Mindful, Immersive listening

[RedEmbers]

Radio telescopes listen to the whispers of the universe to better understand it.

I was listening to a program about a man who recorded the sounds of his home town over the course of a few decades... his recordings ended up gaining the attention of scientists and ecologists who used them to understand the changes in that environment over time.

Immersive listening as I am currently discovering is quite difficult to master... it is another sense we can use to gain deep knowledge of our world, our universe and our place in it... yet like many of our senses in our current world... it is often overwhelmed by noise and distractions.

Have we lost the art of listening... really hearing the world around us?

Other than mindful listening, how else could one practice immersive listening?

I did my own nature recording a few months back while I was on a hike... time to play it back

[Visitor]

When we listen, what do we listen to? Self or other than self?
Self tends to filter and censor what is to be heard.
Quieting the self enables us to listen more clearly.

The humble self hears more.
The fearless self hears everything, for there is no reason to not listen or censor.

Pure listening does not include interpretation.
What is experienced is sound waves of no meaning.
Vibrations of existence all around and within. Oneness.

[RedEmbers]

In the context of listening to other's as they speak, how does the listener apply pure listening?

Is the process of interpretation on my side as a listener important or is it better to openly listen and allow the speaker to convey their personal message to me without the me trying to interpret the message?

How do I as a listener understand what the message is whilst being in a consciously open state?

I often have a difficult time understanding the message the speaker is trying to communicate.

I've been practicing mindfulness during listening where I am in a state that I can 'absorb' the words but it feels as though my intellect gets left behind in this state and I am left wondering what the message was!

[Visitor]

My words in blue

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

In the context of listening to other's as they speak, how does the listener apply pure listening?
Listening without interference from self, such as critical judgement, etc.
Listen to what is true and not the story, because truth carries no story.

Is the process of interpretation on my side as a listener important or is it better to openly listen and allow the speaker to convey their personal message to me without the me trying to interpret the message?
Openly listen. The heart discerns what is true, the rest is story.
Subconsciously you will retain the story, and it is only important to explain that the story has nothing to do with the truth.

How do I as a listener understand what the message is whilst being in a consciously open state?
The truth within you recognizes truth.

I often have a difficult time understanding the message the speaker is trying to communicate.
This can happen when trying to follow a roundabout story. Let go of the story and discern what is true.

I've been practicing mindfulness during listening where I am in a state that I can 'absorb' the words but it feels as though my intellect gets left behind in this state and I am left wondering what the message was!
There is a difference between acknowledging the words and knowing the words. The first uses logic, the second uses intuition.
Often when I hear a word which stumps me I ask what it means. Sometimes a person uses words which have a different definition to my own.

[RedEmbers]

Hi Visitor,

Thanks for the time you invested here to share with me.

What you say makes sense.

Reguarding clarification in communication, I like to ask clarification questions when I am unsure what a person means... I find that sometimes people react defensively when I do so.

Someone I was discussing this topic with a few days ago recommend repeating the same words and phrases exactly as they were spoken as a clarification tool. I haven't had a chance to try this yet. I understand that this approach may be more effective as perhaps it feels less interogative.... and maybe reinforce the feeling of being fully listened to.

Thanks again for your time here in this discussion, I appreciate the advice!

[Baile]

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

Other than mindful listening, how else could one practice immersive listening?

Immersive listening... interesting term. I guess that's what I've experienced many times in nature. I've spent weeks alone in nature on a number of occasions, no power, no internet, etc. All there is to do for entertainment, is observe and listen to nature. And after a time it starts to speak. Or rather, I reach a state of emptiness and stillness where I can once again hear it speaking. Trees whisper. Animals approach. The earth energy hums like electric current.

[RedEmbers]

Originally Posted by Baile

Immersive listening... interesting term. I guess that's what I've experienced many times in nature. I've spent weeks alone in nature on a number of occasions, no power, no internet, etc. All there is to do for entertainment, is observe and listen to nature. And after a time it starts to speak. Or rather, I reach a state of emptiness and stillness where I can once again hear it speaking. Trees whisper. Animals approach. The earth energy hums like electric current.

That sounds amazing Baile.
I've spent alot of time out in the bush but always around other people.
I currently have obligations to others so cannot spend days out in nature although I am thinking of going to a particular spot I know and spending a few hours alone... perhaps in meditation. I am going to do this in different seasons and during different times as well to hear the subtle changes in noise.

[Baile]

Originally Posted by RedEmbers

That sounds amazing Baile.
I've spent alot of time out in the bush but always around other people.
I currently have obligations to others so cannot spend days out in nature although I am thinking of going to a particular spot I know and spending a few hours alone... perhaps in meditation. I am going to do this in different seasons and during different times as well to hear the subtle changes in noise.

Oh yes... I see you understand, that's cool. And yes it makes a huge difference if others are around. I'll tell you a story to explain why. On one occasion I was sitting at my camp taking a break from clearing some brush. It was a warm dreamy day, and as I sat in the cool shade, I became aware of a current from the tree that I was leaning against, moving down into the earth. It was as if the tree and earth were communicating. I reached down and dug my hand into the cool soil. And I could feel its aliveness. And I began to pick up handfuls of earth and cover my face and body with it. I was becoming the earth, wanting to become to earth. And I began rolling about in it, and ended up getting gloriously filthy dirty.

You do that with people around and they'll haul you away!

[RedEmbers]

Haha!

Yes I can relate to that feeling of needing to roll around in the earth and melt into a puddle of mud... like a gleeful pig in the mud! Glad it's not just me.

It's a weird feeling though... wanted to become a part of the earth... melt into the elements. I remember feeling that I wanted to become particles of dirt once... just feel what it would be like to be dirt
LOL

Part of me wonders if it is a tad morbid... earth to earth dust to dust

Oh well, they say we are all stardust anyway. Made of the same stuff... can't get anymore "more" than we already are!