Mahatma Gandhi once famously said, “Speak only if you can improve upon the silence.” A pithy quote indeed, which conveys a wealth of meaning. Speech is a wonderful gift that we human beings possess but it is also a double-edged weapon.
If used intelligently and sensitively, it can touch upon hearts, influence and inspire people and make a world of difference. But if used carelessly and callously, it can hurt, misguide, poison and can have a damaging and destructive effect.
We all know a few people from whom we have shrunk away because of their toxic and negative speech. We have divulged our plans or shared our dreams or anything that is going on in our lives with them but they have never said anything encouraging to us.
They will trot out a hundred reasons on why a given strategy or approach or proposal will not work or even go so far as to say you are doomed from the word go.
Or, they will get all envious and jealous and scar you with their caustic remarks, which will leave you discouraged and determined never to open up to them in future.
On the contrary, a kind, reassuring, comforting and/or encouraging word can mean the world to someone who has struck a bad patch or who is at the crossroads in life and needs it.
It costs nothing and even if you cannot do anything significant, they will cherish and revisit that exchange for a long time. Which is why it is important to choose one’s words with care and to think and weigh one’s thoughts before one speaks.
Paramahansa Yogananda said, “Making others happy through kindness of speech and sincerity of right advice is a sign of true greatness. To hurt another soul by sarcastic words, looks or suggestions is despicable.” Nothing infuriates people more than blatantly unfair and unjust
comments.
A spiritually evolved person’s speech is not only more likely to be temperate; it is also capable of standing up to reason and logic and therefore more readily acceptable to even one’s detractors.
Buddhism talks about ‘Right Speech’ and spells out four canons — avoiding falsehood, needless gossip, rude, abusive, slanderous speech or words that are likely to inflame and cause disharmony.
The nature of speech provides a lot of insights about a person. If you want to judge someone, pay close attention to his /her utterances. Is there honesty in the statements or fairness or kindness or are the very opposite traits and qualities being conveyed?
Knowing when to speak is equally important. Desisting from speaking when one is angry can save one a lot of heartache. Words uttered in a fit of rage are always likely to be regretted.
Finally, speaking in a spirit of love even when one is conveying something not so pleasant will result in greater receptivity than doing so spewing venom and hatred. Talking of austerity of speech, the Bhagavad Gita exhorts us to be truthful in speech that is inoffensive to others, pleasing and beneficial.
The writer is a Reiki channel, yoga practitioner and a spiritual leader
