The Power of Words

InquisitiveInHalifax · 05-05-2006, 03:49 PM

I'm not sure if this is the correct section to post this in, please forgive me and feel free to move it if not.

I was just thinking about how in the Bible in Genesis it says something along the lines of 'In the beginning there was the word and the word was G-d and it was good'. I know that's not exactly right, I've never been good at exact quotes but I'm sure you'll all know what I'm talking about nonetheless.

My point is that though I'm not sure exactly what I believe in I do believe that words have some power. I believe in saying what you mean and meaning what you say. It's a constant source of frustration to me that most people do not share this belief and you can't depend on their word. Even the words 'I love you' seem to be thrown around rather lightly. It seems to me that in this age of technology when it is so easy to communicate and especially easy to communicate to people without being face-to-face with them that words are losing their power and people are losing their integrity. I wonder if this integrity has any relation to spirituality. Maybe people don't care so much about being accountable for what they say and do because they don't believe that there is any higher power to be accountable to?????

Just some random thoughts, I'd love to hear what other people think.

-R

wil · 05-05-2006, 04:04 PM

There is incredible power in words...

Not just limited to 'keeping your word' or 'your word is your bond' these should be obvious imho, if you say you are going to do something either do it or call in time to not infringe upon the other for your having to withdraw...and yes of course there exist exceptions...

But beyond that, positive and negative words and thoughts affect our day, our situations, our perceptions.... we create things with our words...good or bad...we create.

I am stupid....terrible affirmation, connecting those words together creates a change in your psyche allowing you to accept less and less of yourself.

I know a woman in her mid forties...as a young child overheard her mother say to a neighbor...'no she doesn't have the looks of her sister, she never will' those words haunt her today... We truly need to watch what we say.

There was an Army study where they split the recruits in three and told the drill seargent this group won't amount to anything...and these guys are officers material...watch them carefully... The middle group was mediocre, the lower third became grunts...and the upper third was found to be exemplary...power of the word...insitlling perception and creating a new reality...

So we can use our words directly to influence people...great work Johnny, I'm going to frame this and hang it on the wall! Or ... can't you ever stay within the lines? that is awful. our words are powerful and long lasting.

Or we can use them indirectly..."Watch my son...he's in a mood today and has been nothing but trouble all summer" or "I can't believe how much he improved over the summer, you are going to have one well behaved A student on your hands this year." Incredible power preconceived notions...that first impression will last a long time...and change the child!

We create our lives with our words, not just adjust our perception but adjust our future...

Do we think saying "I am bad with names" will assist our memory?
Or "I am bad with money" will increase our financial situation?

Truly we can change...by changing what comes out of our mouths.

taijasi · 05-05-2006, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wil

There is incredible power in words...

Not just limited to 'keeping your word' or 'your word is your bond' these should be obvious imho, if you say you are going to do something either do it or call in time to not infringe upon the other for your having to withdraw...and yes of course there exist exceptions...

But beyond that, positive and negative words and thoughts affect our day, our situations, our perceptions.... we create things with our words...good or bad...we create.

I am stupid....terrible affirmation, connecting those words together creates a change in your psyche allowing you to accept less and less of yourself.

I know a woman in her mid forties...as a young child overheard her mother say to a neighbor...'no she doesn't have the looks of her sister, she never will' those words haunt her today... We truly need to watch what we say.

There was an Army study where they split the recruits in three and told the drill seargent this group won't amount to anything...and these guys are officers material...watch them carefully... The middle group was mediocre, the lower third became grunts...and the upper third was found to be exemplary...power of the word...insitlling perception and creating a new reality...

So we can use our words directly to influence people...great work Johnny, I'm going to frame this and hang it on the wall! Or ... can't you ever stay within the lines? that is awful. our words are powerful and long lasting.

Or we can use them indirectly..."Watch my son...he's in a mood today and has been nothing but trouble all summer" or "I can't believe how much he improved over the summer, you are going to have one well behaved A student on your hands this year." Incredible power preconceived notions...that first impression will last a long time...and change the child!

We create our lives with our words, not just adjust our perception but adjust our future...

Do we think saying "I am bad with names" will assist our memory?
Or "I am bad with money" will increase our financial situation?

