Listen UP!

/ August 19, 2014

Are you listening?listening, connecting, tuning to the divine

Listening is a key aspect to healthy and supportive relationships. It is one of the ways that we demonstrate care, compassion and connection with another person. I’ve always been a pretty good listener with people, but I might need more practice on my listening-to-spirit skills.

If you want some good practical tips for listening, read this article about the 10 Principals of Listening. They are very pragmatic, but contain good advice on listening with presence, focus and understanding. I’ve practiced active listening in groups, where we seek understanding by reflecting back to the speaker what we think we heard. We keep clarifying and refining until we have confirmation that we in fact, heard and understand what the speaker meant. Then we can respond from a place of clarity and understanding.

As the article points out, good listening goes beyond the words to the non-verbal. This is an important aspect of listening since experts suggest 50-70% of communication is non-verbal. This includes body language, gestures, facial expression, emotional tone, physiological elements and more. Kinesthetic and intuitive people might call this reading a person’s energy. Or maybe we can call it whole body listening with openness and presence. Focusing more on listening and connecting to the whole person for the message beyond the words.

I’ve been “hearing” many reminders to pay more attention to the divine.

The realm of aligning with spirit (God) is even more complicated, at least for me. But again, it involves “listening”. Paying attention to our life, other people, feelings, thoughts and results for clues leading to the path of love and wisdom (aka God married in mind and heart).

Some of my clues have been coming from fellow bloggers with reminders on the importance of listening as the best way to align with life, love and God. Stacy wrote an excellent post about spiritual simplicity. What struck me was the reminder to love all that we encounter. When we are in this receptive, listening state, then we can “hear” the voice of spirit. I’m adopting her intention to listen with love for the harmonious voice of spirit. How about you?

As you probably know, we often teach and write about what we need to learn. I’ve previously written about Tuning to the Divine, filled with tips on aligning with spirit. I offer it to myself and anyone interested in hearing the voice of spirit. Hint: gratitude, acceptance and openness are big factors. Excuse me while I go practice! 🙂

May you hear the loving voice of God within all experience. ~ musebrad

Related posts

33 thoughts on “Listen UP!”

  1. Very interesting post Brad, as a teacher, I can say it is absolutely true – listening, active listening is very indifficult indeed, and also very important – including observation, since non verbal language is prominent.
    Thank you 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Welcome back Frederic! Or did you ever really go on vacation? 🙂 I imagine that you are a very good teacher based on the kind, loving and thoughtful comments you offer to so many fellow bloggers. What do you teach and to what age?

      Like

      Reply

  2. Hi Brad! This post is so perfect for those of us who need a little reminder. I know it has often been said, but I love the saying, “God gave us two ears, and only one mouth, for a reason!” People can tell immediately when someone is not really listening…so my guess would be that God also knows!! Much love to you on this Beautiful Tuesday!! ❤

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

  3. Happy Tuesday to you Lorrie. You are a great listener, at least online! I love that saying about 2 ears also. I just had a big smile reading your comment about God knowing about our sincerity of listening. I appreciate your loving support in my life. Thank you dear friend. ❤

    Like

    Reply

  4. Brad: What a beautiful post. Thank you for the mention. As you know, I believe listening is love and your work to spread the intention to listen and love is such an inspiring hug to us all. Your words always spread so much love and share so much hope with others. We are all blessed you take the time to share your spirit and spread your awesome stories. It is always uplifting to visit and peaceful to read your work. Have a wonderful day! With Love and Gratitude, Stacy

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Wow, thank you Stacy for the kind words. Your wonderful post inspired me to write this one. 🙂 I’m delighted that you feel my words help spread love, inspiration and peace. May we continue to love, inspire and support each other in a big circle of love! blessings my friend, 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  7. Thanks Brad; this is although already known to us, but we need to be reminded casually sweetly just the way you did … I am now in Bangladesh and definitely need to have patience to listen without jumping up to correct or make my point … cause people here normally don’t find a good listener as we love to talk talk and talk some more … (monologue) 🙂

