Right Action Right Speech SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLE: To speak only good; allowing God to speak through oneself. QUOTES: “You must speak soft and sweet words to everyone.” – SSS 7:12, 48; Dharmakshetra, Bombay, 5-16-69 “Speak without malice, hatred or envy; speak the truth; speak to comfort, to console, and to transmit joy.” – SSS 2:172-173; Prasanthi Nilayam, 7-29-64

Right Action Right Speech Prayer: “O Lord, think through me all day. O Lord, feel through me all day. O Lord, speak through me all day. O Lord, act through me all day. Above all, O Lord, love and serve through me all day.”

Right Action Right Speech Affirmation : I will always speak soft and sweet words and I will always speak the truth in a loving way. Silent Sitting: All students are requested to sit in a comfortable position. Keep your hands on the table or your lap. Do deep breathing. Breath in……breathe out…..Breathe in …… breathe out……. Think about the time when you hurt someone with your words. Pray to Swami to avoid hurting words in the future.

Right Action Right Speech SONG: O Lord, take my words, take my thoughts, take my deeds O Lord, take my love for thee And Let me be an instrument, instrument for thee O Lord, take my soul with thee.

Right Action Right Speech Story: Good Tongue and Bad Tongue Once there was a king who wanted to know what would make every one of his subjects wise and happy. So, he organized an exhibition and invited all the wise men in his kingdom to keep therein, the articles which could bring happiness into everyone's life. There he saw rows and rows of good things like flowers, fruits, beautiful plants, sweets, clothes, books, musical instruments, gold ornaments, things of art and so on. But none of these things appeared to him to be things which would make every man happy. At last, he came to a colored model of clay. It was the mouth of a man showing the tongue while talking to a poor, lean and hungry old man on the road. At the bottom of the model were wriiten two words: “GOOD TONGUE”. The sculptor of the model was sent for as the king wanted to know more about it. “My Lord,” said the sculptor, “All other things in this exhibition make man happy only for some time. But a good tongue, by speaking a few words of sympathy and love makes others happy for years and years. It gives hope and cheer to the suffering strength and confidence to the weak and sympathy and love to the orphaned. Only a good tongue can make all men happy all the time.” The king who was immensely pleased to hear these words, gave the sculptor a god casket full of gold coins as a prize.

Right Action Right Speech Story (contd..) After some days, the king was very keen to know what could make every man unhappy. So, he organized another exhibition asking the wise men of his land to keep articles which would fill everyone's life with misery. This time, the exhibition hall was filled with objects like sticks and whips, knives and swords, thorny plants and bitter fruits, liquor and poison, barking dogs and cawing crows. But in none of them did the king see a satisfactory answer to his question. At last, he came to a clay model just like the one he has seen in the earlier exhibition. But this time, it showed big red eyes and a blackish tongue abusing a poor, lean, hungry, old man. At the bottom were written two words: “BAD TONGUE”. The sculptor was sent for. He came and explained to the king, “My Lord, a bad tongue can kill others' happiness and joy, destroy their hope and courage and push them into a pool of misery. It can cause to others' hearts, wounds which may not heal for years and years. A bad tongue is the worst enemy of man.” The king gave the sculptor, a good casket full of gems and diamonds. “Indeed, your clay models teach us a lesson more precious than these gold caskets, gems and diamonds all put together”, said the king to him. “A good tongue is the best friend of every man and the simplest way to the happiness of all.

Right Action Right Speech DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What did you understand from this story? Give one example of a good tongue making another person happy and a bad tongue making another person miserable. Do you always have a good tongue? If not, why? What do you think you should do to have a good tongue always?

Right Action Right Speech Group Activity: Team up and write at least two common sentences that are spoken every day. Write how the same sentence can be spoken in a loving way and the hurting way.

Right Action Right Speech LIFE APPLICATION / HOMEWORK: Every time you want to say something, stop for a moment and think what you want to say and how you can say that without hurting or being misunderstood. Note down your experiences (how you spoke good words or why you couldn't) in your spiritual journal. Share it with your parents everyday. Pray for Swami's guidance.