WHAT DO YOU HEAR?

A Native American and his friend were in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square in Manhattan. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing round corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, the Native American
said, "I hear a cricket."

His friend said, "What? You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!"

"No, I'm sure of it," the Native American said, "I heard a cricket."

"That's crazy," said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed.

"That's incredible," said his friend. "You must have superhuman ears!"

"No," said the Native American. "My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you're listening for."

"But that can't be!" said the friend. "I could never hear a cricket in this noise."

"Yes, it's true," came the reply. "It depends on what is really important to you. Here, let me show you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and siscreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, with the noise of the crowded street still blaring in their ears, they noticed every head within twenty feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. "See what I mean?" asked the Native American. "It all depends on what's important to you."

What's important to you? What do you listen for?

This is very good! I like it!

Thank you for sharing it! ((((SeptemberMorn))))

nightdream

That's a great parable. I can't take it literally though because I have a certain type of nerve damage to my ears that causes me to automatically filter out some sounds and hear them "louder" than others, unable to hear words at a certain pitch, unable to hear conversation if there is "white noise" in the background, etc. and it doesn't matter how much I strain. But as long as we don't take it literally, it's a good metaphor & makes a good point!

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ ))))))Nightdream!(((((( }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

OOOOH! Tight squishies for you! So glad you dropped in on my post!

<font color="blue"> What is important to me? </font> A spiritual life.

<font color="blue">What do I listen for? </font> I want to "hear" a stillness, a quietness, in my mind and soul.

droopy

You figure the Native American was listening to that silence?

Rest assured, it wasn't meant to be taken literally.

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You figure the Native American was listening to that silence?

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Yes, I do.

I want that kind of peace that the Native American had where I can silence my mind so I can "hear" the "little crickets"; not the "tinkling" of "coins" that constantly occupy many people's minds and cause them much distress, always striving for more and more. That's not "silence." That's stress, anxiety, depression.

I may have gotten way off track here. I'm thinking in a spiritual/philosophical way but it is hard for me to put it into words.

I think it is a beautiful story, Sept., with several layers of meaning. Thanks for sharing it. It caused me to stop and think.

droopy

what if I hear the screams of the people I destroyed (even though I didnt) and my laughing and crying all at once about it.

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what if I hear the screams of the people I destroyed (even though I didnt) and my laughing and crying all at once about it.

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candistyx,

True "quietness" and "stillness" of the mind are accomplished by very few; i.e., some monks in monasteries and other religions. We can only try.

I'm very sorry that you are having so much trouble with intrusive thoughts. Do you have a therapist?

My therapist and I have started very slowly with some meditation techniques; namely, breathing techniques to help me get rid of anxious thoughts, to "quieten" my mind. It takes work! And it does work (when I practice )!

droopy

Droopy, not far off base. In fact, not at all. The ancient American Natives, and as far as I know today, are spiritual/philisophical. At least, the Natives that stick to "the old ways." (I love that phrase!) It takes a lot of practice and faith in what you are doing to still your mind long enough to listen to that silence or the "still, small voice."

Some "meditators" tell you to empty your mind. I can't do that. What I try to do is focus on something peaceful, something small. If I get there, then I expand on that small thought, picture, whatever it is that makes me feel peaceful. Breathing exercises also help a great deal if the intent is to relax, all the while keeping the thought or picture in my mind that brings me peace. Many times, a song will do it for me.

It thrills me to no end to know that the story made someone think outside of the box of their depression or the noise in their head!

Candi, I hope Droopy and I have given you some ideas to at least calm those things you hear.

Beautiful, beautiful story ... thanks for sharing.

well, being American indian, i understand the story perfectly. i hear birds that others don't.....footsteps in the woods, plus vision is highly developed to 'see' what is abnormal in a normal landscape. my father taught me that and his father taught him. it is definitely something that is inherent to indians. BUT it can be developed in anyone. i'm certain of that. it takes alot of hard work and concentration and the ability to filter. thanks for the posting, Sept.......pat p.s i'm cherokee and choctaw

Tomi,

This story makes me think of something that happened to me this summer. I have a favorite walking spot, this local cemetary that has woods in the middle of it. There are all kinds of birds and other critters there, and some hawks are almost always soaring overhead. Well, I hadn't gone there for quite awhile, and the first time I went back over this summer, I wondered where all the wildlife was. But then the next time I went, I saw more, and then more...and I realized that the animals and birds were always there, my eyes had just forgotten how to "see" them.

Thanks for the story.

*hugs*
Jo

Glad you enjoyed it, Wants2. Hope it gets you thinking about your possibilities.

Wish I could take a walk through the woods with you. I'm sure it would be unbelievably beautiful.

I understand completely. I'm the same way with the beach right before sunset. There have been times I've gone expressly to see the sunset and when I come away, I don't remember seeing it or hearing the cry of the seagulls or the crash of the waves on the rocks. My mind was too busy with other things and my eyes too blind to the beauty around me.

It definitely takes practice and concentration to see and hear the quiet, but it sure is worth the effort! And how tranquil we can come away.

I,(cherokee and Scot) too, appreciate the reminder. Often I do listen in the silence. My T (choctaw and Scot) has helped me to do so more often...but as you know I have a very difficult time staying there! He says it's PTSD.

BTW Malady, I also have menierre's so what I used to "really" hear is much different than now, when some days I am all but totally deaf!

Depression causes us to hear only what it wants us to: negative. Even our thoughts loudly speak to us then!

Einstien wrote about how you view the universe - in one of two ways - colors how you will see it. Is it a good place, with good people, happy and helping, or a bad?

Dyer has rewritten some of the "old" adages (wait, aren't all "adages" old???) one being about if you change the way you think about something, whatever you are thinking about, changes.

Modern physicists have proven the "observer effect" does indeed occur! (Shroedinger's cat, anyone?) Using one of the super microscopes with the multiple viewing lenses, all 4 (I think) scientists can be viewing the same thing, but depending upon WHAT they expected to see, is what WAS seen in their scope lens! Now figure that out! It was proven that the subatomic particles reflected and moved the way the observer "wished" it to... not a trick of the mind.

How powerfull such stories as this one, Sept., can be.

Thank you, Sky! Thank you for acknowledging the story and thank you for this last post of yours. There's so much wisdom both in the words from these famous people as well as wisdom on your part to choose these particular words.

Something came to mind as I read your post. It is very simplistic and not nearly as "worldly" as what you have posted but I feel I need to share it.

For me it is easier to roll around and sweep all three rooms of my home than to do it room by room. I gather Everything that is on the floor in one central location as I sweep, then I only have to bend down once to sweep everything into the dust pan. But before I push everything into that dust pan, I sort through what is trash and what isn't. I pick up lose change, jewelry, toys, etc. and then do I push the "trash" into the dust pan to dispose of. Seems that's what I've done with my thoughts this time, too. I had a big pile of thoughts that I couldn't live with anymore, so I swept and picked out whatever wasn't to be thrown out with the trash.

I'm amazed at what "treasures" I've found in that pile of "trash!" Maybe I've helped a few readers to pick out the "sparklies" in their pile of "trash" while I was trying to help myself.

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