Our teachers are all around us
Posted by jodietonita on December 23, 2006
Needless to say, deep listening is absolutely as valuable in our personal relationships, as in our leadership.
“Every person in this life has something to teach me — and as soon
as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening.”
Catherine Doucette
We listen deeply, and do this practice, not only to be a nice person, not only to make others feel good, etc.
We listen reverently and with curiosity because we open the door to a world of wonder, a world filled with learning.
If we’re honest, we discover that we very often make instant judgments about people, about the value of what someone is saying, and often heighten or turn off our attention accordingly.
Let’s leave aside questions of respect or kindness for a moment.
Our judgments are often incorrect and self-limiting.
We don’t know the potential value of what someone is saying.
Only by really listening openly…by patiently allowing their words and life experiences to sit in the untilled soil of our heart/mind and germinate… will we ever know what might have been learned.
Our teachers are all around us.
But we daily deny ourselves the benefit of their wisdom by not listening.
Admit yourself to the real higher education,
The University of Life.
By opening your ears…
And opening your mind…
And by deeply listening…
Adapted from the practices of Robert Gass.
