We are in the middle of a global communications breakdown. Trillions of words and ideas are exchanged daily through our vast and expanding network of technology. We are in an age of information overload, one wherein the availability and volume of information often generates confusion and false understanding. Nearly all of the information we are flooded with day in and day out is linguistic, or language based.
Language is responsible for generating and shaping how we understand ourselves and the world in which we live. We learn, create, and connect through language. And yet, not all language is equal. Language and speech can be used in harmful, manipulative, and malevolent ways. The rise in Fake News, Misinformation, Lying Politicians, and Totalitarian Ideologies is a consequence of the misuse of language. So too is the fragility of modern relationships and the tenuous political atmosphere the world over. Further, the increasing rates of divorce, depression, and suicide are all also symptoms of the same problem. A problem greater in scope than I could’ve imagined. This problem is rooted in our speech and language.
A person would be lucky to have lived unaffected by any of the symptoms I’ve just listed. We share this planet, you and I. We are both members of this Great Human Family. We have more in common than we might be lead to believe. That is why I wrote this book for you.
You, the one who has felt the sting of deception in relationships. Who’s felt helpless and confused about how to make a positive impact within this vast and wild world. You, the shy one, unsure and unable to speak your truth when it really mattered. I’ve been there and so I can say that I know you are so much more than your pain and confusion. You’re someone who believes in your potential. You’re dedicated to your own growth and are fiercely curious about optimising your self-expression. You are someone who is driven to grow, to evolve, and to influence your greater community. You are a part of a growing global family of activated, awakened, and engaged Beings dedicated to making a difference in this world.
I know that my life would have been much different if I had learned what I now know sooner. Everything that you will learn from this book is the culmination of my academic studies, my world travels, and my decades of mistakes. Before you learn from my mistakes, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Oak, and I am a Philosopher, Author, and Speaker from Canada. From a very young age I had an affinity for language and sound. My parents described me as a parrot and a human computer as I was able to replicate accents and memorize entire movies with ease. Shortly after I learned to write, I began creating short stories, poems and songs. I was constantly reading and writing, expanding my understanding of the world through language. By the time I was accepted into the Philosophy Program at the University of Calgary I was dedicated to the pursuit of Truth. Philosophy is heavily semantic and relies greatly on the written word. The topics of Meaning, Knowledge, and Reason filled my days. I spent my undergraduate years honing and crafting my writing skills so that I might articulate all the grand ideas in my mind. This journey culminated with me writing my capstone thesis focusing on the mystical and transformative power of language. However, throughout all of my academic writing and reasoning I neglected to hone my interpersonal communication skills. In all my relationships I was always in my mind and seldom in my heart. I would lie when I was scared, and I was moved by that fear so as to weave increasingly complex layers of deception into my life. These habits weren’t new. They had grown unchecked over several years and led to the complete ruin of two consecutive romantic relationships. I began to lose friends, as they could no longer count on me to be honest. Worse still, these habits had begun to erode the foundation of trust between myself and family. I suffered immensely as a result of my own poor behaviour.
Finally, through an act of grace in 2014 I was shown a greater wisdom. I had a powerful and transformative experience that lead me to adjust my studies to include World Religions, both Eastern and Western. This course correction had me reading ancient philosophical texts and sacred scriptures that elucidated a different way of life. I dove in head first and explored topics and traditions the world over in an attempt to understand the nature of my Being, and the nature of the Universe. Truth, Compassion, Temperance, and Courage were the new flowers blossoming in my mind. I sought Harmony and Evolution in all their forms. I did so not simply to understand them conceptually, but to gain the skills necessary to apply the new found wisdom for the benefit of others.
And apply it I have. I transitioned from reading books to writing one. From participating in workshops to offering practices focused on helping others improve their relationships by refining their interpersonal communication skills. All of this has been made possible by my dedication to truth and understanding, and my insatiable curiosity for language and communication.
What you’re about to read consists of the most important pieces of wisdom I have picked up along my journey. To write a book about language is to explain a phenomena using the phenomena itself. It’s a tricky task. To have any chance of success I will pull from a broad a selection of topics so as to paint the fullest picture possible about the Power of Speech and Language. This book consists of two parts: Part One contains the first 5 chapters and covers the foundational knowledge necessary in order to reconceptualize speech and language. Part 2 contains the final 5 chapters and explores the various ways this new understanding can be applied.
In the opening chapter of Part 1, I lay out a brief philosophical framework that will serve as the roots for all further investigations. It may be deceptively simple, but I would caution against assuming you’ve understood it at first glance. Contemplation will increase comprehension. As this first chapter provides the basis for all other ideas about language and its power, comprehension is key. Herein you will gain clarity on the foundations of Truth, Language and Meaning.
