10 Frequently Asked Questions about Primordial Sound Meditation
1. What is Primordial Sound Meditation?
Primordial Sound Meditation is a mantra-based meditation technique that allows us to take our awareness from the active level of the mind to quieter levels of the thinking process until eventually we slip beyond thought altogether to the level of pure silence, pure awareness. When we come out of meditation, we bring some of the qualities of that silence (love, joy, compassion, peace, creativity) into our everyday lives.
2. What will I experience when I meditate?
There are a variety of experiences that you can have when you meditate. You may fall asleep. You may have lots of thoughts and feel restless or you may slip beyond thoughts to a level of peace and silence. All these experiences are correct experiences because the experiences we have in meditation are the most appropriate for us at that particular time.
3. How often should I meditate?
We recommend that you meditate twice a day--once in the morning and once in the late afternoon or early evening--for about 30 minutes each time.
4. What if I don't always have 30 minutes?
Then meditate for as much time as you have available. 30-minutes is really the recommended amount of time to give you the fastest growth of benefits, but it is better to meditate for a shorter amount of time--10, 15, 20 minutes--than not to meditate at all. Regularity of the meditation experience is what is really important.
5. How long will it be before I start to notice some benefits from the meditation?
From the time you start to meditate, the benefits will start to grow. If you continue to meditate on a regular basis, the benefits will come at whatever speed, at whatever rate is easiest for your body to accumulate them. However, we all start at our own level, so people progress at one speed and some people progress at another speed. We all evolve and grow at the rate which is most comfortable and appropriate. Sometimes we notice the benefits immediately. Sometimes it is weeks or months before we really notice the changes. Often, it is other people who notice the changes in ourselves before we notice them.
6. Will I need to change my lifestyle when I practice Primordial Sound Meditation?
No. There are no lifestyle changes that are required. The only change or adjustment you will need to make is to allow the time to meditate regularly twice a day. Any changes in your life will come automatically and spontaneously. Some of the bad habits you have will start to drop off and other better habits will start to come into your life.
7. How will meditation affect my relationships?
It is only when we know and understand who we really are that we can hope to understand other people. Meditation helps us discover our true essence. Also, because meditation helps us become less reactive and make more appropriate choices and responses, our relationships will benefit.
8. What if I don't like my mantra?
Any time you do not like your mantra, it means that you are either associating it with some meaning or else you are straining or concentrating on it instead of thinking it gently and effortlessly. Remember to let go of any meaning or association with your mantra and remember that repetition of your Primordial Sound is not a clear pronunciation. It is just a faint idea. Just let the mantra flow and let it change as it will without trying to hold it or fix it in any particular way.
9. I am unable to clear my mind of thoughts when I meditate.
It is ok to have thoughts during meditation. In fact, thoughts are part of the process. The mantra itself is just another thought, even though it has no meaning. In Primordial Sound Meditation, we think the mantra and when we become aware that we have drifted off and are thinking other thoughts, we gently bring our attention back to the mantra. If we drift again, we just repeat the process very easily and effortlessly.
We don't struggle against thoughts or try to shut them out. They are part of the process. We just flow back and forth from mantra to the thoughts, mantra to the thoughts, until eventually we get to very refined levels of the thinking process, very abstract levels of the mantra, very abstract levels of the thoughts, and then we can slip beyond the mantra, beyond the thoughts, into the gap, to the level of the soul and the Spirit.
10. I sometimes have strong emotions when I meditate and sometimes feel like crying or laughing out loud.
These are the release of some stress or tension. Similarly, you body may want to rock or twitch a little during meditation. Any time this happens or emotions well up in your body, allow them to come out. Allow them to flow through your body. Allow them to be released. If it is not uncomfortable, continue with your meditation. However, if at any time these emotions become so strong that it is uncomfortable to continue, stop thinking your mantra and sit easily for a few minutes until the emotion settles down. You can then go on with your meditation.