A new virtual particle: Listen-ons

I am not a scientist, but I dabble some. Sometimes I take a scientific concept and mix it up with my emotional/spiritual belief system and see what emerges.

The particle. It's an idea I like to play with.

At the smallest level - down in the quantum realm - the world is comprised of particles: gluons, higgs bozons, photons, gravitons, electrons and vanderwall forces maintaining space between all things so much so that some physicists actually state that nothing touches anything. Matter is comprised mostly of empty space.

As I list particles I see that many of them possess the requisite "ons" ending.

Last night I went to a Men's gathering here in Ashland, Oregon where I live. Recently, I have noticed that the quality of listening in the group has deepened - that brothers are really taking the time and the presence to show-up and listen to one another. It's palpable sometimes.

There have been moments where I feel like I can almost see the listening it is so present— that when another person, or a group of people take the time and the energy to be still - to face the speaker - to look at him, to witness him, to give him full and undivided attention and to allow silence to settle-in when he takes a breath or pauses....

It is a presence that feels almost like honey - a viscous, warm energy that holds our circle of brothers together as one of us speaks from the heart into heavily witnessed space. It's beautiful and so rare— this quality of listening - the lack of interruption. Exquisite.

In addition to being mellifluous and viscous I feel mindful listening has a particulate character.

Listen-ons: particles of listening.

Last night  in circle I saw and sensed listen-ons flooding the room. They made up the honey-like envelope of witness that held us. They were emanating from all brothers present— a steady flow of listening particles bathing the room and creating that quiet reverent presence that nourishes like nothing else.

I felt like I had listening for dinner last night.

Eating up some listening. Listen-ons for the brothers.

This quality of listening is at the root of Returning To Earth. Noticing things. Listening. Being present and mindful in nature. To listen is to send out listen-ons.

Giving listening substance is a powerful visualization exercise. It has deepened my ability to be present and to witness Nature.