Looking back through posts I see layer upon layer of connection. This saying from Elias Canneti was first passed on to me by Rev. Master Chushin who died earlier this year. It was through him, indirectly, that I found Throssel Hole Priory as it was called then in the 1970’s. Seeing Michael’s comment reminds me of the very many conversations we had over the dining room table about speaking and language at the then Edmonton Buddhist Priory.
Listening
Posted on January 14, 2006 by Rev. Mugo

‘Respect for others begins by not ignoring their words.’
Elias Canneti
From: ‘The Torch in My Ear’

Need I say anything more?

A biographical detail for your interest: Elias Canneti won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1981, “for writings marked by a broad outlook, a wealth of ideas and artistic power”. For the last 20 years of his life he live in Zurich. He is buried there beside Irish author James Joyce.

Comments:

Michael on January 14, 2006 at 10:43 am said:

One of the best thing I learned in that book on “Transformational Speech” is that public speaking isn’t so dependent on speaking to the audience as listening to it. It’s a great challenge that I haven’t conquered yet.

I was talking to a fellow today about my profession and I caught myself a couple times thinking about what I was going to say next while he was talking. Tch tch.

One more example, I can always tell when the assistants I’m supervising have tuned me out when I’m trying to give them direction. What are they thinking about?

David Gwillim on January 16, 2006 at 10:19 am said:

Thank you for the quote by Elias Canneti, I had never seen or heard of that before, but it is something to which I have naturally always tried to adhere.

I find it works wonderfully as a personal point of resolve, but it is extremely difficult to use as a complaint when you are having difficulty with someone who is ignoring your words.

I guess it is another one of those things that simply must originate from within oneself, and cannot by its very nature be enforced.

David