How To Use The “Four Gates” To Consciously Empower Your Speech
This ancient Sufi technique will help you use the full power of your speech confidently, consciously and effectively.
THE DAWNING LIGHT # 80 Wednesday April 20, 2023
SPIRITUAL SOUP KITCHEN # 7
Photo Credit: Chinmayan “Double Rainbows on Still Mountain”
“All wars are started by the tip of someone’s tongue” as my wise grandmother said often…
“If you want to get on and get along in this world, you have to be careful with your speech.
How you talk, what you say, how you say it and if you thought and considered before you spoke all make a big difference.”
We love to talk…
From the time we learn to talk as toddlers until our last breath, we love to talk.
Its how we communicate with those we share our world with.
Its how we express our feelings.
Its how we show our love to our close beloveds and friends.
Its how we get things done.
Our speech can be a powerful instrument of producing change, making things happen or persuading people to our point of view.
It can also be an instrument of harm.
For example, when we are under the influence of anger or other intense emotions, we can say terrible things which aren’t really true, we don’t really mean and are meant to hurt and wound.
But for most of us, our use of the power of speech is unconscious, like our breath.
We keep breathing without thinking about it, and we just talk and say whatever is on our minds.
We rarely consciously monitor or check our speech and the effects our talk is producing.
It is most definitely not true what old nursery rhyme I heard everyday as a child proclaims—
“Sticks and stones
May break my bones,
But your words
Will never hurt me!”
Our Speech is powerful! Words do make a difference.
As we all know from our own personal life experience, speech can hurt, cause harm and even destroy or it can heal, inspire, restore and produce cascading amounts of good in the world.
The more consciously we use this power—-the power of speech—the better all our relationships and lives will be.
“Consciously controlling your speech is the beginning of wisdom.”
Photo Credit: Chinmayan “Summer Sunset on Still Mountain”
HOW TO USE THE FOUR GATES to consciously empower your speech.
I have learned in my own life to pause and carefully consider the truth, necessity, benefits and kindness of my words before I speak.
It is a practice that I am using to upgrade my ability to speak in a much more conscious way and avoid saying things that cause hurt, confusion and conflict.
Here is the practice of The Four Gates—
An old Sufi tradition advises to speak only after our words
have managed to pass through Four Gates…
At the first gate, we ask ourselves—“Are these words true?
If so, we let them pass on.
If not, back they go.
At the second gate, we ask ourselves—“Are they necessary?”
At the third gate, we ask ourselves—“Are they beneficial?”
At the fourth gate, we ask ourselves—“Are they kind?”
If the answer to any of these questions is NO,
Then what you are about to say
Should be left unsaid.
Only if the answer to all these questions is YES,
Then what you are about to say
Passes all Four Gates and
Should be said, if your heart agrees.
Photo Credit: Chinmayan “Loving the Sunset On Clear Lake”
Original Revelations Poem and Calligraphy by Chinmayan
Image Credit: Still Mountain Meditation Retreat
Dear Friend…
Thank you for reading today’s issue and being here with us!
If you loved it, please let us know by clicking on the little heart below…and sharing it with anyone you know who would love and be inspired by it…and sharing your thoughts or suggestions with us by leaving a comment…
You can access our library of stories for free anytime by going to: thedawninglight.substack.com.
If you love this newsletter and get value from it, we ask that you consider supporting us on our mission to help save the world by becoming one of our treasured Paid subscribers.
From now until June 1, we are offering 50% off on a full year subscription to the Premium version of “The Dawning Light”…that is just $40 for over 625 issues (less than 7 cents per day!) …. just click on the special offer button below to check it out!
Meanwhile, may this be one of the most wonderful and amazing days of your life!