Sprint3_Week6#Additional Work: Day 2 suggested reading

About the book

The reading content is Oliveros, P. (2005) Deep listening : a composer’s sound practice. New York: IUniverse, Inc.

After borrowed the book from Main Library, I actually gave a lot of thought to the distinctions between hearing and listening as a result of this book. Perhaps we should begin by defining deep listening, which is the first topic and the book’s central idea.

This question is answered in the process of practicing listening with understanding that complex wave forms continuously transmitted to the auditory cortex from the outside world by the ear require active engagement with attention.

To put it simply, I suppose it is necessary for each of us separate hearing from listening. From this book, the writer also clarify her point of listening is not the same as hearing and hearing is not the same as listening. Sounds strange maybe? But actually, our ears are constantly gathering and transmitting information – however attention to the auditory cortex can be turned out. To hear according to the Miriam Webster Dictionary can mean “to listen attentively, or that information has been received especially by ear, or hear somebody or something.” To listen according to the Miriam Webster Dictionary means “to give attention to sound or sounds or to perceive with the ear, to hear with thoughtful attention, to consider seriously.” What’s more, the listening process continues throughout one’s lifetime.

For me, deep listening is exploring the breadth and complexity of sound by learning to broaden the perception of sounds to embrace the entire space or time continuum of sound. One should be able to discern the detail or trajectory of a sound or sequence of sounds while simultaneously being able to target the sound or sequence of sounds as a focus inside the space or time continuum. Such focus should always remain within the entirety of the space or time continuum or return there (context).

The sound/silence continuum, or interaction between sounds and silences, is the focus of attention. Sound includes all audible vibrations and is not just confined to musical or spoken sounds (sonic formations). The link between all audible sounds is significant.

Sound is an intelligent medium. Sound can cause ideas, emotions, and memories to come to mind. You run the risk of being cut off from your surroundings if your awareness of sounds is too limited. Living in an urban environment frequently results in detachment and a restricted focus. The auditory cortex is being overloaded with information, or listening has been limited to only what the listener finds valuable and important. Everything else is thrown away or is turned out.

The book claims that deep listening is a type of meditation. One is connected to the entire environment and beyond with such expansion. The term “deep listening” is used by Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hahn in the context of one of his “Five Mindfulness Trainings,” which he advocates. In order to reestablish contact, alleviate suffering, and bring enjoyment to all beings, this listening is compassion-centered.

Reflective thinking

Sometime, I will think the meaning of listening or hearing, just like the video from our handbook, which was about a Canada artist had her researches with the river and fishes. She thought we needed to be accepted by the river or the fishes first, then we can try to do research on them. It sounds more like a content with environmentalism and cross-species studies. I don’t know if this counts as a humanitarian concern, but such a view sounds inclined to think about ontology in terms of epistemology. Actually, I’d love to think the objective existences in the point of ontology way.

I go more toward the philosophy of materialism. External objects’ actions affect human perception. Human consciousness won’t exist if there are no external objects. From a particular point of view, I believe that the reason we “hear” is due to the objective existence of things, not “whether we are accepted.” I also believe that whether we are hearing or listening, we are being observed as one of the species that make up the rest of the world. It is a sensory form to comprehend and preserve the objective world’s order. From a human standpoint, deep listening also includes “deep” and “listening.” Therefore, I believe that our emotions and feedback are crucial to the process, whether we are hearing or listening.