David Listen’s Online Seminar on Ways of Listening and Communication

Updated December 22, 2021
Vancouver Chan Mediation Centre has recently held a webinar called "Connecting Heart to Heart: Deep Listening and Communication", on December 4, 2021. David Listen, an experienced PROS Counselor with a Master's degree in Psychological Counseling, was invited to share how interpersonal relationships can be enhanced through meditation. More than sixty participants from different time zones across North America attended this engaging seminar.

From the perspective of Dharma, David Listen pointed out that only a stable and clear mind can raise one's awareness of body and surroundings. A clear mind enables us to realize the impermanence of the world where nothing remains unchanged, as well as to see ourselves and others as part of one totality. Thus, we can attain the selfless wisdom of Dharma which helps us liberate from our mental afflictions. Furthermore, David Listen mentioned that the proper way a Buddhist interacts with society is through the Noble Eightfold Path, such as through right speech, right action, and right livelihood.

Using his professional background, David Listen provided a practical technique to foster better interpersonal communication with people who play multiple roles in contemporary society, particularly stressing the importance of putting one's self-centeredness aside in conversations. Without this skill, a wall would be built around the process of communication. David Listen listed several examples that demonstrate miscommunication in our daily life. For example, we often aggressively express our own opinions regardless of others' readiness to listen, which in turn causes others to hide their true feelings. Another example is that, all too often we presumptuously think that others will listen to or agree with our opinions, in fact, however, this assumption puts pressure on others and possibly leads to conflicts. In the end, the instructor used the teachings of Silent Illumination (Mo Zhao Chan, in Chinese) to deepen the audience's listening and communication ability. He explained that, by practicing Silent Illumination, we can perceive others' true feelings, and, in doing so, be able to respond accordingly. Through this process, we are practicing selfless wisdom.

Through David Listen's explanation, the online participants were able to combine concepts of meditation with psychological counseling and put them into practice. During the Q&A session at the end of the seminar, participants actively raised various questions about daily challenges, such as communication between parents and children, and how to deal with aggressive and dominant people. This engaging seminar proved to be a fruitful and successful event, both for participants and Vancouver Chan Mediation Centre.
 
Text: Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre
Photos: Dharma Drum Vancouver Centre
Translation: Jonathan
Editing: The DDM editing team, Keith Brown