The Lost Art of Listening
From the Journals of the Edgy Emapth
A Path to Healing for Highly Sensitive People in a Noisy World
The Healing Power of Listening
Amidst the noise of modern life, the quiet art of listening often gets lost, yet it holds the power to heal us in ways we may not realize. Our sensitive hearts weren’t designed for this heightened level of constant input.
The cacophony of news, social media, and the endless chatter of our own overthinking minds can be exhausting. It’s no wonder we tune out and filter what feels overwhelming. Instead of pausing, we often rush to speak—whether out loud or in our filled-to-the-brim minds—and in doing so, we miss the chance to understand.
What if listening—deep, sacred listening—was the missing key to our healing?
The Lost Art of Listening
The skill of listening is desperately needed in our world today, becoming a lost art, especially in our current political landscape.
When was the last time someone listened to you with 100% presence? Without judgment? More importantly, when was the last time you listened to yourself—truly listened—without the commentary of your well-meaning but overthinking mind?
Your inner soul stirrings often get suppressed by worries about an unknown future. Many of us know that we are not our thoughts and feelings—that we are infinitely more—yet our inner chatter rolls along in a never-ending spiral.
Healing begins when we acknowledge our emotions and allow ourselves to listen to them. The reptilian brain delights in keeping my old companions alive, named respectively Overthinking and Overwhelm, in an attempt to “keep me safe”—which is always an illusion. And now, introducing my most recent companion: Frustration (hello, midlife?). Who are your old and new companions that like to hitch a ride on your reptilian brain?
Finding Healing Through Creativity
To pacify these familiar companions, I’ve been inviting in more creativity—something that too often takes a back seat yet is essential for a highly sensitive person to heal from these subconsciously addictive emotions. I’ve learned that waiting for the “right time” never works; if it’s not scheduled, it simply won’t happen.
This year, I decided to rekindle my love for Classical music by attending symphonic concerts at our local Helena Civic Center, housed in the old Algerian Shrine Temple, complete with large horseshoe arches and tall Turkish onion domes. It feels like stepping back in time, and my soul yearns for it.
As I took my seat in the upper balcony, an old and familiar companion, Joy, swept in as I watched the string section weave their notes together in perfect tune. The serious faces of the musicians were glued to their music stands, heads pitched slightly forward, as they made sense of notes written in a time when life was simpler but not any less violent.
Helena Civic Center, Montana
The Struggle to Listen Deeply
Listening is essential for healing and connecting with ourselves and others. However, we often lose our ability to listen attentively.
Maybe it was to shut out the unpleasant noises of yelling or harsh criticism from our childhood.
Maybe the volume of life became too much for our sensitive brains in loud public schools or big families. Even our daily experiences can feel overwhelming, with screens blaring everywhere we go.
One of the biggest reasons we struggle to listen is that our days are filled with noise—both around us and within us—leaving us uneasy with silence. Yet, it’s in the silence that our Soul speaks.
When will we begin to truly listen to the subtleties of Life?
Listening to the ferocity of the wind as she moves through tree leaves,
Listening to the staccato crackling of a fire blazing with intensity,
Listening to the purposeful silence between each note.
For that is where the magic of our Soul lies.
Zion National Park, Utah
Reclaiming the Art of Listening
As Prokofiev’s music was his way of listening to himself, we, too, must learn to listen to our inner selves. Every note holds beauty and suffering, an echo of our inner world. We do the same when we listen—first to ourselves, then to each other. Beneath the noise, there is always something deeper waiting to be heard. Something sacred. Something true.
Sensitive soul, I hear you. You are a healer in an ear-splitting world.
I know the familiar song of Overthinking and Overwhelm—the way it loops in the mind until it leaves the body exhausted. The noise of the world can be deafening, which is why I’ve had to tune it out. That means reducing social media, being selective about what I take in, and—just as importantly—listening with openness when others share perspectives different from my own. Not to argue. Not to defend. But to understand.
Take some much-needed time to reflect:
How will you listen to your Soul self today?
What creative endeavor can you immerse yourself in that allows you to hear the necessary beauty and pain?
And how will you listen to others—even when they are not listening themselves?
Stay Connected on Your Sacred PathIf this resonated with you, I invite you to join my Sacred Path Guide to Healing—a monthly email filled with insights, sacred self-care rituals, and creative healing practices for empaths. Subscribe now and start living in alignment with the values that truly matter to you.
