You live as you speak. In Buddhist psychology it is said that the main source of energy loss is the speech. Christina religion teaches: “Does not matter what enters the mouth of the person, it matter what comes out”. Some people are using this expression to justify their choice of nutrition, which often reminds the style of a pig — “eat everything that you see”, often ignoring the second part of the expression.
Many followers and saintly people left for the places of solitude so that nothing would involve them into empty conversations. In the Vedas idle talk is called “pradjalpa”. It is one of the main obstacles on the path of spiritual and material progress. We usually judge the person, first of all, by how he or she speaks. The speech defines the person.
Almost any person, who is interested in yoga, eastern psychology and philosophy, knows the name of the sage Patanjali and his monumental work on yoga — “Yoga-Sutra”. Very few people know, that first of all, he created, not less important works, dedicated to speech and medicine: “Patanjala-Bhashya” and “Charaka” respectively. “Patanjala-Bhashya” being the commentaries to the grammar of Panini, teaches how to speak properly and to properly organize your language.
There is a close connection between the mind and the speech, the mind and the body, the mind and the soul. The healthy body, healthy mind and healthy language/speech support the harmonious individual. Contemporary research has proven that the mistakes in the speech are not random. They have deep connection with mental development. Stumbling in speech and stutter appear when there is serious emotional disruption. Almost all diseases are psychosomatic in nature.
Every person, aiming towards perfection must become, first of all, a doctor, healing his body, secondly, a grammar specialist, watching his speech, and thirdly, a philosopher, who is clearing his consciousness and perceiving the Absolute Truth. In life of such person there is no room for physical illnesses, indifference to self-awareness and idle talk. Patanjali referred to this kind of person as a Yogi. It does not matter which yoga path, which spiritual practices the person adapted, all the above would be applicable to him/her in fullness.
Our health and material week-being is dependent on speech.
This is important not only for spiritual people, but also to this who want to succeed in the material world. The art of speaking and listening is seriously considered in all business schools. Even in the criminal world, to be able to climb up the ladder, one must be able to watch ones mouth. There is often Buddha is quoted, that a person can be killed with a word. Three minutes of anger may destroy the friendship of 10 years. Our words shape our karma. One may devote ten years to a spiritual path, charity, but insulting a saintly or great person, it is possible to lose everything on all levels and fall into lower forms of life in next reincarnation cycle.
Where does it come from?
The offensive language.
Vedic astrology teaches that the shadow planet Ketu is responsible for the pensive language. Ketu is the planet that gives fast reactions, often with instant effect. Ketu also grants liberation. Yet in its negative aspect it will punish for any insults and disrespectful speech, promptly stopping the person of all spiritual and material achievements. In the Vedic society every person was taught to watch his words carefully. And until the person starts talking you cannot get to know him.
One can distinguish a fool from a sage when he starts talking. Words have very powerful energy. Those who can see subtle energies say that people who swear, talk in a rude, disrespectful and offensive manner, get black spots in their energy/auric field, which may turn into cancerous inflammation in a matter of one-two years.
Speech is the manifestation of the life force. The main purpose of our tongue is for saying prayers, mantras, and discussing the subjects that get us closer to the Divine. It is also possible to use for talking about practical issues and communicating with family/close people. But most important is to do it in moderation!
Ayurveda teaches that speech is the manifestation of prana. Prana is the life force energy, the Universal energy. The more prana a person has, the healthier, more successful, charismatic, and harmonious he is. So first of all prana is being dispersed when the person is talking. Even more is wasted when the person is criticizing, condemning, judging, or using foul language.
Statistically, 90% of all arguments happens because of speaking ill of someone else. Those people who can control their speech are most successful. Bhagavat-Gita teaches that the asceticism of speech is performed through saying truth in a pleasing way.
