What is the Essene practice of deep inner listening?
The difference between hearing and listening...
The Essenes, many of you will know I love talking about them. They are the home, the tribe, the foundation of Yeshua and his family and direct support system.
They developed a practice known as “deep inner listening.” This contemplative practice goes way deeper than ordinary “listening”.
In the gospel of Thomas; one of the key texts in Gnostic literature, Yeshua says, “Let him who has ears hear,” meaning that those who are ready to receive hidden truths can “hear with their inner ears” and be open to a deeper understanding.”
Yeshua’s teachings were layered, with meanings accessible only to those who are spiritually receptive or open to insight. It’s an invitation for listeners to look beyond the surface and understand the spiritual or mystical truths behind his words. This saying often appears after parables or teachings that require reflection to grasp fully. (He used parables a lot to actually share complicated quantum theories.)
It is a process of quieting the mind, setting aside the ego, and attuning to the subtle voice of your Higher Self.
Deep inner listening invites us to go beyond surface level hearing, reaching for a resonance that connects us with the true heart of what is communicated. It’s about connecting to the heart and not just to the mind.
It is an ears-heart-mind connection..
Not just an ears-mind one..
Let’s take a look at how Jesus (Yeshua ܝܫܘܥ), Mary (Maryam ܡܪܝܡ), and Joseph (Yoseph יוסף) practiced deep inner listening in gnostic scriptures..
Understanding deep inner listening in Essene practice:
It’s about more than words, like I said already, get your heart involved. And it can be tricky to feel into what is your heart-voice speaking and what is your mind-(ego) voice speaking..
it’s an experience of tuning into Mother/Father God with humility and openness.
If you feel called to the Gnostic teachings, stories of Christian mysticism.. then feel into this exercise here:
creating sacred silence: Yeshua had a word for this: In Aramaic, pronounced “ethpathak (אֶתְפַּתַּח)” it means "to be opened". Jesus used it to describe spiritual or mystical “opening”, like the opening of the mind-heart. He also used it when he healed people to bring them to a state of “sacred silence” so that they could receive the healing.
heart-centered awareness: Through the silence of “ethpathak” you become aware of the voice of your heart that has now been given the space to emerge and be louder than the voice of the mind..
intention & prayer: Attuning yourself to the God-frequency by setting the intention to be open, to connect to your heart. To have Mother/Father God show you those things that they can clearly see, that you may not be able to see through the filters of the mind, blocks, fears..
The difference between hearing and deep inner listening:
When someone listens from the surface, they may hear words without absorbing the fullness of what’s being communicated. Deep inner listening, however, involves setting aside judgments, expectations, or biases, and hearing “between the lines.” (again, those with ears will hear.. Yeshua said). Here are some ways people may confuse “hearing” with deep inner listening:
Attachment to personal beliefs: When one listens with rigid beliefs, they may miss out on wisdom that doesn’t align with their expectations. Deep inner listening invites us to release preconceptions, allowing us to receive messages in a way that expands our understanding.
Judgment and ego: The ego’s need for validation can block the true message. Deep inner listening involves a humble openness, quieting the mind’s tendency to evaluate and analyze. This requires a sense of patience and self-compassion, trusting that every message has value. Is your judgment coming from Love or from fear? I spoke about it in this video.
Literal interpretation: Listening with the ego often focuses on literal meanings and misses subtleties, such as tone, intention, and unspoken emotions. Deep inner listening, by contrast, invites one to feel with intuition and heart, going past the surface of words to understand the fullness of the message, you are listening with energy, with heart, and not with ears and the mind alone…
In our fast-paced world, the ability to quiet the mind and listen deeply is a gift that requires patience and humility. By following the example of the Essenes we can open ourselves to the insights that emerge when we set aside ego, approach with compassion, and listen with the heart. This kind of listening offers not only personal peace but a deeper understanding of our place within Life.
Want to learn more about the Essenes?
Want to work 1 on 1 with me on this?
ps: I have a series of meditations that I offered with my Essene teachings course that I am going to be offering soon as an audio bundle. I am in the process of re-recording some of the meditations.. Stay tuned for more info soon..