3. Art of Listening
This text was machine-transcribed from the printed book and may contain errors. Select the words and choose “Report a mistake”.
How do we listen to people when they talk to us?
Let us be honest. Most of the time, we have a parallel discourse running in our minds and we simply miss the point of whatever is being said. Then, there are times when we pretend to listen, but are actually making judgments about the speaker. There is another way we listen: we try to listen to what the other person is saying to support our argument and win it.
When we try to listen, we are not there in the context listening and hearing. There is a dangerous side effect to this pretend listening routine. We often misunderstand what we hear.
Our being is filled with restlessness. We have so many sensory inputs filling our mind. Add our constant mental chatter to it. Our mind is always overloaded. It is always in the past or in the future. It is never in now. We are, our mind is, always restless. Under these circumstances, we don't hear or listen. Even if we do, we cannot understand. At best we can misunderstand.
Misunderstanding the words of a spiritual Master is very dangerous. The Master always speaks great spiritual truths in simple manner. When a Master speaks we often cannot sit and listen to the ideas because of deep restlessness within us. If we are restless it is better to move away from the place because not only do we not understand, but we also misunderstand.
If we can develop patience to listen to the words of a Master our spiritual restlessness will come down. Our mind will not keep begging for the next word or the next exciting event. At the least this circuit will drastically reduce in frequency.
When we listen to the words of a Master we become passive. The thoughts presented by the Master will touch the heart. We become totally open and passive. This state opens us at the emotional level. We are completely at ease. In the Vedanta we say, 'Shravana, Manana and Nivignyasana' to describe this process of calming the mind. When we listen deeply, we are meditating. There is no need to meditate separately afterwards. The process of listening can create the same experience. Listening can become the experience towards bliss.
Listening is God. Deep, total listening without restlessness is divine. That itself is God.
Listen deeply. Open the heart so that words of the Master are imprinted into the being. Accept it in silence. This is a path to enlightenment.