We sometimes forget that when we’re using words, we are passing symbols back and forth. This means we must make assumptions like for example, that we agree upon the meaning of these symbols. Words like soul, spirit, psyche, enlightenment, love and hate are a few that carry heavy associations for most of us and can be difficult to get right.

Our word-symbols of emotional states are perhaps the most assumption rich of all.  We say, “I’m feeling angry”.  The recipient of this word-symbol may have a myriad of meanings attached to this word-symbol that we don’t share at all. They might assume this anger is accompanied with hatred.  We can feel love and anger at the same time. Never assume when someone says they are feeling angry that this means they don’t like you.  Anger pushes us to make changes in our lives, to establish better boundaries and feel alive. No relationship will not trigger anger at some point in it’s journey.

Words have power as we all know by how they can affect us emotionally, physically and intellectually. Our whole lives are based on our interaction with words. There is a story of a woman who entered psychoanalysis because, among a few other things, she wouldn’t stop bleeding. Her menstrual cycle had stalled on steady flow. As she was leaving her first session with the psychiatrist, she turned to him and asked, “What about my bleeding? Will it stop?” And he replied, “Yes it stops right now.” And it did. Those words at that moment, spoken by this man perceived as an authority healer, had the power to kick start this woman’s cycle. That is an example of the power of words.  Remember the last time you said, “I love you”?  Not to someone you say it to all the time or has an expectation to hear it from you, but someone you have never said it to previously?  Do you remember their reaction or yours? I bet you do.

The placebo affect is another example. If we are told by someone that a substance will make us well and we have vested this person with the power of knowledge and authority, the chances are high that the substance will have the desired healing affect. This is not a bad thing! Placebos have no side affects.

Word-symbols heal, destroy, bring us tremendous pain, pleasure and joy.  They elevate us to the stratosphere or drive us to the depths of despair and suicidal ideation.

Written Word Has Always Carried Mystery & Awe

The power of the spoken word dwarfs in comparison to the power of the written one. When we read a word, we imbue it with even more substance and power. We tend to believe what we read, making an often erroneous assumption that if it is published it must be the truth. This hearkens back to a time when the aristocratic and academic classes owned reading and writing. There was mystery and awe in the minds of the majority when in the presence of someone who could read and write. They were granted celestial powers of discernment, authority and interpretation.

You must be especially vigilant in considering this power in this world of texting and the internet. We still take the written word seriously and unless you are gifted and skilled at using word-symbols accurately, I would avoid texting altogether except to perform the most mundane of tasks like arranging a time to meet.  Don’t, under any circumstances share your deepest feelings, thoughts, dreams, visions in text form unless you have researched the precise word-symbols you need to express them precisely.  More couples, friendships, family ties are being ripped apart these days through the exchange of a few lines of text, than ever in our human her/history.

I remember the days when emails became the speedy means of text exchange.  Compared to snail mail it was a miracle, trust me. Soon into the practice, wise advisors were cautioning users to put their emails in our draft folders for at least 24 hrs before pressing that SEND button.  Then along came “texting” and all that sage advice was forgotten. People launched immediately into texting back and forth at break neck speed.  Not even a second was claimed to carefully ponder what was being written to the person on the receiving end, potentially leaving a track of destruction in it’s wake a mile wide.

It’s a tsunami of mass social destruction. I want to yell from the highest rooftop, “STOP TEXTING” but I fear it would just get lost in the wind. Texting should be, “Want to meet for coffee?”  “How about Sunny’s at 2?”  “I’ll pick up a chicken for dinner, is there anything you want with it?”

Not, “My girlfriend saw you kissing a woman at Sunny’s last night – who was she you bastard?” This is the sort of conversation better explored in person because there are simply too many variables. Are you mad, teasing, flirting, testing?  The recipient has no idea but betting on mad might just end things between you right there!

Word-Symbols Heal, Uplift & Create

I had a dream the other day that I was conversing with two women who were involved in a lively debate that I desperately wanted to participate in.  I couldn’t get any words to come out of my mouth.  All I could emit was a pathetic croak or squeak.  They looked at me exasperated and pitying. No matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t speak.  It was terrible. Upon awakening I was so relieved to realize this was a dream. It spurred me to consider how grateful I am for speech. That I do have a voice, that I can participate and say my piece, that I can be heard. I can read and write too!

You can use this power to bring goodness and healing to this world.  You can use your power to use word-symbols to uplift, educate and create and yes one voice at a time, change the world.