Within the second chapter I have offered a very brief overview of several major World Religions in order to uncover any shared attitudes towards language among them. Such a common perspective, should it exist, may offer profound insights into the true nature of speech and language. It is through contrasting these ancient perspectives that we will begin to gain a broader conception of the roles language has played and how we might transform our understanding of it. In doing so you will begin to recognize new patterns in the language that surrounds you.
In the third chapter I will offer a perspective on the origins of speech and language in order to illustrate how our capacity for language evolved along with the world around us. Only once we have explored the evolution of our capacity for speech and language can we hope to address why they matter so much. We will carve our way from the ancient past of the living earth to the birth of the alphabet that we know today. This journey is of vital importance, as it outlines for you the influential aspects of Meaning and Language currently at play in modern human society.
Having attended to our history, the oldest teachings on language, and a supportive philosophical framework, we will then refine our examination even further. We do so by departing the realm of history and into the realm of physics. It’s all well and good to be convinced that speech is powerful and that your words matter, but do you know why they are so powerful? By exploring the nature of Cymatics, waveforms, and harmonics, we will come to understand and visualize the mechanisms that imbue speech with its innate potency. You will see sound and speech like never before.
The conclusions we draw from the fourth chapter, in tandem with all earlier chapters, will aid us in identifying all relevant qualities of speech. In the final chapter of Part 1, I refer to those qualities that bring about pain, discomfort, and suffering as forms of Dissonance. Dissonance can be understood as a disagreeable combination of sounds, or a lack of harmony which generates a tension that requires resolution. There are many forms of Dissonance, many of which are discussed in this chapter: from the purely musical, to the emotional, and even the psychopathic. In this chapter you will gain the understanding and skills necessary to identify dissonance in your own life and speech.
Chapter 6 marks our first steps into Part 2: Applications. We begin this section with a dive into the realm of Story. Nearly all of the traditions explored in Part 1 offer their wisdom in the form of Story, Parable, or Myth. The structure of Story shapes and is shaped by language. The characters and dramas that populate ancient myths offer invaluable clues on our search to understand the nature and power of language. You will finish this chapter knowing exactly how the structure of Story in our modern world has changed and what that means for our global society.
From the mythic to the horrific, the seventh chapter takes us into the worst case scenarios when it comes to language. By looking at the darkest shadows of the 20th century I hope to illustrate the bone-chilling atrocities that follow from ignorance and complicity. Therein I will attempt to articulate the qualities of speech and language that allowed for the greatest atrocities of the 20th century to take place, as well as how we can approach our own speech in order to avoid similar horrors. These are all vital questions, pressingly relevant in today's climate. This Chapter will also include and exploration of Swearing, Cursing, and the ways that we limit (and even poison) our minds with language. I would be remiss if I told you only of the poison and not of the antidote. However, it is vital that we understand the worst of the consequences first so that the need for empowered speech is felt that much more. Coming to grips with the worst potential consequences will grant you an understanding of the how language plays out in politics and exactly what you can do about it.
The aforementioned antidote can be found in Chapter 8 “The Qualities of Powerful Speech”. This chapter is the heart of the entire book. Therein I articulate the qualities of speech that bring greater good into the world. I have whole hearted faith that enlivening your speech with these qualities will have a measurable and meaningful impact on the world. They represent a core strategy for improving your life by harmonizing your speech. It is in this chapter that I offer you a clear framework for harmonious speech. The chapter that follows this is a treasure trove of the potential that awaits you when you apply the Power of Speech and Sound.
The treasure trove of Chapter 9 is full of the rich transformational potential of speech, sound and language. I will show you several of the gateways into deeper harmony available to us. This chapter verges on the mystical and is supported by all that has come before it. It is full of ways to apply these new understandings for your own personal evolution. Throughout this chapter it is vital that you choose to read with the open desire for discovery. Bring your sense of curiosity about how sound and speech can change your life, and the lives of those around you. When you do, this chapter can become a road map to your own healing resonance.
In Chapter 10 we end our journey by tackling the question “What can I do with all this new information?”. Ultimately it is up to you do so something with all of the information that will be floating through your mind. This final chapter will offer some guidance and direction as to how you might bring life to your understanding. After all, this book is intended to inform, empower, and activate your enlivened relationship with your voice and words. To bring living harmony back to your speech and to enliven your language into Living Words. Thank you for joining me on this journey.