Heerdink's EdD Journey

A blogging task for me this week is to pick two examples from the Sensazione chapter of the book “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci.” I have decided to pick Listening for Silence and What Do You Smell Right Now exercises from the book. Let’s start with Listening for Silence.

Tonight was a typical evening for me at home. My wife had made dinner for all of us, and I joined my family at the table. As my wife shared the events of her day, I made a conscious effort to focus not just on her words but to really try and tune into the pauses between them. I was able to pick up on a distinct rhythm of her speech that I don’t know if I have ever noticed before. It was almost like its own melody. As she speaks, each pause actually adds to the conversation as a whole. Right before something particularly important or thoughtful was said there was this slightly elongated pause as if she was leaving room for the words to sink in. Tuning into this pause helped me absorb the information a little better and created food for thought later. There were times when she was excited, and her pauses were almost non-existent, and her excitement started to become my excitement. Many times the pauses whether long or short would be elevated with some nonverbal communication like a smile or a glance away at the wall. Now, I know that might be treading into a visual exercise, but it was something I could not help but notice when studying the space between her words. It was as if the spaces became this canvas for thoughts, adding a depth I am sure has always been there but I never really tuned into. As I reflect more now on the moment it is evident to me that the spaces between ones words are not just an absence of sound but an essential component of our communication. It really helped bring this new awareness to a fresh dimension to speech and human interaction.

Now on to smell…

Sitting in my basement office this evening I begin by taking a deep intentional breath through my nose. The air seems to be laced with a blend or scents that makes this office really feel distinctly mine. There is a comforting and familiar smell to old paper and ink from my used hardback sci-fi book collection lining the mantel of my fireplace. There is a faint remnant of dinner that wafted down from the upstairs earlier in the evening. I can pick out a subtle blend of garlic and maybe some onion fading but still somewhat present. As I continue this exercise, taking in more long breaths of air, I get the occasional scent of my half-empty bourbon glass sitting on my desk, slight hints of oak and vanilla, with a bit that lets me know there is still some alcohol left.

*Pause Exercise for Bourbon Sipping*

As my exploration continues, there is that slight musty smell that lets me know I am in a basement, not overpowering but there nonetheless in the background. A slight ozone smell of my laptop computer and monitors. The exercise has really turned into a calming immersion experience. I think I might continue to perform this from time to time just for the relaxing effects it seems to be having on me.