Communication Skills
Written by Margaret Branch
Introduction
The improvement of interpersonal communication skills is integral to the healing of our planet in these fragmented, complex times. The individual must heal the spirit inside before the spirit of humanity is healed. Good communication is very important to our survival as well as our evolutionary progress. However, improving how we communicate must be practiced regularly to learn how to bridge the gulf of our emotional differences. In order to break through the defenses that have been built around our different perspectives, it is necessary to actively cultivate increased sensitivity to the needs of all humanity on both a spiritual and a practical level in the arena of communication. It is of utmost importance that the metaphysical practitioner, minister and spiritual leaders of our community lead the way in achieving a highly functioning ability to communicate with each other in a way that serves to enhance society. The spiritual teacher must lead by example, so communication skills are a must for the metaphysician.
Since the latter half of the 20th Century, the focus on the improvement of interpersonal communication has emerged in many arenas of social interaction. The early Encounter Groups of the 1960’s have led to a diversity of procedures for enhancing communication in general. Among these are many kinds of events, such as weekend retreats concerning trust-building for business executives in order to increase productivity; to trained but informal mediation sessions offered for groups that work together; and various opportunities to learn more effective people-management skills. The concept of conflict resolution and the emergence of catch phrases such as ‘win-win outcome’ is becoming familiar. In our modern society the emphasis on these activities is important, for as contemporary psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, in his book on community-building called A Different Drum (1987) declares, “Trapped in our traditions of rugged individualism, we are an extraordinarily lonely people… [we operate] behind masks of makeup, masks of pretense, masks of composure.” This unfortunate condition has led to the sad reality of continuously hostile work environments and has contributed to personal alienation in relationships of all types.
There are many methods for improving communication and acquiring handy spiritual tools, and it is difficult to make evaluations about which are most effective. This course will touch on the similarities between some of the various approaches, but it will begin by exploring the significance of investigating the emotional sources of our automatic behavioral responses. For it is only through the process of such self-discovery that we can better achieve lasting change and true spiritual growth.