The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction [Hardcover]

Rebecca Shafir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2000

Good communication enhances effectiveness and relationships in all areas of business, marriage, friendship, and parenting as well as develops inner wisdom. This fun and practical spiritual guide assures us that listening well is a natural ability we all have and then gets to the heart of our problems in truly attending to ourselves as well as to others.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Shafir, chief of speech pathology at Massachusetts's Lahey Clinic with over 25 years of clinical experience helping patients learn to speak, has written a real "heads-up" book for this age of soundbytes, multitasking, and hidden agendas. Communication is an interactive process dependent on both speaking and listening. Too often, the listening part is given short shrift, and we are left wondering why we feel "empty." Defining listening as "the willingness to see a situation through the eyes of the speaker," Shafir goes beyond the mechanics of good listening behavior to an approach requiring relaxation, focus, and a desire to learn from the speakers' perspective. In a friendly and informal tone, she discusses specific exercises, activities, and strategies to improve awareness, provides illustrations, and gives examples from her clinical experiences. While the book has relevance to anyone who spends time talking with others, counselors and those in the helping professions will find its solid and practical advice especially useful.DDenise S. Sticha, Seton Hill Coll., Greensburg, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

...Don't just "read" this remarkable book, use it as a guide and practice its teachings in your everyday life. -- Jane McLaughlin-Dobisz, Zen Master and editor of The Whole World is a

Shafir takes us to the heart of relationships and shows us the power of authentic listening-not only to others, but to our own inner self. -- Robert Gerzon, psychotherapist and author of Finding Serenity

The Zen of Listening awakens us to the potential for intimacy, compassion, and growth inherent in all of our most important relationships. -- Douglas Stone, co-author of the best-selling Difficult

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 300 pages
• Publisher: Quest Books; First Edition edition (October 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0835607909
• ISBN-13: 978-0835607902
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #499,131 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Clear, Worth Reading, January 19, 2001

By 

Fred "Technology is your friend." (CHAPEL HILL, NC, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction (Hardcover)

I read this book because I wanted to be a better listener, I am not a practicer of Zen, nor do I meditate. The book was very enjoyable, and it did a great job of teaching bigger picture items with regards to leading a life in which you focus on listening and also teaching simple mechanics of how to be a better listener. Unlike many of the modern blended self-help / spirituality books that are available, the author does a very good job of making crisply clear points and avoiding repetition.

The chapters focus on several clear areas, such as listening to yourself as you speak, focusing on listening to others, listening in difficult situations, speaking in a way which encourages listening and methods to increase the out put of your listening through better memory. I found the chapters that dealt with techniques on how to focus better on what others are saying to be very benneficial. The chapter on how to speak in a way to encourage listening was very helpful. There might be better individual books on all of those subjects, however, it is difficult to imagine an author doing a better job of blending the topics together and presenting them in such a well written manner. Her style is very clear, to the point that the words are as insightful as the message that she is telling us, almost as if she is sitting nearby as you read, calmly explaining the book to you.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Zen of listening, October 21, 2000

By 

Andy (Platteville, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book! It investigates important aspects of communication seemingly neglected today, utilizing different yet practical approaches to improve one's ability to listen. Rebecca Shafir appies her experiences with the hearing impaired to promote better listening by all. She seeks to differentiate between listening and truly hearing what is being said. In an age where the extorvert is valued and constant dialogue is promoted, Ms. Shafir explores a different approach, guiding the reader into a paradigm shift when examining attitudes and approaches toward overall communication. This is a must read for people who are considering a career in communications or related fields. This book will help anyone who seeks to improve his/her listening skills.

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A One-On-One Lesson from an Expert in Her Field, May 7, 2001

By 

Bob Burg (Jupiter, Florida) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Zen of Listening: Mindful Communication in the Age of Distraction (Hardcover)

This book was a great read, including lots of highlighting and note taking. Listening is a very important skill, yet it seems to be very undervalued by the general public. The author makes us aware of just how important listening is in every aspect of our lives; from school to business to relationships with those we love.

Two of the author's most important concepts were "Mindful listening" and "Getting into the other person's movie." Both of these were a constant theme throughout the book and, if people (myself included) learn these alone, they will become much, much more effective communicators.

The author's writing style made me feel as though we were having a personal consultation. Her sincerity comes through very clearly, and I believe having this book in your library will serve as a very valuable resource both for you and for your children, as they can also have access to some very important life skills.