I have a way with words in that I understand the power of words and thus I have a responsibility to be mindful of what words I speak and write. Once written, words are in the “ether” or quantum field of vibration forever.
Words can affect emotions and cause effects that may not be immediately evident. An example of this is the “Emerald Tablet of Thoth” translated by Hermes Trismegistus or the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita. All three of these books still influence people to this day.
When I was 17 years old I was an MC along with my friend Clay in the High School Musical and at the end of the final performance I was given the task of presenting gifts to all the teachers who had helped to bring the performance together. The night before, I lay in my bed thinking about all the funny things that I could say about each teacher. The time of the presentation came and as I presented the gifts I had the audience in stitches laughing at the expense of the teachers that I was “roasting.” That was when I realised the power of joy and laughter.
Personally, I have never liked violent of horror movies. I don’t like the feeling of being scared but I do like comedy and I love a good laugh. Jump forward twenty years and I began teaching English as a Second Language to refugees and people from backgrounds of torture and trauma. I realised that in order to remember something, recall is best in a positive emotional state. So I set about making sure my classroom was always a positive and nurturing one without anger and with a lot of happiness. It’s not always easy to tell a joke to someone who you are teaching a second language because much humour and jokes have an underlying expectation of knowledge of cultural context. Since a twenty year old who has spent eight years in a refugee camp has little knowledge of the new country that they are living in it was useless to make cultural based joke. What could I do?
Enjoy myself. Demonstrate positivity. One of the things that I quickly learnt as a father of sons and educator was that you can not teach someone who is not ready to learn and the best learning comes from setting an example and then allowing people to follow your example in their own time. This is because everyone learns at different rates and when they are ready they will adopt their own version of their best self.
“Si liang bo qian jin” is a Chinese proverb translated to “make great accomodations with little efforts.” It has a meaning like “a single spark can start a great fire” or “a single snowflake can bend a bamboo leaf.” it has often been mistranslated to mean “four ounces can move one thousand pounds.” I like to put it into the context of telling a joke were a few simple words can bring laughter to thousands.
In the same way it only takes two people dancing to get a whole crowd dancing. One lone nut and then “the first follower” Check out Derek Sivers TED Talk “How to start a movement”
The choice is yours. What are you going to bring to the table? Anger or joy? Are you going to be the lone nut or first follower?
The gnome and the dragon
There once was a Dragon who believed life was crappy,
Waiting for happiness and not creating happy
The Dragon wanted everyone to bring the Dragon joy
But everybody left who the dragon would employ
The dragon had no purpose, no drive or self direction
Wouldn’t self control, self regulate, nor attempt self correction
Along came a gentle Gnome and this is what he said
“Your thoughts create reality and the words you use in your head
And for you to find true happiness just look inside your heart
Create the life you dream of, it’s never too late to start”
“Now I can’t hang around, I’m going to make some fun
And when I feel like dancing I dance out in the sun
“The Gnome went on his way and sang a happy song
“Psytrance Doof, reggae, drum’n’bass keeps me dancing all day long
“He went to the top of the mountain built a temple to fun and joy
Happy Faeries, Dwarfs, Hamadryads, Nymphs and Spirits he’d employ
They’d dance and sing, play music and make their ears ringing
The dragon in the valley could hear their joyful singing
The dragon decided to take control and to recreate
A life of happiness, develop and become great
And instead of sitting about waiting for an answer
Found happiness and joy by becoming a good dancer
The dragon flew up high and knocked on the door of Gnome
When the door was opened, she danced into his home
“Thank you Gentle Gnome for sharing your wisdom and light
I didn’t listen but you showed me how to find happiness inside”
“I was focused on the past and it was stopping me
But now focused on my purpose my mind is truly free
I recreated myself from the love I found inside
When I looked inside as you suggested my love could not hide”
The Gnome replied to Dragon, ” the words you speak are true”
“when you love and nurture yourself others respect and love you too”
“Dragon you scales are shining bright from your love inside”
“Now you care for your health the love inside can’t hide”
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