PEOPLE TELL ON THEMSELVES
Listen carefully to the words that you hear. Everyone's words. Especially your own. The words that you choose describe the "map" that you live by.
Starting in childhood every human builds a map of the outer world in their brain. It is the reference that we use to recognize our outer world and attach symbols to our experiences. The words that we use are those symbols. They name the features of the map in a kind of shorthand. It's a handy tool. Without it language would be impossible. The map is the record of the world as we have experienced it.
Start with those around you and notice how they describe the world when telling about the situations of their lives. Notice what kind of things they accuse others of when they jump to conclusions. What motives do they ascribe to the actions of others when there is no evidence to indicate what the persons actual motives are? Listen to
What general kind of descriptive words (especially adjectives and adverbs) do they use . . .
of deceit and treachery?
of healing and love?
of silliness and gossamer?
of calm acceptance and mastership?
It has been my experience that those who think they can manipulate with
Most of them don't realize that they do this. In fact, I've learned the
'Tis no excuse, however, and the ones who *are aware of it* (to
whatever degree) I am grateful for 'cuz they tell me (even though they
have no idea that they are) just what their up to by the way they talk.
I'll also mention a little bit about the toughest aspect of this....
Our description of the world often reflects how we feel internally. Our
experience of the world, of course, reflects directly what is going on
internally although that's often on a much longer timescale. Listen to
the *exact* words you use and then ask yourself what they mean to you.
Not what meaning did you intend... what does each word mean to you. It
will tell you a lot.
copyright 1997 Dave Huntington
send feedback and comments to [email protected].
not the intent of meaning behind the words as we so often do in casual conversation.
their words, that words are *a tool to get them what they want* are
particularly transparent in this way. Listen to the *exact* words that
the people around you use and compare them to their actions... then see
what that tells you about the words they use...literally, the
You'll find in most cases that the description they project onto others is the way
they operate in they world.
most about certain folks when they thought they were being the most
clever and deceptive. I have to credit too (albeit sadly) that a lot of
folks have no idea what their perceptual picture of the world is or who
they are. They don't even realize that they are doing what they are
doing!
listening to yourself. This may be the most powerfully easy way to pry
open your unconscious thought patterns that there is. Listen to your own
words. What do they say about how you see the world? since Wednesday, November 19, 1997 - 12:40:03 AM