"Feel your left ear."

Last night I was in a group doing this exercise. After that we were asked why we feel the ear at that location, there as we felt it and not at the nose area, not in the air, no where else but there. Different answers popped up from the group, one said because we pay attention, one said because we have the idea that ear is at that area. However, these answers didn’t hit onto the answer the questioner was looking for until one person replied that it is because of the sensation.

It is very strange that how come one question can have multiple answers? It is not until I argued what I answered is right that I get the realization. Our answers are based on which word we pick up. The one who answer about sensation pick up the word feel. I pick up the word left. The manner we pick up any specific word again depends largely on our habit and temperament. People who are more senses based pick up things based on feeling. People who are more logical based pick up stuffs in terms of logic such as direction and location.

In a way, the questioner also plays a role in posting the question accurately and precisely because different people pick up the meaning differently. When an ambiguity question was asked, a confused replied will be received. A pre-conceived idea of what the answer should be is also quite limiting. If a person is only seeing things through his own ideas, many things will be categorized as wrong, and self-righteousness arises. Arguments and battles could be a result and the holding on on ‘I am right, you are wrong’ will become very strong.

With this understanding, the mind become more receptive on how sometimes, what we are trying to convey get a different outcome. It is all because of the listener pick up only those things that are familiar in their domain. It is not surprising that misunderstanding and conflict arise from this. And also, this way of listening in fact limits oneself from the truth that is universal. We are actually operating in a very pre-defined and limiting way, which is unique to ourselves and gave us the unique experience which differs from each other.

By knowing this, it stands a chance to be more compassionate and acceptance to the others. On top of that, it also opens up the consciousness to experience something that is out of our usual and habitual way of experiencing things. A door opens up.