Dr. Vijai S Shankar MD.PhD.
Published on www.academy-advaita.com
The Netherlands

22th July 2017

Listening 

“Interpretations”

 

You hear because you hear. This is a natural phenomenon. You hear what is spoken, which is a natural phenomenon as well. You understand what you hear, when listening happens to you.

Listening is an inherent characteristic of understanding due to intellect. Listening evolves when intellect evolves understanding. It is important to understand this.

Therefore, you understand because of listening and you do not understand just because of hearing. This is obvious because, in a classroom, all hear but all do not understand to the same extent.

All understand that they can hear. Therefore, each student understands differently depending upon the degree of listening that has evolved in the understanding of the student.

The same, natural phenomenon of listening is applicable to society, family, friendship and workplace or to any circumstance or situation where conversation with a known language is involved.

This natural phenomenon of listening signifies that when each person is in conversation with another, interpretation will be absent if the evolved degree of listening in both is the same. Different interpretations will be present if the evolved degree of listening is not the same. 

You understand that listening is linked with understanding and not merely to hearing by observing that, when all are conversing in a crowd, you do not understand the conversation, but only hear sounds. You understand the conversation when you listen to a person in the crowd.

A child too hears sounds all around it, but does not understand the sounds. When listening evolves in the child, the child begins to understand the sounds around it as words.

Now, listening evolves as well, which reflects as superficial understanding of words as knowledge or deep understanding of words as wisdom. Both are not the same, though it is believed more knowledge is wisdom, while that is not the truth.

With superficial listening or knowledge interpretations may or may not be present. If interpretations are present harmony is absent. With deep listening as wisdom, interpretations are absent and harmony is always present.

Author: Dr. Vijai S. Shankar
© Copyright V. S. Shankar 2017
 

Editor’s Note:
This is a beautifully revealed reflection of one of life’s supreme gifts to mankind. It is being presented through the deep understanding and wisdom of an enlightened being. The brilliant artistry and compassion of the process of evolution for each and every child that is born shine out. There is no regard for the human situation or circumstance. It is so for each as it is meant to be. Here is the pathway to enlightenment.
Julian Capper, UK.

German Translator’s Note: 
Everybody knows the feeling of lacking in concentration. It happens to us when we want to learn something or when something important is being said for example. Much effort happens in such situations in order to not miss anything and we have the strong intention to listen well. A deeper understanding of such situations of listening with concentration is provided by the wise in this article “Listening“. The reader should “listen“ to these explanations, however, this is not in his or her hands. Let’s wait and see what happens. 
Marcus Stegmaier, Germany. 

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