The heart of the restorative justice movement, particularly as expressed in victim offender dialogue, community conferencing, and circles, is anchored in human relationship, respect, humility, and authentic communication. As the movement has grown over the past decades, many believe too much emphasis has been on facilitation techniques. While these techniques are important to learn, they can also become a significant obstacle to true dialogue if practiced too rigidly, if our ego is too active in the belief that we know best what makes for an effective dialogue and a successful outcome. Taming this ego as RJ facilitators requires a mindfulness-based approach that is grounded in open hearted, moment by moment, non-judgmental awareness of ourselves and those we are with. It is a way of being rather than doing that draws upon the ancient wisdom and practices of many indigenous communities. Deep compassionate listening goes far beyond the more common active listening and paraphrasing that keeps us in our heads. By working with breath and silence, taming our egos and deep listening is a gift of awakening for both the practitioner and the recipient. In sharing this gift, Sheryl and Mark will draw upon many stories from their RJ work in numerous states and countries.