Years ago, if you had asked me if it was okay to practice qigong while listening to music, I would have told you no. I was taught not to practice qigong to music and so I repeated the same thing to my students. Simple, right?
Today, I’m a more mature teacher. I’ve learned to think for myself rather than just parrot what my teacher (or ex-teacher, as the case may be) told me. As a result, I’ve changed my mind. You might even say that I’ve changed my tune. Har!
Let’s take a more modern and practical look at this question.
The History of Qigong & Music
There is no historical precedent for qigong students listening to music while practicing. It just wasn’t an option, unless you were rich enough to hire a merry band of lutists for your own practicing pleasure. That’s why it’s a little weird when qigong masters tell us not to listen to music simply because past masters didn’t do it. I mean, it’s not like they actively made a choice. There was no choice!
For all we know, past masters would have loved listening to Metallica while practicing qigong. Okay, probably not, but hey, we just don’t know, and that’s my point. Since past masters didn’t have millions of songs at their fingertips like we do, we need to look elsewhere for our answers.
As is often the case, I gained insight from my students. They say that to teach is to learn twice, and I have found that to be true in my career. I’ve learned as much from them as they have from me.
Learning from Students
Years ago, a student in my qigong studio told me that practicing with music really helped her. She happened to be a diligent student. Unlike my own teachers, I decided not to trivialize her experience.
Not long after that, another student told me that listening to relaxing spa music with headphones helped her to practice more consistently. She had created a playlist that was just the right duration, and she used it as a form of digital discipline. Just press play, then let the qigong flow.
Helping students to practice more consistently has been a passion project of mine for decades now. Since a lack of practice is the #1 cause of failure in qigong, it’s a topic that I take very seriously. So when this student told me that she was practicing more consistently thanks to spa music (hey, to each their own!), I had to pay attention.
Headphones in Nature
In 2019, I was staying in my campervan at a beautiful campground in Asheville, NC. One of the reasons I loved living in the campervan was because it allowed me to spend more time in nature. There’s nothing like practicing qigong in the cool mountain air.
However, this particular campground was crowded. A bunch of pesky humans were making noise while I was trying to do my evening qigong session. So I put in my noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones and said, “Hey Siri, play some nature sounds.” Siri obliged, and I had a beautiful practice session.
I’m sure you get the irony of this. I was out in nature, listening to nature sounds through Bluetooth headphones. And yet, modern life is often like this.
After that, I saw some research about nature sounds helping to relax the nervous system, even when recorded. In my case, the effect was obvious. In that situation, listening to “music” helped me to have a more focused session.
Binaural Beats
Not long after this, a student suggested I try something called Binaural Beats. So I found an album on Apple Music and gave it a try.
Binaural Beats create what’s known as an “auditory illusion”. This effect is created when each ear hears a slightly different frequency. Somehow, this causes the brain to be more focused.
I don’t know the latest research on this, but binaural beats purportedly create a mental state similar to meditation. Some of the benefits attributed to it are:
- reduced anxiety
- increased focus and concentration
- lower stress
- increased relaxation
- fostering positive moods
- promoting creativity
- helping manage pain
The heart of my teaching is something called the Zen mind. So if something can help us to enter into a Zen state of mind more easily, then it’s going to be a big boon for our qigong practice. So I tried it.
And you know what? I think it helped a little! It’s hard for me to say because I’ve been practicing for a long time without music. So the effect may not be as noticeable for me. You should try it yourself to see how it goes.
Beware The Crutch
If you want to try nature sounds or binaural beats or spa music, go for it! I’m always encouraging students to experiment with their qigong to see what works best for them. This is no different.
Caveat #1: If you ALWAYS practice with music, then it can become a crutch. If you can’t find your headphones, does that mean you can’t do your morning qigong? What if you’re traveling? What if you’re hiking and just want to stop and do 5 minutes of qigong?
This isn’t a big deal as long as you’re practicing consistently, but it’s something to consider. In the end, if music and/or headphones help you to stay more consistent with qigong, then I say it’s a net gain.
Beethoven
Another caveat is with powerful music. As a musician, I may not be the best judge of this, but it’s something to watch for.
Caveat #2: Powerful music moves energy and grabs attention.
