2.7 Chapter Summary

My Hope for Those that Listen to the SONG of Life and a Preview

My hope is that we can open spaces in our lives to cultivate an ability to listen to the many SONGS of life within and among the four circles of life. There are songs of sowing, reaping, dancing, loving . . . songs that help us cope with fear, hate, disease, destruction, and death . . . and songs of courage, hope, resilience, transformation, and renewal. From our personal centeredness in the greater SONG of life, I hope students, teachers, and others can model for each other how to listen more intentionally, mindfully, and compassionately to the harmonies, melodies, chants, and hip-hop beats that play among the four circles of the SONG of life. May those who endeavor to teach and learn how to listen to the SONG of life experience the beauty, vastness, and joy of the great SONG of life.

The next four chapters explore what it means to listen to the SONG of life in greater detail. Each of the four listening contexts is developed in the order of the SONG acronym. Chapter Three describes listening to self, Chapter Four is listening to others, Chapter Five is listening to nature, and Chapter Six concludes with listening to Goddess-God-the Divine. I describe and explain listening topics in each chapter based on my teaching, research, and personal experience listening to the SONG of life. The topics are not meant to be exhaustive but illustrative of the areas that could be covered in teaching, researching, and practicing listening to the SONG of life.