Do You Hear What I Hear?

December 5, 2016 — hearing, listening, meditation, prayer

Do you hear what I hear?

Listening with full attention is an art and a skill. I believe one can listen to several layers of reality. I listen to music all day which I pipe into my environment on purpose. At the same time I read posts from all over the world making an effort to truly lend an ear to each point of view. I am sure I edit in favor of my own proclivities all the time.  I hear what I want to hear, like all my fellow humans.  The written word has less power over the brain to create action than the sound of the spoken voice. We can skim over either written or spoken words by drifting off with our attention. The question is, what do we hear when we distract ourselves from our own reality? Whose voice is creating our desires? Do we hear the voice of the universe, the voice of God?

Prayer and contemplation are designed to create an atmosphere in which we hear or know our purpose.  Silent meditation is purposeful to teach the mind to shut up sometimes.  Mystics and prophets have made contact with the Beloved by various means for all of history.  Silence, and often seclusion, has been the path for many to attain mastery.  Those who have not tried to be still and know might be very surprised how many internal voices have so much to say when one simply wants to quiet the mind to focus on the divine.  These little chatterboxes are constantly yacking it up in our consciousness, a combo of memory, prejudice, and persona. They are the voices that make excuses for the ego. They are the smarty pants know-it-alls in our personas that are busy composing a response rather than paying full attention to a speaker.  They think they are all that, but they are often confused.  This does not indicate that we have split personalities, or are unusually fragmented.  Everyone has to practice to be able to quiet the mind and keep it quiet.  The phrase “a mind of its’ own” applies to your attention.  Harnessing the full power of your own mind will be the greatest feat of patience you will ever achieve.

• Listen to what nature tells you in your body and in the environment
• Hear the sounds of the Beloved in music and chanting
• Sharpen discernment by listening deeply to other people
• Make a joyful noise unto the Lord