If I try to listen to something like the Beethoven Violin Concerto, it grabs a lot of my attention and also moves my energy. In other words, if I’m listening to Beethoven, I cannot get the relaxed, focused attention that I need for qigong.
For me, Beethoven (or Brahms or Dvorak or whatever) doesn’t easily slip into the background. Maybe that’s different for you, but try to pay attention to it. Maybe save classical or powerful music for another time.
Again, this is why I think it’s helpful to have something to compare to. If you only ever use classical music during your qigong sessions, then you may not even know what I mean when I talk about a relaxed, focused attention.
The Bottom Line
If you want to experiment with nature sounds, Binaural Beats, spa music, or any other form of music during your qigong sessions — go for it. Experiment, and see how you feel. Are you able to go deeper into your sessions? Do the headphones act as a form of digital discipline? Does starting a playlist act as a subtle ritual that initiates your practice?
If you’re practicing indoors, then I think that there’s a strong argument for trying nature sounds during your session. Not only will it cover up distracting noises from your house, but it can help to relax your nervous system, which is a good thing.
If you’re outdoors, then it’s a toss-up. Even in downtown Jacksonville where I live right now, there are nature sounds if I go to the park to practice. At least some of the time, listen to those sounds rather than the ones on Apple Music! From the heart, Sifu Anthony
Perfect timing for your blog: i was just contemplating posting this on the facebook page. I so appreciate your balanced and grounded energy. I connect to it very well. I guess i can say ignorance is bliss, I feel i am at the perfect timing to truly learn and practice the elements of qigong. and your philosophy was what I have been directed to, I am 100% sure of this. reading many post on facebook, I am keenly aware that I am indeed a child of qigong. but at the same time, I pray that I stay in this childlike wonder that we adults sometimes forget. I didn’t know there were rules, etc. I just know what my gut tells me. I love listening to background music most times when i practice qigong, for me it helps me stay in the moment. there are times I am in silence too. 90% of the time i am barefoot. ( i didn’t even know there was a “rule” that i shouldn’t ) yes even in the winter in Pennsylvania, even in the snow 🙂 I do not question the incredible energy that I feel, i do not question if it is a blockage or an opening. i just know that it feels right. i have so much emotion going on with what I am feeling right now. and I am so humbled. I am looking forward to learning more. but my “inner voice” has instructed me to embrace where i am and what I am learning… and do it over and over again. You may be too young to know the movie “Karate kid” but i feel like the main character doing the same move over and over again… and just knowing someday all these pieces will come into place. so I do my five phase routine 2 to 3 times a day, i have the 8 moves that i am getting very comfortable with. and I will continue to do so for as long as it takes. I am looking so forward to continue this journey. Thank you Sifu Anthony and I am so excited to see where I am going…. but excited to be where I am 🙂
Too old for the Karate Kid? How old do you think I am? I was 12 when that came out!
If you can keep doing the 5-Phase Routine 2x per day, you’ll be amazed at your results. Keep up the good work!
hahaha. i though you would be too young for Karate Kid LOL. i was thinking you were my kids age range 28-33. well sir, you do appear to look younger must be the Qigong
I’m not sure how I look 28-33 with a salt-and-pepper beard, but I’ll take the compliment!
oh and i should have put it all together the length you have been teaching ect. but i see peoples energy and not the exterior so you are young 🙂
I already have a hard time with relaxing during Phase 1 of the 5 Phase Routine. So music may be a distraction. But hey, I might try it some day.
I too have had a hard time relaxing during Phase 1. But I’ve recently found that doing about 1 minute of Shaking the Tree right after my initial brisk walk and just before Phase 1 helps me relax and quiet my mind. I got the idea from Sufi Anthony, but don’t remember where.
Those are great tricks to help relax, Maura. You might also be a good candidate for nature sounds.
If you struggle to relax, then nature sounds might be exactly what you need! Worth a try.
Sifu Anthony: This is much appreciated! I never really considered it consciously, but I do have an assumption that doing any meditation to music is bad and shouldn’t be done due to years of teachers and books telling me that. So thank you for reexamining another myth!
I’m not stating it as gospel, but one suggestion I heard from a Tai Chi teacher was to not practice with music with a beat, because otherwise you would be moving to the beat. So he would play music from Asia that was not beat-based (I’m not a music expert, forgive me) during class.
