Before you start, think about what your goal is for the meditation? Do you want to become more present, release stressful thoughts or worries, become more in-tune with your body or do you want explore your inner psyche? Studies conducted in 2003, 20 all demonstrated that listening to natural soundscapes can decrease pain, alleviate anxiety and improve post-surgery recovery times. We are now discovering that the sounds of nature hold equal value. We’ve known since the 1980s that patients with a window facing green spaces heal faster than those without a window or one that looks out on an urban landscape. This state of being slows down our bodies, conserves energy, and even speeds up healing times. We are completely grounded and aware of our surroundings, fully experiencing the present moment. When our parasympathetic nervous system is activated, we are in a state of relaxed alertness. Each sound was played for 4 minutes, suggesting that listening to nature sounds for only 4 minutes a day can help lower stress levels and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The other tested recovery sounds were ambient noise, and high and low-noise road traffic sounds. Not only can the natural world prime us for action, it can also our lower stress levels, treat anxiety and depression, and repair our bodies.Ī 2010 study found that nature sounds helped test subjects calm down fastest after a stressful event. Because babies do not have their own experiences to substantiate this fear, patterns resembling snakes and spiders must be hardwired in our cells. However, there are circumstances that naturally cause our bodies to prepare for action that are encoded in our DNA.Ī recent study determined that babies naturally fear snakes and spiders. Other sympathetic responses are caused by underlying mental health disorders and are also not part of our DNA (stress, depression, anxiety). Some circumstances that elicit a sympathetic response are learned, and therefor, not part of our DNA (parental conditioning, traumatic events, PTSD). This information is most often referred to as “ survival instincts.” When encountering specific sights, sounds or smells, our sympathetic nervous system becomes activated as we prepare to protect ourselves. We have largely lost the teachings of our ancestors, but our genes still carry some of nature’s language. As such, the language of nature was passed down through tradition and genetics. These predictions were critical to our survival as a species. Through observing nature, we gained foresight to danger, weather events, food edibility, fruit ripeness, the changing seasons and more. Patterns expressed as sights, sounds and smells allowed us to understand and to predict our surroundings. Living in connection with nature allowed us to “ tune-in” to natural cycles. To fully understand the origins of our circadian rhythm, we must travel back in time.īefore the comforts of social media, the internet and even electricity, we lived in nature. Light is thought to drive this cycle, but sound also plays a role. It tells our bodies when to wake up and when to go to sleep. You may be familiar with circadian rhythm and how it functions as an internal clock. Table of Contents: Why Nature Sounds are Best for Meditation Benefits of Nature Sounds How to Meditate to Nature Sounds What you Need to Meditate to Nature Sounds Conclusion + Free Sounds Click the “TOP” button in the bottom-right corner to return to the table of contents. This article dives deep into discovering why natural sounds are so relaxing and how we can use them as a tool for meditation, health and enjoyment.įor navigational purposes, feel free to jump to any section that interests you below. Listening in a quiet environment, or with good headphones, limits distractions and creates space for deep meditations. While it is possible to meditate anywhere, most people find it easiest when distractions are limited. This can be annoying and distracting, robbing you of the ability to truly “lose yourself” in the sound. When listening to looping sounds, your brain will eventually memorize them. Our brains are amazing at finding patterns. Jarring, loud or abrupt noises will signal a stress response from your body, taking you out of your state of deep relaxation.ĭoesn’t repeat. Before I answer that question, lets quickly look at what makes a good meditation sound. Many people wonder if nature sounds are good for meditation.
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