Auscultation

The many parts of the human body usually work together in harmony, both diverse and united, and it is easy to forget the complexity which exists beneath the surface. Perhaps that is why there is something so amazing about listening to its inner workings -- the beating of the heart, air pressing in and out, gurgling of the digestive system, even the popping of its joints.

One of my favorite new words from the past year is auscultation. It is used to describe the way a doctor listens to a patient's innards -- intently, attentively, with strong awareness. Implied in this is purpose of evaluating health and enabling appropriate response.

The fellow who introduced me to this great word is D. Michael Henderson as he related it to how we listen to each other in conversations. Like a physician can distinguish sounds of health and illness, we also can learn to attend well to each other, attending to signs of what is beneath the surface in addition to that which is expressed more directly. And when we listen well, we can better engage in ways that bring about health and wholeness.

Like the physical body, the many parts of the human mind and soul are designed to work together in harmony, both diverse and united. It is easy to forget the complexity which exists beneath the surface when the surface is "loud." Perhaps that is why there is something so amazing about listening attentively to the inner workings of another human spirit, and why it is so important to listen with great care.