Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

TIP #06: LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN …
It is impossible to truly Care about another person without first choosing to humble
yourself and Connect with them. And it is impossible to make such an intimate
Connection unless you are willing to put your own agendas and opinions away long
enough to actually Listen to what those others are sharing.
The others in your life are not in your life to help you, nor are they there for you to “help”
them. They are with you to give you the chance to remember the caring, humble Being
you truly are … They are there to give you the opportunity to set aside all your beliefs
that are “more important”, all your thoughts that are “more intelligent”, all your stories
that are “more interesting”, and all your advice that is “more prudent” – to set them all
aside and awaken once again to the Truth that there is no one more important in your life
than the person next to you in any given moment (no matter who they happen to be) …
As such, there is absolutely nothing more important in life than then to simply Care about
those people enough to Listen to them. And it only requires three simple steps:
Step #1 … STOP TALKING (& make gentle eye contact)
Step #2 … FOCUS ON THEIR WORDS (& stop thinking about what you want to say)
Step #3 … CHOOSE TO CARE (by keeping your mouth shut & your Heart open)
Others don’t need our help or our advice, they don’t need our
“constructive criticism”, and they most certainly don’t need us
to “relate” to their problems by hearing stories about how we
have experienced happenings similar to theirs.
What is missing in others’ lives is real Caring is not our
opinions … What is missing is our gentle, heart-felt, sincere,
and silent Caring.
When you are tempted to persuade others, listen instead.
When you are tempted to “witness” to them, listen instead.
When you are tempted to interrupt others, listen instead.
When you are tempted to give them advice, ask instead …
… and then listen.
“It is possible to hear criticism, even insult, and find deep acceptance in any response
that emerges. This doesn’t mean you become passive and weak — quite the opposite,
actually. You stop identifying yourself as ‘victim’ or ‘teacher’ or ‘helper’ — and you stop
seeing the other as ‘enemy’ or ‘student’ or ‘needy’. You simply remain open and vast …
And here, in the midst of all discomfort, be it caused by conflict or despair, you discover
the place where discomfort ceases to be painful at all. You simply Care and radiate that
Caring — and that is enough. In this way we learn the only lesson truly worth
remembering — and in this way every person we encounter becomes our greatest
teacher. Listen to them all.” ~ inspired by “Jeff”
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