Sounds

The concept

• How does it fit in with the goals of enlightenment?
  • TODO
• How do Sound exercises help with this goal?
  • Easily bringing your attention to sounds pulls you out of illusionary "sounds" such as earworms or monologues, or any thought that feels as if it's spoken in your head
  • Hearing sounds is a huge component of being present
  • Sounds are almost universally transient and ephemeral. So many objects we see or feel will appear quite permanent at the time but sounds typically change and dissipate. These exercises are part of developing your ability to understand and embrace impermanence.
• How to approach each of these exercises
  • TODO - might not need to answer this question here.

General Sound Exercises

• Pay attention to a sound without thinking for a second about what the sound is from or for. Notice the shape, color, and feel of the sound, but never the what, or the why. Feel free to shift attention to a new sound if it seems right to do so.
• Pay attention to one distinct sound at a time. After a while, start paying attention to two sounds at a time. Continue paying attention to multiple sounds, with the goal of fully paying attention to every sound available, without favoring one sound over another.

Music

• Pay attention to one single sound type (drum, guitar) to the exclusion of all the other elements of the song
• Relax any need to contextualize the song. The goal is to listen to only one "instant" of the song at a time, without any idea it is more than a millisecond of pure sound. Appreciate that instant, embrace that instant, even while knowing it will pass and another instant comes, over and over again.