Truly we can change...by changing what comes out of our mouths.

Wil, I believe this is the most moving (and for me personally, significant) post I have ever read on CR. Period.

Thank you, Inquisitive, for starting this thread!

-t

flowperson · 05-08-2006, 08:54 PM

wil:

I am struck by the great truths in what you have said here. There are Archaeo-anthropologists that have uncovered what they believe to be the roots of spoken language in S. Africa 60,000-100,000 years ago.

They did this by analyzing and comparing the languages of the world, and then extending such comparisons back in time until they found the words that appeared to be the roots of spoken communication. The extant language surviving today that most closely resembles these primal words is that spoken by the xhosha people of the Kalahari desert region. This method of analysis was carried out in the late '80's and has been peripherally confirmed by modern genetic analyses of tribal movements in the ancient times. The 80's film, The Gods must be Crazy, will familiarize you with these people.

I think of words, both written and spoken, as packets of information that when used can and do have profound effects upon the future.

This may be why the concept of words is so intimately associated with "beginnings" in sacred materials.

I believe that one should also consider that genomes of living matter and beings are words of a sort. They contain and utilize information that when brought forth into our environment enables life as we have come to know it. IMO, that is part of the great mystery concerning what G-d does in this world, and why sh/he is so closely associated with the concepts of life and love. I think of all this as "the ultimate nano-technology".

On the contrary side we recognize that Jesus, in one of the sayings of The Gospel of Thomas warns us that it is not what we put into our mouths that will pollute us, but what comes out of our mouths.

And so, when I turn on the TV, that is why I am so turned-off and disgusted by the things that I hear coming out of the mouths of the talking heads I see there in the commercial world of communications. Thank G-d for the Internet, BBC, and US public and community radio !

flow....

InquisitiveInHalifax · 05-09-2006, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taijasi

Wil, I believe this is the most moving (and for me personally, significant) post I have ever read on CR. Period.

Thank you, Inquisitive, for starting this thread!

-t

Your quite welcome, thank-you all for participating in the dialogue that normally happens in my head. It's much more fun and interesting this way.

-R

Ciel · 05-10-2006, 12:16 PM

Whispered softly as a gentle breeze;

" It's going to be allright........."

And once more peace and hope born into illumination.

lunamoth · 05-11-2006, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ciel

Whispered softly as a gentle breeze;

" It's going to be allright........."

And once more peace and hope born into illumination.

Ciel, you whispered this so softly I almost missed it. Good to see you 'round.

peace,
luna

Vajradhara · 05-13-2006, 08:19 AM

Namaste all,

"Words have the power to heal or harm. A true word spoken with compassion and sincerity can change our world."

~Buddha Shakyamuni

metta,

~v

pohaikawahine · 05-15-2006, 02:49 AM

a couple of thoughts to share ....

In Masaru Emoto's "The Hidden Messages in Water" it is shown that the very crystals in water will change their form when positive or negative words and thoughts are present ... he states that "our consciousness is what will purify water, and through this we send messages of beauty and strength to all life."

Also in my culture (and I'm sure many others) we use to be taught at a young age (sorry I have to say "use to be") not to release words unless your mind, heart and vocal cords were in harmony because of the power of words. Once they are released, they are out there forever. In our ancient language each vowel calls forth an element in the world ...."a" calls forth the sun, "e" calls forth the winds, "i" calls forth the waters, "o" calls forth the earth and "u" is the human spirit that is able to call the elements .... every hawaiian word has at its deepest essence a power to effect all life and every word must be said with respect and love.... it is through the sounds in the language that we also listen for the sacred meanings which are usually 4 levels deep .... so obviously I believe that words have tremendous power .... he hawai'i au, pohaikawahine

flowperson · 05-15-2006, 08:21 PM

Greetings Pohkawahine !

I always enjoy the deep spiritual nature of the words that you put together in your posts. I ran across something several years ago and it is so important to me that I've had a copy on my fridge since then so that I can read it every day. Great words are meant to be shared so...

Kumu Lipo... Hawaiian Chant of Creation

Upward there upward
The birds of the sky

Downward there downward
The flowers of the earth

Landward there landward
The forest of trees

Seaward there seaward
The fishes of the ocean

Sing the burden of the song
How beautiful this universe

Aloha...flow....

taijasi · 05-15-2006, 11:20 PM

The word unspoken is your sword in its sheath.
The word spoken is your sword in the hands of your enemy.

