Kay Lindahl

by David Whiting
from The Orange County Register

There’s something weird about communication. We emphasize only half the process – talking.

There are conventions, classes and clubs for yakking. But what about listening?

We take listening for granted. But many of us get accused of not listening – and we sometimes feel we’re not being listened to.

Kay Lindahl wants to change all that. But her method is different from most.

Instead of complaining or being silently frustrated, she’s spent the last 15 years dedicating her life to finding listening tools, to writing books on the subject, to talking – and listening – to groups.

She even founded the Listening Center.

Tip one: Listen to understand. You don’t have to agree. But try to be open.

REDUCING MISUNDERSTANDING

Yes, Lindahl has a Listening Center that offers classes, workshops and retreats.

I also discovered there’s a Listening Awareness Month (March). And I learned there’s an International Listening Association, founded in 1979.

One of its tips? Avoid communicating that you’ve made up your mind by saying, “Yes, but…”

Because of her books, “The Sacred Art of Listening,” “Practicing the Sacred Art of Listening,” and “How Does God Listen?” Lindahl was made a certified listening professional.

And where there’s a movement there’s hope – even in an age in which half of us seem to be texting and reading e-mails in the middle of conversations.

A former nurse and with 10 grandchildren, Lindahl explains, “Listening is a creative force that transforms relationships.”

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Launched in November 2008, the Listening Project began with a group of 15 listeners who desired to commit to being fully present through the practice of deep listening at the 2009 Parliament. Once there, members listened for the interconnectedness of life and listened in a manner that invited others to feel genuinely heard and to discover their own voices in a deeper way. Members listened for relatedness and partnership. They listened more than they spoke. When they did speak, they supported safe space and the cultivation of trust.  Members engaged without an agenda of any kind,  because they trusted that what was best would unfold naturally inside the space of deep listening. The 2009 Parliament Listening Project continues to practice compassionate present awareness in each and every moment. All are welcome to join monthly conference calls on the Second Sunday of each month. Please come and join “The Listening Project Group” on www.PeaceNext.org

Also, please join us for the rich vitality of our monthly conference calls on the Second Sunday of each month:

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U.S. Dial-in Number:   712-432-1600

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Listening is the heart of true, loving communication. True, loving communication can solve any problem and mend any heart.

Visit www.sacredlistening.com for more information.