Listening with love and patience
My spiritual intention today is to listen with love and patience. As I thought more about this intention as I was getting ready for work, I reminded myself that listening with patience is itself a loving act.
So often what is most comforting to another is knowing they are “heard”; not only do we hear the words and non-verbal communication, but we allow ourselves to experience being emotionally present without getting lost in the intensity of what the other might be feeling. That is often a delicate balance. While we want to be present with the pain or joy of another, if we allow ourselves to be absorbed by the intense emotions of another we will move from the one offering the comfort of strength to the one needing the comfort of strength. I recall, as a very young man, intending to comfort my neighbor whose husband had suddenly died and becoming so overwhelmed with emotion that I just added to the burden of my neighbor. I had not yet learned the art of being emotionally present without being absorbed by the grief.
If we are a particularly emotionally sensitive person we may need to learn how to block some of the energy of the emotion emanating from another without shutting down emotionally and, thus, communicating that we do not really care what they are experiencing. Sometimes just crossing one’s arms will block some of the intensity of the emotional energy emanating from the other person. One can experiment with physically modulating the reception of energy. It may take some practice.
Today I will practice listening and being emotionally present while offering strength and keeping the focus on what others are experiencing.
Written October 22, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
My spiritual intention today is to listen with love and patience. As I thought more about this intention as I was getting ready for work, I reminded myself that listening with patience is itself a loving act.
So often what is most comforting to another is knowing they are “heard”; not only do we hear the words and non-verbal communication, but we allow ourselves to experience being emotionally present without getting lost in the intensity of what the other might be feeling. That is often a delicate balance. While we want to be present with the pain or joy of another, if we allow ourselves to be absorbed by the intense emotions of another we will move from the one offering the comfort of strength to the one needing the comfort of strength. I recall, as a very young man, intending to comfort my neighbor whose husband had suddenly died and becoming so overwhelmed with emotion that I just added to the burden of my neighbor. I had not yet learned the art of being emotionally present without being absorbed by the grief.
If we are a particularly emotionally sensitive person we may need to learn how to block some of the energy of the emotion emanating from another without shutting down emotionally and, thus, communicating that we do not really care what they are experiencing. Sometimes just crossing one’s arms will block some of the intensity of the emotional energy emanating from the other person. One can experiment with physically modulating the reception of energy. It may take some practice.
Today I will practice listening and being emotionally present while offering strength and keeping the focus on what others are experiencing.
Written October 22, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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