People who use coarse language occupy the lowest ranks in all hierarchies. This relates to countries as well. Please notice that countries with higher evolved culture of speech are always more successful — Japan, Germany, and all other countries in the Big Eight. In the meantime there is happening some cultural degradation, including the degradation of the culture of communications. This is affecting the economics and the spiritual life overall. In the East, the person who cannot control his words is considered to be very primitive, while he may have a PhD in the West.
Our karma is defined by our speech. It is important to remember: i we criticize someone, we take on their negative karma and negative qualities of character of the person we are criticizing. This is how the law of karma works. We also acquire the qualities of the person we praise. Therefore Vedas inspire to talk about God and saintly persons at all times to obtain the Diving properties. If you want to obtain certain qualities, it is enough to read about some holy person, who had those qualities, or discuss his/her qualities with someone else.
It has been noticed long ago that we acquire the qualities of the person about whom we are thinking and consequently talking. Even western psychologists suggest to think and talk about successful and harmonious people.
The higher the level of egoism and envy that is within the person, the more challenging it is for him or her to talk positively of others. We must learn not to judge or criticize anyone. I had a client, who was supposed to have some series illness according to his natal chart, but he was doing fine. I asked him what did he start practicing that exact year. He told me that he took a vow never to criticize anyone. And he shared that he noticed that his life has improved dramatically, and his spiritual practice took off to the next level.
The one who criticizes us gives us his/her good karma and takes our bad karma. It was auspicious, according to Vedas, when someone is being criticized. How our speech is working with our karma? In “Mahabharat” it is said that if you planned to do something, do not share this with anyone. If you have shared, the probability does down by 80% that this task will be completed, especially if you shared this plan with a envious or greedy person. Why people who talk very little and thoughtfully, achieve more? They are not wasting their energy.
Another simple rule related to our speech is: if you did some good deed and later boasted about it (or shared with someone), at that moment we loose all the good karma and all the fruits of the pious action, which was acquired by this action. Boasters rarely achieve much. Therefore we must never boast our achievements as at that moment we loose all benefits we earned by those deeds.
“Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” Matthew 6:3
Our thoughts determine our speech.
A real story:
A disciple comes to the master and asks him:
— You are are teaching to live with open mind. Can the mind fly away than?
— Just shut your mouth and everything will be fine.
Our thoughts determine our speech, therefore it is important not to think ill of anyone. The more chaotic thoughts fly through our mind, the more they will manifest on the tip of our tongue, and therefore the more chaotic will be our speech. Those who think clearly, speak clearly.
One more level — learn how to receive the critique. One of the qualities of the min is to justify itself in any position. The lesser developed person will produce the most excuses. Even committing some horrible crime this kind of person will find some excuse. I taught seminars in jail, including severe degree criminals, and I was surprised to find that almost none was considered himself guilty of crime committed. One of the marks of a higher development level of an individual is his/her ability to receive the critics addressed to them.
The rules of the aware speech.
First rule:
Before you say something out loud, count till 10. This may seen=m silly at first. And in the beginning it may be difficult even to count till 3. If you respond after a short pause, your answer will be much more thoughtful, as first reaction that runs through the mind when a person is being criticized is the desire to justify oneself and to respond harshly. So please teach yourself to wait and think 5-10 seconds before responding. As minimum it will dissipate the unnecessary emotional charge. The person on the path of self-realization speaks very little and thoughtfully. I was reading in the biographies of great people that they never responded immediately for any accusations . they would postpone the conversation to another day or until the emotions dissipate, as they knew that anger and irritation affect their speech, and the consequences would be tragic, and at times destructive.
Second rule:
Never fall into extremes. God is manifested in the details. The Devil manifests in the extremes. Don’t; try to give a vow of complete silence. Especially if you are evidently an extravert by nature, this may hurt you. If your psycho-physical nature is such that you talk a lot, then choose to speak so that all people around you receive the positive benefit from your words. Be open and be well-wishing, and mainly — live in full awareness. Remember, your level is determined by small, unnoticeable deeds — when we reacted to someone’s redness in a stores, when we are criticized “undeservedly”, etc.
