VIVA-RKMM - Inspired Living #Interview

Our 2nd Podcast Episode on Happiness is Live!

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:00:01 +0530

Summary

Basics of happiness can be understood by thinking of two words which are often used in each other's place - Joy & Happiness. Often used in each other's place, these words have a distinctive meaning. Joy is generated from within; things which I do that gives me joy. On the other hand, happiness is something that is largely dependent on external aids. Joy is a deeper bliss one experiences when they do things that are of value to their internal being. An even better understanding of joy is linked to the Upanishadic idea of our real nature - Sat-Chit-Ananda - You are joy itself! We don't remember this and often suffer on account of ignorance of our real nature. All the practices which our Shastras speak of, are linked to the ultimate joy that is intrinsic to every person.

Even when we analyse the life of a regular person going through a workday with their issues and responsibilities, we realize that this joy our scriptures speak of, can be experienced more and more as we move from a mindset of gross to subtle. This mindset has the potential to remove our existential problems and difficulties as well, as joy slowly develops from within. Life of Sri Ramakrishna is the perfect example of someone who was suffering with a fatal disease and yet he exuberated joy day in and out. His very presence and the atmosphere around Him was full of joy as He reached the subtlest element within Him, His own nature which is joy itself. If you are an aspirant, all suffering even can generate a tremendous sense of resilience and determination to delve even deeper to find out the Truth for yourself, your real nature - that is joy. Sri Ramakrishna used to say - look upon human beings as a veritable manifestation of God and find that joy within that you are God Himself when you are serving the human beings and the sincerity and honesty in your practice will help you trace that inner joy within yourself. We can and should use our rich heritage brought forth by our Rishis - what it is to live beautifully, to be in joy, what is fulfilment. Without running around we need to go back to these roots and explore our way to real Joy. Turning our perspective from striving for happiness to being joyful, constantly going from gross to subtle could be the key that unlocks the bliss in our lives.

About Swami Shantatmananda

Inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s ideal of “Service to Man is Service to God”, a young professional embarked on a transformative journey within the Ramakrishna Order, becoming Swami Shantatmananda. A monastic for about 50 years, he had a 30-year stint at the international headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, Belur Math, where he contributed significantly with his expertise in the areas of financial administration and fund management, while pioneering staff welfare schemes. He also played an influential role in setting up the Sarada Seva Sangha, an NGO in Kolkata, working towards women’s empowerment.

Subsequently, he took charge as the Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, Delhi in 2007, where he initiated programs to provide a foundation of education for a range of stakeholders by following a train-the-trainer model, which was extremely well-received by educators across India. The resounding success led to the founding of a new centre in Haryana, Ramakrishna Mission, Gurugram in 2022, along with the establishment of the Vivekananda Institute of Values (VIVA), which is dedicated to spreading the man-making, character-building ideas of Swami Vivekananda.

Sarada Tapovan, a retreat centre in the Himalayas, situated at Jalaungi, Tehri District, on the Rishikesh-Uttarkashi Highway, is a significant milestone on the same journey, which was inaugurated in 2024. Built with state-of-the-art facilities, it offers a serene ambience for contemplation and spiritual practices.

Swami Shantatmananda, also known as Jaishankar Maharaj, enjoys sports and music.

About Neha Phull

Neha Phull is a VIVA resource person who, while racing through life aiming to achieve one milestone after another, tumbled down the hill, and found the words of Swami Vivekananda coming to her rescue to help her lead a life of purpose. She says, "It is the unfiltered truth in the majestic words of Swamiji that not just picks me up in the worst of my days but also become a beacon of light to nudge me to move forward towards a bigger goal."

Relevant resources

5:03 - Sat-Chit-Ānanda - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/m/the-complete-works-of-swami-vivekananda/a/5-7-3-iii-the-absolute-and-the-attainment-of-freedom

8:35 - Story of the Brahmachari - A version is found here - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/m/the-complete-works-of-swami-vivekananda/a/1-2-4-what-is-duty

10:40 - Nisargadatta Maharaj - https://nisargadattamaharajofficialcenter.com/about-shree-nisargadatta-maharaj/

11:29 - Sri Ramakrishna - Biography is accessible here - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/lsr/m/sri-ramakrishna-the-great-master/a/cover

13:44 - Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita - English version is accessible here- https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/tsr/m/gospel-of-sri-ramakrishna/a/cover-1

