Mindfulness meditation is about connecting with our senses to bring us into the present moment, allowing us to experience ourselves, and the world, beyond words and concepts.
Anything can be an object of meditation; the feel of the breath as it comes and goes, our thoughts and emotions, our body, our sense of taste and smell and our sense of hearing.
The aim of meditation is to develop the awareness that we are not our thoughts and we are not our emotions; that these experiences are fleeting, impermanent and they needn't define us.
Hearing Meditation Can Help Us Live in the Now
We experience this directly in meditation and can begin to identify more with our eternal nature "the ever present now" and less with the shadows of passing phenomenon we mistake for reality. Hearing meditation is a form of meditation that helps us experience the impermanent nature of phenomenon, as well as our attachment to it.
As we listen and observe what happens internally, we notice that we are attracted to some sounds, and repelled by others. We can be curious about these: where did they come from? How does it feel like in the body to experience cravings or aversions? What are the thoughts that come up?
In this way we become aware of the automatic judgements or evaluations, we make about everything, sometimes not even being aware of why we hold these judgements. Why do we resist our sometimes uncomfortable feelings, or are they uncomfortable because we resist them?
Sounds Are Just Sounds
When we notice ourselves struggling with certain sounds, we experience suffering. When we allow whatever is there to just be there, observing the comings and goings of sounds, we reduce suffering and become more peaceful.
In reality there is very little difference between the sound of a lawnmower and the sound of a rooster crowing. They are both just sounds – auditory phenomenon. It is our mind that makes the distinction between good and bad sounds.
Mindfulness helps us reduce stress and live a happier life because when we understand that it is our attachments that poison life (appear to make us happy or unhappy), these attachments begin to lose their hold on us.
Connecting with sounds also connects us directly with the world around us. We simply become aware of sounds as auditory phenomenon, neither good nor bad, they are just there – part of our world. When we resist how things are we cause ourselves unnecessary suffering.
Letting Things Be As They Are
Imagine sitting down to begin your meditation practice, you connect with the feel of the breath and settle into stillness. About five minutes into the practice the next door neighbour decides to mow his lawn. Then the phone rings. Then the dog starts barking. These auditory experiences are all part of everyday life in the same way the birds that sing and the rain are.
With the lawnmower there is likely to be an initial sense of frustration because we evaluate the noise as a distraction - not pleasant - and we struggle with it.
We don't struggle with the sound of the rain, or the sound of beautiful music because we label it as pleasant and desirable and in this way we become attached to it. We can't be happy unless it's there (or whatever it is that we are attached to).
What mindfulness meditation teaches us is that we can be happy with whatever is there, even when there are strong emotions present (this takes time and practice).
Practicing hearing meditation
- Let go of any desire for results.
- Notice the feel of the breath coming into and out of the body either at the nose, the chest or the abdomen
- Just notice the feel of the breath for a few minutes. If your mind wanders just gently bring it back to the breath.
- When you are ready turn your attention to whatever sounds are present to your hearing. Notice sounds in the room, sounds outside the room, as well as sounds in your body. Notice them come and go.
- Notice any thoughts or feelings that arise, just notice them without thinking about them. Try just noticing them as sound waves making contact with your ear-drums.
- If you find yourself distracted, or if you are constantly wandering away from the sounds into thinking mind, go back to the anchor of the breath.
- Return to sounds when you are still again.
- Do this for 10 to 15 minutes each day for a month and see if anything changes in the way you relate to experience in mediation and in your life.
