Really listening...

Last year my PCF meditation buddy, Julie, (who was very resistant to mediation to begin with!) came to class after two months with a big AHA moment for herself. She was eager to share with us that for the first time in her life she felt like she was REALLY listening to whomever she was talking to. She realized that by listening, she was being present in a whole new way. I was so excited for her as that is one of the benefits from meditation—however, it took me years to understand that and for Julie it only took two months.

As an adult with ADD, I find that it is really difficult for me to not interrupt sometimes. I want to finish people’s sentences for them (much to their annoyance!). It takes effort, but I find that if I try to breathe deeply when I am feeling impatient, I can usually put a muzzle on my chops and let my friends complete their thoughts on their own and express themselves in a much more authentic way than if I was to do it for them. 

Take a moment to notice where you are the next time someone is speaking to you. Are you thinking about what you are going to say next? or are you really listening to what this person is saying to you. When you are truly listening to someone you are giving them the best gift there is…the gift of PRESENCE.