14:30 - Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva - An article eludicates the idea - https://vk.rkmm.org/s/vkm/m/vedanta-kesari-2013/a/05-shiva-jnane-jiva-seva%E2%80%94a-modern-mahavakya-oct-2013

21:16 - The Bhagavad Gita - Link to Swani Vivekananda's talk on the Gita - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/m/the-complete-works-of-swami-vivekananda/a/4-2-3-thoughts-on-the-gita

23:12 - Madalasa - Story of Madalas by Pravrajika Divyanandaprana - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp_ouj7Amug

Towards Happiness – प्रसन्नता की ओर

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0530

The upcoming episode of the Inspired Living podcast with Revered Swami Shantatmananda is a foray into happiness, its real meaning, the secret of being joyful and practices we can adopt to feel this joy even when circumstances around us may pull us down. Stay tuned.

Poem and artwork (watercolors and pastel colors) by Smt. Saswati Ghosh

Happiness

A fairy danced on moonlit beams,

Weaving joy from whispered dreams.

With stardust hands and laughter light,

She painted hope in darkest night.

The Fairy of Joy twirled high in the air,

Her laughter dancing without a care.

She said—

"Like autumn leaves, that swirl and play,

Happiness shines throughout the day."

The Fairy of Love, with a heart full of grace,

Said softly—

"It’s in a silent glance, a warm embrace,

A whispered word, a hand held tight,

A flicker of hope in the toughest night."

The Fairy of Magic waved her wand so grand,

And said—

"Happiness lies in your own hand!

Not in the stars, not far, not wide,

But in your heart, where dreams reside!"

Then they kissed the petals, spun the air,

Left golden sparks in hearts laid bare.

Their wings held songs of love untold,

A magic touch, so soft, so bold.

Happiness, they sighed—

"Is always free,

Not, in lands, beyond the sea.

It lives in you, it sings, it stays,

An eternal gift in endless ways."

Searching for Happiness
by Dr. Hema Raghavan

Happiness is intangible and immeasurable. It is easier to cover the blue sky in folds of cloth than to define happiness. Waiting for happiness is like 'Waiting for Godot', a seminal play where two men keep waiting for the titular hero, Godot who never turns up. The dialogue between the two waiting men as given under reveals the emptiness of happiness:

VLADIMIR: Say, I am happy.

ESTRAGON: I am happy.

VLADIMIR: So am I.

ESTRAGON: So am I.

VLADIMIR: We are happy.

ESTRAGON: We are happy.

VLADIMIR: (Silence) What do we do now, now that we are happy.

We are all the time in pursuit of happiness without knowing what that happiness is! Today's trend all over the world is to search for happiness and that too insta happiness. So what is happiness - the hedonism (pursuit of insta pleasure and self-indulgence) of the modern times or the eudaimonism (philosophy of well-being and virtue ethics) of the earlier times?

Lasting happiness rests with peace of mind, with a stress-free life. Modern scientists in particular, quantum computing scientists have found, that those with a spiritual practice or who follow religious beliefs tend to be happier, less depressed and less anxious than those who don’t.

The Bhagavad Gita, speaks of 'ananda' as happiness, engendered by good thoughts and good deeds. One can experience true bliss through evenness of temper and mind. 'Ananda', is not a fleeting emotion or a temporary state of mind as it is the inherent nature of the 'Atman' or the self. It is not dependent on external circumstances. It is the unchanging, eternal bliss that arises from realizing one's true nature as the self that belongs to the eternal Self.

How to cultivate Ananda? It is through introspection and self-inquiry, through meditation, living in harmony with Dharma (ethical conduct) and grateful surrender to the Lord with humility for granting us our life’s blessings. The Gita also says that happiness rests in accepting God’s dispensation- the good and the bad, because He alone is the Do-er. A Tamil saying is no leaf can move without His bidding. Such an acceptance is possible if one gives up the arrogance of do-ership and surrenders to God the Do-er.

Christianity makes a distinction between Joy and happiness. Joy is permanent as it is divinely bestowed on us. God talks about earthly pleasures and tells us that every good and perfect thing is from above. But the Biblical definition of joy is very different from the cultural view of happiness. Joy comes from His presence, His strength, His deliverance of men and women from grief and suffering.

