Generally we perceive something, and then we look. Looking in this case is the act of imposing names and associations on things. Seeing things means accepting what they are, but looking means unnecessary effort to make sure that you are safe, that nothing is going to confuse your relationship to the world. Contemplative observation helps us distinguish between our experience and our conceptual responses to that experience. Such thoughts constantly fill our minds, often interrupting our direct experience.
Observation is about untangling our experiences.
When we attend to the sound, our mind apprehends the meaning, and our body or voice manifests a genuine response. That child is respected and heard. Copyright 2000 Naropa University.