Metronome as meditation tool

[Santhiphap]

While always fooling around to find new practices to integrate into my meditation, I came up with the idea of using a metronome in addition to meditation music.

Why use a metronome?

1. It helps keeping a regular calm breath.

2. Most importantly, I use it as a tool to practice awareness of the present. I read in a book that being aware has something to do with being ready for what comes next, always anticipate the next moment to come closer and closer to the present.  (Read my next post where I get to the essence of this )

So what I do is put the metronome to a comfortable speed and every first beat I change from inbreath to outbreath and vise versa. The good thing is that a metronome usually makes a different tone on the first beat so after just a few seconds you dont even need to count anymore and get a feeling for the timing.

Now to practice getting closer to the present I try to anticipate every first beat as best as I can and notice it when it happens as fast as I can.

Since the metronome doesnt stop and forces me to concentrate all the time I am getting super fast results and improvement. Its usually enough for me to do this a few minutes to become super focused. Then I continue with whatever other meditation techniques I feel like.

And here is a link to the best online metronome I found for this practice: https://www.flutetunes.com/metronome/

It works on mobile, it even continues to play in the background, while the screen is turned off and while listening to other music and you can easily adjust the volume and speed. The sound of this metronome is soft and doesnt annoy me at all.

Last words: I am sure this is not for everyone. But for beginners I think techniques like this are a great way to keep playing around with meditation and have fun with it. The habit of finding my own new meditation tools has been keeping my interest and enjoyment of meditation for a long time.

If you tried this let me know how it went for you 

Edited July 9, 2018 by Santhiphap

[ajasatya]

@Santhiphap great idea. another technique is simply counting exhalations and coming back to 1 after reaching 10.

[Santhiphap]

Sorry I think I put it in kind of a wrong way.

Its not so much about expecting the next beat or anticipating it. The key is waiting without any expectations. You should not try to know when the next beat is coming, you should just be waiting for it and then notice it.

Waiting, keeping an open mind and senses for the next thing to notice is the key. 

The metronome is a fast way so see when you missed the exact moment you were waiting for and gives you a new chance to try again immediately. (Thus, a power learning tool for awareness imho)

Hope that I have made it clearer now to understand what I really do with this technique.

Edited July 9, 2018 by Santhiphap

[Guest Quanty]

The own pumping heart is a better tool. 

[Rinne]

@Santhiphap THANKS!

[luckieluuke]

Great idea I do agree its like you say for beginners. Or for those days you just can't seem to meditate and the mind keeps wandering. Or maybe starting a meditation session with this on a busy day just to get down to "baseline" and then starting the deeper meditation. I usually do some relaxing exercising before meditation, or breath harder when I cannot focus on my breath, this could be an interesting tool for that. Will try it!