The group bonded beautifully and I hope to offer this retreat again before long. On some level we are all healers; we are all counselors. We find ourselves listening to the problems of people at work, talking with our families, asking the general question 'How are you?' of the grocery store clerk and hearing a lot more about how they are than we were really asking for. Compassion is the ability to be present with another person with an open heart. Our intention to relate in life from a heart-centered place is the first step. The second step is to learn to be compassionate with our self, because genuine compassion that is clear and healing comes from acceptance and love of all of our own inner parts, all of our perceived flaws.
Learning to let go of our opinions, judgments and most advice is also critical in being with people in a way that allows them to listen to their own inner truth. People know exactly what is true for them and what they need as their next step; sometimes all they need is someone to listen while they process through the surface confusion. The dance of compassionate listening requires only that we listen with full attention to another human being, allow our intuition to guide us to the next genuinely curious question, and allow ourselves to see who the person really is without trying to change them in any way. This allows the other person to feel seen, an experience that can be deeply healing and allow them to then access their own inner truth and intuition.
This sounds simple and it is very simple. By contrast, it is actually a burden to think you know more about another person than they do and then try to come up with ideal advice, and then probably have to try to talk them into it as their resistance grows -- most of us really don't like being told what to do, even when we're asking. It seems many people are stressed right now and could use a healing moment in their day. A smile, a few empathetic words and open-hearted compassionate listening: these are our healing tools, free and bountiful.
Yours in Spirit!
Kay Taylor
Light some candles, run a bath, and treat yourself to a spa -- from the comforts of home -- with a free sample Inner Healing Reading.
