Music for Meditation Strategies for Use in 11th Step Groups and Lecture Formats

by Patrick Haggerson, M.A., ICADC

Click here to listen to song performed by Patrick titled "11th Step"

Patrick gave the following presentation to his fellow co-workers at the Betty Ford Center and has offered to share it with us. 

I. Goal – To aid participants in experiencing a state of relaxation, this ultimately leads into a state of meditation. Meditation can be defined and measured as a shift in brain wave from beta (waking consciousness) to Alpha (creativity, light meditation) or eventually theta (deeper meditative state). These changes can be felt by the participants as a sense of relaxation, relief, peace, deep sigh, etc.

II. Strategies and preparations –

a. Review various pieces of music to find some that you feel comfortable with. There are many CD’s which support meditation in the Betty Ford Center Bookstore and on Amazon.com. Find a few pieces that resonate with you.

b. Sit comfortably while you experience the music in your own meditation period. Set a timer for 5 to 12 minutes or whatever time you want to use with your clients/patients and listen to the music for that length of time. Experiment speaking as though you are guiding the meditation and adjust the music so it is background and soft.

c. Choose a theme you would like your group to meditate on and write a short summary on the theme. This will include the instructions you will use to lead your group into a meditative state. i.e. “Close your eyes and feel your body begin to relax back into the chair. Take a slow, deep breath, and slowly exhale. Repeat. Now see your self stepping onto the first step of a 12 step stairway. Slowly take another step and then another. Notice the feelings you experience with each step. Notice any thoughts or pictures that come to your mind. Slowly continue to take each step, one at a time, stopping briefly to notice feelings, thoughts, mental pictures, memories, etc. as you take each step, your excitement begins to grow about what you will see at the top of the stairway. What will it be like there? What is the view from the 12th Step? As you reach the 12th Step, take a very slow, very deep breath and release. What do you see? Feel? Notice? Remember?” ( Let the music now do its part for the next few minutes.)

d. As the meditation period draws to a close, direct the group members to return to waking consciousness slowly, to follow your voice back. Have them move their fingers and toes, stretch and open eyes.

e. Briefly process the experience with group members.

f. Suggested CD’s: Desert Spirit, Peaceful Sounds of Meditation (Bookstore or Training Library) Spectrum Suite by Steven Halpern. Amazon.com; Sound Healing by Dean Evenson (bookstore)