Attuning to the Divine: Deep Listening as Decreative Praxis
Publication information:
Abstract
Performance: This performance explores the spiritual and transformative potential of deep listening as a practice of attention expansion and self-transcendence. Drawing on Pauline Oliveros’s concept of deep listening, Hans Kayser’s akroasis and Simone Weil’s idea of decreation, the performance itself investigates how music facilitates attunement to the world and dissolves perceived boundaries between self and other. Through a live sonic ritual incorporating a loop pedal, cello and natural soundscapes, this project creates an immersive environment for audience engagement in deep listening. By fostering attention redirection and connection to spirit, this performance situates deep listening as both a meditative practice and a form of prayer, inviting participants to experience music as a medium for spiritual transformation.
Presenter Biography
Lia Pikus is a cellist, composer and multidisciplinary artist whose practice centers around art’s ability to cultivate experiences of connection, both within community and in dialogue with the natural world – by drawing upon and reflecting natural processes in her music, Lia seeks to help people make emotional and sensory connections with their environments. Her current preferred media are cello, loop pedal, voice, field recordings and biodata sonification.