Meditation isn’t just following the breath in and out of the body, even though that is the most basic practice. Meditation provides the mind something to focus on, allowing the body to relax and enabling us to simply observe the present moment. Sound meditation is a relaxing and enjoyable way to connect with our surroundings. What do we hear around us when we intentionally pay attention?
An example of this is sitting under a tree or on a porch listening to birds. Without trying to identify them, we notice their beautiful melodies as well as the spaces of quiet between the bird songs.
The challenging part of meditation is figuring out what to do with the thoughts that the mind conjures up.
I recently listened to an audio piece by Alan Watts entitled “Listen,” in which his voice, accompanied by background music, encourages us to simply listen without identifying what we hear: “The easiest way to get into the meditative state is to begin by listening. If you simply close your eyes and allow yourself to hear all the sounds … just listen to the general hum and buzz of the world as if you were listening to music. Don’t try to identify the sounds you are hearing. Don’t put names on them … don’t judge the sounds. Don’t try to make any sense … just listen to the sounds.”
The challenging part of meditation is figuring out what to do with the thoughts that the mind conjures up. In sound meditation, we try not to interpret what we hear and instead enjoy the sounds in a detached manner. While listening to the birds or other environmental sounds, we bring our attention back to the sounds themselves whenever we notice that our mind has wandered or is trying to make meaning of what we are hearing. We follow our breathing and practice concentration, and in the process of listening, we notice things about our surroundings that we may not have been aware of before. Listening to bird songs is a relaxing way to feel connected to our natural environment and to encourage present moment awareness.
Another form of listening meditation is when we are having a conversation with someone. When we practice deep listening, we can focus on what the other person is saying and remain curious about their words. For example, when someone is venting or describing a challenging experience, we can listen past the words into the need they are expressing. They may need to be comforted and feel appreciated, or just to be heard.
To listen mindfully, we must intentionally show up for the other person and make our own thoughts less important. Additionally, we can choose to listen for understanding rather than preparing our response. Many times, instead of listening closely, we are thinking about what we are going to say. Perhaps we are thinking about offering advice when it isn’t asked for. Perhaps we are planning to share with them an experience we had that was similar. And maybe we aren’t even listening at all, distracted by something else around us. Mindful listening is a meditation practice that enables us to be fully present to the other person.
As Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, before we can listen well to another person, we need to take the time to listen to ourselves. Sometimes, when we try to listen to someone else, we can’t hear what they are saying because our own emotions and thoughts are too loud in our minds. We should practice listening to our own emotions as they rise without judging or interrupting them. Simply noticing what is happening inside is the first step in mindful listening and is one of the Five Mindfulness Practices for everyday life.
At Plum Village, one of Thich Nhat Hanh’s meditation centers, these mindfulness practices aim to incorporate mindfulness into daily life and have their roots in the Five Precepts offered by the Buddha. Loving speech and deep listening remind us to be aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others. We commit to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening to help alleviate suffering and promote reconciliation and peace within ourselves and among others.
Many options exist if you want to incorporate meditation into your or your family’s daily routine. Pre-recorded practices can be found online, and Mindful Frontiers offers a wide range of guided meditations on Insight Timer and YouTube. If one-on-one guidance works better for your family, a personalized workshop can also be arranged.
Anne-Marie Emanuelli is the founder and creative director of Mindful Frontiers, a B Corp based in Taos dedicated to promoting community wellness through mindfulness and meditation. We offer individuals, families and organizations a variety of practices designed to support and nurture positive social-emotional growth. Lifelong Taoseña, Anne-Marie, is a certified meditation leader and labyrinth facilitator. Mindful Frontiers is available on social media, on Insight Timer at insighttimer.com/amemanuelli, and at MindfulFrontiers.net.
Originally published in The Taos News, June 12, 2025
Photo credit: Nina Silverberg by Mo Kaluta
Mindful Frontiers LLC 