essay of 700 words on "Learning to listen, learning to think"
Answers
Dennis Lewis in his essay on ‘The Lost Art of Listening’ says, ‘It can be said in general that most people no longer know how to listen–either to one another or to themselves. Though most of us have ears that can hear very well, we do not actually know how to use these ears to listen. Listening has indeed become a lost art. And the results are obvious not just in education, society, business, and politics but also in the very fabric of our individual lives.’
Listening is an invaluable skill very few people have. The present inconsiderate pace of the world has thrown everyone in such a commotion and turbulence that everyone is in hurry. At offices, workplaces, roads, marketplaces, shops, hospitals, and religious places, everyone is in hurry! Deadlines seem to be pushing everyone. In this hurry our communication with one another is so haphazard and choppy that almost half of it is lost from being conveyed and assimilated because of lack of proper listening. Even while communicating with our family members, friends, relatives or colleagues, we are more focused on what we have to say than on what others are saying! So in this hurry the entire world is having corrupted communication! No wonder there is so much chaos, disorder, anguish, hurt, pain, and restlessness all around us!
What is the solution to the ills of mankind in the present scenario? The panacea to all ills is learning the art of listening. Shakespeare has rightly said, ‘And this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.’ Anyone who knows how to listen to, will sure be a catalyst to bringing peace, understanding, and bonhomie. The art of listening can be developed through patience and understanding. Each one of us must play proper role in the communication process we have with others. When we will listen to others, others will also listen to us. There will be better communication among people. This will lead to better understanding and better action needed to solve the existing problems threatening the entire mankind.
For this we must practice the art of listening every day. We must devote some moments to develop our listening skills. We must sit in a quiet corner or room and practice listening. We must start by being quiet and stilling the incessant noise of our own thoughts always blaring in the hall of our own heart. We must observe our own thoughts. According to psychologists a normal man thinks approximately sixty-thousand thoughts every day. This is where the actual problem is. The clutter of confused, hurt, and painful thoughts does not let us listen to others thoughtfully and mindfully. These thoughts are disturbing us when others communicate with us. Our foremost task must be to clear this clutter and keep our mind either peaceful or cheerful. In peace and happy state of mind, we generally communicate quite effectively.
Pablo Neruda, the great Chilean poet in his poem, ‘Keeping Quiet’ also stresses upon the art of keeping quiet to solve all the national and international problems. According to him all the problems of war, exploitation, restlessness, will automatically end once we learn how to be quietly active.
There are a few other golden practices that we can adopt to develop the art of listening. The simplest out of them is the practice of observing silence. There is famous saying that says: 'Speech is silver; silence is golden.' Undoubtedly, silence is a great virtue that blossoms with long trials and tribulations. There is another famous adage that can be cited in the context. The adage says: 'Deep rivers run quietly.' This adage signifies people who are deep thinkers and have deep knowledge about life, prefer remaining quiet.
There is another famous maxim that says: ‘Empty vessels make most noise.' This maxim means people who are shallow, with little knowledge, talk maximum; their gibberish and chatter cause maximum hurt and anguish. So again in order to not to be the cause of anguish for others, our elders have suggested to us observe silence.
Another practice that can be quite helpful in becoming a good listener is the practice of deep breathing. Systematic, regular, rhythmic breathing makes our mind calmer and more peaceful. Communication done in this peace is beneficial and quite productive. So all of us must practice the art of listening consciously, as it won’t happen own its own!