1. RAM CHARIT MANTHAN SEMINAR राम चरित मंथन DECEMBER 4, 2010 HINDU WORSHIP SOCIETY TEMPLE USHA MEHRA Balance What We Speak

2. Discussion Outline Why the Topic Appeases? Why the Topic is Significant? What is “Balance What We Speak”? Examples from Tulsi Ram Charit Manas Summary & Message

3. Why the Topic Appeases ? Personal Enrichment स्वान्तःसुखाय Among the topics offered for Manthan, this topic floated up toward me like an ‘urn of nectar’. Desire to enhance myself. Tulsi Ram Charit Manas’s first and last shlokas state Tulsi created the Manas for self cleansing, peace, and bliss. Most people genuinely want to help themselves and in process contribute positively to their world.

4. Why the Topic is Significant What We Speak is a major Gateway to Outside World. Wise have said “what goes around comes around and reap what you sow”. Speech ( वाणी ) is one of five action organs ( कर्मेन्द्रिया ) of the physical body. Hindu Schools of philosophy provide that humans speak through voice organs of physical body such as mouth, tongue, vocal chords, etc. that are driven by the consciousness elements ( चेतन तत्त्व ) of the subtle body. The words we speak are reflections of the functionality of our physical organs as well as of the properties of our inner subtle tendencies.

5. Why the Topic is Significant ? Recognizing that the words we utter are reflections of our subtle body --- our inner “beauty” or “ugliness” --- more responsibility for the choice we make for what we speak. Social Linguists provide that spoken words provide only 7 percent of the communication; rest is through tone, body language, style etc.

6. What is “Balance What We Speak” ? Balance what we speak is the choice of words tone, and body language we use with recognition and sensitivity toward the ability, role and interest of the person spoken to. (The goal being effective communication and response). Illustartion : To express hunger and need for food, words and tone are likely to vary whether the person spoken to is the mother, sibling, wife, servant or waiter at restaurant.

7. What is “Balance What We Speak” ? Balance what we speak is a tool humans come equipped with (everyone knows how to communicate with an infant or baby). The balance tool gets used in early phases of life. As we grow, the tool gets on a back burner—we get away from our true self and embrace the tactics of the mundane physical world.

8. Tulsi Ram Charit Manas Examples of Balance Dashrath and Vishwamitra Samvad Balkand 207 सुनी राजा अति अप्रिय बानी, हृदय कंप मुख दुति कुमुलानी चौथेपन पायौ सुत्त चारी, विप्र वचन नहीं कहेहु बिचारी. Ram Vivah-Parashuram Samvad Balkand 270-281 नाथ संभु धनु भंजनिहारा, होइः केऊ एक दास तुम्हारा जेहिं रिस जाहि करिए सोई स्वामी, मोहि जानी आपण अनुगामी

9. Summary & Message Words we speak constitute a major connection channel with our outside world. We may forget what someone did for us but will always remember what they said. Our speech is a reflection of our inner self; become aware of whether you reflect beauty or ugliness of the inner self (All of us are blessed with both). Silence can be a golden option until awareness precipitates a balance. Tulsi Ram Charit Manas provides many real life time situations to guide on balancing words we speak. राम राम