Quotes on Listening

The other day an article full of quotes about listening came through my inbox and I thought I'd post my favorites here.

Deep listening is the kind of listening that can help relieve the suffering of another person. You can call it compassionate listening. You listen with only one purpose: to help him or her to empty his heart.
— Thích Nhất Hạnh, Buddhist monk

 

When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand. Ideas actually begin to grow within us and come to life.
― Brenda Ueland, journalist

 

One of the benchmarks of great communicators is their ability to listen not just to what's being said, but to what's not being said as well. They listen between the lines.
― Laurie Buchanan, author

There are times that all you need is someone who will listen to you without judging you — not telling you what you should have done or should do, but simply, listening to you.
― Bernard Kelvin Clive, author

 

When we listen, we hear someone into existence.
― Laurie Buchanan, author and speaker

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.
— Bryant H. McGill, author and social entrepreneur

To say that a person feels listened to means a lot more than just their ideas get heard. It's a sign of respect. It makes people feel valued.
— Deborah Tannen, author

 

During a conversation, listening is as powerful as loving.
― Amit Kalantri, author

 

Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning, that without listening speaking no longer heals, that without distance closeness cannot cure.
— Henri Nouwen, spiritual leader

To learn through listening, practice it naively and actively. Naively means that you listen openly, ready to learn something, as opposed to listening defensively, ready to rebut. Listening actively means you acknowledge what you heard and act accordingly.

— Betsy Sanders, author

 

It is hard to engage in listening to another person with empathy if you are waiting for the spotlight to shine back on you.
― Ramani Durvasula, psychologist

When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.
— Dalai Lama

(And my blog friend Sonja adds that it is said this is why we have two ears but only one mouth.) 

 

Have a colorful day