Some thoughts about communication...

Have you noticed that communication styles seem to go hand-in-hand with awareness? For instance, if a person isn’t aware of another person’s state of being, they will often preach to them or dictate opinions. On the other hand, if a person is aware of another’s path, they will tend to listen more and preach less. There will be less emphasis on what a person knows to be their truth and more of a tendency to look at communication as a learning experience.
As awareness grows, communication will eventually evolve into a discussion that pulls another’s opinion out. After that the communication style is modified to match the others point-of-view. Another way to look at this is that what you learn from another is more important than dictating your personal truth.

An excellent philosopher (Scott Adams) said that a person forgets what they are told but remembers what they have experienced. Pulling information from another uses the other’s experience as the basis for communication. However doing that takes patience and lots of awareness. It also indicates an evolutionary step toward the realization that everyone is Divine, and that there is literally no such thing as being better than another, be it in knowledge, spirituality or in possessions.

It seems to me that, through awareness, communication evolves through seven steps.

1. Preaching:
I know what’s best with little or no regard for the other. It is possible to preach a doctrine as well as an opinion. In that case the doctrine becomes dogma and the communication becomes a power trip.
2. Lecturing:
An attitude that says “Here is the information. Accept it or not. There will be a test!”
3. Interaction:
What do you want? I am interested in interacting with you in order to convince you that my opinion is good for you. I’m willing to answer your questions, but I’m right.
4. Recognition:
The value of the other’s perspective is important. An open mind exists. Listening for the sake of change, not for appeasement.
5. Pulling:
Extracting information from the other person’s perspective. This gives insight as to their opinion. Their opinion is valuable and expands my personal truth. Change comes through acceptance.
6. Becoming:
Communicate from the others perspective in order to clarify the greater truth. A recognition that the greater truth encompasses all opinions. There are no strings attached.
7. Being:
Communication through presence. A peaceful awareness that accepts all opinions and allows evolution toward universal balance.

If you take an honest look at your communication style, it probably seems that you are working at all seven levels simultaneously. However, as awareness grows the latter stages become more prevalent. Also recognize that a later step does not reach its full potential before the preceding step has reached its full power.
How often do you experience another person dramatically or emotionally making a point? There appears to be a need to express an opinion with such force that the other person is intimidated into agreement. Psychologists say that the emotional outbreak is a sign of insecurity. In other words the person is not sure that he is right and is trying to convince himself that he is! This implies that when the earlier steps are being expressed, the communicator is still not completely convinced that their opinion is true.
In any event, it is clear that the higher purpose of communication is to learn, not preach or convince. As awareness increases this becomes a way of life that puts a high regard on helping others through a greater understanding of them, not necessarily from what you know. The discovery of an ever evolving truth is put in higher regard than being right.
Truth then, is an energy that is not static. It continuously moves and is closely tied to awareness and personal evolution. Your communication style becomes a measure of how well you understand your personal truth.

What do you think?

Sam

Note: Steps 1, 5 & 7 come from the Julian teachings.