(Persian proverb)

taijasi

pohaikawahine · 05-16-2006, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowperson

Greetings Pohkawahine !

I always enjoy the deep spiritual nature of the words that you put together in your posts. I ran across something several years ago and it is so important to me that I've had a copy on my fridge since then so that I can read it every day. Great words are meant to be shared so...

Kumu Lipo... Hawaiian Chant of Creation

Upward there upward
The birds of the sky

Downward there downward
The flowers of the earth

Landward there landward
The forest of trees

Seaward there seaward
The fishes of the ocean

Sing the burden of the song
How beautiful this universe

Aloha...flow....

aloha e flow .... the Kumulipo is my favorite chant and I have studied it for over 40 years .... in the hawaiian language a "kumu" is a teacher and the word "lipo" is a deep, deep dark blue color or the color of the deepest part of the ocean .... so dark yet one can still see shadows and forms .... its meaning "kumulipo" is "the source" of knowledge .... it is a powerful chant layered with many meanings and is over 2000 lines long .... here are the first 5 lines:

O ke au i kahuli wela ka honua
O ke au i kahuli lole ka lani
O ke au i kuka'iaka ka la
E ho'omalamamalama i ka malama
O ke au o Makali'i ka po

At the time when this earth evolved as a flaming ball of fire.
At the time when this earth emerged from the changing garment of
heaven.
From the sun, that arose with the dawn of light and washed darkness
out of the night.
And illuminated the uper spheres with sunshine.
It was cold and wintry, dark and misty, in the Celestial World...(the time
of the rise of the Pleiades)

Now this is a chant with words of great power .... how wonderful that you have had it on your fridge for these years .... he hawai'i au, pohaikawahine

Quahom1 · 05-16-2006, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taijasi

The word unspoken is your sword in its sheath.
The word spoken is your sword in the hands of your enemy.

(Persian proverb)

taijasi

I think the translation is: the word spoken is your sword at the throat of your enemy...(but I could be wrong...not the first time).

v/r

Q

Quahom1 · 05-16-2006, 05:35 AM

I know, with a word, I can bring people up, or bring them down. I know with a mistaken word I can cause great misunderstanding. I know with a single word, families can be devestated. I know with a single sylable, death can be wrought to hundreds, if not thousands.

I know a single word can heal, can bring forth life, can stop a fight, can set up forgiveness.

If a human word is so powerful, how much more powerful is the word of the "other"?

my thoughts

v/r

Q

flowperson · 05-18-2006, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pohaikawahine

aloha e flow .... the Kumulipo is my favorite chant and I have studied it for over 40 years .... in the hawaiian language a "kumu" is a teacher and the word "lipo" is a deep, deep dark blue color or the color of the deepest part of the ocean .... so dark yet one can still see shadows and forms .... its meaning "kumulipo" is "the source" of knowledge .... it is a powerful chant layered with many meanings and is over 2000 lines long .... here are the first 5 lines:

O ke au i kahuli wela ka honua
O ke au i kahuli lole ka lani
O ke au i kuka'iaka ka la
E ho'omalamamalama i ka malama
O ke au o Makali'i ka po

At the time when this earth evolved as a flaming ball of fire.
At the time when this earth emerged from the changing garment of
heaven.
From the sun, that arose with the dawn of light and washed darkness
out of the night.
And illuminated the uper spheres with sunshine.
It was cold and wintry, dark and misty, in the Celestial World...(the time
of the rise of the Pleiades)

Now this is a chant with words of great power .... how wonderful that you have had it on your fridge for these years .... he hawai'i au, pohaikawahine

Aloha e Poh... I had no idea that the small part that I have revered for so long was such a small part of a larger work. Is there a published version in english available that you know of ?

I also find it remarkable that the portion that you related concerning the beginnings contrasts the superiority of the light over the dark and gloomy nature of the early world. It is reminiscent of the very beginnings of Judeo-Christian mythology wherein the very first act of G-d was to " let there be light". I find such cultural parallels between ancient beliefs to be very faith and life affirming.

Till next time....flow...