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Holy Listening Stones are a set of stones which contain symbols that can help children and teens get in touch with what is troubling them, where they need to focus their spiritual attention and to begin communicating that to those around them. These stones were created, along with a booklet by the Rev. Leanne Hadley, of First Steps Spiritual Nurture Center in Colorado Springs, CO. In the booklet Holy Listening Stones, Leanne writes, “As Jesus entered Jerusalem, people began picking up palms and waving them, shouting their love and admiration for Jesus. When the religious leaders told him to make them stop, Jesus responded by saying, ‘If I ask them to stop, it wouldn’t matter because the very rocks and stones would start to sing!’ He was telling of a great need that every being in creation has – the desire to express what their souls are feeling. Whether we are happy and full of joy, or sad and confused and full of sorrow, our souls cry out and we desire to share what we feel with others…the reality remains, we are souls, connected to God and each other and God has ordered creation so that sharing our soul’s joy, pain and laughter makes us complete! To be fully human means that we are able to express the things we believe about God, to explore the things that are happening around us, to make spiritual sense out of them and to share these insights with one another. This is true whether we are a child, a teen, or an adult. But where do we begin?” Holy Listening Stones are a starting place. Each stone has a symbol on it which encourages those working with the stones to look inward; to begin reflecting upon their world and sharing their thoughts. This time of sharing allows us to truly get to know each others. It allows us to see beyond the outer self and get to know another spirit. And when two spirits connect true spiritual care happens. Through the process of Holy Listening, where each person is heard as he/she speaks, children are enabled to express the things they believe about God, to explore and make spiritual sense of what is happening in their lives, to use their own spiritual strength to work through problems, and learn to trust their inner selves, knowing that God is present with them. In addition, they grow in their connectedness with those around them, in their capacity to pray for others, and in their abilities to lead loving, compassionate lives. Adults using “Holy Listening” in the spiritual nurture of children are blessed also by seeing with “new eyes” the presence of God in their own lives, as well as those of the children and find their spiritual lives deepened and nourished. Holy Listening Stones are a tool which can be used to begin, to deepen, to expand this process of listening without judgment or advice; of the soul’s hearing that of another. Using Holy Listening Stones There are many ways to make use of the Holy Listening Stones with their twenty-five symbols. In fact, you may want to add your own symbols and discover ways of using them in addition to those listed below. The symbols on these stones will encourage sharing by those who use them – sharing of self, of stories, of joys and concerns. And that is the point of the Holy Listening Stones, to help people share their thoughts with one another. Each stone has a symbol on it which allows us to look inward, to begin reflecting upon our world, to share our concerns, to grow. In a time of sharing, one person speaks and all the others truly listen. We learn what is important to others, what matters to them, what is wrong and/or confusing in their lives, how they experience God and prayer. The stones allow us to connect to others and ourselves beyond the surface we usually show to the world. It opens us up to connect at a deeper more spiritual level. The stones are not magic; they are simply a vehicle for beginning spiritual conversation. Some use them to share the happenings of the day, before bed or at mealtime. This can be done in a variety of ways. A family might have the stones on the table at dinner and have each person pick one which speaks to them of a particularly important part of their day. Then going around the table, each person would have a chance to share, while the others listened, making no suggestions or comments, just offering the gift of listening. One mother and daughter each pick three stones which tell something about the school and work day and then share with each other why they chose as they did. Youth groups use them for sharing highs and lows before prayer. An adult helping a young person share burdens might use the stones as a way to begin to get at those concerns. Taking turns, the older and younger person might pick stones at random and share what comes to their minds as they go through the box. We pray that in using the Holy Listening Stones you will find a comfortable way to begin to address spiritual concerns with those in your lives; that the stones will be an interesting and helpful way for children, teens and older people to begin to articulate the wisdom which resides in each of us.
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Holy
Listening takes place whenever two or more are gathered together and the
presence of God is affirmed, while people share their thoughts and feelings,
joys and concerns.