I recently stumbled upon this gem...

Empathy

Empathy, a value upon which is based all the educational methods on peace and non-violence is the key to comprehending what others experience. According to the Chinese philosopher Tchouang-Tseu, real empathy exists when one listens with one’s entire being. “To listen through hearing is one thing. To listen intellectually is another. But to listen with the mind is not limited to the sole faculties of hearing or intellectual comprehension. It requires a state of vacuity of all faculties. When this state is reached, the entire being can then listen attentively. One then succeeds to grasp directly what is essential to us, that which can never be heard with the ear or understood by the mind.”

From: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=4617&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html