Whether you realize it or not, your life is built on your words and commitments. The strength of your life is based on the words you give to you and to others. If your words are conscious, your life will be conscious. If your words are unconscious, your life will be unconscious. That is why integrity forms the basis of your life. It is part of your very life energy.
What is Integrity
Integrity is a spiritual truth, a tattva; it is not an ethic or value. Integrity has two dimensions – honouring the word you give yourself and honouring the words you give to others. Integrity is you fulfilling the words and thoughts you give to yourself and others. Honoring the words as your life is real integrity. Integrity is not just about the big commitments we make in life. It can be something as simple as telling yourself “I am going to get up every morning at 5am to practice yoga”, or telling a friend “ I will meet you at 5 pm”.
Your unkept words create a hangover
Many times, you don’t even remember the commitments you make to yourself or to others, because you use your words so unconsciously, without thinking. When you do not keep a commitment, it will create a “hangover” in you or in the other person, which can destroy your self confidence and the other person’s confidence in you.
Integrity brings power to your words
When you honor the words you give to yourself, your confidence in yourself grows. Your self doubts start to melt away. When you honor the words you give to others, their confidence in you grows. Your relationship with that person becomes strengthened, powerful.
Use words consciously, with awareness. This will help you understand the impact of your words on yourself and others. The right words can immediately change the way you think about yourself and others. The right words also keep your inner space conflict free and peaceful. By creating and expressing the right words, you can actually shape the reality as you choose. You can make or break your life with your words. The words you utter are YOU.
What happens if I cannot keep my words
Do your very best to keep your commitment to yourself and others. If you find that you still cannot keep it, you can complete with yourself and the other person by telling him that you cannot keep the commitment. Either fulfill or complete! Completion is also integrity.
Integrity is practising Dharma
Taking responsibility for your words is practicing right dharma, right living. Do not do onto others, that which would cause pain if done onto you. (from Hindu epic Mahabharata). This is dharma. Remember dharma and ask yourself, will these words cause pain to me or the other person? Always be aware of the power and impact of the words you utter to yourself and to others.
Integrity and reduction of thoughts
Patanjali says, “The first step of yoga is reduction of speech”. Swami Nithyananda explains - to achieve the reduction of speech, reduction of thoughts needs to happen. For reduction of thoughts to happen, integrity must be lived. This will naturally lead to a reduction in thoughts, not just to oneself, but in speech to others. For Integrity to become part of you, you must go on sharing this truth with others. You will be find yourself practising and living what you share and teach to others.
Power of Declaration
To strengthen your decision to be integrated and complete, declare the decision to do so.
Whenever you declare a decision, it helps gather your scattered energies and focus them towards making your declaration into reality through responsible actions.
Power of words
When you continuously, consciously, align your words to the appropriate actions, your words become powerful. You will have the spontaneous intelligence to use the right words and the most effective words towards yourself and others. You unlock the Power of Words. You achieve Vak Shakti or Vak Siddhi, the power to make anything you say into a reality. This is the ultimate experience of the Power of Words.
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