Open up to sound

I invite you to explore your sense of hearing, to open up and be fully present to the sounds around you, to listen with curiosity to your soundscape.  It’s quite interesting to see what you notice just by really listening to the spaces you are in. 

The Listening Meditation is a very grounding meditation that you can do anywhere, anytime. It’s a beautiful way to be fully present and to remember any place or any experience, simply by listening with awareness.  And it's a very easy practice to try.  If you'd like to try the guided version, click the graphic below.  I'll get you started then I’ll leave you to sit and listen on your own.

If you prefer to practice on your own, here's how to guide yourself…

• Sit comfortably in your sanctuary or wherever you would like to practice today.  
• You may want to set a timer for 5 minutes, if that makes you feel more at ease.
• Softly close your eyes, and be aware of the room you are sitting in, aware of everything in that room, and notice any sensations you might be experiencing.  
• And then bring your awareness to your ears…imagine them opening wide and picking up all the sounds available to you, like a highly sensitive microphone.  
• Just listen.  Let the sounds come to you.
• You might hear the sound of the rain on the roof, the wind in the trees, birds twittering, an insect buzzing, the movement of others in your home, the hum of traffic outside.  Whatever you hear, it’s your own personal experience.
• Notice the spaces between the sounds.  The silences.  Are they really silent?
• Get curious about the sound but not about the sources of the sound.
• Be careful to not start thinking about the sounds or identifying them.  
• You might describe them, and think “that’s a sweet sound, a soft sound, a sharp sound, a tiny sound”, etc.  
• Avoid creating any narrative around what you hear.  Just listen.  Just notice.  All the sounds in your soundscape.
• Sit and listen for as long as you like.

Now…sit and reflect a moment on this listening experience.
What was your experience trying to stay neutral to the sounds you heard?  Did you catch yourself judging or rejecting certain sounds? Did you notice any sounds anew - sounds you hear every day but rarely notice?