The Wilderness and the Art of Listening
When I am in the wilderness, I am acutely attuned to my surroundings. However, once indoors, the daily realities and distractions of life can numb this heightened awareness. This is why listening, whether by ear or mind, is a vital skill to cultivate.
Listening for Clues in Nature
Listening in the wilderness involves much more than just hearing sounds. You must be attentive and focused, as the subtleties in nature can provide valuable information. For example, a cracking branch or animal movement—be it a bear, a cougar, or simply a pebble rolling—can alert you to the presence of a predator, or signal the movement of wildlife. Even the lack of sound is telling: the flight of birds often signifies danger, or that something has spooked them.
Personal Experience: Listening to Birds
When I was a teenager, around thirteen or fourteen years old, I learned to listen for birds in the woods. If more than a few birds were making a racket, I knew there was a predator nearby. They would scold the snake in a tree, pointing out its location. By zeroing in on their loud sounds, I would climb the tree and find a red rat snake, which my mother was not pleased to see in our home.
The Wilderness: A Magnificent Teacher
The wilderness is a magnificent teacher. It imparts lessons in patience, attentiveness, and a different perspective on life. It teaches us to embrace the quiet and listen to it gradually get louder, and even to close our eyes and use our minds to experience a three-dimensional perception of what we hear and sense. These skills can be practiced in the city as well, improving our spatial awareness and the way we perceive audio and mixes in the recording studio.
Harmony in Nature's Soundtrack
Everything in nature seems to have a certain harmony to it, particularly when in their natural habitats. This harmony, like a symphony, provides a rich and complex auditory experience. By listening closely, we can understand and appreciate the interconnectedness of all natural elements.