Words

Terrified, Precious woke me this morning at 03:00.  She had had a bad dream.  It was one of those where zombies are chasing you and your friends, attacking when least expected.  She was shaking, and quietly sobbed, while describing her friends being killed one by one.

I had her tell me her dream.  Actually, I had her speak her dream, all of it, into my hands.  When she was finished, I closed my hands around it and asked that the dream be changed into mere Scrabble tiles.  I asked Precious to help me with this.  When we were both satisfied, I shook my closed hands as you would when rolling dice.  She helped after a moment.  Her dreams were now nothing more than a random pile of letters held in the palms of my hands.

Perhaps that would have been adequate, but I wanted to replace the fear and panic in her heart with something positive.  I remembered, even at such an early hour, that Precious is participating, along with Wendy and her other students, in the National Novel Writer's Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge.  I asked that the jumble of letters in my hand be transformed into words for her story.  I asked that they help her achieve her writing goal and that they be useful nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives for the creation of her story..  Then, I simply blew all of these lovely words back into her head through her crown chakra.

I thought about this for a while, as I lay listening to her breath slow into a steady cadence while she drifted back to sleep.  I felt good about this work and began to think about the deeper implications.  For me, it helped re-affirm that our words, our actions, can be used to create physical change and to heal.  Speaking in itself is a physical action - our breath leaves in specific vibratory patterns which in turn move the eardrums of our listener, who hears what we say.  In this instance, however, I was able to bring about a chemical change in her tiny quivering body.  Her adrenaline levels dropped, she calmed, as we worked together to switch off her "fight or flight" instinctual reaction.

I continued to ponder, as I slowly drifted off, the impacts of our words.  Our words can soothe, heal, and teach.  They can be used to promote healing and growth all around us, and beyond.  I think of it in terms of  paying it forward ... you help someone, who in turn appreciates it and helps someone else, and so on.  Of course, the problem is that words can be used quite destructively, as well, to belittle, injure, and spread rumors, lies and discontent.  I guess it all boils down to one thing ... your intent.

Personally, I chose to be positive, an instrument of healing and assistance on every level possible, from personal to universal.  Overall, because I do slip every now and then, my intent is to be an conduit of healing, harmony, and joy.  I am fairly certain that this is one of the fundamental purposes for this MooseBoots journey - not just to learn, but to learn how to live in concert with all of the beings (humans, plants, animals, rocks, etc.) with whom I share this world.

So, today, as your read this and beyond, please consider your words carefully.  But, more importantly, be clear on your own intent.  Remember that what you put out there will be returned to you.