Welcome to Day 25 of our 40-Day Retreat.
Yesterday we had a very lively discussion about the voice and the throat chakra, the energy centre of the throat. And we spoke about the power of words and speech, and the need to observe that and to use this power in a very effective way.
Internal speech
Today I want to explore another dimension to speech, and that is internal speech. We may become so concerned about external that we do not give enough attention to the internal talk. Yesterday I described to you the process, energy-wise, of speaking. Though speech comes through the voice using the lungs and the vocal muscles, in ancient wisdom there is an invisible element inside that we do not see. In a more detailed way, it involves three other levels before it actually comes out physically. We said that the source of speech comes from way down where the base centre is located, from the source of energy itself. Then the next level is at the sacral centre and the navel centre, and we can actually feel the intentionality behind the speech. You can intensify the will or desire from that space when you have some kind of control of the space.
It is the intention that counts
Then we said that, at the heart, we can intelligently choose different emotions to express. So a heart quality comes out with intelligence, and then the vocal side as well. So these three levels are invisible to us. Then when we are internally talking, these levels are active - the desire to speak, the intentionality, the heart quality. And though it doesn’t come out using the vocal muscles, the action is there. Now the reason why I am saying this to you is because of the power of intention. If someone was to give you a gift and they may seem to think the gift is an inexpensive gift, they may say, “Well, you know, this is all I have. It may not be the most expensive or valuable gift in the eyes of people, but this is all I have.” And you say, “No, it is just the intention that counts. It is not the gift that you give to me, but the intention that counts.”
When we think of the Creator of the Universe and all the blessings we get, and we just may give a flower or a leaf or a little offering of food, then, in doing so, we are thinking it’s really the intention that counts, not really the material gift.
Power of affirmations
In speaking internally, externally the intention is very important. So we can also intensify the internal energy of talk. For example, if you want to repeat affirmations, then in the internal talk you are affirming, affirming, affirming, affirming. You are giving it a heart quality. As I said before, when creating a relationship, you intensify the energy in the affirmation, the will, and then you are doing internal talk. So the power of affirmations can help us, to lift us.
Self-destructive internal talk
What about when we use internal talk and it is self-destructive? It robs us of our vitality and we don’t notice it because we are not saying anything bad to anyone, but we are thinking it. So we need to be very careful about the internal talk. Control, therefore, is also required in an internal sense. That is the forerunner to speech. So if you control the inner level, then the speech will come out naturally.
Importance of internal silence
One needs to be aware of internal speech, what my internal speech consists of, how it is influencing me, and my need to manage internal speech. And so internal silence becomes important. I like to think of silence as a way of managing talk; and of course, silence carries great power, and I’ll deal with this later on.
The power of observation, the power of listening, the power of receiving information, and internal quiet become important. One needs to become internally quiet when one wants to. If the three levels of speech are active, if you notice the throat is still involved though not actively but at a subtle level, because you are internally talking, you are using the language in the same way as if you were going to utter it. So there is an activity in the throat.
Thinking in terms of language
When you think, you are thinking in terms of language. If you were to think without language, you would just be moving with intention. You see something, you do it. However, you use language to process, to create ideas, so you are actually thinking in terms of language. You can actually hear yourself speaking inside. If you were to begin to control the inner talk, you would see that you are actually doing something with your throat as well. You are stopping the talk.
Attention to the throat chakra
To get a sense of this, if you take a deep breath and you hold the breath at the throat, you get an idea of the throat centre. This is where the throat centre is, so it gives you an idea of where the throat is. You tell yourself, “I am going to be silent here.” So there is no talk, and the intention is there to create peace, or stillness, but you are not using any words. So you are making this centre quiet. That will be a very useful practice. When you learn to make this quiet and peaceful, the quality of peace that will come to you, is remarkable.
Silence is not suppression
Now I need to tell you that silent is not suppression. Silence is not suppressing a desire to want to say something inside of you as you explore in your own mind certain ideas. Silence means detaching yourself from the need to say it. “I’ll think about that later.” It is like dismantling, at that moment, the desire to speak. So you are not suppressing, you are putting it for later, or you are just thinking that, “It is not important now.” I need to be quiet.
Managing the internal talk
One needs to have that power of detachment, to let go, and when one is able to become internally quiet, a lot of wonderful things happen: the ability to see more, the ability to hear more, the ability to manage the thought process, and also, arresting the loss of energy that goes in thinking - and then allowing yourself to experience or to observe more of your own being. So we need to be aware of the internal talk, and to manage it even more than we manage the external, because it is a forerunner of the verbal or the vocal expression. And we need to be able to create silence at will. I’d like you to see the value of this.
Let us explore being aware of the throat and being aware of the other levels of speech, and also, seeing how, in keeping a positive affirmation inside, we can intensify the inner talk so powerfully that when we speak outside it is powerful too.
I will leave you with this today…being more aware of the internal talk. It is associated with the throat and the energy system that is related to vocal expression.
May your awareness inspire you to experience the fullness of your power and to use it effectively, internally and externally, as you act.
