Parkinson's: Listening More

 A Journey Into Parkinson's with Nancy Mellon

Coordinated by Corrine Bayraktaroglu

April is the Month of Listening More

I'm all ears

I declare April to be the month of “Listening More.”  During our journal writing session, Fran gave us a group of 7 mantra phrases.   She called them: 7 Mantra Crystals.  We were told to pick one out from the list and silently repeat it in our heads over and over.  If a thought popped up that we wanted to write down, we could and then immediately we were to go back to repeating the mantra over and over. It was a splendidly, fruitful way to help you to focus and to draw out new thoughts. 

I picked “Listening More.”

If you want to give it a try-

The 7 Mantra Crystals were:

How can I keep from singing

Staying quiet

Listening more

Winter giving way to Spring

Some new picture meant for me

Unfolding in its own way

Sitting in stillness breathing

 I found that what came up first was the thought to listen to me more. To hear my inner thoughts- to know myself better. To listen not judge.  There is a sense of peace through listening, and being listened to.  It's a gift we give each other.

I have felt that my gift to others has always been to listen. But it has gotten spottier in the last years.

When did I speed up so that it is hard to listen?

Listening more is a cheerful, comforting thought. Who doesn't like to be listened to?  Listening more is loving kindness in action. It's paying attention. It's focusing in the now. Wow, saying it makes me smile.

I Declare the month of April as the “Listening More” Month.

Listen to others, listen to myself, nature, my breath, sounds.

May you listen more,

Nancy & the Snark

P.S. I started this post at the beginning of March but didn't get back to finish it until the end of March. Sooooo I had to change the listening challenge to the month of April. Which irritates me because March sounds so much better with the words Month and More! And it means that I spent the month of March not listening more. Ah well. Fingers crossed for April.

Footnotes From Corrine

 So often we listen to key words someone is saying and then think about how we are going to respond instead of just listening and being fully present. It truly is a blessing to have someone sit and  listen and a gift I hope to be mindful of.