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General Discussions => Education => Philosophy => Topic started by: AbraCadabra on June 07, 2012, 02:07:47 AM

Title: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: AbraCadabra on June 07, 2012, 02:07:47 AM
Sorry for twisting this a bit from the 'original' text. Bible boffins will know...

BUT there is a powerful message here not always brought across...

Words are powerful because they actually create our very reality. If things about us would not have words, words to create concepts, we'd be pretty much stuck in some infantile world.
As we learn with words to understand concepts we create awareness of what goes on about us - actually creating our reality.

This is maybe nothing new to mention - but, there is a snag. As we can create concepts with words of a positive nature, or an neural nature, we ALSO can create things of a negative/painful nature. One can not avoid to attach emotional context to the concepts we learn - and in deed those, that we create for ourselves.

The more we REPEAT such concepts the more real they become in 'our' world of understanding of what IS... or better, what we happen to THINK/FEEL what IS.

By now we aught to know, there is a difference:
"We don't see things as they are, we see things as WE are."

That essentially says it all - for me only?

The idea behind this post?
To create an awareness of the understanding, the more we use WORDS, spoken and/or written in the negative - the MORE they too will become part of our reality, of what we accept for being real - and not imagined...

BTW, this has nothing to do with DENIAL of things at large, but rather the 'groove' we may be 'grinding', the synapses we fire and create? by repeating over and over negative/painful ideas and concepts and so make them more and powerful in our perception, our reality.

Simpler put: Some things aught not be 'rubbed in' over and over.
It is the learning of 'letting go' of bad/negative stuff, in finding acceptance of WHAT IS - IS,
I.e. accepting things that can NOT be changed.

Very often then such 'things' will actually seize to 'EXIST' , simply accepting yet NOT by repressing them – or forcing them into 'oblivion' by denying or overcompensating for their (apparent?) existence.

Comments?
Axélle





Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Sephirah on June 07, 2012, 08:56:44 AM
I don't know. I'm in two minds about it. I mean yeah, words can be very powerful but I've always believed actions speak louder. You don't need to say you're angry to express anger, you don't need to say you're sad to express sadness. I think that humans tend to express concepts and feelings more readily with acts, and subconscious 'body language' than actual verbalisation. The mind itself works in imagery, rather than words. The deeper part of ourself. Dreams, for example. It's only the surface part of our minds that have to translate this imagery into language in order to comprehend it in such a way that we stop acting on instinct and intuition, and start rationalising and analysing. How often does a smell, or a sound evoke a memory (or plethora of memories) that you'd have a hard time trying to describe even with a whole library of words?

Sometimes a hug and a gentle hand to wipe away a tear can have more meaning than a thousand words of consolation.

My personal view is that the word is maybe third or fourth in line. Something like "In the beginning was the emotion, and after the emotion was the thought, and after the thought was the act, and then was the act explained through the word."

Once you learn to read these more primal forms of language, the emotions, imagery, and actions... then words themselves become unnecessary.
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: AbraCadabra on June 07, 2012, 09:13:09 AM
Don't we ALWAYS express emotions by thoughts?

Thoughts are unspoken words, as we can also 'word' a dream... once we are awake to speak. Some actually speak during their dreaming aloud.

Dreams deal with concepts, such as dread, fear, joy, beauty, flying, to mention a few - and ALL are words/concepts. And concepts are only expressed in words - when we are awake...

If we can't 'word' it we can't think it either. Pain we feel - and there is the word yet again.

Who expresses e.g. anger or sorrow or sadness by not saying, in fact THINKING anything?!
We think in words and concepts... I think :)

If we can not think it, it does not exist... for the non-thinker.

I think I AM... therefore I AM.
Otherwise I AM not - maybe for someone else?... but not for the non-thinker.
I think it is called consciousness :)
- and for the unconscious, WORDS/concepts do not exist whilst not conscious.

Axélle




Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Sephirah on June 07, 2012, 09:28:50 AM
Quote from: Axélle on June 07, 2012, 09:13:09 AM
Don't we ALWAYS express emotions by thoughts?

Do we? I'm not so sure. It all depends how deep you want to go.

Quote from: Axélle on June 07, 2012, 09:13:09 AM
If we can not think it, it does not exist... for the non-thinker.

Maybe. :)

I don't know. I guess sometimes we do things based on feelings we have that we aren't aware of. For example, someone is nasty to someone else - why? Because they hate them - why? Because they're scared that what that person stands for or believes is invalidating to who they themselves stand for or believe - why? Because they're insecure in what they believe - why? Because they themselves have felt sadness and been hurt in the past for their own beliefs - why? Because they felt different to those around them - why? Because...

