01 Sit or lie down in a stable and comfortable posture. Take three deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Make them long, soft, and even. Then close your mouth. Relax your body and keep it stable throughout the practice.

02 Bring all your awareness to your sense of hearing. Imagine that it is your only sense, your only way of perceiving the world. Let your whole mind become your ears.

03 Scan your environment for sounds. Notice as many as you can—it could be birdsong, the dishwasher, or cars passing in the background. You don’t need to name them in your mind or think about where they are coming from. Don’t get stuck on any one sound—just spend a few seconds on each.

04 Gradually move your hearing to more distant sounds, away from your body. Experience every sound as it is without likes or dislikes. It’s just pure listening, as if you were a rock with ears.

05 Now choose one sound that you can hear continuously in your environment. If you can’t find anything that is constant, pay attention to the sound of your breathing.

06 Your goal is not to block all other sounds from your mind, but simply to keep an unbroken stream of awareness on the sound you choose.

07 When you are ready, let go of your sound and bring your attention back to your body. Notice how you feel. Gently move your fingers, open your eyes, and finish the practice. Take a moment to reflect (see here).