Monday, September 5, 2011

On Listening


"Listening entails vulnerability. Listening requires a willingness, even a longing, to understand another."

Krista Tippett on Listening

In this 2 minute segment Krista discusses the importance and value of listening. She goes so far as saying that "listening is a core spiritual value." What I know is that there are times that I am present with someone and am able to be in that listening posture and something happens that was unexpected. The other, who is being heard, has some insight or expresses something in a new way. A young man who is filled with anger and fear who is being listened to has his anger run it's course and is able to name the fear that lies behind it. And I am impacted with an emotion of compassion the rises up from some place deep inside as I genuinely see the other with all his or her humanity. Listening, the vulnerable willingness to understand the other, seems to be a lost discipline as we shout to be heard. Where do you see that this art of listening might have real impact in your life or in our society?

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