Do Words Have Power?

We read often about the power of words. Today this is taken very seriously by many, and we hear how some words are harmful. Do words themselves have power? Does it have anything to do with intelligence? Or perception?

We judge others pretty rapidly for the words they use. We feel offended by some words. We feel hurt, angry, or loved, and happy, upon hearing certain words. So, it does seem they must be pretty powerful to move us so much.

But words, like most things in our life, get their meaning from us. Words alone don’t have power. It is completely individualized on the part of who is hearing, or reading them and the power, is in the meaning we give them. And we forget we have a choice.

What happens when we hear a word that makes us feel offended? There are several things going on at the same time. Our history, beliefs, emotional state, and knowledge quickly consume the word, register in our body, and form a judgement. We judge the person. We decide how we feel about them and what they just said. We then notice our reaction to that judgement. And it has a lot to do with where we are in our maturity, and yes, our level of consciousness.

In truth, there is no power outside ourselves for words to hurt us. Our kneejerk reactions can be changed. When we understand that the words coming from others are simply displaying their own inner condition, their own created perception, then we may observe from a higher place within ourselves. The more we grow in consciousness, or awareness, the more we discover who we really are, and our independence of other’s opinions, the more we can consciously choose our reactions to other’s words.

Other’s words don’t define us. Other’s words define the speaker, if anything. Often, they are projecting and describing who they are! And certainly, the energy behind the other person’s words can affect us. Are they coming from pain? Fear? The learned ability to shift from an emotional reaction to a calm, understanding one takes effort and time, but it can be done.

As Deepak Chopra teaches us, there is a silent witness within our being observing what is going on in our lives. When we move to identify and perceive from this place, we rise above words that we once felt harmed by. Discover this for yourselves.