I’ve been receiving such rich feedback from you all regarding the listening quiz I created, and it’s given rise to deeper reflections about what it really means to listen in nonviolent ways.

Marshall would say that when we listen nonviolently, that it’s impossible to hear any verbal attacks.  Instead, by placing our attention on the underlying feelings and needs at play in any given situations, we’re able to see through their tragic strategy of blame and shame, and not take things so personally.

We are able to listen for the meaning in what other people are trying to say, and stop getting so hooked by how they say it, or the unskillful words they are using.

Although we may long for others to be more skillful, our well-being is no longer dependent upon others saying things differently.  It’s enough for us to simply translate the judgments into the underlying feelings and needs.

In this week’s podcast, we revisit last week’s conversation about faux feelings by answering some more nuanced questions that extend the earlier discussion. Then, we dive into a rich conversation about nonviolent listening.