Any sound can be the object of our focus in mindfulness practice. Even the most annoying sounds, like a horn blaring outside, an alarm clock beeping, or people yelling, can be perceived differently when we bring mindfulness to them. The annoyance of those sounds doesn’t come from the sounds themselves; it comes from our interpretation of those sounds as “bad.” When we bring mindfulness to it, we shift our relationship from aversion to curiosity, allowing the sounds to rise and fall, lessening their negative impact. It’s worth setting some time aside to just sit or lie down and listen to the sounds inside the house, out in the city, or in the contemplative setting of nature. In mindfulness-based stress reduction classes, we introduce a formal practice that combines mindfulness of the breath and the body scan with sound in the appropriately titled meditation “breath, body, sound.” The beauty of this practice is it builds on the basics: You start with a narrow attention on the breath, then expand out to the body, and then expand further to the world of hearing. To allow you to fully experience this meditation, we recommend that you listen to the audio version. However, you can also simply read the text below. If you choose to do so, read through the entire script first to familiarize yourself with the practice, then do the practice, referring back to the text as needed and pausing briefly after each paragraph. Take about fifteen minutes for the practice. You can do this practice in a seated position, standing, or even lying down. Choose a position in which you can be comfortable and alert.
This article has been adapted from MBSR Every Day by Bob Stahl PhD and Elisha Goldstein.