The concept of happiness in Islam is known as 'falah'. 'Falah' is pleasure and peace that can be enjoyed by all individuals in life and after life.

The best way to summarize happiness as gleaned from all religions is to see ‘that everyone is a house with four rooms- the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Most of us tend to live in one room most of the time, but unless we go into every room every day even if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person.’ These can be best attained through Karma Yoga (selfless service), Bhakti Yoga (devotion), Jnana Yoga or Buddhi Yoga(enquiry of what is real and what is unreal) and Raja Yoga (mastery of the mind).

The Happiness Exercise

By Smt. Neha Phull

In the prime of my youth, I feel invincible

The promise of life ahead brings glorious visions in its flair,

The exuberant options fill joy in the very fabric of my air

Expecting that peace and playfulness will be my constant companion

The cells of my very being will dance in gleeful union

With youthfulness in decline

and the appearance of fine lines

I notice I am merely crawling amongst the crowd

Carrying the burden of survival,

The years are vanishing like the cloud

The hope of acquiring happiness in the world has dimmed

The joy and playfulness have far been skimmed…

When I looked at the scenes of life through another lens

I found, that my perspective needs a complete cleanse

Happiness is not the end

You begin with happiness

The gleeful dance doesn’t come

But it is with the feeling of glee

I dance to life’s rhythm

It is the exercise of happiness

Through the ups and downs

That makes every moment worth living

Not letting disappointment make me drown

It is not over

There are moments I have yet to see

There are places I am yet to be

With this new learning

Can I now add life to my years?

Can I now begin with happiness?

And also spread the cheer…

वास्तविक आनंद क्या है?

By Smt. Shilpi Sharma

आप एक छोटे बालक के व्यवहार का अवलोकन कीजिए। नवीन व सुंदर खिलौने देखकर वह अति प्रसन्न व जिज्ञासु भाव से खेलने लगता है यह उसका आनंद है, और हम इसे मिथ्या भी नहीं कह सकते। परंतु कुछ देर बाद उसकी दृष्टि माता को ढूंढने लगती हैं और अपने सामने माता को ना पाकर वह व्याकुल हो जाता है। अब उसकी रुचि रंग-बिरंगे, ‌मोहक खिलौनों से हट गई है। संसार की कोई भी वस्तु उसकी व्याकुलता को शांत करने में असमर्थ है। अब वह केवल अपनी माता का सानिध्य व दर्शन चाहता है। हम सांसारिक मनुष्य भी उस बालक की भांती है, भौतिक वस्तुओं का सुख हमें आनंद देता तो है, परंतु क्षण-भंगुर होता है। स्थायित्व का अभाव मिथ्या बोध देता है ।जब हमारी अंतर पुकार के स्वर में भौतिक सुखों के प्रति विरक्ति और परमात्मा के प्रति समर्पण का प्राकट्य होता है; तब ईश्वर की उपस्थिति का अनुभव हमारे हृदय को वास्तविक आनंद से भर देता है। सेवाकार्य या किसी की सहायता करते हुए संतोष होता है, आनंद नहीं क्योंकि मैं कर्ता नहीं हूं। ईश्वर ने मुझे माध्यम चुना है। परमेश्वर के प्रेम की परिधि में ही आनंद है। हम सभी के जीवन में अनेक बार ऐसे अवसर आते हैं जब हम इस आनंद की अनुभूति करते हैं। एक ऐसे ही अवसर का अनुभव साझा करती हूं।

