Meditation is sometimes referred to as a practice of “inward listening”. I think of this as turning down the chattering in our minds and then listening for the essence of our peaceful nature. Can you imagine if we offered this same sort of listening to the external world?
When we listen actively and fully to another, in an attentive and present way, this can be a true gift for both the speaker and the listener! This is also a great way to bring our meditation practice into daily life.
Tips for active listening:
- Suspend your assumptions, values and beliefs.
- Make eye contact.
- Remain humble and non-attached.
- Don’t take things personally or personalize the information.
- Try not to formulate responses in your head while the other person is talking (do not get stuck thinking about the next thing you want to say).
- Pay attention to explore the broad context of the conversation.
- Allow for silence after the speaker has finished (do not rush to respond).
- Try not to interpret/distort what is said.
- Pay attention to the speaker’s linguistic context as well as their whole being.
When people are actively listening to each other and using harmless communication, a conversation can become a sacred exploration of dialogical inquiry. This is playful, non-confrontational communication where there is no agenda, but awareness of context in which ideas are spanned and creative alternatives explored.
I invite you to experiment wit
h this in your own life – what is it like to actively listen to others and engage in harmless communication? How can you also apply this inward re: the communication you have with your own self?
I’d love to read about your experiences, thoughts and responses! Please feel free to comment below.
~ Shanti Om ~ Peace ~ Peace ~ Peace ~
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