Suzanne Askham

Wellbeing notes: Listening to nature’s symphony

Midnight. Outside, a tawny owl is hooting. In the morning, the buzzard takes over: a high, childlike cry. For a few moments, the sound is drowned out by a plane from the Americas, passing overhead. But the plane goes; the buzzard is audible again. And more quietly, here in the garden, there’s the musical fluting of robins and goldfinches, the cooing of woodpigeons, and the rasp of crows. One day, soon, the geese will arrive, honking overhead as they remind us of snowy places, far away in the north. 

The symphony of nature is incredibly varied, when you stop to listen – and all of it tells a story. Wind in the trees on this hillside change like ocean currents when storms approach. Streams gush noisily after heavy rainfall. Boots squelch muddily or perhaps crackle through autumn leaves. 

Listening mindfully to the symphony of nature can be a calming meditation. For the space of ten breaths, focus on what you can hear to your left; then, for another ten breaths, tune into the sounds on your right. And then, finally, listen to your own, inner sounds, such as breathing or even your body’s pulse. The aim is to listen without judgement, understanding that everything and everyone is a part of nature. We are all, according to the poet Kahlil Gibran, ‘sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself’. Appreciating that insight can bring bliss.