Saturday, January 16, 2010

Right speech

After living in almost total silence for two weeks I began to hear my unspoken thoughts. I was shocked and sometimes horrified at what I was about to speak out loud. Over and over for several days, I said to myself,"you were going to say that!" and thankfully I didn't.
Coming back into the world I try to practice right speech.
I want what I say to be kind, truthful and necessary and if it is not all three I want to be peaceful with silence.
God is not calling us to say everything there is to say about every subject.
Living in the Light illuminates equally what you wish to see and say and what you don't.
As you become skillful at discerning and following the way of the Spirit, it can become challenging to watch others make serious mistakes, harmful to themselves and others; watch them and be ok with it.Speaking aloud only when you can do so with compassion, honesty and fully knowing that they are ready to hear what you have to say.
Fortunately, by the time I have gone through the mental check to see if what I have to say is rightly ordered, usually the time and need to speak has passed.
'Nuff said. Please leave a comment.

1 comment:

heartgarden said...

Living these past few years in a much less hectic and quieter place, I am living more out of the Silence than caught up in the moment. But it requires me to be constantly vigil.

That is where the mindfulness meditation practice comes in for me. It helps me remember to find that deeper, quieter, more balanced place from which to respond.

I am also aware that even if I think I am not responding, my body often betrays me!