Actually, practicing with a beat can sometimes be helpful, like a metronome. Try doing your tai chi set, giving each pattern 2-4 beats depending on the music. I’m not saying you should practice all the time like this, but I definitely find it helpful.
Huh. So, the equivalent of setting yourself a specific tempo (ideally, a slower one) using something like a metronome? That is an interesting idea as it is easy to speed up or slow down doing a set, as you obviously know.
It doesn’t have to be slow because you can just do several beats per move.
I’ve been experimenting with music in my qigong sessions. I’ve found that waterfalls and birds chirping pull me out of zen. I just tried a binaural beat track on youtube and I found that it helped me to bring my attention back to my inner experience more easily than with no music. So, plenty of stray thoughts but it took less effort to let them go. Now, I didn’t use a headset. That’s my next experiment as nearly everyone says you should use a headset with binaural beats.
Sounds like Binaural Beats is a good tool to add to your box!
Yes! I just did a session with binaural beats and a headset. It was very relaxing. Thoughts were loosely held and I could let go of them more easily than without music. Thank you for the suggestion!
“listen to those sounds rather than the ones on Apple Music” It’s almost like the very definition of mindfulness!
Thank you for this blog. It highlights many of the reasons I respect you so much as a no-bull-shit 21st century teacher. Respecting your student’s experience, being willing to “learn twice”, gestasting your own experience on this subject until able to state a mature and helpful point of view… You’re an example to follow.
You’ve changed my mind on this subject. Personally, I don’t even like to use your recorded meditations more than once or twice, my own point of view has always been “Hell no, why would I ever choose to play recorded music of any sort, even so-called ‘meditation music’ or fake nature sounds.” But you’ve given thoughtful reasons to consider it under at least some circumstances, and reminded me that different people have different truths and what counts is their results.
Are you saying you’ve changed your tune too?
Hi Sifu,
Thanks for this post! It actually never occurred to me NOT to listen to some type of background sounds while practicing, so I appreciate understanding both sides of this topic. I use Insight Timer to track and time my sessions (159 consecutive days in this stretch!) and really enjoy the chanting sounds available with the timer. I never use the sounds when I’m practicing outside, but I find them very helpful to relax and focus when practicing inside my noisy house. It helps to drown out the active kid, the animals, and the nagging thoughts that I should be tending to them instead of practicing.
Thanks!
Congrats on a 159 day streak! Keep up the good work!
I know most people won’t get this, but I got into the Grateful Dead back in 1982 and became an avid Dead Head. They were an improvisational jam band and often did long spacey jams (the band Phish still provides a similar experience today). Being at a Dead concert was like seeing thousands of people doing Flowing Breeze Swaying Willow all together along with various dances that sometimes looked like QiGong exercises. I sometimes listen to the Dead while doing QiGong and find it to be very relaxing and I get so immersed in the music that I end up doing much longer sessions and I come out of it feeling like it was a much more effective session as opposed to a 20 minute session in silence. And if the jamming get intense, it’s 5 Animal Play time. Just sharing my experience with QiGong and music. Thanks for another great post Sifu!
So for you, the Dead are like my Beethoven.
Thanks. Good to hear this. Recently I’ve been practicing with music and it definitely keeps me motivated to practice more consistently and longer. I figured that qigong with music was not ideal but decided that imperfect practice is better than none.
You’re absolutely right about imperfect practice!
Hello Sifu,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about music. I have actually been using music by a soloist pianist named Matthew Mayer for some time now and find that it helps me to connect to my inner world much easier. As a matter of fact, on the days that I struggle to practice (all too often!), if I put on his music, I will immediately be drawn to the movement. I do, however, have a strong connection to him and his music so perhaps we just need to find the music that works for us as individuals.
Thank you for your willingness to share so much of yourself with us. It takes courage and great love. You are making a difference in our lives!
Hi,
Your blogs are always a nice read.
Here is a link to a blog posted on the same topic:
https://www.longwhitecloudqigong.com/should-you-play-music-when-practicing-qigong/#:~:text=Calming%20music%20may%20help%20us,a%20more%20dynamic%20qigong%20practice.
– I hope it’s ok to post other’s content here.