Calliope Center
Workshops & Retreats » The Art of Authentic Listening
"It is the province of knowledge to speak, and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes
The Art of Authentic Listening
Truly listening to someone isn't easy. It doesn't seem to come naturally to everyone. And yet, being deeply heard and understood is what most of us are asking for. The Art of Authentic Listening will give you experience with this sacred practice and prepare you to continue the work within your own community. We will explore the meditative state of listening and go further, into "mirroring the soul." We'll also begin using the technique of authentic listening on ourselves, which, when practiced regularly, is truly transformative.
Why is listening so difficult for us? Often, we are filtering input through our need for self-protection: we're looking for clues that this person is or isn't like us, is or isn't a threat, does or doesn't serve our purposes. We also want to feel helpful and needed, so we might be formulating advice as we're listening: finding solutions to their problems.
Authentic listening asks us to do something seemingly very simple: just listen. That means being present, which also isn't always as easy as it seems! It means clearing our minds of our own thoughts so we can openly receive the other's meaning. It means listening with the heart, which hears more than words. It means allowing for real connection between you and another person. We'll learn how to gain skill with this ambitious art, using techniques you can practice every time you're within earshot of someone else -- and even with the voices in your own head. This workshop can bring up resistance in people because authentic listening exposes us in a way to which we're unaccustomed in our society. Fortunately, such resistance gives us the perfect opportunity to practice the art itself.
This workshop will be especially useful to established groups and can be combined with other workshops as a weekend retreat. Please contact us if you're interested in arranging a workshop or retreat for your organization.
$95
Recommended Reading:
The Different Drum by M. Scott Peck
Habits of the Heart by Robert N. Bellah
A Hidden Wholeness by Parker Palmer
The Wisdom of Listening by Mark Brady