In this talk, we will delve into the intricacies of the sounding and listening body in all its fleshiness, adopting a nuanced perspective on "flesh," expanding beyond its mere identification with the physical form. Drawing on insights from religious studies scholar Mayra Rivera, we consider flesh not only as corporeal, but as a medium that blurs the distinctions between the individual body and the external world (Rivera, 2015: 2). This conceptual framework allows us to appreciate bodily sounds as substances that link the conscious to the subconscious, and individual bodies to one another.

We'll look into the dynamics of repetition and disruption in the generation and reception of what we term "fleshy sounds." Central to our discussion are the entrained practices of voicing and breathing found in Sufi recitation, which illustrate how collective, synchronized sound-making can help connect individuals with one another, as well as the divine. Similarly, we consider the inherent rhythms of the body, such as the heartbeat and breathing, pondering how these patterns, when they persist or are interrupted, can evoke a spectrum of emotional responses—from joy, to awareness to catharsis to anxiety—and how such affected states, in turn, can influence our bodily's sonority. Moreover, we will touch upon spontaneous, resonant outbursts such as laughter or tears, investigating their capacity to express and induce profound emotional shifts within and across bodies.

Through these various case studies, I aim to draw attention to our ongoing dialogue with, and through, the flesh, gesturing toward the significant ways in which fleshy sounds influence our engagement with the external world and our internal selves. 

Alia O’ Brien