The tongue has the power to create wounds that may never heal. Like a sharp knife it can cut through another’s spirit and cause deep injuries. But once the harsh, angry words have flown to the mark, they can’t be retrieved or erased. The mind of the receiver may pick them up and mull them over again and again while the heart aches. 

Speaking consciously and with full awareness of the power of words is an essential spiritual practice. This means reflecting before speaking and using discernment. Before speaking ask yourself, is what you want to say kind? Will it harm anyone? Is it necessary? Will it help? Will it be better than silence?

Very often silence is the better choice. Avoid gossip and speaking ill of others, especially in their absence.

Bio: Debra Moffitt is author of Awake in the World: 108 Practices to Live a Divinely Inspired Life. A visionary and teacher, she’s devoted to nurturing the spiritual in everyday life. She leads workshops on spiritual practices at the Sophia Institute and other venues in the U.S. and Europe. Her mind/body/spirit articles, essays and stories appear in publications around the globe and were broadcast by BBC World Services Radio. She has spent over fifteen years practicing meditation, working with dreams and doing spiritual practices. Visit her online at http://www.awakeintheworld.com.