Hi and welcome to Right Speech Meditation.
Did your parents ever say something that you've carried throughout your life?
Power of words isn't lost on anyone.
Just think of the pleasure you feel when someone pays you in sincere compliment or the discomfort of realizing you spilled a secret you promised to keep.
Words and the energy they carry make or break friendships and careers.
They define us as individuals,
Community and even as cultures.
We know this and yet we often let our words flow out more or less unmediated like random pebbles tossed into a lake.
Often it's only when these ripples spread and cause waves and the waves rush back and splash us that we stop to think about the way we speak.
Unnecessary speaking wastes energy that could be devoted to self-inquiry and transformative action.
More important though is the power that words have to change the communal atmosphere,
To cause joy or pain,
To create a climate that fosters truth or falsity,
Kindness or cruelty.
So much of the pain we cause ourselves and each other could be avoided if we were just a little more discriminating about what we say.
Our relationships,
Our work environment,
Even our feelings about ourselves can be transformed simply by taking time to think about the words we say and how they create reality.
Yeah,
Words create reality.
This is an understanding that you'll find in most of the great wisdom traditions.
All speech,
Especially speech imbued with strong feelings or emotion,
Creates waves of energy that radiate through our bodies and into the world,
Helping to create the atmosphere we live in.
Our bodies and subconscious minds hold the residue of every kind or cruel word we've ever taken in.
So does the very air and soil.
When you feel a particular vibe in a room,
Chances are what you're noticing is the energetic residue of the words that have been spoken there.
Words,
Whether spoken or thought,
Are constantly altering reality,
Shifting the vibratory atmosphere in our bodies,
In our homes,
Places of work and in our cities.
So the choices we make about what to say and not to say are not just of casual importance.
Before you speak,
Ask yourself,
Is what I am about to say true,
Necessary,
Kind?
Ask yourself if it passes through these three gates.
First gate,
Is it true?
What does true mean to you?
What does it mean in this example?
Is it a literal fact?
Is it evidenced?
Is it an opinion or a judgment?
Do you willfully distort facts to fit your need?
Is it clouded by your personal perspective or objective?
Do I know this for sure?
Is it true?
The second gate,
Is it kind?
Sometimes kindness is at odds with the truth.
Sometimes the truth is not kind.
Is it possible you use this gate to protect yourself from difficult conversations?
Is what you want to say just downright mean,
Judgmental or opinionated?
Could the truth cause you or another unnecessary pain?
Is it kind?
Sometimes we speak out even when we know the outcome won't be favorable because it's necessary.
The third gate,
Is it necessary?
How do we define necessary?
Is it when it will prevent further wrongdoing?
Do we respond too quickly and too often frivolously on social media?
Is it necessary?
This is often where we are most heavy with our opinions and judgments.
Would you speak it to a person if they were standing in front of you?
Consider for yourself,
Often it is necessary to be truthful in speaking to ourselves,
To own our behavior or actions.
We can do this in a kind way rather than being harsh or judgmental.
We are often far more critical and unkind of ourselves.
The three-fold gates can be turned inward when we speak to ourselves.
Think on something you often tell yourself,
Admonish yourself for,
A common phrase or opinion you have of yourself.
Does it pass through these three gates?
Is it true?
Is it kind?
Is it necessary?
If it does not,
Then I urge you to cease this message you continue to send to yourself.
Take a moment for a short meditation of self-inquiry.
If you are able and it's safe to do so,
Please close your eyes for a moment.
Imagine throwing all of your thoughts,
Self-doubts,
Judgments like a pebble into a pond,
One at a time.
Where might the ripples end up?
Where is the impact felt?
Do this now peacefully and without attachment,
Just awareness as a silent witness.
Consider the conversations you've had recently with yourself,
With your loved ones on social media,
With each pebble you discard,
Ask,
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
Consider big waves,
Gentle ripples.
Is this where your energy is best spent?
Where does this energy go?
How might you redirect this energy or retain it within yourself by not speaking or not especial evidence.
Just slowly bringing your attention back to my voice.
As you move off into your day or your week,
Attempt to be mindful of your speech.
When you consider speech either verbal,
Written or your inner voice,
Perhaps practice the mantra Om for a moment prior to speaking.
Perhaps wiggle your toes and feel the earth beneath your feet.
Something to give yourself a moment to be intentional and practice the gates.
Truth,
Kindness,
Necessity.
Like the pebbles in the pond discussed earlier,
We may never know where the ripples land,
With what force or understanding.
We can however control the intention with which the pebbles are dropped into the pond,
With a positive,
Thoughtful intent there's a better chance of positive impacts along the shoreline.
Thanks for joining me.
