Everyone is talking about empathy - more than ever before
From the purely interpersonal level, the topic of empathy has now also made waves in the business and economic world. Because it is also obvious at work and in teamwork: those who understand their fellow human beings and themselves better are more successful, more popular and also more efficient. Fewer conflicts and more harmony in working life give more space and energy for real activities. With concepts such as "Emotional Leadership" a major change in leadership is heralded. Finally!
Empathy means that on a rational level one cognitively understands what the other person feels and why he reacts how, and on the emotional level one can even intuitively feel emotionally how the other person feels. One of the most important so-called soft skills.
Empathy begins with self-awareness and self-love
Can you learn empathy? The answer is yes. The first step is to consciously perceive and understand your own feelings, behavior and thought patterns. Because you can only recognize that in others via so-called mirror neurons that you recognize and have consciously experienced in yourself. So it's about feeling yourself. Learning empathy therefore begins with ourselves with self-awareness and self-love. This is where cacao can help a lot.
Cacao strengthens the connection to ourselves and sharpens intuition
In cacao ceremonies, whether alone or with others, we create a space in which we consciously and lovingly give ourselves complete attention. Cacao helps us to connect with ourselves and let go of prejudice and judgment about ourselves and the environment. Due to the increased clarity and sharpened intuition that cacao brings with it, emotions and their origins are now more easily recognizable. This perception of our self helps us to better interpret and empathize with the feelings of others.
listening to understand
Associated with empathy is non-violent communication - according to Marshall B. Rosenberg (non-violent communication) an appreciative and sensitive communication. According to Rosenberg, empathy is a basic prerequisite for successful communication, in which one expresses one's needs honestly and clearly and listens attentively to the other person.
"The biggest communication problem is
that we don't listen to understand.
We listen to answer."
Such a famous quote.
With growing empathy, our honest interest in our counterpart also grows. We listen to the other because we really want to see and understand him/her - a deep need in each of us?!
