---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Listening has importance only when one is…"
description: "\"Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one's own desires through which one listens.\" — Jiddu Krishnamurti"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg"
---

#  Listening has importance only when one is not projecting…

![“Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one's own desires through which one listens.” quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg)

> “Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one's own desires through which one listens.”

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Listening is only genuine when one is free from projecting personal desires onto the act of listening.

**In simple terms:** Listen without personal agenda.

Key Takeaway

Practice unbiased listening.

Themes

mindfulness communication self-awareness projection

Mood

introspective calm

Type

philosophical advice

When to use this quote

- therapy sessions
- conflict resolution
- teaching
- meditation

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- How often do you listen to understand?
- What desires you project when listening?

A Different Perspective

Self‑projection can still bias listening.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires/) [Desires Listens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desires-listens-3703772/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Listening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening/) [Listening Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listening-importance-3703771/) [Listens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listens/) [Only](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/only/) [Own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/own/) [Projecting Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projecting-desires-3703773/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/)

## Related quotes

> [“How do you listen? Do you listen with your projections, through your projection, through your ambitions, desires, fears, anxieties, through hearing only what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/how-do-you-listen-do-you-listen-with-your-projections-through-your/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [While expressing your desires, you would need to exercise control in order to prevent them from doing harm to you or to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/while-expressing-your-desires-you-would-need-to-exercise-control-in/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [If you listen through the screen of your desires, then you obviously listen to your own voice; you are listening to your own desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/if-you-listen-through-the-screen-of-your-desires-then-you-obviously/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [What is of great importance is that everyone should concern himself with what I am saying, rather than with the personality of the Teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/what-is-of-great-importance-is-that-everyone-should-concern-himself/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [The successful writer listens to himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-herbert/the-successful-writer-listens-to-himself/)

[Frank Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-herbert/)

> [Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/knowledge-speaks-but-wisdom-listens/)

[Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/)

> [I've Said This Many Times Before,But Nobody Ever Listens So Again HELP ME!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-said-this-many-times-before-but-nobody-ever-listens-so-again/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [History repeats itself, has to, nobody listens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-turner/history-repeats-itself-has-to-nobody-listens/)

[Steve Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-turner/)

> [At the end of the day, you need someone who listens to you with no judgement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/payal-rohatgi/at-the-end-of-the-day-you-need-someone-who-listens-to-you-with-no/)

[Payal Rohatgi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/payal-rohatgi/)

> [When you play, never mind who listens to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-schumann/when-you-play-never-mind-who-listens-to-you/)

[Robert Schumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-schumann/)

> [Many people talk as if they have all the answers, whereas I know I don't. That's probably why no one listens to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-s-hall/many-people-talk-as-if-they-have-all-the-answers-whereas-i-know-i-don/)

[John S. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-s-hall/)

> [I think people just think I am crazy because they see me doing stand-up, but I am generally not. I am very sad. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-people-just-think-i-am-crazy-because-they-see-me-doing-stand/)

[Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/)

> [We all need someone to talk to, someone who listens, someone who understands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/we-all-need-someone-to-talk-to-someone-who-listens-someone-who/)

[Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/)

> [We're the only species that listens to Michael Bublé when we have sex. That's gotta be wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-d-elia/we-re-the-only-species-that-listens-to-michael-bubl-when-we-have-sex/)

[Chris D'Elia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-d-elia/)

> [A wise man listens no matter how stupidly someone is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-wise-man-listens-no-matter-how-stupidly-someone-is/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Jiddu Krishnamurti

