By Yael van Assendelft
A beautiful fragment of a masterclass by conductor Mariss Jansons captures what listening is about for me. Listening to the fragment, it resonated with me on a deeper level (link to the 03:30 mins video,https://2cm.es/JPFY ). It took me some time to capture its echo. Let me give it a try, hoping it makes sense to you too.
LISTENING AS A LANGUAGE OF RESONANCE, is when someone’s thoughts and feelings can resonate in the listening space. For the listener to hear their wisdom and authentic truth, to show respect to that truth, regardless of whether you agree, and to give this meaning by being responsive in respecting the authentic truth. Listening then creates connection on deeper grounds, too, beyond truth, interest or ego.
LISTENING AS SEEING THROUGH THE WORDS, is to listen to their wisdom, their authentic truth and to let this resonate and do its work, in yourself and the other. For listener and speaker to see what happens and listen. With this giving impulse to a new emerging exchange of meaning.
For me, listening is about setting the stage for this and giving the other person the confidence that this is there for them. Without giving away your authenticity as listener along the process.
In the video (2:31) Jansons indicates: by playing, the musicians experience and come to understand the meaning of what is meant. This giving space to what echoes through, requires mastering leaning back to see what happens and to listen.
The listener conducts the listening process as it were, bringing in space and time for the process to do its work and the meaning of what is meant to become clear. The key here is to really slow down and trust the resonance to find its way. Something that contrasts deeply with the speed of our current state of affairs of working and living.
What challenges me most in pursuing the above-mentioned way of listening is pressure. The structural pressure of much to do and talk about and little time, and of a general need in our thinking to get things done quickly. Coincidentally, making observations is part of my work as a Works Council Secretary. It really helps me lean back more when creating listening space, see what happens and trust this process. Through trial and error 😉
Musicians understand the above naturally, I believe. To me words and silence are like music, an expression of sound. The invitation, I hear and feel, is to listen and honour their expression.
