Deep Listening Exercise 2

LISTENING

Exercise adapted from Pauline Oliveros' Deep Listening: A Composer's Sound Practice

The Exercise

Sit either on the floor or in a chair.

If on the floor, use a cushion to raise the sitz bones.

If sitting in a chair, feet are flat on the floor

The legs should be crossed either in full lotus position, or tucked in close to the body with the knees relaxed downward to the floor.

Posture is relaxed upper body, chin tucked in slightly, balanced on the ‘sitz’ bones and knees.

Palms rest on the thighs, or palms folded close to the belly.

Eyes are relaxed with the lids half or fully closed.

At the sound of a bell or gong listen inclusively for the interplay of sounds in the whole space/time continuum. Include the sounds of your own thoughts. Can you imagine that you are at the center of the whole?

Use this mantra to aid your listening:

With each breath I return to the whole of the space/time continuum.

If a sound takes your attention to a focus, then follow the sound all the way to the end as you return to the whole of the space/time continuum.

At the sound of the bell prepare to review your experience and describe it in your journal [blog].