An essential part of true listening is the discipline of bracketing, the temporary giving up or setting aside of one's read more

An essential part of true listening is the discipline of bracketing, the temporary giving up or setting aside of one's own prejudices, frames of reference and desires so as to experience as far as possible the speaker's world from the inside, step in inside his or her shoes. This unification of speaker and listener is actually and extension and enlargement of ourselves, and new knowledge is always gained from this. Moreover, since true listening involves bracketing, a setting aside of the self, it also temporarily involves a total acceptance of the other. Sensing this acceptance, the speaker will fell less and less vulnerable and more and more inclined to open up the inner recesses of his or her mind to the listener. As this happens, speaker and listener begin to appreciate each other more and more, and the duet dance of love is begun again. -M. Scott Peck.

The first duty of love is to listen.

The first duty of love is to listen.

The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.

The greatest gift you can give another is the purity of your attention.

I think I will do nothing for a long time but listen.

I think I will do nothing for a long time but listen.

You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time. -M. Scott Peck.

You cannot truly listen to anyone and do anything else at the same time. -M. Scott Peck.

The wise old owl lived in an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke read more

The wise old owl lived in an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard: Why can't we all be like that bird? -Edward H. Richards.

To be listened to is, generally speaking, a nearly unique experience for most people. It is enormously stimulating. It is read more

To be listened to is, generally speaking, a nearly unique experience for most people. It is enormously stimulating. It is small wonder that people who have been demanding all their lives to be heard so often fall speechless when confronted with one who gravely agrees to lend an ear. Man clamors for the freedom to express himself and for knowing that he counts. But once offered these conditions, he becomes frigthened. -Robert C. Murphy.

Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.

Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.

Everything has been said before, but since nobody listens we have to keep going back and beginning all over again.