The Art of Listening

The type of people you meet, the situations you get yourself into, the accidents that happen to you, the message on a billboard you pass every morning on your way to work. Life talks to us. If you look at everything through these lenses, life suddenly takes on a new meaning.

The only thing we need to do is ask: what is the universe trying to tell me?

• If every time I apply for this type of job I end up burned out, what does that tell me?

• If my car will not start in the morning when I'm running late for meeting with certain people at work, what is that trying to tell me?

• If I see a billboard saying “Go for it” and the next second a person rings to offer me a new job, what does that tell me?

• If I keep on meeting people who have the same story in common, what does that mean for me?

Pay attention and notice the coincidences, the synchronicities, and the messages, even if you do not understand them. Giving them attention is the first step. Simply notice, and ask in your mind: what is this about?

Sometimes the meaning will be clear. If you’re being told three times a day to slow down in various circumstances, maybe keep that in mind when you deliver a speech later that afternoon. Maybe the message was for that specific occasion.

But whether you understand the message or not, it’s important to listen. Stay alert; receive what you’re being given. The more you are willing to receive and the more attention you pay, the more clarity you will eventually have.

Listening to the signs does not equal listening to others. Other people will very rarely know what is really good for you and their advice will come loaded with their own personal agendas, experiences, fears, and worries. If their energy vibrates at a lower level than yours, they will not be able to offer any meaningful advice for your situation. The best of friends will simply listen to you talk and encourage you to find your own solutions. Remember, listening to the universe does not mean asking other people what to do.

Listening is not feeling. It is not thinking either. Listening comes from a place of silence within us. Learning to listen gets us in touch with that voice deep within us that often helps us navigate our lives in the absence of clear markings: intuition.