The Gift of Listening by Gillian Marshall

When was the last time you had a conversation with someone and REALLY listened to them? No interruptions, no helpful suggestions as to how to fix their life, no judgements.

Life is so busy these days with distractions such as deadlines, social media etc. We fill every second of our lives, it seems. Being present in the moment, listening to another person is such a precious gift of love. I’ve just come back from a walk in the rain. I may have been by myself physically, but I was accompanied by my inner guide- Divine Spirit. My mind was whirring with problems and issues that I need to deal with.

Like many people, there’s a lot going on in my life. Writing this article was one of the challenges ahead of me today. As I walked, I silently sang HU, an ancient name for Divine Spirit.

Then I started to get some answers to issues. The quiet voice of Divine Spirit could finally get through the noise and chaos of my mind. I’d already written this article, but as I sat down at the laptop, it changed as I typed.

I realise that it was not only about listening to other people without interruption or judgement, but also listening to our true self, Soul, and being kind and loving to ourselves. Something I’m continually working on. We’re drawn to influencers, TV personalities and more for guidance, but true wisdom comes from within us.

Soul is immortal, all knowing, all wise. If only we’d listen to ourselves, and our loving Inner Guide that only wants the best for us. We all have an Inner Guide, whether we are aware of it or not. It may be your personal guide, or whatever is right for you.

Soul exists because God loves It.

It’s all about love.

When we listen to another person from a place of love, we connect, Soul to Soul. If someone comes to you wanting answers, listening to them helps them tune into their true self and discover the wisdom, and answers within.

Sometimes I share how to sing HU with someone when we have a Soul-to-Soul conversation, and this can help them find their own answers. It transforms a meaningful chat into a spiritual exercise. Don’t be afraid of silence! We often feel the need to fill that quiet space, but it is truly a gift to let people sit in silence, and know that they are allowed to have that time and space to explore and find their own solutions: ones that are right for them.

Would you like to know more about Eckankar and how to find your own answers to your questions? We have online HU songs followed by a spiritual discussion every Friday evening at 7pm, everyone is welcome to join in or just sit and listen.

Details are on the www.eckankarqld.org website.

Build your spiritual self-confidence with the sacred sound HU