How to Listen Creatively
“Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.”
-Epictetus
This morning I grabbed my iPod and took a walk through the streets of my neighborhood. I had my headphones in and my favorite tunes going. I was humming along, enjoying my walk, when I became increasingly aware of even louder music playing around me.
It was getting annoying, because I couldn’t hear my own music. So I turned up the volume on my iPod. But that didn’t work - the other music was too loud.
In that moment I decided to give up. I paused my iPod and surrendered to the blaring music.
What was it? Trucks. Car horns. Children shouting from school buses. Motorcycles. It was a symphony of chaotic street noise.
The rumble of a passing semi? Drum n’ bass. The swishing of trees in the wind? Soft cymbals. The shouting kids? Trumpets and sax.
The moment I surrendered to the street noise - the moment I fully accepted it - was the moment it became interesting, even enjoyable, like music. I was in a state of non-resistance to reality, fully embracing the sounds. It was a welcome relief.
The logical mind filters out street noise. It doesn’t consider it important, much like shadows on a sidewalk; we take these sounds for granted.
Even in a quiet room, there’s sound.
Close your eyes. Can you hear it?
Give it a try, and tell us what you hear. Leave a comment!
Good point. I especially like to tune into the environmental sounds when I’m out camping. The night time out by a lake can be so full. It’s fasinating. Right now, I hear the radio, my dog breathing, a high shrilling buzz from something (not too pleasant) and my keyboard here on my laptop. Being in total silence can be very load and spiritual. I like to do that often. :O)
The noises in our minds. An interesting concept. The more I read the more I start to believe that those noises in our minds are just other thoughts that are out there floating around. Eventually entering our minds. Kinds of like when you get a hunch all of a sudden - or an answer you have been seeking for a while - appears in your minds-eye.
Another idea that builds upon this is the Master Mind group - but that is for another time.
Great post and I love the minds-creative-music idea.
Ben
Hi Mark,
I love the quote - one tongue, two ears….so true.
I love to work in silence. I love to listen to my fingernails hitting the keys and the hum of my computer. As I sit here, I can hear the gusting wind outside, and the sound of my husband snoring. I’m safe, I’m alive and I’m home. It’s a great sound.
Laurie - I just read about an artist who installed high-powered microphones in his wooded backyard. He wired them into speakers in his studio so he could hear every bird or squirrel while he painted.
Benny - Hm. At first I thought you didn’t read my post carefully enough. Then I re-read my post and can see that my writing might be easily misinterpreted. At any rate, you ain’t kidding. Sometimes the voices in our heads are louder than a Van Halen concert. Gotta listen to them.
Barbara - ooh, I’m closing my eyes and typing this, listening to the sound of tapping keys. Thank god for my high school typing class, one of the more practical classes I ever took! Anyhow - glad you’re safe at home.
i beleive we use the word “just” too much. you know,oh, it is just shadows on the sidewalk, or it is just street noise. i beleive once we realize how we are all connected to the divine there is no “just” anymore. everything we see and hear becomes divine inspired creativity. when i paint sometimes i listen to the ipod, sometimes i listen to the sound the paint makes as it slides across the canvas. realizing that the world around me is a symphony of sight and sound changes the way i see “ordinary” life, it suddenly becomes not so ordinary anymore.
Hi Patti - welcome to the cafe! Thanks for your marvelous insights. Come back anytime.