पिछले वर्ष एक शनिवार की सुबह सालासर बालाजी मंदिर दर्शन की तीव्र इच्छा हुई। करीब 6 घंटे के सफर के लिए हम दोपहर से पहले निकल चुके थे। यात्रा में एक के बाद एक अवरोध आने लगे। कभी सड़क कार्य तो कभी रेलवे फाटक और इस कारण अनुमानित समय बढ़ता ही जा रहा था। रात्रि 9:00 बजे मंदिर का प्रवेश द्वार बंद हो जाता है और इसी वजह से मन अशांत होने लगा। तभी अचानक तेज बारिश होने लगी, अब तो समय पर पहुंचना असंभव प्रतीत हो रहा था। जल भराव और बढ़ते अंधेरे ने कार की गति को धीमा कर दिया। हमने सब प्रभु की इच्छा पर छोड़कर निश्चिंत भाव से नाम संकीर्तन करना शुरू कर दिया। मन हरि भजन में इतना मगन हो गया की लग रह था कि हम मंदिर में ही है। इतने में एक एस यू वी कार हमसे आगे चलने लगी; बड़ी गाड़ी के चलने से सड़क का पानी हटता गया और हमारी गति भी बढ़ती गई। मंदिर से कुछ दूर पहले तक वही गाड़ी हमारा रास्ता बनाते हए चलती रही और ठीक पहले दूसरी ओर मुड़ गई। अब बारिश भी बंद हो गई थी। प्रवेश द्वार पर सुरक्षा गार्ड्स खड़े थे। हमारे प्रवेश करते ही उन्होंने द्वार बंद कर दिया। मेरी दृष्टि वहां लगी दीवार घड़ी पर गई, जिसमें समय हो रहा था 8:58। बालाजी दर्शन ठीक 9:00 बजे हुए। बारिश रूक चुकी थी परन्तु मन सच्चे आनंद में भीगा हुआ था। व्याकुलता और समर्पण ही सच्चे आनंद की कुंजी है।

Happiness Quiz - Who said this?

“As long as we require someone else to make us happy, we are slaves.”

Swami Vivekananda

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."

Marcus Aurelius

“Happy is the house that shelters a friend.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is the very pursuit of happiness that thwarts happiness.”

Viktor Frankl

“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”

Socrates

What makes you happy?
When do you experience joy?
Can happiness can be pursued? Share your views in the comment box below. We would love to hear from you.

Wishing our Readers a Happy and Joyful Holi

Attribution

Sunflowers - Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Nagalingam Flower - https://x.com/rkmbelurmath/status/1259002769140146176/photo/2
Car driving at night - https://www.wagnerbrake.com/technical/parts-matter/driver-education-and-vehicle-safety/driving-in-the-dark.html
Braj ki Holi - https://navbharattimes.indiatimes.com/astro/religion-rituals/pilgrimage/braj-ki-holi-2023-everything-about-brij-ki-holi-mathura-and-vrindavan/articleshow/98469284.cms

Our Brand New Podcast Episode on Perspectives is Live!

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 16:00:00 +0530

Summary

When the same thing is viewed from the prism of different minds, it brings different colours to the same situation – like varied opinions, ideas & meanings and it is applicable to the simplest of things in life. In the world of senses, at the gross level there may be seen a sense of harmony for a particular situation, but at the subtle level of the mind, it is viewed differently by all, depending on their development. It is only when we evolve as a person, a better adjustment is possible. The life of Holy Mother Sarada Devi is a great example of the amalgamation of different ideas and minds. She could live with everyone in the same harmonious way by seeing the point of view of everyone around her. She said, ‘The one who can accommodate and accept, will survive, one who cannot, will perish.’ We can take her example and live peacefully by accommodating many minds. It is the sense of inflated ego that becomes an obstacle in pursuing this goal. When we learn from great people and their way of living, and follow it, we can succeed in understanding various perspectives. Growth in the direction from transactional to the transcendental level is the only way. Sri Ramakrishna too preached practicality and harmony from a spiritual point of view and many examples from his life exhibit that. It is the attention he paid to each person he met and guided them until the end, that made all the difference. The sixteen direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna followed the principles of their Master after his passing, accomplishing great things in life by merging perspectives, meeting people where they are and raising them to a level of greatness. Their transactional tasks too were guided by transcendental principles which they demonstrated all lifelong. Hence, we can say that it is at the phenomenal plane that all arguments happen when different minds clash and not at an evolved level of spirituality where all minds merge. Similarly, organizations function well when perspectives are understood and merged well. It is the leader that exhibits such values, when decision-making, conflict resolution and delivering quality come into the picture. In a household, it is still easier to maintain harmony as there is more time that is spent with each other and more space for personal reflection is presented. Eventually, it is the attempt to understand life in a broader frame that helps us let go of the mundane pettiness we generally nurture. ‘Be very strict with yourselves and liberal with others’ – is the mantra!

About Swami Shantatmananda

Swami Shantatmananda, also known as Jaishankar Maharaj, enjoys sports and music.

