When I was little, I was very quiet. People used to say to me, "Whats the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

I'm  still more of a listener than a talker and until recently, I thought that my tendency to be on the quieter side gave me the ability to be a good listener. I mean, if I am not talking, I must be listening right?

When I put my theory to the test however, I didn't do as well as I thought. When I tried to pay attention to and HEAR every word that my friend was saying, I realized how often my mind wanted to interject, to assert itself with an idea, an opinion, some advice.

So even though I wasn't talking, I wasn't really listening either. I was actually talking in my head, formulating my response, comparing her story to mine.  When I got really honest with myself, I realized that I was making my friend's conversation about me.

To be a good listener requires that we drop our ego. If we want to listen, hear, and really know someone, it's important that we let go of judging their thoughts, comparing theirs to ours, making them right or wrong. If we listen with an open mind and heart and then repeat their thoughts back to them without our own preconceptions, comparisons and thoughts mixed in (our me), it's a way of affirming that we heard what they said without judgment. 

Most often, people just want to be heard. They don't necessarily need or want to be fixed. 
Allowing another person to find a solution to their own problems helps them to get stronger and grow. When we find a solution for them, they weaken.

Yoga teaches us to pay attention to ourselves, to listen to our inner guidance. Yoga philosophy says that all the answers to our questions are inside of us. We all have an INNER KNOWING that we can access when we get very clear and quiet. This is our parusha, our higher mind, our Divine self.

We don't always hear this inner guidance through all the chatter going on in our minds. We often look outward for guidance, see what others are doing, compare our choices to theirs, and ask advice to anyone we can think of. This outward seeking takes us farther away from hearing that still small voice inside of us.

On our yoga mat, our asana practice teaches us to pay attention to the wisdom of our physical bodies. Our unconscious habits and patterns, in other words, our lack of listening, created our physical issues in the first place. 

When we take our yoga practice off the mat, we recognize that our unconscious patterns and habits in our mental and emotional bodies may have also created issues in our lives. This awareness can help us to break free of these habitual responses and create new and healthier ones.

The eight limbed path of yoga encourages us to pay attention, turn inward, and listen closely to our inner wisdom. When our actions are inspired by our highest self, we create a happier and more joyful life.

 

  In the Four Agreements; A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, Don Miguel Ruiz says to "be impeccable with
​  your word". This is a lofty goal, but definitely one to aspire to. 

  We should never underestimate the power that our words have. 

  They can heal, create, soothe, and join people together. 
  They can also hurt, destroy, weaken, and tear people apart.

  Most likely, at least once, every one of us has put our foot in our mouth, spilled a secret that we promised not
  to tell, gossiped behind someone's back, or hurt someone with our words. In the heat of the moment we
  often forget that what we say, and we can't take it back. 

 We can back peddle, apologize, try to pretend we didn't actually say it, but often these remedies are like putting
 a teeny tiny bandaid on a giant gaping wound. The sting of our words can do damage that lasts for a very
 long time. 

 Being impeccable with your word requires mindfulness. 
 Observe yourself for a few days and you will learn what your tendencies are. Do you talk to fill the air?
 Do you speak impulsively? Do you choose your words carefully or do you choose your words
 with carelessness?

 To make sure that your words don't cause unnecessary harm, a  good rule of thumb is to practice the 
 Three Gates of Speech. Asking yourself the following three questions will take you through a process to
 ensure that the words you are about to say are chosen carefully and with thoughtfulness. 

  Is it true?
 This can be tricky. When we were kids we would play the telephone game. The first person would
 whisper something in someone's ear and that person would repeat what they heard to the next person.
 This would go around the circle until the last person would share what they had heard. There was always
 an eruption of laughter when the first person revealed what they really said. 
 Unless it is your story to tell or it is an undisputed fact, most repeated stories.....ie, gossip, are NOT true, so
 don't repeat them. If what you are about to say is true, you can open the first gate, but you must get through
 the next two gates before you speak.

 Is it kind?
 We all know whether what we are about to say is kind or not. Sometimes we say hurtful things and say we
 didn't mean it, but we always mean it on some level. What good does it do to hurt someone on purpose?
 Like my mom said, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
 Sounds pretty simple but there are exceptions to every rule, which leads to the last gate of speech. 

 Is it necessary?
 This is the "gate" that requires the most mindfulness before stepping through. Sometimes we find ourselves
 in a predicament. Should we tell our friend the truth of what we know even if it will be painful for him or her
 to hear? Even if it may risk her relationship with another? Even if we aren't certain what the consequences
 will be. That's the thirty million dollar question. There is no simple answer, but a heart felt and well thought
 out process will help you make your decision. 

 Most spiritual practices teach the importance of right and honest speech. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali
 says, "When established in truthfulness, everything one says comes true." 

 Aspiring to say only what is true, kind, and necessary is an excellent way to stay true to yourself and others.