There are many forms of formal and spontaneous mindful practices that train our attention. Some demand stillness, like mindful breathing, while others require movement, like mindful mowing, walking or eating. This exercise focuses on orienting to something we hear in our soundscape. We move our attention to the sound of a bell as its sound travels to our ears.
What do you notice as you complete this exercise?
Instructions
Before pressing the Play button, claim your intention to listen to the bell with all its tones and notes and nuances.
- While listening to the bell, listen with reverence. Our ears are receptive to waves of sound, and you are exercising your capacity to take it all in!
- Listen to how the bell’s sounds change. They start loud and fade over time until, at some point, they are no more than a memory of the sound.
- Follow the sounds as I ring the bell three times.
- Listen with your ears as well as a grateful heart for your ability to hear.
What did you notice about yourself as you completed this exercise? What sorts of inner reactions or responses came up? Are any of those reactions or responses familiar? Are they a productive or unproductive habit of mind?
