I am going through old letters, journal excerpts, newspaper clippings, and other bits and pieces of my great-grandmother’s, and realize how attentive we used to be with regard to everything we wrote. Each word seems to have been chosen with affection. A turn of phrase elicits a smile. A description brings something to life. I realized even more how writing brings our world to life. It makes manifestation possible. Words create things. They are like a magic wand that casts a spell and something happens. “Abracadabra” – and a rabbit comes out of a hat. “I’ll meet you at 3.” And you have an engagement. “I pronounce you husband and wife.” And you are married. “Cut off his head!” And your existence has come to an end – simply through the sound of a few words. Stillness before, during, and after using words seems vital to ensure that what is manifested if positive, loving, kind, and significant. With that kind of power, we don’t want to throw it away by not paying attention to it, nor do we want to cause any harm. Being mindful of our words opens us to the greater world of symbol and imagery. Because, at the heart of language, are the symbols and images that words represent. Each word is like a miniature tarot card or elaborate dream. Each word is a symbol and evokes an image in our psyches. They are powerful indeed. They are magic.
