Meditation Shot: Sounds

This is a meditation shot,

One of a series of short meditations or visualizations.

Today we'll be looking at our sense of sound.

Find yourself a comfortable position.

Relax.

Drop your shoulders.

Feel the support of the chair or the floor.

Now take a deep breath in and let it out and gently smile.

When you feel comfortable,

Slowly close your eyes.

Now listen.

Become aware of the sounds around you.

If you find yourself distracted by other thoughts,

Just notice those thoughts,

Acknowledge them and return to listening.

Thoughts are not your enemies,

They are your companions and they will come and go.

Imagine that in your mind there is a dial that controls how sensitive your hearing is.

If it helps,

Visualize that dial.

Around the dial are the numbers from one to ten.

Now notice the pointer of the dial rests on the number two.

Now in your mind,

Turn up the dial to five and listen.

Are you aware of more sounds?

Can you hear things that you did not hear before?

Inside the room.

Outside the room.

Now turn the dial to seven.

Be aware of how this affects your hearing and the sounds that you can hear.

Listen first to the sounds in the room.

With the dial at seven,

What sounds can you hear?

There is no need to strain.

Just listen.

Take a few moments.

Now gently shift your awareness to sounds outside the room.

What can you hear now?

What sounds are near?

What sounds are further away?

Just be aware of the sounds.

You don't have to judge them or think about them at all.

Just listen.

Take a few moments.

Now in your imagination,

Return to that dial in your mind.

Slowly turn it back to two.

Listen for the changes to what you hear.

Take a deep breath in.

Let it out.

Gently smile.

And when you are ready,

Slowly open your eyes.