The sound of the bell. The chirp of the sparrow. It’s through these that one meets the true source. Seeking it someplace else is a deluded waste of effort.
– Ch’an Master Fenyang Shanzhao (974-1024)
With my spouse we are and have been ministers of various Unitarian Universalist congregations. In some services, we often had a segment when bird song was interspersed with the ringing of a bell. There is a video that accompanies this moment, and various birds and bells from around the world call and ring out over the gathered. It is at once both beautiful and silly because some of these birds are just so vociferous and so many bells are astounding in shape and function. It is a moment to feel light and joy. It is also a moment when the auditory stimulus can aid us into coming into the present moment. We may even experience mental integration that is part of mindfulness practices that also use sound. Buddhist literature describes enlightenment as not just seeing birds but hearing them, as well as the bells. Studies have shown how just listening to birds and bird recordings, even while indoors, can result in health benefits for humans.
To experience this you can ring a bell when outside listening to bird song. You can also do so by playing recordings of bells and birds. Or, more simply, you can also just step outside and listen. When you hear a bird, take a deep breath and still your thoughts. The bird is calling you to take in this moment. And for those of you who live where actual bellbirds range, you are doubly blessed, for their sound echoes strongly and all around, and you can’t help but say wow and take in all the life around you.
May the birds and the bells both bring you much joy during this holiday season and into the new year!
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