Apple Blossoms by Laurie Buchanan
Different from hearing, one of the benchmarks of a great communicator is their ability to listen:
We hear dogs bark, tires squeal, birds chirp, a siren wail, and church bells ring. When we hear, it’s usually passive. A passive listener is oftentimes busy formulating their own response while another person is speaking.
Listening is active; it’s something we invest our self in. An active listener pays attention; they take in what’s being said. By intent, when I listen to another person I remain aware of their inherent divinity. This practice prevents me from interrupting. Most of us would never interrupt Divine Love—God.
© TuesdaysWithLaurie.com
Tuesdays with Laurie 
A divine swing indeed there. Yes, an active listening is more powerful than a power-packed speech. Listening means learning, surrendering, making onself available to the ocean of existence. Otherwise we are unwisely busy ‘lecturing’ others. Thanks.
Sulochanosho – I very much like what you said: “Listening means learning, surrendering, making onself available to the ocean of existence.” Thank you for stopping by today.
What a lovely way of expressing this, Laurie! To truly listen actively to the divine in the other person… This is a great way to start my day, thinking of this.
Good morning, Kathy. Were you gifted with a rain-washed morning like us down here? I always like to listen to you have to share in your blog, Lake Superior Spirit. Have a great day — and thank you for the visit.
We had lots of rain on Friday–but not this morning. Looks like the rain all went south of us. Darn!
Good Morning!
Hearing is an unconscious act, listening is a conscious action, one that is learned and cultivated from within.
Not only listening to another person but listening to the voice from within, the divine voice. Listening to nature speak with whispers through the trees, the babble of a brooke, a song of a bird or the sound of silence in a place of worship !
Listen to your heart !
I am Love, Jeff
Great Photograph!
Jeff – Ahhhh, intentional listening to nature speak. That’s music to my ears. I’m glad you like the photo. Coming from a professional photographer that means a lot. I took it three days ago in our back yard. It’s our dwarf golden delicious apple tree. This spring it turned five. The wind was whippin’ up a storm! What you can’t see is that my left hand holding the branch still so my right hand can take a non-blurred shot. It took several tries.
Hi, Laurie — you are so right about listening. When we are formulating our response in our head, we don’t really listen to the other person and miss our opportunity to get to know them better. Listening is a full body and mind activity and an absolutely wonderful time to do nothing.
Barbara – “… we miss our opportunity to get to know them better.” You’re absolutely correct.
For other readers, I encourage you to visit Barbara’s blog this morning where she shares her potential epitaph. It’s great food for thought!
I love listening to you ALWAYS! I also want to share that we also forget to live in the moment. I was thinking about that yesterday when running a couple of menial errands. I saw and old ford truck. All rusted and blue and thought it was beautiful. I picked up my contact lenses from the doctor’s office and the Mexican landscapers were singing while they were scooping the mulch into place and snowing down on me, my car and parking lot were crab apple flower petals. It was a beautiful moment so I sat there for a few extra moments to take it all in. sigh….
Another day to enjoy. I meet my new renters today. I hope they will be good. We don’t need another tenant that kidnaps his girlfriend….
Good morning, Beth! I’m glad you stopped in. Your blog this morning, “Desperate Housewife – I’m so Happy I could Poop” cracked me up!
I, too, hope you don’t have another “International Incident” (slight exaggeration, but sounds really good) occur at your rental home!
If one is not listening, they are doing something else–so not really “there”. It’s key to be interested rather than interesting while listening to help each other expand. Thank you for your blogs — sooooo much, Laurie!
“It’s key to be interested rather than interesting …” Kathy, that is a vital point — thank you!
Listening is a skill that comes with practice, an art really. Thanks for the reminder to listen! I miss the daily interaction we shared at Gaia. Love You, Jeannie
Jeannie – My heart aches for the interaction of our old Gaia Community. I’m glad you came by today, thank you.
