Listen Like Kira

LISTEN LIKE KIRA  🐾🐾

I was sitting quietly in the living room, with Kira asleep next to me. The rain, pushed around by gusts of wind, was tip-tapping rhythmically on the window. Suddenly, without warning, she lifted her head. Her body was perfectly still. Only her ears were moving very slightly, precisely and purposely, scanning the air. Beyond the noise of the rain, her sensitive dog ears had captured a sound that, as a human, I did not have access to, and sure enough, a few moments later the doorbell rang.

After attending to the door, I returned and praised Kira for her guard dog skills!

This time she was not just hearing but listening to me, watching my every move, tuning in to the tone of my voice. Her eye contact was solid, as her ears lifted and rotated. I could tell she was fully present, listening with intensity through her whole being.

This experience got me thinking about our human listening habits.

When you listen to someone, do you ever find yourself:

• Faking attention, or practising selective hearing?
• Waiting for your turn to talk?
• Interrupting the conversation?
• Making assumptions, or jumping to conclusions?
• Giving in to internal or external distractions?

How do you feel when the person you are talking to is engaging in some of these habits? 

We can all improve our listening skills, with the first step being to stop talking (our bodies give us a clue since most of us have two ears and one mouth so perhaps we should use them proportionally!) and observe our own ‘not so helpful’ listening habits with humour and gentleness.

Kira’s Top Tips to Be a Better Human Listener

1. Remove external distractions – put your phone down and switch off the TV.
2. Be present and aware of your inner chatter.
3. Show that you are listening – nod, or tilt your head.
4. Look for verbal, and non-verbal cues – intonation, pace, body language, and facial expressions.
5. Listen to understand (not to respond) – be aware of your personal interpretations and assumptions and ask for clarification if necessary.
6. If you feel you are not in the right space to listen, be honest and gentle with yourself and the other person, and confident enough to say so.

Lend an ear to someone, disconnect from your life concerns, reconnect to the subtle and powerful art of listening and dare to be the change you want to see in your organisation, family, community and life!

The Gift of “Presence”

Workshop: Hand Massage for Family & Friends

This workshop will give you the foundation skills to share the gift of touch with family and friends. It is an introductory exploration of the energy of gentleness, a moment of self-care and it will give you the confidence to offer a lovely hand massage to people you know. No previous experience is necessary.

Touch matters to:

1. Share a special time between parents and children.
2. Bring calm and relief to a stressed or anxious friend, colleague or yourself.
3. Communicate when you can’t find words.

Get in Touch Today

m[email protected] – 07947 319 362

Offer a Hand Massage to someone you care for.

Words: Mathilde Barbier