The Listening Book: Discovering Your Own Music

Each and every one of us has a natural vibration unique to itself. Every person, place, thing, tree, chair, rock, etc. - are made of these vibrational energy distinctions. When two or more "like" vibrational energies come in contact with each other they resonate towards the same frequency and come in tune- in essence they become a mirrored pair, synchronized to a oneness. Our distinct natural vibration is the music of ourselves; body, mind and soul. The Listening Book is a journey of short evocative essays offering new and often playful ways for us to tune into the sounds that are both inside and out. Mathieu asks the reader to listen in a myriad of ways, not only with our ears but with our hearts in order to discover our own unique rhythms, passion and desires.I have dog-eared The Listening Book essay's that I resonated towards in my own personal journey into finding my own music, as well as building a professional career helping others find their own song. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone that is searching for their unique inner music and wants to connect to the vibrational oneness with others.

I had to buy this book for some of my classes, and it was not what I anticipated. It's a series of pretentious essays about how no one understands how to listen to things. If you're looking for a laugh, this is a good place to start.

The Listening Book by W.A. Mathieu is excellent as a piece of writing and as an introduction to his magnum opus, Harmonic Experience. His writing style is conversational without being annoying. He has a well-developed knack of anticipating where your thoughts will go and of being there waiting for you when you get there. Mathieu is a teacher at his core, and The Listening Book is well worth the read.

This is a favorite book of mine, and one that I frequently by copies of for other people. Mathieu offers meditations and exercises on the act of listening to transform it into the art of listening. It's great for musicians and non-musicians alike. It will stretch your perception of the world in the best way.

If you love the sounds of music or just want to tune in to your aural surroundings, read this book. It will help you feel more centered, self-aware and alive. Chapters are short, maybe 10 or 15 minutes of reading, and can be read in any order. This is a book to contemplate, practice what you learn, and come back to again and again. Highly recommended.

I loved this little book. It contains many essays that could easily be read individually and in any order. However, I ended up reading straight through it. It is unlike any other book I have ever read. It will make you think about sound differently. I love this author's playful approach to life. I'm a musician, but I recommend this book to anyone.

I am a yoga teacher and used this book to explore chant, sound, om, and self-confidence to speak! I've also applied to birding and language learning! Well worth the money.Like: artfully written, exercises to play with interspersed in text, chapters easy to navigate and readDislike: I don't have a dislike

Loved this book. Short essays that really make you think about what you hear. Great exercises for becoming comfortable finding your own music.

I was first shown this book at a workshop, opened it at random, and loved what I read. I immediately took note of it and, the moment I got home, went on the web to order it, not something I do lightly. Now it has arrived, I love it. I'm very fond of music but have problems with my lack of musicality. This book is full of ideas and ways of getting in touch with the musicality that is within each of us. On top of that, I love its layout. Each piece is only about two pages long and one can just dip in whenever one wants and get sound (forgive the unintentional pun but actually it's very relevant!) advice. Or, of course, one can read it cover to cover. It works either and both ways. Enjoy.

This is a remarkable work. A feeling that I'm getting home to music after many years wandering around. Every page blends with peaceful, honest, personal wisdom and quiet joy and it's so appealing. I think I've been longing for a long time for something to help me out to true essence of sound and music as heavy stones of theory, history, technique, practice drills etc were tiresome and constantly slipping beyond control.I hope to read this book over and over again in years to come; until one day, as author mentioned, these pages get mysteriously blank.