Listening to the Night Sounds

Photo: (c) Jamie K. Reaser

You, Darkness

You, darkness, that I come from
I love you more than all the fires
that fence in the world,
for the fire makes a circle of light for everyone
and then no one outside learns of you.

But the darkness pulls in everything-
shapes and fires, animals and myself,
how easily it gathers them! -
powers and people-

and it is possible a great presence is moving near me.

I have faith in nights.

~ Rainer Maria Rilke

PRACTICE

• Dress appropriately for the weather so that you can remain comfortable in the out-of-doors for an hour or more. 
• Bring a flashlight for safety and a cushion or chair to sit on if you so choose.  You might also want to bring a pen and journal for recording your observations.
• Go to a safe, outside location sometime after sunset.  This location might be just a few steps away from your home or miles away from any signs of civilization.
• Sit down, turn off your flashlight, and allow your thoughts to become still (give yourself at least a few minutes to calm your mind). 
• Option: practice “Connecting with Nature” (posted January 8, 2013).
• Listen to the sounds of the night   sound made by the natural elements (wind, for example) and their interactions with the land, those made by animals, and the sounds generated by human activity.  Notice the sound of your own breath.
• Explore your response to these sounds: What images form in your mind’s eye?  What stories does your mind create about the sounds?  What emotions do they stir?  How are you affected by the direction, distance, volume, and presumed source of the sound?
• Journal your observations either on-site or soon after your return home.
• Repeat this practice regularly and in different locations.  Notice how your observations change with time of night, location, and the associated characteristics of the sounds.

This practice was first published in "Courting the Wild: Love Affairs with the Land," edited by Jamie K. Reaser and Susan Chernak McElroy and published by Hiraeth Press (2008; www.hiraethpress.com). (c) Jamie K. Reaser. All rights reserved.