Active listening is the essence of meditation. It’s also the only thing that really matters in relationships.

As we explore our relationships, what matters most is staying present, being empathetic, knowing how to pay attention and to listen, holding space for difficult emotions, and regulating our emotions. All of these are directly trained through meditation practice.
If you’ve ever been with someone who is not listening to you, not really there with you, isn’t empathetic, you sense it, and you don’t feel as though you’re being heard. What is fundamental to a relationship is being seen, feeling heard, and understood. So the first thing meditation does is train us how to actually be present. How to focus our attention on this moment as we connect with that other person.
Even as a meditation teacher it is challenging for me to practice what I preach. That’s exactly WHY I practice. Everyone’s mind wanders… a lot. Mindfulness helps me build up these critical skills (through those mental pushups) that positively influence my relationships.
I hope this helps!
– Andy