Deep Listening
(Dadirri)
We cultivate the practice of deep listening skills with our clients. This embodies the power of non-verbal communication, which assists in mindfulness and emotional intelligence which are at the heart of conscious business.
We are living in a world of constant distraction and noise that creates a separation between us and nature.
It’s the practise of going within and finding the stillness to listen so that we can hear our inner wisdom and sit with contemplation and nature.
Deep listening is not a new approach but perhaps something many of us have unlearnt or forgotten. The Australian Aboriginal people practice deep listening–known as “Dadirri” – a revered skill, based on the qualities of respect, inner, quiet, self-awareness, and patience.
The word, concept and spiritual practice that is dadirri (da-did-ee) is from the Ngan’gikurunggurr and Ngen’giwumirri languages of the Aboriginal peoples of the Daly River region (Northern Territory, Australia). NGANGIKURUNGKURR means ‘Deep Water Sounds’. Ngangikurungkurr is the name the tribe. The word can be broken up into three parts: Ngangi means word or sound, Kuri means water, and kurr means deep. So the name of my people means ‘the Deep Water Sounds’ or ‘Sounds of the Deep’.
Dadirri is a deep, inner listening: a “tuning in” experience to help us understand the wisdom and beauty of nature. Finding stillness gives us the opportunity to pause, recalibrate and reflect. It is from this place that we can best connect with our innermost wisdom and develop an authentic relationship with ourselves and in turn the way we work with others.
Whilst it’s easy to talk about positive change, conscious business and better environmental practices the best place to start is with deep listening. This practise allows us to connect with nature and ourselves. From this place we can have the space, empathy and openness to make transitions.
There is also another part of deep listening or Dardirri that is significant for the way in which business can learn and that is the observation of time in nature.
We have learnt that we must react in business and respond however the patience and the stillness of deep listening allows us to go with the flow and witness the changes so we can feel when it is right and use our senses and intuition as guides rather than try to push through because of time frames.
Deep listening also gives us a daily connection to nature that itself brings calm, healing, peace and understanding. It is from this place we can start conscious business conversations.
Our Approach
Globally, deep listening and in turn deep thinking is what nature now demands of the business world.
Deep listening is the basis for our design, strategy, solutions, workshops and conversations and collaborations.
In Practice
Successful new business leaders are looking backwards in order to gain wisdom for the emerging future. We are looking to the wisdom of cultures that learnt from nature.
Sand Talk, a startling new book from Australia, “How Indigenous thinking can save the world” gives lessons in complexity.
Delve Deeper
Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr collaborated with Producer and Director, Pip Gordon of The Gathering Tree with support from DLUX Media and Djilpin Arts in Katherine, with original music composed by Michael Kokinos, in producing a short film about Dadirri - A Gift To The Nation. In Miriam’s language, ‘Dadirri’, is the practise of Deep Inner Listening and quiet still awareness, which connects us and nurtures spiritual well-being.
“Successful new business leaders are looking backwards in order to gain wisdom for the emerging future.”