Friday, February 15, 2008

Friday FFT

Friday Food for Thought
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Everyone alive has suffered. It is the wisdom gained from our wounds and from our own experiences of suffering that makes us able to heal. Expertise cures, but wounded people can best be healed by other wounded people. Only other wounded people can understand what is needed, for the healing of suffering is compassion, not expertise.
. . .

Listening is the oldest and perhaps the most powerful tool of healing. It is often through the quality of our listening and not the wisdom of our words that we are able to effect the most profound changes in the people around us. When we listen, we offer with our attention an opportunity for wholeness. Our listening creates a sanctuary for the homeless parts within the other person.
. . .

Listening creates a holy silence. When you listen generously to other people, they can hear truth in themselves, often for the first time. And in the silence of listening, you can know yourself in everyone. Eventually you may be able to hear, in everyone and beyond everyone, the unseen singing softly to itself and to you.

Kitchen Table Wisdom
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.


Dr. Remen is one of the earliest pioneers of holistic and integrative medicine and has trained many thousands of physicians to practice medicine from the heart. Her groundbreaking curriculum The Healer's Art is taught in nearly half of America's medical schools.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I need to get that book. I know a few doctors who must have tested out of that part of medical school! :)

Love ya', Ann!! I'm glad to know I'm not the only person in the world who thinks like this!