The Art of Mindful Communication

How Well Do You Communicate?

Communication is essential to achieve successful human interactions. However, the type of communication we have highly determines the outcome of our relationships. It all simply boils down to how we are connecting with each other.

Jamyang Khyentse once said something intriguing about human communication:

We think that we have successful communication with others. In fact, we only have successful miscommunication without being aware of it.

Applying mindful communication was almost non-existent for me in the past. Putting an end to ‘the successful miscommunications’ — as Khyentse puts it — was (and still is, at times) arduous.

Truth be told, most of the discussions we have with others aren’t really mindful. Mindful discussion means shedding attention and awareness on our words — it’s rarely what we do, as our ego is consistently involved.

My relationships with others flourished when I taught myself the art of mindful communication. Throughout the years, I took note of what bothered me, and others, when communicating. I tried to investigate what engages us in conversations, versus what pushes us away.

How I Learned to Communicate Successfully

Listen

When I was a teenager, I had the habit of interrupting people as they spoke, so I could respond. As I grew up, I came to notice how much people pull away during conversations when we don’t properly listen to them.

Listen intentlyProperly listening to each other is a vital component of successful communication. Image: Aarón Blanco Tejedor

Listening is the first step toward mindful communication. To mindfully listen means to wait patiently for the other person to finish before we speak. Also, it means keeping our mind focused on the speaker, instead of wandering away.

Practise Non-Judgment

I was a mediator a few times in my life. Having been one, I learned something super important: there are always two sides to the story, and neither one of them is necessarily right or wrong. People who are in conflict or disagreement tend to judge each other during communication. Even when we are on good terms with others, we unconsciously judge them because we don’t see their side of the story.

To mindfully converse and avoid conflicts, we need to try our best to refrain from judging the other person’s opinion, story or perspective. We should come to terms with the fact that there is no wrong or right — only different perceptions.

Show Understanding

I met a psychologist on one occasion in Nepal, who explained to me the importance of showing others that we understand them. He clarified how he uses this technique with his patients. When they tell him their issues, the first thing he says is, “I understand” or “I see what you mean.” It gives them a sense of comfort that their words and feelings are relatable.

You see, at the end of the day, we just want to be understood. Applying the non-judgment technique above allows us to see the bigger picture, and in doing so, helps us to understand their perspective.

Put yourself in someone elses shoesImagining you are in your confider’s situation helps you to be able to express compassion. Image: Oziel Gómez

Put Yourself in Their Shoes

I remember hearing a lot of “you’re not in my shoes” or “put yourself in my shoes.” To be ‘in someone else’s shoes’ is to respect their experience by imagining it’s us instead of them.

When we do this, we develop a better idea of what they’re feeling. We don’t have to wait for them to ask us if we’re getting what they’re saying. What I do is imagine myself in the experience of the other person, which helps me – again – to cultivate understanding.

Be Totally There

One of the things that bothers me the most is when I’m with communicating with someone who’s not ‘there’. Since I have realized how disrespectful it is, I’ve tried my best to be present in my conversations.

Not being present during communication can range from checking smartphones, watching TV or engaging in anything else during the actual discussion. To have successful communication, we should put our activities aside and totally be with the person who’s talking.

The First Response Shouldn’t Be Personal

This used to be one of my greatest faults in the past. I’ve come to notice that most of us do it unconsciously. When it’s time to respond back, we tend to reply with a personal answer. We either tell a personal story or explain how we intimately feel about it. While it’s significant to back up our response with personal feelings and stories, it’s better not to express them at first.

I learned the hard way that the first response must relate to the speaker. “I understand” — as mentioned earlier — can be a good place to start. Then we can ask the person how they feel about it, what they are going to do, or ask them to elaborate.

Let Go of Results

When I was younger I was very competitive, especially when it came to discussions. Come what may, I was determined to be the one winning the discussion. I expected a result. I estimated that people would have to agree with me. I only stopped this habit when I realized that waiting for a result in discussions drains us of energy and in return, kills the communication.

We should engage in conversations more lightly if we truly wish to mindfully communicate. Not taking things personally and responding in a non-aggressive way are good baby steps toward accomplishing this goal.

