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Contact is essential to be understood, and to understand. When your are in contact with someone or something you will spontaneously know things about that person or object. For example, when you come in an empty house and sense the rooms, you may be able to tell things that have happened in the house. So when you listen to someone while being in contact, you will understand much more than just the words. Also, when you are in contact with your own feelings while you listen, you will understand more fully what the message means for you.
Contact is established through attentiveness, sensitivity, curiosity and openness. Attentiveness means that your attention is with the other person and not somewhere far away, because your mind is captured by something else that you cannot let go. Sensitivity means that you are able to tune in to the other person and sense his feelings and intentions, so that even if his expression is vague you will still understand. Curiosity means that you are truly interested in who the other person is, what he will say, what moves him; interested in observing what makes him a unique being. More ...