Active listening
“Through active listening, we hear things that work for us.”
Basic Text, p.102
Most of us arrived in Narcotics Anonymous with a very poor ability to listen. But to
take full advantage of “the therapeutic value of one addict helping another” we must
learn to listen actively.
What is active listening for us? In meetings, it means we concentrate on what the
speaker is sharing, while the speaker is sharing. We set aside our own thoughts and
opinions until the meeting is over. That’s when we sort through what we’ve heard to
decide which ideas we want to use and which we want to explore further.
We can apply our active listening skills in sponsorship, too. Newcomers often talk
with us about some ”major event” in their lives. While such events may not seem
significant to us, they are to the newcomer who has little experience living life on
life’s terms. Our active listening helps us empathize with the feelings such events
trigger in our sponsee’s life. With that understanding, we have a better idea of what
to share with them.
The ability to listen actively was unknown to us in the isolation of our addiction.
Today, this ability helps us actively engage with our recovery. Through active
listening, we receive everything being offered us in NA, and we share fully with
others the love and care we’ve been given.
Just for today: I will strive to be an active listener. I will practice active listening
when others share and when I share with others.