Last week's exercise was a sampler platter of sensory domains. This one invites you to explore the sonic domain more deeply.
It can be easier to practice outside or in large spaces filled with people, but it tends to be more challenging in super-quiet places. Mix it up.
Adding sounds to your space isn’t considered cheating. I encourage you to experiment by opening a window, sitting near a snoring pet, or playing instrumental music.
There are four main reasons I like to encourage mindful listening.
Taking a moment to focus on ambient sounds can be grounding. You can notice background noises in many different situations. This practice reminds us that mindfulness doesn't need a silent room or perfect conditions. Try it while listening to your favorite music, folding laundry, or scraping ice off your windshield.
Focusing on external sounds is natural. You don't have to become a meditator to practice listening more closely. It’s natural, even socially acceptable, and practice enhances the experience, making it even more satisfying.
When you dedicate your primary attention to what you hear, you tend to become less entangled in your verbal thoughts—not completely, but a little less, which can be significant. This practice also reminds you to gently redirect your listening when your mind inevitably wanders.
It blurs the line between formal and informal practice. A common misconception is that the point of mindfulness meditation is to clear one's mind and sit perfectly still. However, trying not to think activates the mind, and striving for perfect stillness makes it a lousy competitive sport.
Practicing mindfulness develops attentional skills that help us savor pleasant moments more and fight unpleasant ones less. Noticing how frequently we rely on autopilot leads to inhabiting our lives more fully.
Attention exercises, often done with closed eyes while sitting relatively still, improve the quality of our attention as we move through our daily lives with our eyes open.
It prepares you to observe your verbal thoughts as sounds. Don't get me wrong. Listening to thoughts the way we listen to other sounds is challenging, but it's not impossible. The meaning coded into our thoughts won’t go away. We decode language automatically, whether the words we hear are coming through our ears or minds.
