Gene Knudsen Hoffman, from her essay, “Speaking Truth to Power”
An Exploratory Sourcebook About Conflict Transformation
"Then we must listen. We must listen and listen and listen. We must listen for the Truth in our opponent, and we must acknowledge it. After we have listened long enough, openly enough, and with the desire to really hear, we may be given the opportunity to speak our truth. We may even have the opportunity to be heard.
For no one and no one side is the sole repository of Truth. But each of us has a spark of it within. Perhaps, with compassion as our guide, that spark in each of us can become a glow, and then perhaps a light, and we will watch one another in awe as we become illuminated. And then, perhaps, this spark, this glow, this, light will become the enlightening energy of love that will save all of us.
============
“I soon realized that without listening to the enemy I could not make informed decisions. If I was an advocate for one side, I would never know the causes of the oppositions’ anger and violence, and I couldn’t possibly know the suffering they had endured.” Gene Knudsen Hoffman
“We peace people have always listened to the oppressed and disenfranchised. One of the steps we should take is to listen to those we consider ‘the enemy’ with the same openness, non-judgment, and compassion, we listen to those with whom our sympathies lie......" Gene Knudsen Hoffman
“An enemy is one whose story we have not heard.”
Gene Knudsen Hoffman - Compassionate Listening pioneer and international peacemaker.
"Then we must listen. We must listen and listen and listen. We must listen for the Truth in our opponent, and we must acknowledge it. After we have listened long enough, openly enough, and with the desire to really hear, we may be given the opportunity to speak our truth. We may even have the opportunity to be heard.
For no one and no one side is the sole repository of Truth. But each of us has a spark of it within. Perhaps, with compassion as our guide, that spark in each of us can become a glow, and then perhaps a light, and we will watch one another in awe as we become illuminated. And then, perhaps, this spark, this glow, this, light will become the enlightening energy of love that will save all of us.
Gene Knudsen Hoffman “Speaking Truth to Power”
Compassionate Listening is adaptable to any conflict. It is non-judgmental, non-adversarial, and it seeks the truth of the person questioned. It also seeks to see through any masks of hostility and fear to the sacredness of the individual --- and to discern the wounds suffered by all parties. To discern means to perceive some things hidden or obscure. This is very different from deciding in advance who is right and who is wrong and then seeking to rectify it. And it's very hard to listen to people whom I feel are misleading, if not lying. We must listen with our "spiritual" or psychological ear. Listeners do not defend themselves, but accept what others say as their perceptions. By listening, they validate the others' rights to those perceptions. An enemy is a person whose story we have not heard. Peace is a healing process that acknowledges both sides are wounded. Gene Knudsen Hoffman