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I have only one purpose: to make people free, to urge them towards freedom, to help them to break away from all limitations, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/i-have-only-one-purpose-to-make-people-free-to-urge-them-towards/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Its beautiful to be alone. To be alone does not mean to be lonely. it means the mind is not influenced and contaminated by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/its-beautiful-to-be-alone-to-be-alone-does-not-mean-to-be-lonely-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Knowing the cause of something is not going to help you to be free of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/knowing-the-cause-of-something-is-not-going-to-help-you-to-be-free-of/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Whatever discipline you exercise should be based on the goal your child is eventually to reach, namely, freedom and happiness. I would show him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/whatever-discipline-you-exercise-should-be-based-on-the-goal-your/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Begin where you are. Read every word, every phrase, every paragraph of the mind, as it operates through thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/begin-where-you-are-read-every-word-every-phrase-every-paragraph-of/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Without discontentment, without revolt, you can never attain harmony. It is a necessary stage, which must be gone through by everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/without-discontentment-without-revolt-you-can-never-attain-harmony-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Meditation is a state of mind which looks at everything with complete attention, totally, not just parts of it. And no one can teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-a-state-of-mind-which-looks-at-everything-with-complete/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [Learning is the very essence of humility . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/learning-is-the-very-essence-of-humility/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [We need tremendous energy to bring about a psychological change in ourselves as human beings, because we have lived far too long in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/we-need-tremendous-energy-to-bring-about-a-psychological-change-in/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [“Life is a movement, a constant movement in relationship; and thought, trying to capture that movement in terms of the past, as memory, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/life-is-a-movement-a-constant-movement-in-relationship-and-thought/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [“Meditation is like going to a well, the waters of which are inexhaustible, with a pitcher that is always empty. The pitcher can never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/meditation-is-like-going-to-a-well-the-waters-of-which-are/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [The observer is the observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/the-observer-is-the-observed/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [When we stop fighting with ourselves, we aren't creating anymore conflict in our mind. Then our mind can for the first time relax and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/when-we-stop-fighting-with-ourselves-we-aren-t-creating-anymore/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [A lily or a rose never pretends, and its beauty is that it is what it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-lily-or-a-rose-never-pretends-and-its-beauty-is-that-it-is-what-it/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

[Explore all 807 Jiddu Krishnamurti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

## More Communication quotes

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/)

[John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/)

> [We should have a conversation when we hang up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/we-should-have-a-conversation-when-we-hang-up/)

[Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/)

> [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/)

[Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/)

> [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/)

[Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/)

> [What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/what-it-comes-down-to-for-me-is-this-will-the-technologies-of/)

[Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/)

> [In dialogue, there is opposition, yes, but no head-on collision. Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/)

[Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/)

> [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/)

[Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/)

> [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/)

[Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/)

> [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. I've been in a public bathroom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-reddy/i-ve-been-in-a-serious-conversation-with-one-of-my-children-and-a-fan/)

[Helen Reddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-reddy/)

> [Life as we know it is fundamentally unsatisfying. I think most folks feel this to be true. They know that a life of aimless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/life-as-we-know-it-is-fundamentally-unsatisfying-i-think-most-folks/)

[Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/)

> [Disability, in general, hasn't been included in the conversation about inclusivity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-winston-george/disability-in-general-hasn-t-been-included-in-the-conversation-about/)

[Jason Winston George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-winston-george/)

> [“Women will be at least 50 percent of the communications community workforce … from executive suite to interns. Why? The “integrated” agency will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoram-wind/women-will-be-at-least-50-percent-of-the-communications-community/)

[Yoram Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoram-wind/)

> [There are certain things you must not say in spite of the fact that supposedly democracy means free speech. No. You are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/there-are-certain-things-you-must-not-say-in-spite-of-the-fact-that/)

[Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/)

[Browse all 21,506 Communication quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one's own desires through which one listens.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jiddu Krishnamurti"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/listening-has-importance-only-when-one-is-not-projecting-one-s-own/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Communication"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/listening-has-importance-only-when-one-is-not-projecting-one-s-own/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f74/jiddu-krishnamurti-249_communication_listening-has-importance-only-when-one-i_416860.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Listening has importance only when one is not projecting one's own desires through which one listens.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jiddu Krishnamurti",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Listening has importance only when one...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/listening-has-importance-only-when-one-is-not-projecting-one-s-own/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/listening-has-importance-only-when-one-is-not-projecting-one-s-own/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
