“A man may have hearing and yet not be hearing…”
Aristotle, On the Soul
We probably take hearing for granted, as though simply something we can do at will. But what if without realizing it we are actually hard of hearing, or even deaf?
Hearing is a wonderful and mysterious thing. One of the five senses, it has the dignity of being a way of taking in or having the world around us. How amazing that by hearing we can perceive reality! And of course, in human persons the senses are just the beginning of deeper ways of perceiving–deeper seeing, hearing, or tasting.
Thomas Aquinas says that hearing is a way of gaining knowledge from others, while seeing tends more to be a matter of ‘seeing for oneself.’ Hearing especially takes the form of hearing words that are spoken by other persons. We all can learn to hear better the words spoken by the people around us.
But there is something else, something that is intimately tied to our ability or inability to hear persons. There is a hearing of things that are not spoken—at least not spoken in the normal sense. The ancients refer to giving ear to nature. Perhaps this is a significant aspect of what we need to recover, in order to learn to hear again.
This morning as I sit writing by my window I hear the song of many birds. I can ask myself: am I really hearing what I might perceive in the song of the birds? Or, am I hearing without really hearing?
What about the sunrise, the trees, the grass, and the flowers? But wait—these don’t make much of a sound. Is there any issue of ‘hearing’ them?
Surely, these things have something ‘to say’ to me, something then which calls for my hearing. The natural world is speaking in some very real sense. Here, the sense of sight can be a pathway to hearing. I must look intently with my eyes and listen intently with my ears, in order to hear… that which is really ‘being said.’
Nay-sayers will scoff. Such, they will posit, are whimsical suggestions, the mere imaginations of dreamers or the vain hopes of the unrealistic or unscientific–maybe something about which to write a poem.
Verily, the greatest poets have heard things most of us have not learned to hear; and the greatest philosophers too—for philosophy begins in wonder, and wonder begins in a seeing and a hearing that opens into the deep.
To learn to hear again we can begin with what is all around us, and persevere. When a student struggles to read Plato, it can seem like there is nothing there to hear. The right answer is to keep on reading, so eventually to hear at least something of what is being said.
The natural world is all around us, not to mention within us. We can choose this summer to look again, and to keep listening, in order that we might hear what is being said.
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.), student of Plato, tutor of Alexander the Great, has been considered by many to be the greatest ancient philosopher. On the Soul is his study of the amazing reality of living things, culminating in human life.
Husband, father, and professor of Philosophy. LifeCraft springs from one conviction: there is an ancient wisdom about how to live the good life in our homes, with our families; and it is worth our time to hearken to it. Let’s rediscover it together. Learn more.
Thanks for the marvelous understatement that we simply keep on reading in order to eventually hear Plato! In relation to your thoughts, Dr. C, and to the importance of our children spending time outdoors wondering, a humble suggestion at no cost to listeners is Andrew Pudewa’s well researched talk, “Nature Deficit Disorder: Causes, Consequences, and Cures.” https://iew.com/help-support/resources/mp3-resources/nature-deficit-disorder-causes-consequences-cures-andrew-pudewa
Thank you for sharing this, Maria. I know and greatly respect Andrew Pudewa, but I am not familiar with this lecture. I look forward to listening.
I apologize sincerely, friends, for not having double checked before posting the link to Pudewa’s talk on Nature Deficit Disorder. Having alerted the IT about the wrong mp3 that is posted, I humbly suggest that you check back in a few days. Again, please accept my apology to you. Thank you. https://iew.com/help-support/resources/mp3-resources/nature-deficit-disorder-causes-consequences-cures-andrew-pudewa
The Nature Deficit Disorder mp3 post is now correct. https://iew.com/help-support/resources/mp3-resources/nature-deficit-disorder-causes-consequences-cures-andrew-pudewa
You haven’t heard nature until you’ve heard it through Saint Bonaventure’s Journey of the Soul into God.
Fabulous book indeed!
I would have chosen the word “wonderous” or “admirable”. In context of your post and Holy Bonaventure’s introduction to contemplative prayer, the etymology of the word “fabulous” might suggest that the Author of all creation is writing other than a non-fiction.
Thank you for this post. I’ve made it a habit this spring and summer not to have earbuds in while I’m working in the yard or garden. Listening intently to the sounds of nature has brought peace and delight to my soul. It’s been a wonderful (literally!) practice that I mean to keep up.
So happy to think of you in the garden enjoying those sounds…
The ancients wisdom is so relevant! Many times its our ears that alert us. Directs our eyes to whats happening in nature so we follow the sound with our eyes. When we listen with our hearts the world expresses it’s gratitude and we become stewards, students and supporters. Covid has redirected us to nature. My honey is hearing impaired…I’m visually impaired, so often I hear & he directs my eyes. Its very connected and intimate. Truly symbiotic!
That is so beautiful, Roxane! A great image of marriage.
Regarding “Learning to hear again, starting with nature’,
it reminds me of what a dedicated priest long ago told me,
after I told him alittle of my journey back to the Catholic Faith, after being gone 19 yrs, and having not really understood the Faith prior. He said for me to keep on,
keeping my ear to the ground,
listening for God.
I found that encouraging in what turned out to be a 10 year journey back,
and since then a just about 9 years of intense,
though peaceful,
listening for,
and to God.
Amen! May your listening continue to be fruitful!
This is beautiful ! Often those who cannot hear or see scoff at those who can ! And it’s also true that some intuitions are revelations that must be kept personal or at least sparingly and among those who might understand ! It is encouraging to find and listen to others who can see with the same eyes, especially among the living! although our friends Plato and Aristotle forge the way..
I only wish the ability made us more perfect in our virtue as well. Unfortunately sensitivity does not always breed perfection even if it can help us see our faults ..