Between the notes
When we think of silence and listening beyond Level 2, Austro-Bohemian Romantic Composer Gustav Mahler articulates it beautifully when he said, “what’s best in music is not to be found in the notes”. I have been inspired by this quote to create an activity you can do to practice listening between the notes. You can do this with your eyes open or closed:
1. Pick a song or piece of music to listen to. It does not have to be a favourite, just any song or music with which you are familiar.
2. Find a comfortable space and spend a couple of minutes to focus in on your breathing and still your mind as you prepare to listen.
3. Play the music and as you listen to it, be curious about the music notes and the lyrics you hear. Focus on one or more of the following: What are the tones, the volume and pitch, notice the rhythm, focus on the words, the story telling, what meaning do you attach to the song, what emotions are evoked and why, how are you connecting with the music, what do you like or not like about it? If you start with a focus on one or two aspects, you can repeat the activity with a different listening focus each time. Embrace and experiment!
4. At the end of the song, pause and reflect. Were there sounds, lyrics, meaning you previously did not notice when you listened to it before? What was your experience of the song or piece of music when listening to specific aspects of it or in its entirety in a conscious and focussed way?
Likened to conversations and listening, you might change Mahler’s quote to “What’s best in conversations is more than what’s found in the words.” This would also lend itself well to Level 3 listening. In summary pay attention to tone of voice, facial expressions, nonverbal communication, play your observations back and raise their awareness. Do this without any expectation to be right but with the intent to raise awareness through providing feedback. Skilfully saying what you see, hear, and intuitively observe. It will help you to access unspoken thoughts and feelings that may be at the heart of what really matters in the conversation.
By giving attention to what is going on behind the words and showing interest in what silences and non-verbal language might reveal, you become a more curious listener. You train your ears and your eyes to listen differently, building in your awareness to your other senses, achieving a state of Level 3 global listening that reaches far beyond anything self-serving.