Hello, Ami,

Listening well takes presence of mind. One way in which I’ve become a more mindful listener is to allow silence to fill the space. So much of the time, people dread that awkward silence and just fill it with whatever pops into their minds and out of their mouths. I’ve learned to let the silence be, to open up the conversation and allow thoughts to form and flow freely. Allowing silence becomes quite comforting.

I also listen much like I meditate. When the thoughts (monkey chatter) bubble up and into my mind, I let them float away. I simply focus on being present with the other person and listening to what the other person is saying, instead of formulating what I’ll say next. I just focus and listen, and then I wait. Wait time is extremely important. It gives the speaker time to complete her thoughts.

Mindful listening is simply being present with kindness and non-judgement. When my mind wanders, I gently bring it back to listening.

Smiles!