The Power of Words

As a poet, musician, and wordsmith, I’ve always loved words: the shape, the sound, the images

they invoke. I’ve also experienced how words used in harsh ways can cause tremendous hurt.

You may remember the phrase, “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never

hurt me.” We all know how untrue that is!

We may notice what we say or don’t say to others, but we may not always be aware that what we

say to ourselves also has a strong impact. How do you talk to yourself? To your body? Are you

shaming parts of your physique? Are you noticing every line and wrinkle in your face in a

negative way? And then going out to buy “age-defying” creams? In this body-conscious, age-

conscious society, every time we talk (aloud or silently) to our physical selves, we are imprinting

it with direction. Just as the Universe responds to what we say, so the body manifests what we

tell it.

When I was training to be a hypnosis practitioner, which is a wonderful tool to relax, bring things

to the surface lodged in the unconscious, and help clients move forward in positive ways, I

learned about changing patterns and changing words. I learned more about how the unconscious is

very literal. It takes in every word. However, if I say, “I let go of fear”, all it registers is the

word “fear”. Hypnosis is kind of like gardening. Someone can arrive with the best, healthiest

seeds in hopes of growing amazing vegetables. But if the soil is choked with old weeds (patterns

and words from childhood still stuck in the dirt), the new seeds or affirmations cannot take hold.

We must clear out the old to plant and nurture the new.

When working with clients to help them change patterns and connect their conscious and

unconscious minds, I learned to be sensitive to what phrases are used. There are energy workers

who also know this as important. In EFT sessions (Emotional Freedom Technique, a form of

tapping to heal things in the body), the practitioner must be very clear about exactly what words

are used when tapping into specific areas of the body to support and deprogram the client in

positive ways. Those words said to us yesterday, three decades ago, have been “planted” in us

and may still be holding power over our lives. Changing our words can transform attitudes and

support strength and continued spiritual growth.

What we say, think, and feel changes us. It’s finding tools to release old blocks, to go to a healer,

a therapist, a hypnotist, an energy worker to support us in releasing unwanted patterns. It’s

becoming more aware of words we’ve heard, words we’ve used to ourselves, and words we say

to others.

Traveling the spiritual path means learning to love ourselves as Spirit loves us, and to treat ourselves

and others with love and kindness. It means to pay attention to what we are saying. Words can

hurt or heal. How are you using your words?