Last weekend offered many of us the rare chance to see an aurora borealis caused by an extreme geomagnetic storm.
As purple, green and pink energy danced across the starry sky, it was fascinating to observe these powerful, typically unseen, forces interacting and influencing the evolution of our universe.
Gazing upon the wonder and beauty of the night airglow awakened a yearning within me — provocative and inviting, I felt drawn into a deep reflection of the interconnectedness and participatory nature of the world we live in.
The northern lights reveal the existence of electromagnetic and energy fields in space that go undetected by most of us until charged particles collide with elements in Earth’s atmosphere, becoming visible displays of light and color.
Witnessing this phenomenon was a profound reminder of the many invisible dynamic social processes that are constantly shaping and influencing the quality of our individual and collective lives.
Given the ongoing international crises, extreme polarization and the disturbing degree of disconnection happening within our local and global communities, it seems now, more than ever, we need to become more aware of what is actually occurring in the communal spaces we are involved in.
What are the unseen influences affecting our individual and collective attitudes, behavior and experiences?
For example, the various spaces we use for social interaction or public discourse are filled with implicit and explicit messaging that impacts the quality of our communication patterns and human relationships.
Unfortunately, the frantic pace of digital engagement deceptively presents ideas as mutually exclusive, coupled with incessant interruptions and notifications. The excessive amount of daily information distracts us from acknowledging nuance or the validity of various perspectives.
Deafening demands to succumb to the “us versus them” mentality engenders fear, threatens our sense of security and makes us more susceptible to the deliberately distorted, false narratives we are being told. It is no wonder a large majority of us report feeling exhausted, demoralized, isolated and lonely.
It has become increasingly difficult to resist cynicism and disillusionment as we confront the widespread corruption, injustice, violence and oppression in the world. These issues cannot be ignored. However, we need to find a better way to address and discuss such challenges with each other.
The recent spectacular celestial display seemed to be beckoning us to see the possibility of illuminating our social spaces with peace even against the background of darkness and devastation.
Fred Rogers wisely observed, “The purpose of life is to listen — to yourself, to your neighbor, to your world and to God and, when the time comes, to respond in as helpful a way as you can find … from within and without.”
Learning how to communicate and respond in a timely, sensitive and effective manner, without causing further damage and pain to those involved, will require us to become skilled listeners.
Listening is central to peacemaking and “the mark of all who seek to heal the heart of the world.” In order to create a more peaceful and just society, we must develop and practice the discipline of deep listening.
Through deep listening, we seek to understand the other before we seek to be understood. By sincerely striving to hear another person, we open ourselves to the possibility of “being changed in some way by the truth present in another. Conversation is not about the triumph of one point of view over another but about the discovery amidst our differences of a common ground of mutual respect, and even affection, where we can stand together.”
Deep listening is an act of love as it helps us develop our capacity to loosely hold “our judgments, our distrust, our doubts, and our fears and become present and available to another.” Our interdependent relationships necessitate listening to each other with greater curiosity, compassion, and generosity. As we listen to, learn from, and serve one another, we will continue to grow, change, and be strengthened together.
There is an inherent power in listening to others as we journey together toward a more peaceful future:
On the horizon of this landscape, a landscape that is as personal and spiritual as it is political and global, we see ourselves free of what binds us, and we walk in such a way that others are drawn forward so that they too may be free. We walk with purpose and strength. Love is our close companion.
Practicing deep listening during discussions within our families, organizations and communities is critical for humanity to recover from the current state of crisis and chaos we find ourselves in. It is time for us to become peacemakers who strengthen society by listening to, caring for and loving one another.
Tiffany Collard is an Organizational Leadership Consultant and a Peacebuilding Practitioner at Mormon Women for Ethical Government.