Listen to Learn

In Jamie Sam's ‘Earth Medicine’, the animals came together to sort out the problems caused by the latest migrations of their northern neighbours that were affecting their food supply. While some were chattering away, others would intervene to make suggestions and offer solutions. Only the bear had not said a thing. Finally, asked why he was so silent, the bear replied, ‘I'm listening and learning. I don't need to talk; I already know what I know.’

We spend a large portion of our waking hours conversing and listening… more of the former and less of the latter. In fact we are conditioned to believe that effective speaking leads to success. But the reality remains that good listening skills are a pre-requisite to good communication skills and subsequent success.

It is important to note that good listening is victim to not only external disturbances but also to internal ‘noise’. We must learn to be better at overcoming this ‘noise’. We must learn to be better at cleansing our minds of prejudices and seek to understand afresh, each time.

A good listener is not the one who swears that he is one. Rather a true listener will display tolerance, patience and an open mind, at all times. At its best listening involves understanding the information, understanding the emotions, checking our understanding, seeing it from the person's viewpoint, without necessarily agreeing.

In our quest to escape the omni-present ‘misunderstanding’, we seek to explain, educate and emphasise our position. However, we need to listen and understand, before we can be understood. For others too are like us… we may be equipped to hear, but we may not have learned to listen…

Learn to listen and listen to learn
BE BETTER at paying attention!

- Pravin K. Sabnis

Goa, India.