DAY 42 – Listening  #CircuitBreaker #EmbraceDyslexia

During this age of distraction, we need to learn the importance of intentional listening! Studies show that we spend about 60% of our communication time listening but we’re not very good at it. We only retain 25% of what we hear.

Listening is a process of extraction. We use many seasoned tools to practice it. One of them being pattern recognition. We recognise patterns to distinguish noise from signals-especially our name.

We also have a range of filters that take us away from all sounds and tunes into what we choose to pay attention to. Some of these filters are culture, language, values, beliefs, attitudes, expectations & intentions. Most of us are entirely unconscious of these filters-which create our reality in some way.

Let us take intention for instance. We may have heard our family members repeating themselves on many on occasions. How many of us listen each time like we are hearing for the first time?

I have found myself having to attend a talk or even a movie twice although I had an option not to attend it the second time around. I am glad I attended these two events twice because it made a distinct difference in the way I absorbed information which I may have missed out before.

Now, we have the luxuries of recording tools and apps in place, emphasising clearly that accurate and careful listening have simply disappeared. We are not paying attention to the rhythm of the present moment but rather amplifying the noise of the many distractions and chaos. We have become impatient. We do not want oratory anymore, we want soundbites.
The art of conversation is being replaced dangerously by personal broadcasting. And because we have instant access to a whole range of ease of access platforms, it has also certainly become harder for us to pay attention to the quiet, subtle, and understated. It is a serious problem that we are losing
our listening.

Listening for most of us who can hear is a way of understanding. Conscious listening creates a deep understanding. Once we engage in this practice, we will have no need for recording. We will start experiencing a shift in the way our brain processes information through intentional listening.

So here is an acronym for you to explore the next time you find yourself struggling to pay attention or listen mindfully.

RASA.

R – RECEIVE
A – APPRECIATE
S – SUMMARISE
A – ASK

The term Rasa is a Sanskrit word for ’juice’ or ‘essence’.

Listening is a platform we can use to practice presence. It allows us to truly feel the time and space we are in and allows us to grasp sustainable information. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if listening were taught as a skill in school?

Wishing you peace & good health.  

By Harsheeni Hanna Rajoo
Educational Advisor and Senior Educational Therapist

Read this article here

#embracedyslexia #DASunited