Obviously, we all have a thirst for deeper exploration and a yearning for profound connections. But how do we introduce elevated and meaningful conversations in our day-to-day? How do we go about heightening social consciousness in a natural way -with our families, friends and colleagues?
Most people in our society don't operate at an elevated level. It's been said that ‘Downstream is mainstream’. Somehow, in our society, we allow our lower nature to rule and dominate. But if we are spiritual beings, it implies everything in our lives, including our conversations, have a spiritual dimension. If we’re here for a higher purpose, we wouldn’t want to allow ourselves to be drawn down. It is, however, not so easy to do -somewhat like having to resist junk food!
Given that conversation is an outward expression of our thoughts and feelings, elevated conversations need elevated thoughts and feelings. That means our mental, spiritual and emotional diets need to be more wholesome. When our thoughts are turned towards the light, our words reflect that light.
Elevated speech is not supposed to be supercilious, arrogant or patronizing. When we're trying to have an elevated conversation we're not necessarily trying to inject a spiritual theme into every conversation or spin a moral connection from every discussion.
An elevated conversation is more about coming into a conversation from a place of connection with our higher self; it's about being principled when we speak and listen. It requires sharing in a meaningful way, exposing dichotomies in a thoughtful manner, transcending differences, learning from others and working towards solutions that unite.
“Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.”
–The Buddha
“Whensoever they gather in their meetings let their conversation be confined to learned subjects and to information on the knowledge of the day. If they do thus, they will flood the world with the Manifest Light, and change this dusty earth into gardens of the Realm of Glory."
– Baha’u’llah
“You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts.”
–K. Gibran
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
–Christ
"All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind.”
—Kahlil Gibran
“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.”
– Plato
“Every word is endowed with a spirit, therefore the speaker or expounder should carefully deliver his words at the appropriate time and place, for the impression which each word maketh is clearly evident and perceptible.”
– Baha’u’llah
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
-Colossians 4:6
