Listening is a skill to grow and develop and a must for coaches, leaders and parents alike. Try these simple practices to reset and sharpen your listening / hearing skills, oh and if they help you be more mindful, all the better!
Sit in silence for 3 minutes daily, if silence isn't possible, look for quiet. Sit still and listen. No need to do anything else, just listen
Channels. Next time you're in a coffee shop, the market, the office (or by a river, the ocean or in a park or forest), focus your listening and count all of the different sounds you can hear. Pick out each sound, name it (if you can) and move to the next sound. How many can you hear? Stretch activity: As you listen to all the channels, without looking, place yourself in relation to them in space. Where are you in the soundscape?
Listening to the Rhythm. Wherever you are as you focus on a sound, listen for the rhythm. Traffic, gyms, tennis courts, temples all contain their own rhythms, can you her them?
Mindfulness is a practice, be it, breathing, listening or doing the dishes, that brings us into the present moment. Calms us, helps us focus and be clearer.
What mindfulness practices do you use?