By Upendra Mishra
The words contain tremendous power. They are packed with energy. Every thought we think, every word we whisper even to ourselves, every word we speak to others and every word we write—they all are embodiment of power.
When and how do we derive power from the words? When we say only those things that we truly mean, feel inside and stand behind. As inside, so outside. Casual words and saying things that we don’t mean weaken our soul and thus our strength. So, think for a few minutes before you say or write anything (even on Facebook and social media outlets.)
We also take trivial talks too casually or as an entertainment or gossip for fun, but eventually they gradually start to transform us unconsciously in a negative way. The saddest part is that people have started to use words like sweetheart, love, dear, darling and numerous flowery adjectives and adverbs so casually on social media.
Using word without believing in them is like writing a big check but with no money in the bank. The words should not be used casually because they contain power within them and we should respect them and be impeccable with our words.
Sage Patanjali, the codifier of Indian Yoga system some 2,000 years ago, had thought about it and had called it “verbal delusion.” He said: “Verbal delusion arises when words do not track real objects.” Eventually, we become what we think and what we say.
Fast forward to today. Yehuda Berg, an international speaker and author of The Power of Kabbalah and The 72 Names of God, has expressed the power of words beautifully: “Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.”
The words, however, become useless when we use them casually or use them without putting the weight of our thoughts and feeling behind them. A couple of years ago, one of my clients suggested that I should read a book “The Four Agreements” (1983 Amber-Allen Publishing, 140 pages) by Mexican author Don Miguel Ruiz.
I had never heard of this book before but later I found out that this book has also been the most favorite book of Tom Brady, the football quarterback for the New England Patriots and one of only two players to win five Super Bowls.
Some say that Brady reads this book every year. I also read it, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of personal freedom and
empowerment. Of the four agreements, the first one and probably the most important one Ruiz mentions is: “Be Impeccable With Your Word.”
“The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The world is a force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and thereby to create the events in your life,” says Ruiz. “Depending on how it is used, the word can set you free, or it can enslave you even more than you know. All the magic you possess is based on your word. Your word is pure magic, and misuse of your word is black magic.”
Here are a few other excerpts from on the power of words from The Four Agreements:
- One fear or doubt planted in our mind can create an endless drama of events.
- When you are impeccable, you take responsibility for your actions, but you do not judge or blame yourself.
- Whenever we hear an opinion and believe it, we make an agreement, and it becomes part of our belief system.
- You can measure the impeccability of your word by your level of self-love. How much you love yourself and how you feel about yourself is directly proportionate to the quality and integrity of your word. When you are impeccable with your word, you feel good; you feel happy and at peace.
By the way, here are the four agreements from Ruiz:
Be Impeccable With Your Word.
Don’t Take Anything Personally.
Don’t Make Assumptions.
Always Do Your Best.
With words, you have the power. Don’t use them casually. You must stand by every word you say right from the inner core of yourself.
(Mr. Mishra is managing partner of the Waltham, MA-based integrated inbound marketing and PR firm The Mishra Group. He writes about his three passions: marketing, scriptures and gardening.)
Dear Blessed and Amazing Mishra ji,
I really enjoyed reading this article. I agree that there is much power in the word more than what we realize.
Thanks for writing this.
I had no idea that two of my favorite people are connected in this way. Obviously, both Don Miguel Ruiz and Tom Brady are incredibly exceptional at what they do. We must remember that the words we sometimes use so flippantly are so very important. Thank you for writing this article!