And so on and so on. But does the person think about any of this beyond the "how can I be nasty to this other person?" No. But does that mean these other feelings don't exist because they don't think about them? Again, no.

Being unable to give voice to something... well, I don't think that prevents it from affecting us. It's just a question of getting in touch with our feelings and learning how they shape us and our lives through the way they're interlinked with thoughts and actions, like a chain, perhaps.
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: AbraCadabra on June 07, 2012, 09:56:06 AM
Hum, to re-focus... WORDS (thought words, spoken or not) if REPEATED over and over will create the reality of that thought. And if spoken and written over and over will become more and more real and more and more unquestioned 'reality'.

THAT is the power in words/thought.

I can not THINK that one would be over and over e.g. nasty, self derogatory, or depreciative WITHOUT giving it ANY thought.
That would be possibly 'instinctive' ? Yet instinct is triggered by some input or action and once again, in a conscious individual, would create thought.

It is this, that makes us different from an animal? I think so.

Even instinctive, or subconsciously triggered action/emotion if repeated will trigger thought, hence words, hence power from those words. Thinking negative thoughts will give power to those thoughts, and put into words and repeated and expressed yet more power.
It is this... something pretty underestimated POWER that resides in WORDS.

Think of the words that are 'preached' and then regularly 'repeated' .... POWER as it creates REALITY in the individual that expresses and repeats them.

Phew... I hope this is still understandable :)

Axélle
PS: Bing! 2500 posts... a lucky break? :)
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Julie Wilson on June 09, 2012, 06:01:47 PM
Thank you Axelle for reminding me of this simple, basic truth.

During a time when I was creating my own chaos, you posted this and I am very grateful ^_^ .

I'm not sure most people will be able to get anything from what you said if they have never experienced meditation.  For me meditation was key to understanding simple concepts like this.  For example you can explain to someone that if he or she were to sit in traditional meditation http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php (http://www.mro.org/zmm/teachings/meditation.php) and become proficient at it or better yet, allow it to happen... then he or she would come to an incredible realization, that we are not our thoughts, our thoughts and beliefs do not make us who we are.  And without any thoughts, we continue to exist and in many cases we can exist much more profoundly because like that old story, "You can't learn anything while your mouth is flapping."  Same Same, You can't begin to experience reality when you are busy deciding what reality is.

Or...

You will never know what is possible when you are busy deciding what is possible.

I remember a long time ago my brother was studying martial arts and reading philosophy.  Unfortunately he was doing it with the intention of impressing other people.  But I remember he said something that stuck in my mind and that was, "I would explain to you what being enlightened means but to explain it would make it devoid of meaning."

I understand that now.  You can't really explain enlightenment because it isn't a word experience.  To explain enlightenment with words would be in the same vein as creating a banquet meal out of excrement.  And no matter what colorful, rare or incredible feces you use, no matter how you garnish a big stinky poo...  it's still poo.

I do believe that most people don't even realize they are limiting reality with their beliefs and because of that they are not qualified to pick and choose their beliefs and that is where meditation comes to the rescue.  Meditation is a way to shut the phuck up and allow reality to introduce his or her self.  In some ways I believe that a life without words would be a much more amazing experience.  We use words to communicate experiences but different words mean different things to different people.  And there is too much talking, too much typing and not enough living.
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Amazon D on June 09, 2012, 08:37:21 PM
I have always told people that the more you say something the more you will believe it and that can be like you say a negative thing.

Be careful what you talk yourself into or out of because it just might happen.  :police:
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Your Humble Savant on June 11, 2012, 06:32:35 PM
An interesting collection of thoughts here  :)

For my part, I think both worded thoughts as well as gut feelings/reactions that cannot  be described each have their own kind of validity -- whichever feels most appropriate in the moment, I guess. Both have their own pros/cons.
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Ms. OBrien CVT on June 11, 2012, 07:32:33 PM
How do you think children learn to hate and bully.  From the time they are babies, they hear those words of hate and discrimination.  As they grow those words become part of their reality.

When some get older, they decide to change those words of hate to words of love, which they also learned young.
Title: Re: In the beginning there was the word... and the word was... VERY powerful
Post by: Seras on June 13, 2012, 06:48:15 PM
Words do not create reality, reality creates words. We experience life and find ways to express ourselves, whence come words.

Words do not create concepts, the concept comes first and the word is its oral or written expression.

However there is a link between words and thoughts, between those and perception, which affects how we experience the world around us. The words used can affect our thoughts of that which we experience. Just as our preconceptions and expectations can also affect how we go through life.  There is also of course as you say a danger in repetition of certain ideas, concepts, lies when it comes to the sheep of this world and the problems that can be brought about by this, ignorance breeds ignorance.