Mindless music consumption

Geschreven door Nina ten Dam

*sits down in the train

*puts on headphones

*press play on favorite playlist

*escapes reality for a brief moment

*feels overstimulated after a while

Music is one of the greatest, and most ancient things and form of art to have ever existed on Earth. This sensory experience is like magic.

We must consume it consciously, mustn’t we?

My experiment

A while back, I tried this experiment of not listening to music for two weeks or so. Just nature ambience or binaural beats.

I wasn’t really looking forward to it, since putting on music had been my great escape from the world at times since my teenage years. But I was too curious of what life would like if I would just be, here, for a while.

The results were truly remarkable.

The euphoric explosions I had of what I would previously experience as ‘just happy moments’ were pure magic. I could sense and feel everything so deeply to the core.

However, daily routines and moments that I would make more fun or movie-like before with music, now sometimes felt a little dull. Grey.

I realized that I was experiencing life as it is. Sometimes it’s a little dull. But the reward of being still for short periods of time is far more valuable then the constant stimulation seeking we all too familiar with.

Why nature ambience and binaural beats?

These felt like the most natural sounds to listen to without getting that sense of overwhelm. And even though I (eventually) enjoy silent meditation, binaural beats often help me reach blissful flow states. I fell in love with listening to rainforest sounds at night before bed. It fed my imagination.

But you could also experience this with music?

True, but I feel like with lyrical music you’re still being mentally and emotionally programmed in a way. That doesn’t too without acknowledging that artists can do this beautifully and I’m deeply grateful for it.

However, after a few days my consciousness had arrived at a place that came quite close to serenity. The temptation to listen David Bowie, despite his absolute greatness, became less appealing. I didn’t want too disturb this feeling of peace and even feeling of oneness.

I was loving the experiment so far.

After two weeks

Why would I go back to my old ways of consuming music? I gave this a lot of thought. It wasn’t until me and the friend I was doing this experiment with put on music again for the first time. And boy…how freaking awesome that was. This was the euphoric explosion I referred to earlier. As if all the happy chemicals in our body just jumped out of their meditation pose and started to dance. We were so happy and excited about this experience.

Conclusion

Should you stop listening to music? Obviously not. Would I highly suggest you try this experiment for yourself sometime? Hell yeah.

It makes you become aware of your world and surroundings more, have you pay more attention to different sounds and sensations and even let you experience this feeling of serenity if you open up to it.

I still listen to Bowie, but I try to listen with the careful attention that artists deserve for their masterpieces.

Nina ten Dam
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