Stop. What's that Sound?

                                                         Photo by Valera Vulfson

Listening. It is one of the hardest things to do, and one of the most important skills we will ever need to master. It is the third guidepost in my little book "The Eightfold Path of the Urban Samurai". Those who are wise listen. I am not saying I am wise, I am saying I work at listening. It is a life long process. Not just to people's words, but to their hearts, not just to the noises in this world, but to its beating pulse, and not just to others but to our own soul. Listening takes courage. It is a risk of being vulnerable and taking in information that may change us, may challenge what we know to be true. But, this is a must. If we walk around with blinders in our perception on and don't listen - it will simply become harder to exist in reality and grow.  Social masks and the need to be right, gets in the way of our listening. We all wear them. We get validation for false selves in this world, but when we truly listen we are forced to take the masks off if even for a second. To be able to be open to being available, to listen with everything we have is to disappear for a moment into the grand totality of life. It takes consciousness, courage, and selflessness. When we listen we learn, when we learn we incorporate, when we incorporate we become bigger, when we become bigger we grow, when we grow it is easier to make good choices, when we make strong choices we are fulfilled. Listen, it is worth the risk and the work, your relationships will thrive and your soul will soar to new heights.