One Apple A Day #748 - loud water
Yesterday evening I was in a workshop, and my dear friend Luca guided us through a powerful practice. It was a simple recentering exercise in which he invites to expand all our senses, one by one, so we could notice more.
I was sitting at my desk, and the first sound I heard was the water flowing out from the well in the garden. Anchored on that sound, I gradually expanded my attention, and the world came alive: the birds singing, the TV in a near flat, a neighbour working in its garden, some dogs playing somewhere, the cars passing by in the distance.
The power of attention is just mindblowing.
This morning, with that rich experience still in my heart, I decided to move outside for my morning practices, near the well.
The familiar sound of the water spring welcoming me while I sat for my meditation practice.
But the experience hasn't been what I expected. The sound of the water was so loud that it covered everything else. I couldn't hear anything but the water flowing. I even struggled to listen to my own thoughts.
I realised that when we have something in our life so loud - such as a need, a pain, a thought, a desire or even love or joy - we can't hear anything else. That single thing can fill up our senses and numb ourselves to everything else.
Next time I feel someone is not listening to me, I'll ask if there is something in their life so loud that they can't hear anything else.
Maybe I can help.