<Background>
I was driving from my workplace to my home the other day. Alone in the car, a long-twisted road, with scenic mountain slopes. (I will upload pictures of this one day) However, after a while I wanted to listen to a song. The car audio was broken a long time ago, and I had to turn on the phone and scroll for some music. Then my mind asked the question, why? Why should I listened to a song, and I just drove mindfully, without. However, the thoughts, which gather around listening were wonderful to look at and here I try to summaries them. You can consider this as a follow up article for the "What I learnt from listening to the same song"
<Background/>
<Listening to the songs now>
Yes, sometimes, we crave a song. Maybe you listen to a song routinely. Specially loneliness, makes us want to do something. Sometimes we are afraid of the silence, and our own thoughts we want to suppress them and go into an imaginary world. Sometimes, we just want to bring out an old memory, or create a new one. Whatever the reason, we have power and means to do that when we want to listen to a song. Even at work, even driving the car. So, I noticed in this moment listening to a song has a great value, as I need it. I need to listen to a song to quench my 'song, thirst'. It doesn't matter how many songs I have listened to in the past. How many videos I have watched in the past. It's all useless, I have the desire now. And what Is life If I cannot listen to a song now?
I have done great many things in the past just because I know, I get cravings for music. I have bought a radio, a phone, a television and a headphone. I have downloaded loads and loads of my favorite music. We used to buy all those gramophonic discs and tape recorders in the past. Even put my hands on guitar, just to see whether I can produce some music. And have I analyzed what I have done so far? Have you?
<Listening to the songs now/>
<Listening to the songs in the past>
One important question you should ask yourself is, what is the total value of all the songs, that you have listened at this point of time. Imagine its morning, early in the day, you don't have any cravings. You take a second to think about all the songs or times you spent listening to songs. We can say the time you put your consciousness to 'listening- songs' you have done. I bet; it is not so much value now. I am sure, the songs had their value at the time you listened to them. It's because you had the craving to listen to them at that time. Now you do not have the craving, so it's just a memory, just like other memories. So, the total value of all the songs you have listened in your life, at this moment of time is far less than what you think (almost zero for me).
We can look at the same question in another point of view. Imagine, you have a craving to listen to a song now. Out of nowhere, you remembered an old song. And you wanted to listen to that song. Now, I would say, the value of that song is skyrocketed in your tiny world. Compared to the value of this song, all the songs you have listened so far do not have any value. Do you see a pattern? It is just like a pot, mentioned in previous article most valuable thing in the world. Value of music, or songs or sound is there as long as you crave it. Hence, whatever you do not crave, have no value in your world.
<Listening to the songs in the past/>
<Generalization - Mindful listening of songs>
We can generalize the intuitions we gained from this little thought experiment to understand mindful listening. Consider following and think about yourself whether they are meaningful. And Please Argue with these, question these, as once my teacher told, " He who asks is a fool for a minute but not forever "
What is the total value of all the lectures, which you have forgotten, you had in the past? At this moment of time.
What is the total value of all the news that you listened in year 2000?
What is the total value of musical shows that you have been throughout your life, at this summer.
What is the total value of all the bird songs, you have listened when you walk in nature parks?
What is the total value of all the sounds if you are going to be deaf next year, till you die?
<Generalization - Mindful listening>
<Summary>
And in summary, I learnt that the mind values, what it craves now. And like the pot, inherent value of a song is Nill. It is just a sound, just like my car engine. Just like my own voice, just like a bird's chirp. It's my craving gives the sound more value than it has naturally, which is zero. I hope this intuition will help you in your mindful practice to lessen inner turbulences, when distracted by sounds.
<Summary/>
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