You asked for mere communication; HIDP gave you communion || Acharya Prashant, with youth (2013)
Speaker : You have an image of communication in your mind.Communication is not merely what you are thinking it to be.What is communication?
Listener : We are in touch with people.
Speaker : And? What do you mean by communications skills then?
Listener : The way you talk.
Speaker : The way you talk.
Listener : The way we present ourselves.
Speaker : How do you present yourselves ? What do you mean by to present yourselves ?
Listener : How you appear to others .
Speaker : Right.Where does appearance come from ?How do you appear to me ? How do I know ?Through my…..
Listener : Eyes.
Speaker : Nice. And what can the eyes will tell me? What can the eyes tell me?
Listener : Only the personality.
Speaker : What is the personality?
Listener : The big mask.
Speaker : A big mask.So for you communication skills program is to wear a bigger mask. Should we give that to you?
You see the thing is that ‘communication’ is such an abused word that even before you come to this class, you already have an image of what a communication skills program would be like. You think that it would be about wearing a bigger mask, pleasing people, impressing them and in the process strengthening the personality, re-enforcing the mask. Have we talked about personality in this program? Have we not told you something about communication then? As I am speaking to you, should I try to impress you or should I try to deliver the truth to you. What do you want? Tell me.
Listener : Truth.
Speaker : So what you want from me; communication skills or clarity of mind ? What should I deliver to you?
Listener : Clarity of mind.
Speaker : What has the program given you? When you talk of talking to others, it is essentially a relationship and in that relationship impressing the other person is violent. It is a violent relationship that I am talking to you with this at the back of mind that I must impress you. Then I am doing injustice to you. That’s why those who understand, they don’t talk of communication, they talk of communion because communication can often be violent.They talk of communion.
Communion means a relationship of love, in which it does not matter greatly the words that you are using, what matters is from where are the words coming from. Are they coming from a clear mind ? Then it is communion.
Communion is the highest form of communication.This course has taught you communion to you.
You are bargaining far less. You are preparing for far less.You would have been happy if we have just taught you communication.You came to get communication, the course has given you communion. Is it not wonderful?
Yes, is it not wonderful? Don’t say that to please me. It may not be actually so wonderful.
Excerpted from a ‘Shabd-Yog’ session. Edited for clarity.
