Hi Natalie-- There are times when music can be a part of a meditation, for instance, after a silent meditation as a way of experiencing sound and movement in a way everydayness usually blocks. I no longer have music when I meditate, but I quite like it after I am done meditating. I eliminated it when I realized that there is a very big difference between meditation and visualization. Visualization is fine, but it doesn't lead to wisdom-insight. Mind you, if you're not after wisdom-insight, then visualization methods can be effective for achieving short term goals, or for letting off steam, or getting calm. I agree with nkhoi about no head-banger stuff , but mostly because if you are just starting mediation, you want to get a good start, with simple techniques. Words tend add to the monkey mind chatter and can pretty quickly negate or diminish the positive effects of a silent mediation. Ana Maria
Nothing wrong with music, even music with lyrics or repetitive rhythms. I can't imagine my life without music of all types, although I think I can exit the world without regretting ever having figured out what eminem is actually saying. Even alpha-wave inducing music or sound isn't inducing a meditative state as such, it is inducing an alpha-wave state, which is only one component of meditation. So, IMO, listening to music in itself isn't meditation, which seeks to still the mind of chatter, not stimulate it even more.