    Georgina
    from Bangladesh

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Hi Georgina. How nice to see you here on my blog again. Most of us need to be reminded about listening. 🙂 I hope you are engaging many interesting new people and conversations back in your homeland. blessings, Brad

      Like

      Reply

  8. This is inspiring and insightful stuff Brad. I was actually considering writing about what I see as our lost capacity to listen, but you have beaten me to it! Keep up the good work my friend, you are doing the world a great service in your efforts. 🙂

    All best wishes to you.

    Hariod.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks Hariod, I’m sure there is room for more insight on listening as an important topic. Thank you for your kindness. Your voice adds to the melody of sharing and helping each other with our words, actions and hearts. blessings, Brad

      Like

      Reply

  9. This is wonderful, Brad. Our culture demands we constantly make noise and must be seen to be active and to be ‘doing’. To be still and to listen is what really matters. Thank you for this lovely and sensitive post. 🙂

    Like

    Reply

  10. I think I am a pretty good listener 🙂 I have always my whole life been approached by people who need little comfort, little warmth, love and advice 🙂 I think it is quite easy, I just think how I would want someone to be with me if I needed to talk and to have someone listening 🙂 I think if we are just open and ready to listen with an open heart without judging anyone, I mean, without comparing them to ourselves, but actually to listen to the heart that is behind the words, then I think we will be pretty good listeners. 🙂 God talks to me all the time, and He says so many lovely things! 🙂 He doesn’t speak to my ears, but to my heart, and my heart loves Him! 🙂 Maybe we could also do that, I mean, speak to people’s hearts, and not to their ears 🙂 This comment became little messy, but never mind, I just came out like that 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  11. Thanks Trini, I heard you with my ears and heart! 🙂 I love your point about listening and speaking to people’s hearts. That is exactly the deeper level of listening that I wrote about. I’m sure you are a great listener. 🙂 We all crave to be truly listened, heard and accepted. Presence and caring are probably the main ingredients. Thanks for blessing my life with your listening, heartfelt words and presence. ❤

    Like

    Reply

      • I think most of us feel that way Brad. Send yourself a big thank you for walking the path and doing such a great job getting as far as you have. You spread all those things each time you blog and I imagine each time you leave the house too! If you listen closely, your inner guidance thinks that is a fabulous idea, haha!

        Liked by 1 person

  14. I am not ashamed to admit that I am probably not the best listener on this planet. I hear real well, but listen not so well. This was an eye-opener for me with respect to things that can make a dramatic difference in so many areas of my life: as a work colleague, as a husband, and as a father. Truly brilliant!

    With the amount of time that we spend communicating in our daily lives, it is no wonder that practicing how to listen completely with all our senses can have such a profound impact on ourselves as well as others. The universe provides those messages that we need at exactly the right time. This is one of those messages. Thanks Brad for a wonderful link and for the insightful observations that you have made to add so much more depth to the article! Best wishes for an inspired day 😉

    Like

    Reply

  15. Hi Brad, this is such a beautiful post. I love “we seek understanding by reflecting back to the speaker what we think we heard”. That is such a critical exercise! We so often hear our own versions. – “We keep clarifying and refining until we have confirmation that we in fact, heard and understand what the speaker meant. Then we can respond from a place of clarity and understanding”. Thank you for an interesting post 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  20. That active listening group you are joining is an excellent idea. There should be more of those. Public speaking classes are ubiquitous. It is now time for active listening classes to take over. Blessings and love to you, Brad, and thank you for sharing this ♥

    Like

    Reply

    • Wonderful idea for listening groups and classes Subhan! The listening skills were part of a men’s group, but why not a group whose purpose was better listening? Thanks for your kindness and great idea. blessings, Brad

      Like

      Reply

Your turn!