About Arpita Sud

Arpita Sud is a VIVA resource person whose philosophy is to bring meaning to her life by consciously choosing to grow her inner life

Relevant resources

4:50 - Sri Sri Mayer Katha (Bengali), translated as 'The Gospel of the Holy Mother' (English) - accessible at: https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/tsd/m/the-gospel-of-the-holy-mother/

7:41 - Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 3, Verse 21 - Link to Swami Vivekananda's talk on the Gita: https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/m/the-complete-works-of-swami-vivekananda/a/1-4-16-the-git%C4%81-iii

10:30 - A Short Life of Sri Ramakrishna - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/lsr/m/a-short-life-of-sri-ramakrishna

11:30 - Sri Sri Ramakrishna Lila-prasanga (Bengali), translated as 'Sri Ramakrishna The Great Master' (English) - accessible at: https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/lsr/m/sri-ramakrishna-the-great-master - hereafter 'The Great Master'

13:05 - The Great Master

14:30 - Girish Chandra Ghosh - https://belurmath.org/girish-chandra-ghosh/

17:03 - The Baranagore Math - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/m/life-of-swami-vivekananda-his-eastern-and-western-disciples/a/1-12-the-baranagore-math

17:57 - Swami Ramakrishnananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/ramakrishnananda-swami-1

18:53 - Swami Abhedananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/abhedananda-swami

19:16 - Swami Vivekananda - https://englishbooks.rkmm.org/s/lsv/m/vivekananda-a-biography/a/cover

20:56 - Swami Adbutananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/adbhutananda-swami

22:00 - Swami Shivananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/shivananda-swami

22:01 - Swami Saradananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/saradananda-swami

22:06 - Swami Brahmananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/s/sb/m/holy-trio-and-direct-disciples/a/brahmananda-swami

29:20 - Swami Yatiswarananda - https://biographies.rkmm.org/m/monks/a/yatiswarananda-swami

Perspectives - दृष्टिकोण

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:12:09 +0530

Podcast with Swami Shantatmanandaji Maharaj premieres on March 1st, 2025!

Handling Hurt

By Smt. Saswati Ghosh

We stand on two ends of the spectrum wide,

You carry your sorrow, quietly inside.

I let mine erupt, like a storm in the sky,

You smile through the tears, while I let mine fly.

Your silence is poetry, deep and strong,

My voice - a siren warning those who do me wrong.

You endure the weight with words unspoken,

I shatter the chains before I am broken.

Yet neither is wrong, for pain finds its way,

Through whispers or echoes, someone has to pay

Your calm is a river, my storm is the sea,

Both flowing toward where our souls long to be.

For life is a journey of battles unseen,

Of scars that we carry, both loud and serene.

Both of us look for what we think right,

Through the shadows of day and the trials of night.

In your quiet pain, and my fierce fight,

We both are struggling to find the light

स्वीकृति - क्यों और कैसे?

By Dr. Nandini Seshadri

जब बच्चे घर का सुरक्षित माहौल छोड़कर बाहर की दुनिया के साथ बातचीत करना शुरू करते हैं, उनका दृष्टिकोण धीरे-धीरे बदलने लगता है। ऐसा होना लाजमी है क्योंकि बच्चा साथियों के प्रभाव में आने के साथ-साथ स्वयं अपनी सोच भी विकसित कर रहा है। इसे अनदेखा नहीं किया जा सकता। मतान्तर, छोटी से छोटी बात जैसे कि कपड़ों का चुनाव से लेकर इतनी बड़ी बात कि वह जीवन पर प्रभाव डाल सके, कहीं भी हो सकता है।

क्या टकराव के या दबाव में आए बिना इससे निबटने का कोई उपाय है?

हमारे पास उपलब्ध साधनों में से एक है स्वीकृति – अर्थात, यह स्वीकार करना कि बच्चे का दृष्टिकोण हमसे अलग है।

यह महत्वपूर्ण क्यों है?

जब आप स्वीकार करते हैं तो -

स्थिति का नियंत्रण आपके हाथ में होता है

आप भावनात्मक रूप से स्थिर होते हैं और बेहतर सोच सकते हैं कि आप अपनी बात दूसरे तक कैसे पहुंचाएं या समस्या का समाधान कैसे खोजें।

उदाहरण के लिए, आपका बेटा मानता है कि सोशल मीडिया उसके लिए बहुत महत्वपूर्ण है और वह हर समय उसी में व्यस्त रहता है, जबकि आपका मानना है कि यह समय की बर्बादी व हानिकारक है। यह स्वीकार कर पाना कि वह इसका आदी है और उसकी मदद करने का उपाय और साधन ढूंढना ही आगे बढ़ने का बेहतर तरीका होगा.

