Finding Your Inner Song

Meditation can be more effective if you hum. What to hum, generally means an ‘Ohm” on the same pitch. I have come up with a different hum, which I call “inner song”. What makes this more effective for me, is that it comes from my natural voice. The pitch is based on the way I say certain words. I decide on a word or a phrase that works for me in meditation, such as “I Love you”. Actually, what ended up working for me was the whole sequence from Ho’oponopono (I'm Sorry, Please forgive me, Thank You, I love you). Choosing your phrase The phrase or words you choose need to resonate with you. Think of things you might say to your pet or your small child. These often come from our inner sense of innocence and purity. Say these and other phrases you think of out loud until something seems to fit you personally. Discovering your phrase or words may mean needing to choose between several. It is okay to do this exercise with more than one phrase, but it needs to be only one at a time. Once you master one phrase and feel the need to try a different one, feel free to go through the process again. If you have trouble deciding on a phrase, it may help to try using an affirmation. There are plenty on You Tube to choose from. Finding your song This is the tricky part, especially if you do not feel you have a musical ear. I believe it can be done by anybody, but if you feel you are tone deaf or cannot do this process on your own, I am offering a 20 minute coaching session to walk you through the process. Begin by saying your phrase several times. Say it fast, say it slow, say it loud and soft. Say it with meaning and say it as if the words are meaningless. Say it many different ways. Even recording yourself saying it can help. As you move through the various tones of your voice while you speak your phrase, pay attention to the change in pitch of your voice. When you notice you seem to be talking in a set of pitches which feels right, choose that particular way of saying the phrase as your “song”. Say this version of your phrase the same way several times very slowly, and see if you can discern a tune within your phrase. This is a transcription process of sorts, in that you can turn your phrase into a sort of “chant” based on how you say it. If you have a keyboard or musical instrument handy, it might help you to try to find the tune of your phrase by playing it. Even if not, however, you can try recording your “chant” and playing it back to hear yourself more effectively. Sing it without the words. Now that you are coming close to getting your inner song set, begin to hum the tune without actually saying the words. Do this several times, then practice switching back and forth from saying the phrase, singing the phrase, then humming the tune. This will help you remember the song the next time you practice it. Meditation using your inner song rnMy method is to sit comfortably, breathe in slowly, and as I breathe out, hum my song. I start out at a normal speaking pace, and gradually slow down as I slow down my breathing. I hum as long as I am conciously seeking a meditative state. I cannot say if or when I stop, because it seems to taper off naturally. It may work differently for you.rnI have created a set of audios for download if you feel you need to hear more instruction on how to discover your inner song. The first is descriptive, and the second is an actual walk through of an example. The audios are available here: http://ironedoutdiva.com/innersongrn