Listening just happens, right?
No action required. Listening is underway.
You can’t “NOT” – not listen.
It’s on automatic pilot. Sit back: Take it in.
“So”…. you’re probably asking….”if listening is happening, then….”
“…What exactly is that “Art” part in the Art of Listening?
Our world is noisy, with multiple distractions and a plethora of options to communicate. In this pace, we plug in, chat a moment, passively listen and then move on.
Did you know we have a shorter attention span than a gold fish? Our attention is 8 seconds; Goldfish is 9.(as heard on Fresh Air, March 13 – The Rise of Addictive Technology)
Many of us are longing to create bridges with our family, a divisive community and country. The repetitive phrase, “we need to listen to each other,” indicates our wisdom knows listening is a remedy.
Here’s the art part!
To cultivate true listening requires your attention, practice, engagement, reflection and feedback. This is why David LaMotte and I are offering this 3-part series. We want participants to experience a newfound skill by the end of the series. Each session will be a rich experience – engaging, enjoyable and expanding.
By bringing a new mindset to listening, it could completely change your life and the lives of everyone around you. But it’s a learned ART.
- Listening is not passive.
- It’s a bold and subtly elevated, sensitive undertaking, and an outrageous gift to offer others.
- The gift is returned in that we, too, can be changed by the encounter.
“The value of listening leads us outside ourselves
and eventually back into who we are.”
~ Mark Nepo
Also, here is what you can expect:
You will:
- Engage in group activities and discussions.
- Explore and clarify your personal barriers to listening and being heard.
- Learn to navigate power dynamics.
- Cultivate the power of silence.
- Develop applicable practices to use in the real world.
- In between sessions, you’ll receive a mid-week email with practice tips, videos & inspiring quotes.
If you’re interested, here are the logistics:
Where: Land of the Sky Church, 15 Overbook Pl., E. Asheville.
When: 3 Mondays, April 17, 24, & May 1
Time: 7 – 8:30pm
Cost: $145
Register: http://www.Listeningtoeachother.org
Move yourself toward intentional and effective listening practices, ways of relating and connecting and embrace a fresh and more compassionate way to approach the world.