Over a slight matter there was a difference of opinion. It led to a hot discussion between me and one whom I hold in high esteem. The pitch of our voices kept on rising. I felt, I was right; he felt, he was right. Out of a conflict of right with right cometh tragedy. And after some minutes of wordy exchange, as we took leave of each other, my friend felt miserable and I felt unhappy.

Just then someone spoke to me with the simple frankness of a happy child. And though she spoke out of the tenderness of her heart, every word she uttered was a whip. “You write such beautiful things” she said to me, “and in your conversation with friends and others you give expression to such wondrous things of the Spirit. How often have you not urged that compassion is the secret of true life? And yet, as you spoke now to a brother, you became loveless! The tone of your voice was as the hissing of a snake and your words burnt as live coal!”

“How true.” I said to myself. And in sheer shame, I hung low my head.

In silence I asked myself, “Why did I use harsh words? Why?” And the answer came, “Because my life is not yet rooted in love. The roots of my life are elsewhere. Let me take care of my roots. Life is the root, words are as flowers and action is the fruit. If we are not rooted in love, our words go wild and our work more often than not becomes a curse.”

That night I kept awake. I sat in my quiet room, shedding unbidden tears of repentance. And then, methinks, I heard a voice say:

“My child, weep not, nor be disheartened. But pray for light and for strength to walk whither the light may lead!” And I said, “You know the burden that sits heavy on my heart. Tell me what I may do?”

And the Voice said, “My child, Let silence be the law of your life; for silence hurts no one. And when you feel like breaking your silence, ask yourself if what you have to say is something better than silence. If so, say it, else remain silent.”

I felt like asking a question. But before I opened my lips, I said to myself, “Surely, my question is not better than silence, so let me be silent!”

The Voice continued, “If only we could collect the words each one of us speaks, what a huge mountain they would make! Himalayas of words have passed through these tiny lips. And all these words, as it seems to me, come under five categories.

The five categories of words

1. Words inspired by love of God

These are the words we utter in adoration of the Eternal – the cry of the soul to the Over soul, the songs sung in praise of the Most High, prayer, kirtan and jap of the Sacred Name.

2. Words inspired by love of fellow-men

These are the words of comfort and consolation we pass on to those who suffer and struggle and are in sorrow-words which cheer them on life’s lonesome way.

3. Words which wound and hurt and kill

These are the words inspired by jealousy, envy, anger, malice or hatred. How often do we not speak ill of others, little knowing what havoc we cause! An archer shoots to kill. More dangerous is the man with a forked tongue. Every time he opens his lips, he sends forth shafts which strike and sting.

4. Words inspired by selfishness

These are the words prompted by egoism, by greed and sensuality. How often do we not ‘brag’ about our so called ‘achievements’ or speak in self-righteous pride! And see, how happy men feel when they indulge in obscene and sensual talk. And when it comes to making a little material gain, humans have no hesitation in speaking a lie. They gain a little and lose their all.

5. Idle words

These are the words men utter without a reason, merely to while away their time. The conversations of men are filled with silly questions and imbecile answers, which make our homes centers of idle gossip and our clubs and meeting-places so many towers of Babel. Against this type of talk did Jesus warn, when he said, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof, on the day of judgement.”

I listened in rapt attention. And the Voice continued: “When you purchase an earthen-vessel, you strike it and from the sound make out if it is cracked or not. So, too, is the integrity of man proved by his speech. If the words a man utters belong to the first two classes, verily, is he blessed among mortals. Such a person spreads sunshine wherever he goes!”

The post Here’s why you need to be mindful about the words you speak appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Why is voice training important?

Our voice is one of our greatest assets. A good voice makes an excellent first impression and helps to hold the attention of the listener. We all have favourite voices that we love to hear over and over again. These voices can be of singers, actors, radio jockeys and even news readers.

Similarly, a voice can also attract unwanted attention. For e.g., if one is talking too softly or too loudly. A loud voice is considered rude and a nuisance whereas a feeble voice is a sign of low self-esteem and lack of confidence. Voice lacking in rhythm may sound monotonous and boring.

There are professions that have always depended heavily on their voice for their success—actors, singers, dubbing artists and radio jockeys. But now, more than ever, knowing how to use your voice efficiently is a valuable skill regardless of your profession. Hence taking care of your voice is of utmost importance.

The first step in voice training is to be aware of how your voice sounds like to others. Let’s understand the mechanics of voice.

How is voice produced?

Voice is an additional function of our breathing apparatus. We breathe in through our nose. This air goes through the nasopharynx into the oropharygnx and enters the lungs through the windpipe. During exhalation the air makes its way out in reverse direction. While passing through the larynx [the voice box] the passing air vibrates the vocal folds and voice is generated, which is further shaped into different sounds by the position of the oral structures like the tongue, lips and mouth opening.

Why does every voice sound different?

Each person’s voice is unique and is often used as a personal identification in many software programs. Voice is characterised by its pitch [frequency], loudness [decibel level] and intonation [rhythm]. Men have lower frequency as compared to women; children have a very high frequency. This is the reason the voice of man, woman and child sound so different. It is embarrassing if a man’s voice starts sounding like woman’s and vice versa. Also, if the voice of a boy does not change post puberty to a manly sounding voice, it can become a source of embarrassment.  

What can go wrong with your voice?

An abnormal pitch, loudness, or poor voice quality are some of the problems people suffer from. Certain medical conditions can cause structural changes in the vocal tract and lead to voicing problems. These structural changes can be vocal cord paralysis, cancer of vocal cords, vocal atrophy, injury or trauma, vocal cord infections, etc.

Voice disorders can also be a result of misuse of voice, which can be prevented effectively. Symptoms of voice disorders due to misuse of voice are:

1. Pain or difficulty while swallowing
2. Feeling that there is something stuck in your throat
3. Frequent hoarseness
4. Voice loss
5. Vocal fatigue towards the end of the day
6. Voice cracking or pitch breaks.

Here are a few tips to take care of your voice

• Since voice is dependent on our breathing, deep breathing and voicing techniques greatly affect how our voice sounds
• Avoid frequent and long-term exposure to noisy environments that force us to raise our voices while talking
• If you prone to throat infections, get them treated promptly and make the necessary lifestyle changes to avoid repeat infections. Avoid cold foods and drinks. Also avoid too much coffee, tea and colas as they tend to dry the mouth and vocal cords too
• Always prefer to use a microphone when addressing a group of people—this will prevent your vocal cords from being overused. Keep your vocal tract constantly hydrated, especially if you are in a speaking profession
• Be attentive to signs of vocal fatigue and give your voice rest promptly. Hoarseness of voice, needing to clear the throat frequently, sudden drop in voice quality are signs to watch for
• Your posture can have a huge impact on your voice. Make sure you maintain the right posture while speaking. Your body should be relaxed but not slouched, shoulders should be drawn back and neck should also be relaxed.

Keeping a track of how much do you use your voice throughout the day is a good idea. Take care of your general wellbeing by eating healthy in order to avoid acid reflux.

In short, love your voice and it will love you back. Take care of your voice for better voicing and to prevent voice disorders.

The post Why we all need some voice training appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.