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The Power of Words
By Dr. Ray Angelini
The Saratogian
May 2, 2006
We all have experienced the power that words have to wound, to comfort, to inspire. Words, like everything in the universe, carry a unique energy all their own. Yet it is often only after words are spoken that we recognize their tremendous power. The founders of yoga keenly understood the power of the spoken word. Many of the ancient texts like the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Bible itself caution us to weigh our words carefully. In fact, right speech is one of the eight noble pillars of Buddhism.
In an era where spin, rumor, and outright intentional deception are seemingly the norm, the notion of "right speech" can seem like an extremely foreign concept. Yet, our words literally create our reality and create energy waves that permeate our bodies and radiate out into the world. If we are to transform the world, we must strive to speak from the highest levels of consciousness.
We all operate on multiple levels of consciousness, from our shadow self to our highest and most noble intentions and feelings. It is critical to understand and respect that words can and do transform our level of consciousness.
Buddhism speaks of the three gates of speech, which are basically three questions that Buddha recommends we ask ourselves before we speak. They are:
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Is it true?
Asking this question of ourselves is a great way to become more aware of our natural tendency to deny or distort the truth through exaggeration, personal perspective, or various hidden agendas. One of the best things about asking this question that it opens up the opportunity for contemplation, and contemplation can serve as a filter for distilling out the truth.
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Is it Kind?
Obviously, everything we say exists on a continuum from kindness to cruelty. This question requires that we engage in a process of discernment. For example, are there certain truths that should never be spoken because they are simply too harsh and cruel? Do we suppress the truth in order to spare someone the pain of a truth that can destroy a friendship or ruin a marriage? These are just some of the questions we must wrestle with in order to achieve right speech.
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Is it Necessary?
When we are torn between being truthful or kind, is the best choice just to remain silent? There are certain situations that require us to speak the truth no matter how much we might dread the consequences.
These questions require us to wrestle with our consciences and weigh our words and actions carefully. This involves a lot of work, but we all have seen the consequences in our world today of not taking the time and effort to struggle with these questions.
In the end, it all comes down to the reality you want to create. So much of the pain and suffering we experience in the world could be avoided if we weighed our words more carefully. We can radically transform our relationships, our communities, and our world simply by taking the time to think before we speak. Hopefully, you will experience this as time well spent!
