Deep Listening Retreat 2007

It's now been a little over a week since I returned from this year's Deep Listening Retreat, and I am so glad I went. There's something about getting away from the computer and the phone, and really spending time concentrating on listening, living life more slowly, and paying attention, that helps to invigorate my life.

The retreat happens once each year, and is taught by Pauline Oliveros, Ione, and Heloise Gold. It's often held in off-the-grid New Mexico, but this year it happened to be in upstate New York at the Lifebridge Sanctuary.

For the first time, I started to hear sounds in my dreams - a wonderful, high wind chime is one I remember. And of course starting and finishing my day doing Tai Chi was amazing. I have definitely been trying to keep up the listening practice since I've been back. Last Wednesday's thunderstorm (the Brooklyn tornado) made for some extraordinary listening - loud thundercracks and varying rain speeds. I was about to say I'm sorry I didn't record it, but -- not really. I'm just glad I had the chance to listen.

This listening practice will have an effect on my dissertation chapter about listening, I'm sure. And it is helping as I prepare my piece for the Conflux Festival.

Comments

[Maebh]

Hello! I am really looking forward to your piece at conflux tonight yizzzzzir
*maebh