Listen Again

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Listen again, O mighty-armed Arjuna. Because you are My dear friend, for your benefit I shall speak to you further, giving knowledge that is better than what I have already explained." Bhagavad-gita 10.1

My verse of the week is from Chapter 10 of the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. “Listen again,” Krishna says. It’s a beautiful thing, this listening, this calling one closer. Come, He says, I have something even better to tell you.

To listen to Krishna is one of the most important and influential things we can do with our time. He will reveal everything if we lean in and listen, honestly and with openness to learn. The ability to listen is the practice of humility. Not only do we acknowledge we have more to learn, but we receive the other as our teacher.

The practice of listening to sacred teachings, to the mantras as we chant them, also extends to listening to the Lord in our heart. What promptings are we receiving, what messages from above? This is not listening to our mind or intelligence, but to the super soul within, that is understood as our best friend and guide.

Such good listening should then spill into our relationships with others. To enable good listening we must ask questions. How do you feel about this? What do you think about this? And we must clarify we are hearing right. Reflect back and ask - Did I get that right? Did I understand what you are saying or needing?

Listening is essential to our spiritual journey. At least 4 times in the Gita Krishna calls Arjuna’s attention to listen. Let us hear the same call. Listening can guide us all the way home, if we make room for it.