Twenty One: First time through: Awake while talking

DAY TWENTY ONE
Sensing ourselves, arms and legs, even when talking

We are programmed over and over and over to put our attention “out there” when we are talking. And that attention has a huge amount to do with spending a lot of time “up here” in our heads, preparing our next batch of words.

Usually we are preparing our next batch of words while the other person is still talking.

Usually we listen to but the first sentence, or maybe even less of what another person says before we go “up here” into our heads, to find the right tape loop, the right prerecorded offering that we will send out as our next bit of talking.

And even when we don’t do that, the words, as we speak them represent ideas we are so attached to, or feelings we are so attached to, or phrases we’ve said over and over and aren’t really attached to at all, we just spill / recite / spew / unwind them out.

This may seem a harsh view of human communication.

Oh, well. Sense your arms and legs as you “think” in your minds, what’s wrong with this.

And speak out loud to this page, to this book, speak out loud your objections in at least two different ways.

One just speak them out.

Two, as you speak, sense your arms and legs.

Three, see if you can think of something else to awaken your awaring to while you speak these words aloud.


And then, as game, as play, as practice, see if you can sense your arms and legs while talking to other people and while listening to other people talk to you.

See if you can catch your preparing your spiel halfway through their talking, and see if you can drop that talking inside and sense yourself and “just listen.”

“Just listening” is huge. Give it a try, “just listen” as you sense your arms and legs and hear their words. Then sense your arms and legs as you talk.