The Poison of Gossip

The first agreement from The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is being impeccable with your word. It is the most important one and often the most difficult to honor. Words matter. They carry the energy of what you say. If you’re spreading negativity, you will feel negativity. When you are impeccable with your word, you’re embodying sincerity. You’re proving that you are worthy of trust and that your values and kindness are important parts of you.

It takes practice to choose your words carefully or sometimes to just keep your mouth shut. Gossip is an easy pattern to fall into and causes much destruction. There is something in it that can make us feel a little better about our own situation and can also be a way to feel a connection with the person we’re sharing with, but who are we to judge? If we follow the yogic principles of life, we practice ahimsa, part of the eight-fold path to enlightenment, which means non-harming. We have the potential to cut like a knife or to share our love, to cause pain or inspire joy.

Spreading gossip at the expense of others it’s like slowly drinking poison. We don’t notice much at first, but over time, the negativity of it eats away at us from the inside out. We lose the trust of others because the unhealthy energy of the poison spreads and infiltrates the well-being of everyone involved, including ourselves.

I love this Buddhist quote, “Before you speak, pass your words through 3 gates, ‘Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?’ In other words, think before you speak and be sure to taste your words before you spit them out. When we misuse our words, we pull ourselves and each other down into a state of fear and doubt. When we are impeccable and purposeful, we can lift ourselves and each other up to shine in our fullest expression of spirit.

By Julie Bertagna; All Rights Reserved @2020