The Zohar (Beresheet B, section 52) reminds us that we have two voices: “A deeply hidden secret pertains to the spiritual powers of the mouth. As letters and words arouse the very focus that they describe, the mouth animates the spiritual forces that it speaks” and “… an inner voice that cannot be heard or revealed… This is perpetually produced; it never ceases. It is a very thin inner voice that can never be heard.”
Let us first consider the outer voice. Th mouth puts into words the spiritual voice. The Zohar even states that what comes out of your mouth is far more important than what goes into your mouth. That makes sense – what you put into your mouth benefits or damages only you. However, the words that come out of your mouth make a difference to the world because of the incredible power of words.
Think of the conversations you have had where you would wish to now take words back – and it is too late. You can use words to destroy relationships and burn bridges – and you can never take those words back. We have all been there and done that.
On the other hand, you can use words to change the world. Think of people like Anais Nin (Change happens when the pain of staying where you are exceeds the pain of changing) or Martin Luther King (to ignore evil is to become accomplice to it) or many thousands of people whose words have over millennia resulted in small changes that grew into significant changes.
A current slogan, ‘where we go one we go all’, encapsulates the fact that we are one human race, and that our destinies are intertwined. We live in a time where we can choose division and encourage that division with words, and we can do even more damage using social media. On the other hand, we can choose to become One and ensure that every word we speak contributes to humanity becoming whole. Think about that next time when you communicate with anyone, whether it is your love partner or an audience on the internet.
Then there is the inner voice – the one that is never heard by anyone other than you. What does that inner voice tell you all the time? Is that voice one that keeps you happy or healthy, or does that inner voice confirm that you are your own worst enemy?
I am fascinated by how that inner voice results in physical and emotional imbalance for years, while the person never gets to see the link between their thoughts and their ailments. Often a simple restatement of that inner voice results in instant healing, because the voice that can never be heard drives your words and therefore your actions. If you sit back for a second and just let that inner voice speak, you will be surprised by what comes out and how that defines you.
Sometimes you have to distance yourself from people who by their presence perpetuate that inner voice. Sadly, I have had on occasion to walk away from people I love dearly, because their presence and their behaviour towards me perpetuated an inner message that no longer served me. In every instance, the result was improved physical health, and new people entering my life. It does not mean for a moment that I stopped loving those people. It simply means that I stopped giving them permission to trigger an inner tape recording that I have outgrown. This kind of action requires courage – not to walk away from people, but to face yourself and acknowledge that it is not them doing things to you, but it is you allowing them to trigger what no longer serves you.
Let us work on ensuring that for each one of us, our inner voices and our spoken words both contribute to a spiritual power that is welcomed anywhere in the world. That will keep us all busy for the next few decades.
Namaste
