Listening Reading Writing Speaking

Chaitanya

Listen. We have focused so much on listening on the path of knowledge that we got overwhelmed an overlooked other ways to grow our understandingnamely listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Lets start with listening.

Listening is such an everyday, mundane activity that we do not pay much attention to what we listen to, how to listen, and what it means to listen. Slowly, we have become experts in multitasking, hence experts in not doing anything properly.One should listen completely, wholeheartedly. Listen with your whole attention. Obviously, it means one should not be involved in any other activity.

With the advent of technology, the facility to listen to the teachings of a Guru is now available at your whim, at your home, or anywhere. The same technology gives you the freedom to increase the speed of a sermon or lesson to 1.5x or 2x. Please do not do so. Why so much impatience? One should still listen as if the Guru or speaker is sitting in front of you. Listen to the tone, texture, pauses, the words, the emphasis on certain words, the manoeuvers, the laugh, the sighs, the thought process. Contemplate with himhow he is trying to connect the dots. Be with him and with his presence.Listen with the intention to absorb as much as you can, as you would bask in the winter sun.

*Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply. Stephen R. Covey*

Listen, when you are free from distraction, open to receive the teachings neutrally while your own logic and experience, or better if you are ready to find the loopholes, shortcomings in the teachings. Start with eagerness. Avoid distraction. After listening, ask yourself: what did I understand, and what did I not understand? Give importance to it. Certainly you doelse why would you put so much effort to listen to something so abstract, which might not have direct importance in your day-to-day life amid the hustle-bustle of career or household responsibilities? but* try Listening as if your life depends on it.* Be amazed by the words.If you have found the right Guru, I am quite sure it will be a roller -coaster ride. I cannot advise how many times one should listen, but I am sure you will not listen to it only once. If you did not understand completely, you will surely come back to it. Even if you feel you understood most of it, you will return againfor the joy of it, for the beauty of it.When you listen again, you realize that these teachings have many layers. You are drawn back again and again. * Listen. Listen to what is being said. If you pay close attention, you begin to observe your own reactions and responses. When attention becomes steady, listening deepens. Resonance begins to happen.Then it does not matter whether you are listening for the first timeyou can sense what is about to be said next. The mind begins to declutter. Words become alive.In that moment, understanding is immediate, effortless, and complete. Pure magic.*

Let us explore this thinking and reflecting thoroughly and attentively, together with the speaker first ,because it applies to reading, writing, and speaking too.Together, as Jiddu Krishnamurti would sayhands quietly clasped under his thighs, upper body slightly leaning forward, face alive with emphasis. It is called contemplation (Con with, together, thoroughly; templum a sacred space and time for observation).

There are various ways in which a topic can be contemplated. You can apply seven questions (what, why, when, how, where, who, and how many?). Everything has two aspectsgo into one extreme and observe its advantages, disadvantages, facts, beliefs, and your emotions, feelings, or random thoughts about it. Then investigate the different scenarios in between and weigh them on your logic and experience.In contemplation, it is not the intensity, but the continuity that matters. Let a question simmer inside you slowly. Let it unfold. Let the answers emerge.

*Reading without reflection is like eating without digestion. Edmund Burke*

Read. When it is asked to read, it does not mean reading anything random. It includes spiritual texts as well as reading from the discipline you have chosen. To be precise, read something written by your Guru (at least initially). If he has not written anything, as is often the case, read transcripts of his satsang or teachings.

Then you may ask how it is different from listening to the same thing? Actually, you should.

During listening, there could be interruptions or distractions, and even Gurus may wander into stories, anecdotes, or metaphors. Sometimes the essence of a lecture can be captured in a few lines. Listening forces you to keep up or rewind, which disrupts flow. Hence, reading can save time.

In written form, ideas are more precise. The flow of paragraphs, thought process, direction, and sequence of arguments become clearer. Philosophical texts involve a slow unfolding of arguments and definitions, with embedded references and logical structure. Print allows you to linger on a sentence, re-read it, and compare it with earlier passagesthis is critical for understanding.

Reading is personal. It is self-paced. It allows pauses, re-readings, underlining, and reflection. You can linger over it, hang on to it. Reading provides space and time.It is recommended to use a pencilunderline and make side notes. If you have listened deeply, you may even hear the words in the voice of your Guru.

Writing: Seekers should start by writing whatever the Guru has said in a satsang or lesson. Write as much as possiblewhatever you can recall.( 1.transcriptive writing- Ramkrishnavachnamrit) Be open to adding more later. With the advent of technology, you may be tempted to use a mobile phone, but writing by handwith pen and paperbrings deeper understanding. For many, this may come after a long gap, bringing freshness, eagerness, and even nostalgia. importance of writing with hand was discussed in the article mistake.(2)You may also use diagrams or schematic representations for clarity.

Essence writing: After listening multiple times, write key sentences that capture the essence of the teaching.

Our mind is cluttered with innumerable ideas and thoughts. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take out pen and paper and write whatever is running through your mind. Let the sentences be uneven. Do not bother about grammar. Let thoughts flow freely.Write until you are exhausted. Over time, you will see the benefit. You may even begin doing this first thing in the morning. (Expressive writingJames W. Pennebaker) 3.

Another way is contemplative writing. Step back from noise, urgency, and roles. Not only physical isolation, but psychological disengagement is important. Choose a quiet place and, if possible, a fixed time.Take a topic or question. Stay with iteven if nothing comes initially. Return to it again. You may contemplate the same question for days or weeks.Write not just points, but sentences, then paragraphs, and gradually shape them into a small articlebased on your own understanding and experience, not borrowed ideas.
The topic could be simple: What am I seeking? or What is the ideal way to spend a day?

Speaking: The lesser you speak, the better it would be

*The tongue has no bones, but it is strong enough to break a heart. Turkish proverb*

But first ensure that you have understood the teachings. Do not assume. One should be able to express the essence of a topic clearly. For feedback, speak with a fellow seeker or record yourself and listen back.
Better your understanding, lesser will be hesitation. Speak clearly. Speak in simple sentences. Choose your words wisely.

Speech can be seen as words that break silence. Let it be worth breaking that silence.

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For any errors, feedback and suggestions on this article or past articles and for suggestions of topics for the next articles
Please mail chaitanya.seeker@gmail.com
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1. Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita - is path breaking work in term of transcriptive writing 
*Ram krishnavachnamrit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sri_Sri_Ramakrishna_Kathamrita
2. https://gyanmarg.guru/ww/view.php?id=52995902&con=12384154
3. expresssive writing 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/19415586_Confronting_a_Traumatic_Event_Toward_an_Understanding_of_Inhibition_and_Disease
https://cssh.northeastern.edu/pandemic-teaching-initiative/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2020/10/Pennebaker-Expressive-Writing-in-Psychological-Science.pdf?

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ज्ञानाक्षर

Listening Reading Writing Speaking

Chaitanya