To Aikya on Silence

[Guest guest]

Aikya wrote of the teachings of Kenneth Bear Hawk Cohen:

 

"A person who speaks too much - someone who describes too

busily, who supplies too many details, who repeats and qualifies too

many times - presumes without warrant on the right of hearers to

build freely and creatively on the speaker's own depiction. . . .In

other words, persons who speak too much insult the imaginative

capabilities of other people. . . ."

 

 

 

Dear Aikya ~ this was all so very timely for me ... almost unbelievable. I

am of Cherokee descent and, for most of my life, been very drawn to Native

American teachings, especially those of the Navajo. But in applying the above

quote to myself, I realize that when I talk too much, it is often because I am

feeling frightened for some reason, or insecure, and feel I must justify

myself in some ways. As a child, words were used against me. As I grew, went to

school and studied, I learned the power of words, used properly with good

intent. Yet, there are many times when I would do best to listen. If I hear

something that I react to, words immediately begin to pour out of my mouth,

trying,

as I said to justify myself, or defend myself or try to explain what I meant

or that my intentions were well-meaning and not intended to hurt. I think if

I could just be still sometimes, and as Wayne Dyer says, "get into the gap,"

and just be a Witness, things might go a lot smoother for me. Thank you for

sharing this ... another book for my as yet unretreived bookshelf. : ) Ho

 

Jai Ma ~ Linda