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People find birdsong relaxing and reassuring because over thousands of years, they have learnt when the birds sing, they are safe; it's when birds stop singing that people need to worry.
Julian Treasure
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Birdsong provides a sense of safety and calmness to people, indicating a harmonious environment.

In this quote, Julian Treasure explains how birdsong has been associated with safety and reassurance for humans throughout history. The continuous presence of birdsong signals a peaceful and secure environment, while its absence might indicate danger or an unsettling change, highlighting our deep-rooted connection with nature and its sounds.

Themes

BirdsongSafetyNatureReassuranceCalmness

In practice

Example use cases

In a nature retreat, I mentioned the quote to emphasize the calming effects of natural sounds.

More from Julian Treasure

The need to be right can arise from a fear of being disrespected. Or it may come out of the fear of being seen as we really are: as flawed human beings who are perfectly imperfect and full of contradictions and confusions.
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You can't truly listen to someone and do anything else at the same time.
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The human voice: It's the instrument we all play. It's the most powerful sound in the world, probably. It's the only one that can start a war or say 'I love you.' And yet many people have the experience that when they speak, people don't listen to them.
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Intention is very important in sound, in listening. When I married my wife, I promised her I would listen to her every day as if for the first time. Now that's something I fall short of on a daily basis.
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Just three minutes a day of silence is a wonderful exercise to reset your ears and to recalibrate so that you can hear the quiet again. If you can't get absolute silence, go for quiet; that's absolutely fine.
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This devaluing of listening is handed down from generation to generation. There are many children who don't have the experience of being listened to by their parents.
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