Gibberish Meditation

Where it comes from

Speaking in meaningless sounds as a way of releasing the mind appears in several places, and there is a well-known story of the Sufi teacher Jabbar, who is said to have taught only gibberish to his students. In the 20th century Osho popularized gibberish as a meditation, as the first stage of a longer practice ending in silence.

The idea is simple. The mind is usually full of words, so you let it empty itself out loud, but in sounds with no meaning, which gives the thinking mind nothing to hold on to. After a few minutes of letting it all pour out, the silence that follows is often deeper and easier to rest in.

It can feel silly at first. That's fine, and often it's part of what makes it work.

How to practice

1. Find a place where you can make noise without disturbing anyone. Sit or stand.
2. For a few minutes, speak out loud in any sounds that come: made-up words, babble, a language you don't know. Don't use real words.
3. Let the sounds be expressive: loud or soft, fast or slow, with gestures if you like. Say everything that wants to be said, without meaning.
4. When the bell rings, stop completely. Sit still in silence for a few minutes and watch what is left.
5. At the end, take a few slow breaths and notice how you feel.

Tips

• If you feel self-conscious, start quietly. It gets easier after the first minute.
• Don't try to make it sound like a real language. Pure nonsense is the point.
• It is especially useful when your head feels full of noise and opinions.

A note of care

Practice somewhere private. If speaking loudly brings up strong emotion, let it pass and rest in the silence, and keep the sessions short.