How do I handle distracting sounds when I’m meditating?
It's common to get distracted by a noisy environment when you're meditating and the fact that you're noticing your attention being drawn to the sounds is actually a sign you're being mindful! Try letting the sounds just be in the background, and stay aware of the sensations of the breath (or your chosen focus) in the foreground. You don't need to get rid of the sounds, just relax with them in the surroundings. It's like looking into a crowd of people and seeing your friend in the group. You can look at your friend without needing to get rid of all the people around them.
It’s also possible to use noises in your environment as objects of meditation instead of seeing them as an obstacles to meditation. When you become aware of a noise, simply note 'sound', or 'hearing, hearing.' You don’t need to identify what the sound is, try to follow it, or try to make it go away. Eventually you can also notice how you’re relating to the noises — irritation, frustration, or if they’re pleasant - happiness, etc. - and see if you can just be with the sounds without judging them as wrong or bad.
If you’re interested in exploring sound as the object of your meditation, search for sound meditations in our meditation app, or try one of the following guided meditations:
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