Paradox of Words

There is an onslaught of words. Just as we face a stormy weather and we are forced to shut our eyes, ears and nose....we are forced to shut our mind from the onslaught of information and “words” – said, written or thought of....

Words can take us to higher levels of thought – provided we know the syntax or the etymology and the context of the ‘word’. By choosing words judiciously, we are structuring and disciplining our own thoughts, we are articulating the nebulous domain of the mind – we are actually giving the mind – a very potent “Form”! This Form giving ability of our mind can be viewed with great regard and can have an immediate effect on others. This requires practice, patience and reverence for this kind of an art. By being serious about how we think and what we think and how we say things, we can transform ourselves and the people around us.

Just as is the case with all other things, overuse of words creates confusion, bluntedness, ambiguity, garbage, confusion, and noise. Knowing too many words does not create a substitute for experience or for experiencing ‘feelings’. Neither does the right articulation of experience or feelings by the Conveyor can guarantee a recreation of the experience or feeling for the Listener. This signifies that the absoluteness of words (as a form of Reality) has limitations. For gaining a wholesome experience, doing things, and learning from mistakes is equally important – i.e. active engagement with actions is required. With active engagement, newer feelings and experiences might get generated, which, in turn require appropriate articulation to convey what we have learnt and what we wish to pass on to others. Words, thus, may also be considered to “map” our thoughts (or our mind). Words convey the extent of this map, characteristics of this map, and the qualitative aspects of this map.

Of late, it is assumed that words should be able to convey everything regarding ‘thought’. I think, it makes the whole process of description a lot more complicated. Should we verbalize complexity and contradictions over everything? Is saying things accurately an indication of conveying Truth? Does Time ever bother regarding how accurately things are articulated? This is something that needs to be considered.

There is beauty in being ambiguous at times. Reading in between the lines (and words) is important. Reading eyes, smell, touch, texture, sound, space is necessary – these sensorial aspects lie beyond words. Feelings are expressed in many different ways as compared to words. Art is therefore, important.

Students need to understand that no matter how accurately an idea or a process or a form is described to them, it will not convey the entire picture of what they need to learn from the description offered by the teachers. Students’ own understanding of experience and feelings is vital.

My response to current scenario is to look inward and try to decode words and see how feelings are related to environment around us. By being calmer and calmer, the internal confusion and stress can be minimized and by expressing little, we may be able to communicate more!