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It’s time for another Q & A episode where I’ll answer questions submitted by podcast listeners and my in-class meditation students.
 Is it okay to listen to music while I meditate?
Meditation is about learning to focus your attention on what is arising in the present moment. At Mindful15, we focus on breath meditation. You place your full awareness on the breath. You also notice things that arise to distract you from the breath and mindfully let go of them so you can return to the breath. This practice teaches you to hone your attention and to manage both distractions and your reactions to them.
Music in the background is a distraction. It impedes the ability to put all your attention on your breath, and that's why I don't include background music in the Mindful15 guided meditations. My voice guiding you is already a distraction. Music would make things more difficult.
That said, some background music can be relaxing, and some music can help keep you energized and alert. There are times when you may opt to use music to help you relax or become energized. When I need to relax completely, I often opt for a meditation with music, but I am aware that I am purposefully attempting to relax, not to meditate. For maximum benefit, your regular meditation sessions should exclude music.

This Week's Peaceful Moment: Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
 

 Can I meditate while I’m working or driving?
Sort of. Meditation is formal mindfulness practice. It involves setting up near-ideal conditions that allow you to sit comfortably and focus on the breath. Those conditions usually involve choosing a quiet place away from distractions, sitting with upright posture, and closing your eyes. These things aren’t possible while working, driving, or doing other activities.
You can, however, practice mindfulness while doing any kind of activity. Just focus all of your attention on what you’re doing. That’s it. Do one thing at a time and pay attention to it. On this podcast, I’ve talked about mindful hand washing, mindful tea drinking, and doing hated chores mindfully, but you can do anything with mindfulness: Walk your dog, write a report, mow your lawn, wait in line at the grocery store, use the toilet, and yes, driving. In fact, if everyone would practice mindful driving, we’d all be a lot safer!
I’m getting a lot of benefit from my meditation practice? Do you think my kids would benefit, too? How do I go about teaching them?
Absolutely! Not only can children benefit, they’re easier to teach, because they don’t have a lot of unhelpful habits that can get in the way. Meditation and mindfulness can help them manage stress, deal with anxiety and other strong emotions, and sleep well, and get along better with others - all the same benefits experienced by adults. Perhaps none of these things are challenges for your children right now, but if you teach them now, they’ll have a useful habit to help them deal with whatever the future throws their way.
Here are some resources that can help you get started:

Teaching Children Meditation
4 Simple Techniques to Teach Your Children to Meditate