Sound

Spiritual Parenting Thought for the Month (SM)

Brought to you by Mimi Doe

October, 2007

V9 #10

The Power of Sound

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This newsletter is my gift to you in the hopes of empowering children and parents everywhere live more joyful, connected lives.

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THE POWER OF SOUND

- Welcome From Mimi

- The Power of Sound

- Take Action

- Conversation Starters

- What's New

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October greetings to you all!

I love October in New England. The leaves are vivid, the days are cooler, and we celebrate my husband’s birthday mid month.

When I think of the sounds of fall I hear children squealing with joy in leaf piles, “trick or treat,” leaf blowers, cheering fans at football games, and the sound of the school bus coming to a stop outside my front door.

Tune in this month to the sounds that surround you and your family. Take action to craft the soundscape of your home and explore the powerful results in your life when you do so.

Blessings and light from my heart to yours,

Mimi Doe

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In the sweet territory of silence we touch the mystery. It's the place of reflection and contemplation, and it's the place where we can connect with the deep knowing, to the deep wisdom way.
-- Angeles Arrien

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THE POWER OF SOUND

Noise, unwanted sound, is derived from the Latin word "nausea," meaning seasickness. Can you recall a time you felt dizzy and knocked off balance by the swirl of sound? Now think about your child's soundscape and how he might be affected by this sound environment.

Noise is among the most pervasive and frustrating sources of everyday annoyance. Noise pollution is so prevalent because most of us have become accustomed to the constant sounds with which we are bombarded. Many who are creating the noise don't care enough or aren't bothered enough to correct it for others. For example:

The family dining in the booth next to yours is apparently unaware that they aren't in their own kitchen and carry on with voices that blast into your sphere, ruining your vision of a quiet evening of much-needed conversation with your family.

The teen practicing drums is focused on his music, and may forget that his neighbors' bedroom is only a few inches away from his thundering instrument.

An enthusiastic jet skier may be aware of, but dismiss as inconsequential, the interruption her loud machine inflicts on the beachgoers longing for the sound of healing waves.

Noise renders us less tolerant of frustration and numb to the needs of other people. It can cause your teens to feel more aggressive, and you to lose patience quickly. I'm fascinated with the studies I've found on this topic and the following one in particular left me stunned. Results indicated that while a lawnmower was running nearby, people were less willing to help a person with a broken arm pick up a dropped armload of books. Another study of two groups of people playing a game found that the subjects playing under noisier conditions perceived their fellow players as more disagreeable, disorganized, and threatening.

Noise can heighten conflicts and increase tensions - no doubt about it.

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Silence is God's first language; everything else is a poor translation. In order to hear that language, we must learn to be still and to rest in God.
-- Thomas Keating

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TAKE ACTION

- Work consciously to design your family's soundscape just as you would design your landscape or home interior. Remain attentive to the sounds coming from your television, computer, and CD player. Delay noisy lawn mowing in the morning to respect your neighbors, and let your teens know about their potential impact on the soundscapes of neighboring residences. Use your car horn discriminatingly. Scan your family's everyday environment and do what you can to minimize chronic sound interruptions. Remember that arguing, talking angrily, and shouting are harsh sounds that disrupt the peace of any home.

- Respect silence in houses of worship. One frustrated 16-year-old said of her church experience: "I sure don't feel Good here. All these people are talking and chatting. I can do that at parties. I can't hear God's voice in this space."

- If you determine there is nothing you can do about the chronic noise where you live, consider toning down the sounds with white noise devices, soundproofing panels, ear plugs, water fountains, or nature sound recordings.

- Point out the subtle sounds in your environment and help your kids notice and honor them: a purring cat, distant church bells, the sound of rain on your roof, a crackling fire, or the crunch of fall leaves underfoot. They might roll their eyes and call you "very weird," but they will notice next time.

- Help your teen become conscious of her use of sound, and offer some alternative suggestions. Form your own little study with the help of your adolescent. "How do you feel after listening to this?" "Were you able to fall asleep easier with this music?" "Just play this CD when your study for a week, and see if your grades change or if you feel less stressed."

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Blessed are the ears which hear God's whisper and listen not to the murmurs of the world.
-- Thomas a Kempis

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CONVERSATION STARTERS

I've read recently about the power of sound in our lives. Are there sounds in our house that bother or distract you?

What’s your favorite sound?

Do you like the feeling of blocking out the world’s sounds with your earphones? Would you consider no earphones for a day?

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~*~WHAT'S NEW~*~

Make ALL your dreams come true with the Dream Manifesto!

For YEARS I have been creating vision boards or treasure maps using poster boards and images of what

I would like to manifest in my life...Literally for about 24 years...

Up until now...

Now, since I'm on my computer so much of the time...I've installed this easy to use software, literally I had it up and running in less than 5 minutes, and my images are scheduled to appear with sound...that I've created...every hour...reminding me of what I wish to focus upon...

It's crazy cool!

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If your children are in high school, pick up a copy of my book: Don't Worry You'll Get In: 100 Tips for Stress Free College Admission. I believe that knowledge is power and have created various ways to help make the application and admissions process less stressful.

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Spiritual Parenting Thought for the Month (SM) is written and produced by Mimi Doe and Karen Adolphson. If you have any stories to share, questions or comments, please send them to: Editor@SpiritualParenting.com. We'd love to hear from you!

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Mimi Doe, Author of:
"Nurturing Your Teenager's Soul"
"Busy But Balanced"
"10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting"
"Drawing Angels Near"

http://www.SpiritualParenting.com