लेकिन क्या इसे स्वीकार करना आसान है? नहीं, बिलकुल नहीं!!

स्वीकारने की दिशा में बढ़ने के लिए कुछ क़दम

स्थिति को बच्चे के दृष्टिकोण से देखें।
बिना किसी पूर्वाग्रह के, सकारात्मक होकर उसकी बात सुनें
आवेशपूर्ण प्रतिक्रिया देने के बजाय समझ कर प्रतिक्रिया दें
उसकी बात सुनने के बाद उसे अपना दृष्टिकोण बताएं
स्वयं को उसके स्थान पर रखकर देखें कि उस स्थिति में आप कैसा महसूस करेंगे ?
उस पर विश्वास रखें
इस बात पर विचार करें कि आपने उसकी उम्र में ऐसी ही परिस्थिति में क्या किया था?

आपके लिए, मतभेदों को स्वीकार कर इस भिन्न दृष्टिकोण को अपनाना क्यों लाभकर है ?

हो सकता है इससे आपको कोई सौहार्दपूर्ण समाधान मिले

हो सकता है आप बहुत कुछ न बदल पाएं पर आप स्वयं में धैर्य बरतने जैसे गुण विकसित कर सकते हैं

आप बच्चे को गलती करने दें ताकि वह उससे सीखे और मजबूत बने। इसके लिए आंतरिक शक्ति की अत्यावश्यकता होती है जिसका प उपयोग करते हैं। आप जीवन में उन स्थितियों से निपटने के लिए, जिन पर आपका कोई नियंत्रण नहीं है, धीरे-धीरे लचीलापन विकसित करते हैं।

यह बच्चे की मदद किस प्रकार करता है?

उसके विचार को स्वीकार करते हुए -

उसे यह आश्वासन दिया जाता है कि उसे अपने स्वतन्त्र विचार रखने का अधिकार है, भले ही वह आपके विचारों से भिन्न क्यों न हों ।
इससे उसमे आत्म-सम्मान विकसित होता है जो उसे जीवन में उत्तरदायित्वपूर्ण विकल्प चुनने में सहायक होगा
संभवतः वह भविष्य में अपनी बात सम्मानजनक ढंग से रखेगा

यहां तक कि यदि उसने कोई गलती भी की है तो वह इसे स्वीकार करने से नहीं हिचकिचाएगा क्योंकि उसने आपके साथ एक सुदृढ़ सम्बन्ध स्थापित कर लिया है।

L.I.S.T.E.N

By Dr. Neera Pant

Listening is an essential yet often overlooked skill that plays a significant role in building stronger relationships. Let’s look at the word L.I.S.T.E.N. as an acronym. This provides us with a tool to be an active listener.

L - Look at the eyes of the listener while speaking

Maintain eye contact

I - Inquire with short questions

Is what is spoken clear?

S - Summarise

Tell the speaker briefly what you have understood of the conversation so far

T - Take part in the interaction

Using non verbal cues like nodding your head, etc.

E - Empathy

Listening with feeling

N - Non-judgemental listening

As a listener you do not respond with advice to a problem unless asked

This is the major difference between listening and active listening.

Weger et al. (2014) defines active listening as focusing on the speaker’s message, offering feedback to show understanding, and avoiding quick judgments or evaluations.

Research highlights that active listening improves empathy, reduces misunderstandings, and boosts problem-solving skills. It creates an atmosphere of trust and respect, which fosters more meaningful interactions. Feeling heard enhances self-worth and reduces stress. In the workplace, strong listening skills are linked to better teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution. Developing active listening skills requires practice. By becoming better listeners, individuals can strengthen relationships and navigate challenges more effectively.

Play a quiz on differing perspectives!

What was the fundamental difference in the approach between Gandhiji and Netaji in India's freedom struggle?

Non-violent civil struggle vs armed struggle

What did Duryodhana want from Krishna once the war was announced and what did the Pandavas want?

Krishna's army vs Krishna himself

What is the fundamental difference between the modern education system and the education of the rishis?

Skilling for employment vs Knowledge of Self

Swami Vivekananda and Purposeful Inconsistency