Attention and Intention are key to the process of connecting empathetically. Keeping your attention on the intention to hear the feelings and needs underneath all the 'Jackal" protestations, complaints, explanations and analyses is what will eventually get the needs met. This seems to be one of the most difficult and one of the most necessary things for people to accomplish when learning "Giraffe".
I'm actually blogging this to keep it as a reference for me. 'Attention' is a key word in the Jesuit tradition and I came across this definitive phrase in one of my recent readings. I thought it made sense on many levels.
Paying attention: It seems like such a simplistic phrase yet very hard to 'master' in life. Do you find this as well? To keep one's attention concentrated on what one is speaking in a dialogue - not being distracted by 'your' thoughts, opinions, assumptions, judgements? And then there is one's personal attention to one's needs (inner not really physical)...one's intentions.
Oh well, maybe it's late ..
PS: The reference to 'giraffe' here is dealing with character formation.
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4 comments:
I have many ADD traits so this is a hopeless cause for me!
Hi G: Well, I didn't even consider that! I try to emphathize and understand the difficulties one has with learning disabilities but give great encouragement and kudos for those who handle this all on a daily basis. m
This is something that I am constantly trying to incorporate into my daily life. Sometimes our lives move so fast...our thoughts flitting to the next "have to do" thing on our big lists. I'm trying to bring a sense of calm into my life and a way of being centered and in the moment and truly with attention to what I am doing and who I am with. I always need to do this with great intent. It's a work in progress. Thank you.
Yes, Barb! In the 70s I was instructed in TM (transcendental meditation) 1) because it seemed cool, 2) my husband was very INTO it and 3) it sure beat the buzz on other drugs of preference at the time for me. Fast forward to 2000 and here I am finding this exercise helpful in refocusing....hmmm, if only I had more time to do that ....
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