Do you hear what I hear?

(Regney, 1962)

How often do you take time to really listen to yourself and to others? 

Mindful listening can help you acknowledge your own thoughts and feelings in the moment. It can also improve your ability to communicate effectively with those around you, helping them feel heard and appreciated.  

What follows is a group mindful listening task adapted from the Positive Psychology Toolkit©. It can help you to be present and engaged as you connect with others. You can try this with your close friends or classmates...

Step 1

In your chosen group, take five minutes to think about one thing you are stressed about and one thing you are most looking forward to.

Step 2

Once you have done this, ask everyone in the group to share their stories, one-by-one.

Step 3

As you are sharing your stories with the group, think about how it feels to say these things out loud. How does it feel to speak about your excitement or stress?

Step 4

Now direct your attention to your body sensations, thoughts, and feelings. How do you feel as you share? How do you feel as you listen? Does it feel the same? Does it feel different?

Step 5

Once everyone has shared, break off into smaller groups and answer the following questions.

Reflecting on the task...

Try answering a few of these questions;

  1. How did you feel as you were sharing with the group?

  2. How did you feel as you were listening to others?

  3. Did anything distract you during the process?

  4. How did you recover from the distraction and bring yourself back into the present?

  5. Did you think judgmental thoughts as you were listening to others?

  6. If so, how did this feel in the body?

  7. Did you feel empathy for others?

  8. If so, how did this feel in the body?

  9. How did your body feel as you were speaking?

  10. How did your body feel after you spoke?

  11. How do you feel now?

  12. What do you think would happen if you practiced mindful listening with everyone you spoke with?

  13. Could mindful listening change your interactions with others?

3 Minute Body Scan Meditation 

Why not try this 3 minute meditation?

What is Mindfulness?
Mindful Writing