The mindfulness practice of deep listening
One of my favorite things to do is to lose myself in Nature. I find that Nature gives me clarity and serenity and opens my mind to looking at life more mindfully. My mind and my thoughts slow down in Nature. The worries and stress dissipate, and my focus stays in the present moment.
One of my most enjoyable things is to practice deep listening in Nature. When you deep listen, your attention is focused only on sounds that are created by the natural setting where you are. As with any mindfulness, you place your attention on one thing. In this case, you choose sound as your gateway to keep yourself in the here and now.
As with any mindfulness practice, your mind will get distracted. Maybe worries, plans, or tension will arise when you are doing the mindfulness exercise. When any distractions show up, you bring back your attention to the sound again.
Here is a simple practice that I like to follow when I practice deep listening in Nature.
Steps
Find a quiet place in Nature
Your quiet place could be your back yard, a garden, a park, a beach, or any place that you can sit and be in contact with Nature.
Posture
Find a comfortable sit in a chair, bench, or blanket on the floor. Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed, chest open, and place your hand on your lap. Close your eyes.
Breathe
Take 5-10 mindful breathes. Bring your attention to your breath and focus on each inhalation and exhalation. Relax into each breath and connect with your body.
Listen
After you completed some mindful breathes, place your attention in the sounds of Nature. First, begin with the sounds that you can hear closer to you. Then move to the sounds that seem far away from where you are. Keep focusing on the sounds for ten mindful minutes.
I hope this mindful and straightforward exercise inspires you to spend more time in Nature and to connect with inner peace.
One quote
“Nature does not hurry. Yet everything is accomplished.”
Lao Tzu
One question
Do you have time this week to explore deep listening?