Listening and Sensory Awakening

A couple of posts ago (post of Nov. 28) I described three pre-schoolers listening as I played the piano.  They must have been listening because it was completely quiet except for the music.

One of them, the oldest, was physically active, responding to Schumann's unmistakable invitation to use her imagination in a vivid, communicative manner.  The other two, younger boys, were fascinated with the little stones around my potted plants.

Handling them, arranging them in rows, evidently absorbed by them, they were entirely focused.

It reminded me of some extraordinary work I did back in the late 60's when my being needed reorganizing after academic near-derailment.  The work involved awakening awareness of purely sensory experience.  One of the exercises involved closing my eyes and letting my fingers appreciate a small stone.