My heart aches for it, too..
Kathy – I’m grateful that so many of us stay in touch through our blogs.
Thanks for the “Apple Eye View” into listening. Listening and looking at the Divine in another person can truly bring joy and laughter to ones life. I have been trying it every day, at least for a part of the day. I do honestly think the interactions are more real and personel, rather than being cold, short, and not very productive. in looking at the Divine, I find that it is salso like putting yourself in the other persons life and finding common divinity.
Thanks for sharing your tremendous insight.
Kim
http://butterfliesgalore.wordpress.com
Kim – I really like your observation, “… it’s like putting yourself in the other person’s life and finding common divinity.” Yes, yes, and yes again. As the camel driver in Paul Coelho’s book The Alchemist said, “All of our life stories and the history of the world were written by the same hand.”
did I just hear what I thought you heard?
….giggles,
Ri’
Rita – You make me laugh.
This is my first message from my Kindle…
hard to type but great to read posts….
See you on the Gaia Calll tomorrow?
Kim – I’ve never sent a message from my Kindle. It’s going to be nip and tuck, I’m going to try to be on the Gaia call this morning (just after 10am Central Time).
I think one can only hear if one decides to listen,
but I may well be wrong
Mike – I would agree that listening is intentional; it’s on purpose.
ahhh and to rightfully hear, of the all instilled, could be the hoist of yet to be encountered:-))
Bless
Rita – I’m glad that you came by again. Blessings to you as well.
Dear Laurie,
This is a beautiful way of looking at how to enhance communication, and love, also. If one listens, then one may allow their heart and mind to open up enough to understand.
On the subject of working with individuals, who may not hold the same values as ours, the idea that you propose, would lead to healthier relationships. Sometimes, people pass judgment and the Divine leaves their hearts. So if you always look at someone, as being connected to Divinity, then the connection is always there.
🙂
Tomas – I’m glad you stopped in this morning and shared your thoughts. Will you be on the Gaia Minute call this morning at 9am Mountain Time? The call in number is 1-218-862-1300, and the conference code is 855 676.
Laurie, I miss our ease and breadth of Gaia conversations as well. Blog reading is just not as smooth and easy but for now it is what we have and we shall make it work. Maybe we were meant to go out in the bigger world.
I must make a confession when you say “Most of us would never interrupt Divine Love—God.” I am one of those people that maybe more easily interrupt the universe/divine love/god in the abstract than if the intervention was coming from you say you, or Jeff or Kathy. I think that sometimes I am only willing to “listen” in that divine way once I have exhausted all possibility of charging ahead in a direction I have set my intent.
As a coach I listen deeply for extended periods, catching the meaning between the words as well as what is being said. My intent is to hold a space for another to be fully heard.
But it is different when I am willfully engaged with my own expectations and visions. Then I sometimes work hard at pausing, waiting and listening and being present without interrupting with my own thoughts, ideas, hopes and inspirations.
To conclude, my conversations with the universe/divine love/god are animated, sassy, caring and filled with possibility and humour… and at times tearfully frustrated when I am disappointed.
Terrill – I love how you shared, “My intent is to hold a space for another to be fully heard.” And I can fully see and appreciate you being a sassy lassie with the divine! I’m so glad you stopped by today. I’m looking forward to your post tomorrow on Creative Potager as you step into your summer blog schedule.
LOL
Sassy Lassie with the divine….
I like that one!!
Kim
Kim – I heard you a wee bit on the Gaia Minute call this morning. I sure you’ve been able to enjoy our stunning weather today. I enjoyed most of it through an open window, but then Len and I grocery shopped and we lollygagged while carrying them in, and then basked in it as I helped Len work on the gate.
Just a bit…I was outside and the dog next door wanted to play with OREOZ…They had a grand time.. our neighbor Cindy was so appreciative for Mike mowing their lawn…her hubby had a mini stroke…
Thanks and have a good evening
Kim