Practise Speaking Kindly

Harsh speech is one of the most important precepts in Buddhism. The thing I have enjoyed the most while studying Buddhism is how they insist on remaining kind and compassionate with other people during communication.

It is not necessary to harm others when we are talking to them. Buddhists believe that every harmful word that comes out of our mouths is a double-edged sword; it will hurt us as much as it will hurt others.

~

Do you practice any of these ‘mindful communication’ tips? If so, or if you have had someone use these powerful techniques with you, we would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below … What did you notice? How did it feel? Would you try it again?

Much love,
Team UPLIFT

BY UPLIFT

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razika.mekki
4 years ago

Thank you

Twigs Vaughan
4 years ago

Thank you. That was clear and concise and something I need reminding of constantly. The ego sneaks back as soon as your guard is down!One of my downfalls is that I get impatient wanting to get to the end of the story. This totally ruins presence and compassion to their story.
Thank you again, I really appreciated it.

Don Shapiro
6 years ago

Practise is the correct British spelling. A writer from anywhere in the British Commonwealth such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and its former colonies such as India, Kenya and so on would use this spelling. Practice is the correct spelling in the U.S. As the author said, don’t judge, seek to understand first. Ask questions about why something is spelled differently instead of assuming its spelled wrong. Open your mind to learning that things are different in other parts of the world.

Glo
6 years ago

. . . all I can say is, “Wow” . . . this just hits home on so many levels. As I shared on FB, my most fav, and most valuable points include to always, always be kind, compassionate & non-judgmental . . . and was really impacted by the statement about – consider there is no right or wrong answer – just different perspectives . . . such great, great knowledge & insight for someone who loves others so much & enjoys understanding them more & more . . . 🙂

Nina Dixon
8 years ago

A major change that occured with me was once I had my vitamin B12 levels high and quit drinking coffee, my memory and thought train improved drastically so I didn’t need to interrupt to get my idea in before I forgot.

Alain Bos
8 years ago

I understand the article completely and am reminded of a few flaws inherent to my way of communicating.
I judge, not continually but in general it’s hard not to judge.
I always respond with a personal story even when I’m creating feedback instead of just saying: I understand… without elaborating how & why (I think) I understand.
and last, I don’t skew the use of hard words, then again I’ve taught myself that I am my own master and cuddle myself when I say that I’m a “Buddha with Balls” 😉

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Curiosity arises out of not knowing.

Curiosity is our natural ability to look at things with fresh eyes.
Forgoing opinions, previous ideas, or expectations,
approaching all with the wonder and innocence of a child.
Being curious brings us into a natural, open, and vast space of freedom
to explore:

“What is this?”
“What am I experiencing?”
“What am I feeling?”

4. Bring more awareness to what you are feeling. Focus on your felt experience and the qualities of the Inner Resource as you embody it. Resist the habit to analyze. Simply feel your body and emotions. 

5. Be open to your current experience, whatever it is, without judgment. Just ride the wave of the experience.

6. Remember that the quality of your attention and what you are feeling are more important than the content. Notice how your attention changes, waxing and waning, growing stronger, and sometimes getting distracted. No worries, simply bring your awareness back to the moment, take a deep breath, and focus on the Inner Resource.

7. Become familiar with the feelings and sensations of the Inner Resource you have chosen. Feel what is showing up in your physical body and your emotional body. Be curious to discover how this Inner Resource will support you in your life, to be who you really want to be, and feel how you really want to feel. It is through feeling the Inner Resource that you activate the frequency of it. 

Take 5 Deep Breaths

1. Feel your body.

2. Relax your shoulders.

3. Choose a word that makes you feel peaceful, such as om, peace, or love.

4. Inhale slowly while mentally saying the word you chose. Pause before starting the exhalation.

5. Exhale slowly while mentally saying 1 with the first breath. Exhale saying 2 with the second breath, up to 5 or more.

Feel Your Body

Relax your body, and just be aware of how your body feels. Without changing anything, notice what you are feeling, and where you are feeling things in your body. Resist analyzing or explaining anything to yourself, just notice what you feel. If your body wants to adjust a little, let it. 

Notice the texture and color of what you are feeling and where you are feeling it. Note the quality of what you are feeling; it might be tingly or sharp, squeezing or rippling, or anything else. Be curious about what is happening in your body.

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