The Art of Listening.

“Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help to relieve the suffering of others. You can call it compassionate listening. You listen with only one purpose – to help him or her empty his heart.”- Thích Nhất Hạnh

Listening seems such an inherent skill. From birth, even before we’ve yet mastered speech – we are leaning in to the sounds of our mother’s voice.

Instinctively, we listen.

A car passes, and whoosh – we are suddenly aware. Something in our soul is triggered, to pay attention…to pause…to consider.

I’ve often felt listening to be the cornerstone of compassion – requiring the fullest expression of our presence to truly understand what the other person is saying.

To hear their heart, even when our own threatens to seize the way. After all, wasn’t it Buddhist monk Thích Nhất Hạnh who once said,

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers…Listen with compassion, and be there with your whole being to give the other person relief.”

My darlings, the moment we realize that we are ‘pulling away’ – we must return to this first seed of compassion.

To listen, wholeheartedly – and, with the energy of loving kindness. To set aside our deepest fears, and open to the suffering of others.

This is what it means to truly listen.

About

Tara Lemieux is a mindful wanderer, and faithful stargazer. Although she often appears to be listening with great care, rest assured she is most certainly‘forever lost in thought. She is an ardent explorer and lover of finding things previously undiscovered or at the very least mostly not-uncovered.

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