many mistakes to date

gus

GilesC · May 29th, 2009, 15:50

Ooo, I dunno, I'm sure you've got some profound insights inside you.

oneflewover · June 1st, 2009, 21:52

Thanks for the advice Bhavya and Bashmaki. Turning down the volume has really helped smooth things out, in fact i sense a greater feeling of depth in my sitting.

seatrend8899 · June 1st, 2009, 22:42

Hey Guys,
I used one of my "jump ahead" times (only was tempted and gave in 3 times) to listen to LF6 CD with the volume so low (did i hear "owls"???) just to test the "subdued volume method" and yes it "pulled me into a very relaxed state"...
Although that said, I currently still have the volume at a medium setting. I do like many of the sound scapes and if I find I am "growing tired" of them I "rethink" my attitude and I find I can appreciate them again...
Currently, I am on LF8 and am going with LF8 for another month just to "get back" to the initial 60 day plan (I did LF9 in one month though I listen to it still at bedtime as my wife is on LF9 still)...

.
So in effect I will be each level "intermixed" for a good stretch as our (my wife and I) journeys progress...
For the most part I have not had much "overwhelm" in these early levels as observed by others I have read on this forum. At this time I do find I perhaps "fall asleep" (even in the chair) most times (could be the early morning workouts) and "come to" in the few minutes before the end of the track..
I will endeavour to add an extra hour of sleep as people on this forum have suggested but all in all the "amazing relaxed body" after every session is the "max" and "tuning" the meditation "awareness" will come in time..........no hurry as the important thing is this journey will be a "well travelled round trip" in the years ahead as ALL the levels will become "destination points"..

.

Oh ya Gus BTW (Bushmaki) you have had a profound edge from "day one" when i first visited this forum..........

shine on

jim