Sep 10, 2026 · 6 min · 6 segments
Contemplative Practice for Soulful Living
To me, contemplation isn't about sensory deprivation.
It may be about weeding out a noise of sorts, but it's for the purposes of allowing the self to experience what else is trying to be heard.
maybe what else is trying to be seen, what else is trying to be felt.
And for me, it's also not only about going within, believe it or not, or maybe a different way of saying it is one of the pathways in is through the blessing of what is around.
Now we live in a visual culture in particular, which is why perhaps in meditation we often ask people to close their eyes or soften their gaze.
Today I want us to allow our ears not to be covered or blocked out, but to be opened, to be a window to a deeper experience.
So I'll be asking you to find a place to be, to sit, to be for a few minutes and drink in the sounds.
so that you might pause here if you'd like to go find that place, or if you're there now, great, continue on.
But the goal is to be where the soundscape might be a blessing to you.
Now, I don't want you to feel the pressure of trying to find a pristine place.
You may want to escape the construction on your block, fair enough, but don't think you have to search and keep searching until you escape all human-made sound whatsoever.
You'll probably never be able to do so, and that's okay because all of it is part of it.
Well, take all the time you need, and whenever you're ready, you can continue to listen here.
To me, contemplation isn't about sensory deprivation.
It may be about weeding out a noise of sorts, but it's for the purposes of allowing the self to experience what else is trying to be heard.
maybe what else is trying to be seen, what else is trying to be felt.
And for me, it's also not only about going within, believe it or not, or maybe a different way of saying it is one of the pathways in is through the blessing of what is around.
Now we live in a visual culture in particular, which is why perhaps in meditation we often ask people to close their eyes or soften their gaze.
Today I want us to allow our ears not to be covered or blocked out, but to be opened, to be a window to a deeper experience.
So I'll be asking you to find a place to be, to sit, to be for a few minutes and drink in the sounds.
so that you might pause here if you'd like to go find that place, or if you're there now, great, continue on.
But the goal is to be where the soundscape might be a blessing to you.
Now, I don't want you to feel the pressure of trying to find a pristine place.
You may want to escape the construction on your block, fair enough, but don't think you have to search and keep searching until you escape all human-made sound whatsoever.
You'll probably never be able to do so, and that's okay because all of it is part of it.
Well, take all the time you need, and whenever you're ready, you can continue to listen here.
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