03-26-2017
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
R.E. Building – Rooms 6, 7 & 8

The Power of Listening

We tend to think of power in terms of “doing”—pushing and acting. Yet sometimes we express our power most effectively with focused, open-hearted listening. The power of air is the power of listening, of not only hearing what others have to say but also factoring their experience into our world views and choices. Participants practice intent listening in a whole group counting exercise and by listening to a partner talk about a pet peeve.

Take Home

How well do members of your family listen to one another? What are situations in which you feel you listen especially well? In what situations would you like to listen or be listened to better? When is it particularly difficult to offer or receive focused attention? When you are in conversation, what signs, such as eye contact or reflecting back your words to you, make you feel you are being heard?

As a family, choose someone you would really like to listen to and learn from. This might be an elderly relative, a friend or neighbor who has immigrated to this country, a congregation member you admire, or a doctor, postal worker, or shopkeeper you see regularly whose story you would like to hear. Invite the person to share their personal story with you, and ask if you may use a recording device to preserve what they say. Brainstorm some questions before the visit to get the conversation started, and to keep it flowing.

Check it out: Session 8