HOW WE HEAR

HEARING & LISTENING.

LISTENING WITH INTENT TO HEAR.

Listening is the skill that we desperately need if we want to connect with others on a deeper level. Listening with intent to hear, re-attunes us to our most vital form of communication.[1]

What do I mean by this?

Hearing is passive but listening is active. Inattentiveness and distraction are impacting our relationships as well as our own wellbeing.

As we listen to all the white noise that the 21st century can evoke, it is difficult to hear our own thoughts, not to mention other peoples' heart intentions.

STILLNESS & LISTENING GO HAND IN HAND.

Before answering in conversation, it is imperative that we lean in with our capacity to listen. This takes energy, focus and intent!

In my previous blog "Beyond the Sound Spectrum", I wrote about the effects of frequencies that we cannot hear, only perceive. Listening with intent is an integral part of interpreting and responding to the world around us.

Dr Alfred Tomatis[2] stated that, “the voice contains only the sounds that the ear hears well.” As the ability to hear begins to unfold in the womb, the importance of exposing the developing baby to song, speech and rhyming sounds cannot be overstated. In fact, this exposure is imperative for enriching ongoing neural development.

Hearing in the womb has developed by around 20 weeks.

DEEP LISTENING.

Deep Listening, or Dadirri, as it is known in Australian Indigenous cultures, can be described as “listening and hearing with more than the ears”.

Generally speaking, indigenous cultures are more attuned to the land and people and as a result, know how to listen and align themselves with their communities and their environments.

My youngest daughter runs regular re-wilding programs and speaks about the importance of listening with intent to the myriad of sounds within a natural environment. One must be still, allow time and lean in to appreciate the richness of this experience.

DAWN CHORUS

This musical piece was composed so that the listener can lean in and hear the rich variety of birdsong which is so abundant in Australian environments. Click on the link, relax and enjoy the sound of nature.

To learn more about the importance of listening, music & sound, grab a copy of my book How Music Heals Us- Music, the Mind & the Metaphysical. Thanks for reading this blog.

https://mybook.to/HowMusicHealsUs

REFERENCES

[1] Chapter 6 How We Hear. How Music Heals Us by Kim Cannan.

[2] A French Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist who developed the Electronic Ear, a pioneering technology involving frequency enhancement.