I began to listen deeply to the natural world when I was still a child. In 1976, I discovered that R. Murray Schafer had actually researched this concept and written a book called The Tuning of the World.

     I highly recommend it, by the way, especially since it’s finally come back in print. One of my favorite parts was when he gave instructions for performing a deep listening exercise. I think he called it “listening to the environmental composition” and suggested that we make a list, without judgment, of all the sounds we were hearing at that particular moment.

     One of my own strategies for reducing stress and staying centered while I’m on tour is to tune in to the unique soundscapes of every town I visit. For extra credit, I’d like to suggest that you notice how they all seem to be orchestrated. In many cases, it’s like one sound is answering another.

     Of course, this is indeed true. Bernie Krause and many others have documented the incredible yet demonstrable symphony of life, as insects, frogs and other creatures continually make sounds for and with each other. In many cases, this is a survival mechanism. For instance, when frogs sing their nonstop songs around a pond, one of the reasons they do this is that predators are confused by the sounds coming at them from 360 degrees.

     But I digress. I recommend spending at least five minutes in this state of focused attention. Many individuals notice a profound sense of peace, and a sense of lightness. Your head may seem to rest more lightly on the neck; you might even feel a little buzz at the temples. This is, of course, unless there’s a particularly obnoxious sound of a gas-powered leaf blower or other sonic assault weapons in the neighborhood.

     In his teachings, American Buddhist and best-selling author Lama Surya Das recommends a similar, single-focused, non-multi-tasking form of unstructured meditation. One example that comes readily to mind is the “Beach Chair meditation.” I believe my summary of his brief instructions conveys the flavor: Sit in a chair, facing the ocean. Watch the waves rise and fall. Breathe. This would therefore be a visual analog of the audio-focused experience.

     I find that some folks have a preconceived notion of what “meditation” is, and how hard it may be, or that it is against their own religion. So for now, we’ll just call this steady-state sense of heightened awareness of incoming stimuli in the audio and visual range of our sensory perceptions “deep listening.”

Why “Be Still ... and Know’ is more true than ever today

    According to leading psycho-acoustic anthropologists, humans are hardwired to shift into a higher frequency of coherence, in terms of balancing the hemispheres of the brain as well as the electro-magnetic energy fields that surround and interpenetrate the physical body.

     As Dr. Herbert Benson suggests in his pioneering books, The Relaxation Response and Remembered Wellness, there is a biological necessity for us to spend time every day in a steady, deeply relaxed state. When we don’t, we pay the consequences ... if not immediately, then later on.

     Many researchers have discovered that if we don’t access periods of deep physiological and spiritual quiet and inner peace every day, we may experience a sort of “vibrational deficiency”. Back in the late l980s, biofeedback pioneer Dr. Eugene Peniston discovered that we may have a biological need to spend a certain amount of time in which our brainwave activity is in the alpha range. Deficiencies of alpha wave production, by the way, are often associated with addicted behavior, such as alcoholism, drug addiction or other compulsive behaviors.

     But since we can’t get out in nature as easily or as often as we may like, modern technology has made it easy to attain the same kind of transcendent feeling by listening to specially composed soundtracks.

     It really wasn’t until the late 1960s that “concept albums” first made their appearance. Up until then, albums were basically a collection of non-related songs. But it really wasn’t until the rise of the new genre of New Age music that the full benefits and potential of spending extended periods of time in a deeply relaxed, high alpha brainwave state were experienced. With these albums, you could get into “the zone” and stay there. This approach represented a new dimension in concept albums.

     This was in marked contrast to the frustration and irritation many listeners felt when they played albums with more variety. Just when they got into a groovy place, another song would take them out of that space. (Remember the alarm clock on Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side of the Moon?)

     So it’s with some degree of surprise to me that so many people are jumping on the iPod-shuffle bandwagon, and abandoning the consistency of album-length environments that were composed with the intention of being listened to whole, rather than piecemeal.

     As I see it, it’s not a matter of either/or. There is a place for both approaches.

     I’ve only recently begun to explore the iPod universe. For starters, my associate, Diana, downloaded my Chakra Suite. I was certainly impressed by the sound quality. As of this moment, I haven’t done A / B comparisons with the extremely high quality of my manufactured CD, but just on its own, it sounded great.

     Here’s a major consideration: The quality of your headphones will make a big difference in how good your iPod sounds. Personally, I don’t like the feeling of having something in my ears. Instead of earbuds, I prefer over-the-ear models,

     On airplanes, I use noise-canceling headphones, but for general listening, you can find lots of good models for under $50.

     I wonder how many of you have assembled your own programs of state-related music by different artists, as opposed to a wide variety of styles and artists. I’d be interested in receiving samples of your personal playlists, and will be happy to share the most creative ones in future articles.

     I suppose the overall suggestion is to remain open to exploring new sonic territories, but remember to nourish your body, mind and soul with daily doses of peaceful, uplifting and meditative music.

     While you’re at it (and this is especially targeted to non-singers), spend at least five minutes a day doing some form of vocal toning (for instance, the elongated vowel sounds on different pitches) or chanting a simple mantra, like “OM.” For me, one of the unexpected benefits of recording and producing the album Tonal Alchemy is that I find I’m much more motivated to make sounds with my voice now that I have a group of background singers to chant along with any time I want to.

     After all, it can get rather lonely chanting my yourself. Not to mention a little boring, too.

     So, keep some good music in your life, and you’ll find it easier to attain and maintain the proper “tuning” of your human instrument.

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Steven Halpern is currently celebrating his 30th anniversary with the 30th anniversary edition of Chakra Suite, and his latest release Tonal Alchemy. To hear samples, or to order, go to: www.stevenhalpern.com.

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