Letting People be Heard

Letting people be heard is the act of love and peace. It is giving ourselves to another person. It is saying we are honoring your ability to speak out what you need to speak out. Understanding what people have to say is more important to them than we will ever realize. Allowing people to vent is vital for their growth. If they are harboring feelings of self-guilt and shame, pity or resentment, they need to be heard. It is an instrument of healing. Being able to participate in it is an act of love.

Not too long ago I was the most fortunate recipient of someone whom I love dearly become very angry and decided to make horrible accusations against me. I say fortunate, because I was able to use this as one of the greatest learning tools that I have encountered in quite a while. As I read their anger, I became angry at first because their accusations were so far-fetched, it was obvious this person was dealing with their own internal suffering. As I read it a second time, and third time, I understood fully this was something they needed to get out. This would help them perhaps heal the inner demons and the illusion of the things that haunt them or bother them.

At first I reacted. Then after a day or two, I fully understood their attachment to their anger and that is caused them great suffering. When we suffer, we will attack people because it is easier to do that, then deal with your illusions. Most of what they said was based on their emotions, and no truth. Their emotions made them a prisoner of ill illusions and ill feelings towards people who love them.

Still, I read their letter, and loved them. They rejected the love, held onto their illusions, and chose suffering over compassion or understanding. That is their path to walk, and the important factor here to remember is that we allow people to be heard. Truth or illusion, they need to be heard.

With that in mind, it is important to remember that when people come from suffering due to illusions, it does not mean they are a bad person. It means they suffer. So when someone is going ballistic on you because of their own suffering, it is vital to listen, and not to take it to heart. Listen as the person is expressing themselves, even if it is insanity aka, continuing to choose the illusion over non suffering.

So be that person who is willing to listen (and or read) they chose you to hear them. What is crucial, is to make sure you protect yourself and your energy. Stand the higher ground so their suffering does not cause you suffering. You can send them compassion and love. To them, your love may be an illusion because they are so unable to accept love from you. They may want to remain attached and hold onto the illusions that make them remain in a state of anger.

Since one of the Buddhist meditations on compassion emphasizes how we are completely dependent on the kindness of all beings, it is important to send people like this daily compassion and love, and move forward. You do not have to participate in their anger or illusions or emotions. Just allow them to be heard, get it off their chest, and then wish them peace and continued success in hoping they find their own happiness.