The Language of Being

When we think of languages, how often do we think of the language that we speak - “English”, “German”, “French” etc? Just for a moment, consider how much this separates someone into what you think you might know about them. They speak, you hear a language… and notice how quickly your brain classifies and boxes them.

Culture. Nationality. Where they come from etc.

I remember when I studied Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), we were encouraged to look at language in a wider context. Body language. Eye contact. Tonality etc. While this is useful to a point, it’s also looking through the lens of concepts.

When we have fixed ideas in our mind of how someone may show up with language, we often completely miss the communication entirely.

I first recognised this when I started learning German in Switzerland. In the beginning, despite not understanding a word of German, I was able to understand much more than I realised, just through careful observation and deeper listening. In fact, learning a language taught me a lot about what it means to really listen. It is much more than not speaking or just hearing. It has a more refined, deeper quality to it, beyond any concepts or ideas of what language or listening even is.

I’ve come to appreciate that to BE with someone fully, with all of your presence, without any motive or desire to control them in any way, shape or form, is true listening.

It has nothing to do with something that you are doing.

It has everything to do with the quality of your Beingness.