All
my life I have been keenly aware of the sound of people's
voices, relationships, and the patterns created in conversations.
 The
first 20 years of my life I lived on a farm in the Midwest
still enjoy waking up at the first dawn, watching the
waves of light come, listening to the first bird calls,
something I learned to do as a child. Everything is vibration.
Early music lessons helped to further create a "listening
ear". Communications are extremely important, not
only with people but with everything. And everything will
communicate with you, if you approach it in the right
way, quietly listening, deeply listening with respect.
There is beauty and mystery in communications.
Listening
to hear harmony is important to health and well being.
In fact, the immune system thrives on harmony. I can remember
running and splashing in the creeks on the farm, out in
the woods... the feel of the fresh water as I dipped my
toes into the stream... the slight wispy sound... as thin
stones skipped across the surface of the water when I
threw them out.
We
have "inner ears". They are not located on the
sides of our head, but all over the body. The body
listens all the time.
Stop
for a moment, try listening with your hand, listening
with your leg, listening with your arm, listening with
your foot. Imagine you are a big EAR.
Now.
listen with every CELL.
|
| |
— By W.A. Patterson
"Let your imagination make
real the "sounds" expressed in a poem, a novel,
a picture.
Listen critically. Mentally challenge assertions, ideas,
philosophies. See the truth with an open mind.
Listen with patience. Do not hurry the other person
speaking or singing. Show them the courtesy of listening
to what they have to say, no matter how much you disagree.
You may learn something.
Listen with your heart. Practice empathy when you listen.
Put yourself in the other person's place and try to
hear in your heart.
Listen for growth. Be an inquisitive listener. Ask questions.
Everyone has something to say which will help you to
grow.
Listen to yourself. Listen to your deepest yearnings,
your highest aspirations, your noble impulses. Listen
to the better person in you.
Listen with depth... Be still and meditate. Listen with
the ear of intuition for the inspiration of the Infinite."
|
|
|
 We
"feel" sound with these inner ears. It is kinesthetic.
Recently I read an article by Michael Jorgensen who said
"when you speak to one another you speak in energy
vibrational tones" (which he called "signatures").
The words do not carry as much importance as the energy
vibration you receive when you hear them. You may listen
to a conversation between two people and hearing it irritates
you . And you can have a conversation with a friend and
feel resonating sound waves that create pleasure in your
body.
There is a difference between "listening"
and "hearing". Listening is more a fine-tuned
focus, whereas hearing is a peripheral experience.
What we choose to hear in conversations is influenced
by what our beliefs are about ourselves and the world.
We" listen" to what we believe, we "hear"
the periphery of other sounds around us that pass over
us. It is the same with seeing:
Historically, when Magellan sailed his ship to the Juan
de Fuca islands, the natives who came to meet him kept
asking him how he got there. He pointed out to his ship,
but they had never seen one before so they didn't see
it. It was only when the shaman of the tribe used
his inner vision, and explained to them a big ship
was out in the water, that they finally saw it. This
is a true story!
Listening
is a skill. We cannot listen as well when there is a
lot of inner chatter going on. In order to listen we
must quiet the mind and allow the sound to come through.
It requires intent, trust and working with the inner
hearing process. The sound comes in words (in human
conversation) and also comes in a sudden "knowing"
through images we "see" in the mind. We really
are quite sensitive "receiving stations".
We
are not only receivers of energy vibrations, but transmitters.
We all have "inner ears." We have an "inner
mouth" that speaks in vibrational tones . It isn't
as important what we say, as HOW we say it. We can also
listen to competing sound vibrations (within ourselves
or others) without resonating with them , then find another
tone that harmonizes them. This comes from the better
self of us.
By
listening to vibrational energy signatures around us,
we can go beyond words, to the heart of their meaning.
A stranger passed by today
He was old and weary.
I watched from the hill as he panted from the steepness of it.
I could see it was no easy task for him to accomplish.
He rested now and again, then painfully pulled his old tired body on.
I walked down a way to greet him and let him see I was a friend.
It pleased him and he lay down and rolled his big sad eyes toward me.
and licked my hand as I patted his head.
I would have helped him up the rest of the hill but he was so heavy with
the weight of his years and his body.
I thought it better to let him continue at his own speed.At last he was at the top of the hill where the grass was soft and cool.
He lay there, panting. I brought him a bowl of cool water which he lapped gratefully.The family pups' curiosity to see the old beagle got the best of them, and
they trooped over and jumped all over him, playfully trying to get him to make a move.
After a time he moved to the sidewalk that was warm from the heat of the day.
It must have felt good to his poor aching joints.His visit over, he silently moved away, hobbling through the tall grass in the pasture,
moving as though he always knew where his destination was.
Patiently, steadily, and with determination, he plodded on.
The conversation we had, the understanding that was felt, does not need many words.
There was the look out of the corner of the eyes, the glance around the edges, the
knowing -- spaces of listening.
|
|
|
