• uncover the skillful means to be more fully in the world, present and responsive, rather than distracted and reactive;
• realize that listening is a practice that takes practice, and being skillful does not require being perfect;
• recognize and rectify the myriad ways in which the mind can close the ears;
• find that listening skillfully nourishes others, and that we can teach others how to return that nourishment to us;
• realize that unskillful listening has a variety of causes, and with practice we can learn to recognize and remedy them;
• discover how listening skillfully to others can facilitate hearing and deeply honoring our own tender hearts;
• recognize that there are ways to effectively listen in large groups, where distractions and competing agendas often make listening challenging;
• find confirmation of the truth that words have power; and that listening can be accomplished in ways that channel words optimally, postively and cooperatively.