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From: Ellen-Marie Silverman
Date: 10/14/03
Time: 7:21:32 PM
Remote Name: 172.169.101.76
Julie,
I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to help others communicate at a higher level. I hope you, too, find satisfaction in helping others express themselves.
Speech is a very powerful tool. All religious traditions I have become familiar with have great respect for the power of speech. In the Jewish scriptures, in the book of Genesis, we learn God created the world with 10 utterances saying "Let there be . . .," and there was. In the Christian scriptures, we are told Jesus is the Word made flesh. Hinduism and mystical Judiasm believe speech sounds have inherent acoustical characteristics that have great influence in both the material and spiritual worlds. Etc.
Now to deal with your question about "idle speech" and "Right Speech:" The Book of Proverbs in the Jewish scriptures, quite influenced by Hellenist thought, contains injunctions about spending time with wastrels, chattering, i.e., wasting time. Practicing "Right Speech" is one of the eight-fold steps to enlightment, according to the Buddha. Right speech is truthful, kind, gentle, pleasant.
As speech-language pathologists, we are models of communication. How meaningful to practice "Right Speech."
Thanks for your question.
Ellen-Marie Silveramn