When we explore mindfulness practices with students, we often focus on the external senses as a way of bringing attention to the present moment. This year we have been leaning into the sense of sound--what we hear and how we listen. Our next Festival of Hearts event (on Feb. 7, 2026!) will focus on sound, including birdsong. Stay tuned for more details!
Meanwhile, our instructor team has been developing as a true community of practice. Most recently we gathered one afternoon at the farm of Teresa Shiraishi, one of our original instructors. We spent time together listening to the sounds of the orchard, and we shared the bounty of the harvest!
Staff members Eden and Nancy reflect below on how they resonate with particular practices related to sound, and how those practices have evolved into meaningful elements of our programs.
Mindfulness in This Moment: Listening to Ourselves and Each Other
As a teen, I remember wishing for two things from the people around me: that they would be “real,” and that they would listen--to me and to each other. In large part, those desires remain the same for me decades later, and as a Benji Project instructor I hear them echoed by the young people we teach; that thirst for authenticity and the longing to be heard are ever present. In recognition of that, last year we introduced Listening Circles into our Mindfulness in Motion summer camps.
The practice of listening in a circle, in community, is an important part of many indigenous cultures. Rosalee Walz, Chemakum elder, joined us last year at camp to share the storytelling and listening traditions from her heritage. This beautifully launched an approach now embedded in our summer programs.
Listening Circles invite participants to practice both authenticity and deep listening skills. This activity demonstrates to young people that those are qualities we seek as adults, just as they do. Listening Circles have become something that campers crave, a space where each individual is given the same amount of time to speak (or not), from the heart, without interruption, while the rest of the circle is actively listening and practicing non-judgment. At first, these circles can feel awkward, but without fail the group relaxes as we repeat the practice, when we all realize we can depend on that time.
Now more than ever, our capacity to listen to one another feels paramount. To witness another person instead of assuming we know their life, their heart, their struggles, means that we can remain curious and truly interested, rather than draw hard lines of separation between “us” and “them.” We endeavor to fortify the skill of listening and the quality of curiosity by way of simple practices like Listening Circles, knowing they are small yet strong elements that create a caring, connected community.
Listening to the Natural World Around Us
I deeply value the experience of listening carefully to my surroundings and being in tune with the environment. As a kid I remember being a student and later a volunteer on board a tall ship called the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater for an environmental education program. They would have a moment of silence and ask us to listen to the sounds around us as we sailed on the river. This was followed by live music to break the silence.
This experience influenced me in several different ways. It was calming and peaceful, and it helped me to feel comfortable in a different environment. I was learning mindfulness skills without being aware of it! The transition into music to break the silence inspired me since I loved music and singing already.
Now I enjoy sharing the practice of listening to the sounds of nature with our students. During summer camp, we have students find a “sit spot” outside every day and use their senses to experience the present moment. This activity helps campers take a quiet moment and check-in with themselves. The sit spot time ends with the ringing of a singing bowl. It's an opportunity to relax and experience calm during a full day.
This year we added to our explorations the practice of creating music. Keeth Apgar of Harmonica Pocket joined us for a songwriting session. For a number of campers, this was a highlight. Some of them already viewed music as an important form of self-expression, while others got to experience that for the first time.
