Mindful listening is really hard. It’s hard to pay attention and do it with kindness and curiosity. As I’m writing this there are a lot of sounds around me: the water boiling, my son’s foot tapping, the cars going by outside. But the loudest sounds come from within me: my own inner voice of judgement and negativity drowns out the noises that are presently in front of me. Lately, it’s been difficult for me to find time to sit down and write. The more I delay, the more I hear my inner critic, and the more I procrastinate. Does this ever happen to you?
Mindfulness is about listening both to what’s happening outside of us and what’s happening inside of us. I find that the more I practice noticing, describing, and participating with my senses in the world, the easier it is to do the same with what is happening in my mind and body. I can learn to listen to myself without judgement and instead with curiosity and kindness.
The following activity is guessing the sound of what’s inside the shaker. By listening carefully, we can practice noticing and describing different sounds while having fun guessing the sounds.
Mindful Listening Activity: Guess the Sound
Preparation:
- Gather small containers that will work as shakers.
- Fill the containers with items that will create a variety of sounds. I used oatmeal, rocks, beads, beans, and rice.
Guess the Sound Activity:
- Lay out the shakers.
- Shake each shaker and listen carefully to the sound it makes.
- Describe what you hear: loud, soft, high, low, clear, muffled, sharp, dull, pleasant, unpleasant, etc.
- Order the shakers from softest to loudest.
- Guess what item is in each shaker (You can show what’s inside each shaker)
Discussion questions:
- What sounds in your life bring peace and calm?
- Are there sounds that lift you up?
- Do you notice how different sounds or music can affect your mood?
