Music is known to produce a variety of feelings within the listener, a lot of people love music, but they prefer specific types of music, not everyone has developed an appreciation or love for classical music, or music that is low in tempo or has no lyrics, many people believe that this sort of music is reserved for meditation and other practices where you have to relax, yet they find the music itself does not relax them, instead it makes them feel agitated. 

As meditation practices have evolved, so has the use of music, and now meditators and instructors are welcoming the benefits of meditation with music, any type of music that is providing the same positive benefits to meditators as the more traditional or classical types of music that people have been known to meditate with. 

The key to meditation with music is to focus on the music, it is a mindfulness meditation practice where your focus is on the sound of the music and the effect each sound within the music has on your body.  While you are focused on the music, your conscious mind is allowed to rest, and the benefits of meditating still apply as you are relaxing. When you find your thoughts wandering to the lyrics of a song or memories tied to the song that is playing, simply guide your focus back to the music itself, in the same way that you would guide your focus back to the candle light or to any other object while you are meditating. 

Another benefit of meditation with music is that you no longer have to be worried about time, if you only have 20 minutes to spare, then choose music that will last for 20 minutes, when the music stops, you stop your meditation practice. 

People who find silence deafening will often evade a meditation practice, believing that they are unable to meditate because the silence is painful or scary for them.  Knowing that you can still benefit from meditation and that you do not have to be sitting in silence will encourage more people to begin a meditation practice. 

Next time you hear a song you love, instead of singing along or getting up and doing a jive, simply sit back, close your eyes and focus on the music, each syllable and sound that is produced and let the music wash over you, feel the energy of the music filling each cell in your body, once the song is finished, slowly open your eyes and acknowledge that you are feeling more energetic, relaxed and in control. 

Resources 

http://www.wildmind.org/background/can-anyone-meditate/music 

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-9117/the-3-biggest-myths-about-meditation-music.html 

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Music-With-Meditation 

http://www.meditationoasis.com/how-to-meditate/simple-meditations/music-as-meditation/ 

http://www.the-guided-meditation-site.com/using-music-for-meditation.html 

http://stress.about.com/od/meditation/ht/music_meditation.htm