CL Overview | What Is CL? | Uses Of CL | Peace Camp Project
 

What is Compassionate Listening?
Compassionate Listening is a tool for reconciliation used effectively around the world to resolve conflict in widely varying circumstances at all levels: personal, community, and international.

By cutting through barriers of defense and mistrust, both the listener and those listened to can hear perspectives and feelings more clearly, allow room for different opinions, make more informed decisions, and better arrive at creative solutions.

At the heart of Compassionate Listening lies the belief that individuals have the potential to play a much more creative and significant role at all levels of peace-building and reconciliation efforts.

The Compassionate Listening model is based on the recognition that by truly listening, without reaction or judgment, we can see through masks of hostility and fear to our shared humanity. Listening is respectful and a beautiful way to make a heart connection. It is also intelligent to deeply understand another person's perspective. It is a mind/heart approach, which opens interaction to deeper levels of understanding. The listener does not advocate a point of view other than the wish to build bridges.

Compassionate Listening creates a strong force for building bridges of understanding, erasing the image of "the enemy", and for deep healing.