In some cultures, it is common for someone to receive a whole new name after certain rites of passage. Names carry distinct vibrations, and like all words, they have the capacity to hold us in their spell. In Western cultures, names are considered more fixed, though kids and pets are a notable exception. It’s common for children ~ and family pets ~ to have an assortment of nicknames that evolve over time.
Think about the energy of the nicknames you’ve had, or that you’ve used for others. This energy tends to feel different from that of our conventional, “given” names. It leaves a little room for a slight – or significant – shift in identity.
In certain sub-cultures, nicknames are pretty common through adulthood. Athletes often have nicknames that carry an extra potency. There is a playfulness around most nicknames that can allow people to step into a different version of themselves.
In Western, industrialized nations, we have grown a bit disconnected from the inherent potency of words themselves. Indigenous languages tend to reveal a more direct connection between their words and that which the word represents. Words are, ultimately, vibrations. They are not tangible “things.” But they can have tangible effects.
Why is that? As quantum physics has revealed, atoms, which are commonly viewed as the “building blocks of matter,” are notably lacking in matter altogether. Over 99% of an atom is energy, not physical substance. Everything that we think of as material is, in fact, virtually all empty space, vibrating at various frequencies.
As you and me and everyone we know ~ and everything in our world ~ are made of atoms, this certainly sheds light on the notion that we are constantly subject to the influence of the incredibly subtle. Our thoughts and feelings can literally change our physiology. A loving touch, or even a loving glance, though seemingly intangible, carries information. A single conversation can change the course of a person’s life. We are biologically designed to pick up on and respond to the subtle information in our environment. This includes words.
We so often overlook this, but with our speech, we have incredible creative power. In The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz writes:
Through the word you express your creative power… Regardless of what language you speak, your intent manifests through the word….The word is not just a sound or a written symbol. The word is a force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and thereby to create the events in your life… The word is the most powerful tool you have as a human; it is the tool of magic… Depending upon how it is used, the word can set you free, or it can enslave you… all the magic you possess is based on your word.
We have all experienced the differing effects of words spoken out of kindness and care, and words hurled around in insult. So united are our minds and bodies that a stream of insults can cause measurable weakness in our muscles, and a pleasant array of encouraging words and compliments can fortify those same muscles.
Envisioning an increased blood flow to an injured area can expedite healing. Using our minds to summon white blood cells to a part of us that needs protection taps into the inherent design of the life within us ~ to communicate and connect.
We consist of tens of trillions of cells. We are, in fact, a community of cells, which cooperate with mind-boggling efficiency for the overall functioning of the “individual” we think of ourselves as being. How on earth do they pull off such a feat, facilitating billions upon billions of chemical reactions every second?!
They have mastered the art of communication. Their exquisite system of communication is elegant and effective and has quite a lot to teach us, if we take the time to tune in.
Using small bits of information, they communicate a steady stream of messages throughout our systems. They use these messages to bring about a state of dynamic equilibrium. And on a very practical level, our thoughts and feelings are part of this communication system.
What dialogues are unfolding within your inner landscapes? How can you bring yourself more actively into your own healing processes by the way you communicate to yourself? And how can you tune into the power of your personal communications in the external world to bring about positivity and improvements in the areas that are in need of these remedies? What conversations need to be had with more intention, care and compassion?
Where is there room for your inner and outer dialogues to bring about more harmony and healing? Can you recognize the power of your own voice?
Thursday, 11/4 is the last day to sign up for my weekend webinar: Beyond Words ~ Ayurveda and the Art of Communication.
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