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Soul Stories: The Power of Listening and Sharing as a Sacred Art and a Spiritual Practice
True listening is an act of compassion and love
This is the second of two online talks I’ve given to the Edinburgh International Centre for Spirituality and Peace. This one was delivered on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024 under the banner “Soul Stories: The Power of Listening and Sharing as a Sacred Art and a Spiritual Practice.” I was joined by speakers, Dr. Donald Smith, Dr. Ian Wight, Dr. Gameli Kodzo Tordzro, and Margo Henderson. Click here for further information.
Today, I want to share with you the profound nature of listening and sharing as a sacred art and a spiritual practice. My reflections arise out of more than 50 years in listening service as a counselor and family therapist; as an educator and a pastoral counsellor at both secondary and post-secondary levels; and as a storyteller, writer, and musician working primarily with the elderly and dying.
Let’s explore why listening holds such deep significance through a story.
Four monks decided to meditate silently for two weeks. They lit a candle as a symbol of their silent practice and began. By nightfall on the first day, the candle began to flicker and then went out.
