THE POWER OF WORDS

Words, either written or spoken, carry powerful energy in them which affects speaker/writer and listener/reader in the same way. Spoken words have sounds which have vibration. Likewise, written words are related to mind and thoughts. For this reason, there is always an immense effect of words when they are spoken or written. When a person speaks or writes, the energy of the words reaches to the outer world. In both of these cases, it is the energy of our words which matter. Our language works in a system under the “Law of Attraction.” This law says that our thoughts have the ability of bringing into our lives whatever we focus on. Since our thoughts are expressed through language; therefore, negative and positive language brings negative and positive experiences into our lives by matching the frequency of our words with the frequency of the energy outside.

God has created this world with humans, animals and other creatures, but humans are kept at the top of the pyramid because of only one quality—their power of using language. Language is not a means of communication only between people; its primary function is to define people. In this way, words are not only used to communicate and express thoughts and emotions but they also originate and produce these emotions to describe people. Thoughts and ideas have no existence unless they are concertized by language. The thinking ability of humans is given value only because of its quality of being conveyed through language. It gives existence to reality and, ultimately, to the entire universe. Due to this significance, humans are always interested in language since day one. When a child is born, he wants to express his feelings by making different sounds. When these sounds develop into proper form (language), the thinking ability of a child also improves. Therefore, it is right to say that thoughts and language are inter-dependent and work together for the better sustenance of the world.

For this reason, when a person uses positive words, its frequency matches with all the positive energy in the world and he achieves positivity. On the other hand, when a person uses negative words, then energy attracts all the negative energy in the outside world which affects him adversely. For the listeners/readers, this system works the same. If a person listens/reads time and again that he is good, healthy, supportive, intelligent and brave, he will start perceiving himself with all these positive adjectives and the universe will bring him what he is focusing on. In contrast, if another person listens/reads that he is bad, stupid and loser, there is no way that he will think or achieve positivity. The brain uses repetition to learn. It searches for patterns and consistencies to make sense of the words around it. Therefore, people attract what they think, speak, listen, writes and read.

The law of attraction works in the sphere of philosophy but there is also a scientific reason behind the power of words. A Japanese scientist and water researcher, Dr Masaru Emoto, conducted an experiment to reveal an astonishing fact that the molecular structure of water is greatly affected by words and their vibration. He concluded that water reacts to the sound vibrations. The water crystals formed a beautiful and symmetric structure when words of love and gratitude were spoken near them. On the other hand, when negative words were spoken, the crystals of another sample of water, which was taken from the same source were broken. This experiment shows that words have strong impact on humans as well because human body contains 70 percent water. Therefore, the words that we use affect us because the water in our body reacts accordingly. Similar studies are done on plants as well in which the same plant was placed in three different rooms. In one room, kind words were spoken. In second room, harsh words were spoken, whereas in the third room, there was complete silence. The results show that the plant which was kept in room with kind words grew a little more than the other two.

Other than philosophical, psychological, and scientific evidence of the power of words, there are some myths as well. According to a report, in the Solomon Island of the South Pacific, the islanders practice a special form of curse magic. If a tree is too big to cut, these people start cursing the tree with negative words and yell at it. This negative energy damages the energy of the tree and it eventually falls to the ground.

Language is not the mere collection of words which comes out of someone’s mouth or pen. They are more powerful than a sword. The effects of a sword might be forgotten after some time but the effects of words are life-changing and lifelong as well. They have the power to help, heal, hurt, harm and kill. They have the ability to change people’s lives in good and bad ways. They are the reason through which relations are made and broken. It is not wrong to say that the entire universe is working due to play of words. Words are what people are living for. Due to this magnificent power of words, people from educational, political, economic and advertisement societies to religious sectors are using words to spread their ideas. Diane Satterfield, that “There is something about words because they wind themselves around your limbs like a spider and never let you go free, they pierce your skin, enter your blood, numb your thoughts and do their magic inside you.” This game of playing with the words is not a recent work. It started since the days of Cicero, the Roman philosopher. They are used by Shakespeare in his tragedies and Barack Obama in his speeches to affect their audience. Throughout human history, greatest leaders and thinkers have used words to transform others’ emotions and to shape the course of the destiny the way they want. Words affect our actions and these actions define our lives.

Greek philosopher Aristotle has said that words carry a tremendous power to affect people but they can be made more powerful by the use of three elements and this is what people use to affect their audience. By using these elements, words are articulated in such a way that they never leave their receiver unaffected. Firstly, ethos is the use of one’s authority and credibility in language. If a doctor tells his patient that this particular medicine is going to generate best possible results, his patients are going to use that medicine without giving it a second thought even if it proves to be poison later. Secondly, pathos is the use of producing feelings and strong emotions in one’s audience. If a leader wants to arouse the spirit of patriotism in his citizens, he will target their emotions through his words, and it works always. Thirdly, logos is the use of logic, facts and reasons in one’s language to persuade his audience. Elif Shafak said in The Forty Rules of Love that if a stone hits a river, it will treat it as yet another commotion in its already turbulent flow and it will not take it as something unusual, but if a stone hits a calm lake, the lake will never be the same again. This statement of Elif Shafak has definitely hit her readers hard because of the use of logic.

Therefore, be mindful when it comes to the use of words. They are not just sounds or marks on a paper but a pack of energy. They are tools through which thoughts are given shape and people are impacted. They are the reason through which people are persuaded, and aims are achieved. They are the reason through which some people rock and others fail. Be careful what you are saying and what you are listening. Be extra careful what you are writing and what you are reading. Stay away from toxic words because a sentence may not have much value but it can make or destroy lives. Words are free but the effect that they have is priceless. They are nothing in themselves but they can turn the world upside down with their energy. Words matter because they carry tremendous power. When you speak, speak well. When you write, keep in mind that there is a receiver at the other end who will be affected accordingly. What starts out as a sound or mark on a paper, ends in actions. Therefore, do not say “I am not well,” say, “I am in the process of getting well.” Do not say, “Have a good day,” rather say “Have a best day”.

Think good, speak better, attract best!