In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. So starts the Book of John in the Bible. The Word has long been central to our concept of God. But perhaps the words we use to describe God say as much or more about us than they do about the Divine.
In English we use phrases such as Holy Spirit, God our Savior, King of Kings, My Redeemer, The Almighty, and Alpha and Omega.
In Hebrew we may say Yaweh (Hebrew: יהוה) "God Is," Adonai (Hebrew: אֲדֹנָי) "My Lord," Shekhinah (Hebrew: שכינה) "God descended to dwell among humanity," Hashem (Hebrew: השם) "The Name," and Had'var (Hebrew: הדבר), "That Which Cannot Be Described."
In Arabic we could say Allah (Arabic: الل) "The Greatest Name," As-Salam (Arabic: السلام) "Source of Peace," or Al-Fattah (Arabic: الفتاح) "The Opener."
These three languages contain literally hundreds of ways to describe God. The same diversity holds true for many religions and many languages around the world. In fact, humans may have more ways of describing God than we have words for anything else.
In English we often say "God is in all things." Yet when we use pronouns like "He" or appellations like "The Lord" we express a conception of God as something separate from ourselves. If we accept that God is in all things then surely God must be within us as well.
Similarly when we start a prayer with the words "Our Father who art in heaven..." we again create a sense of distance between ourselves and the Divine. While such language may be comforting in its familiarity, it actually does an unconscious disservice to those who use it.
In our daily lives we often reach for the easiest word or phrase available in our memory banks without thinking of what the true meaning is. For example, we often greet people by saying "Hi. How are you?" yet we're shocked if they answer anything other than "fine" or "good." When someone tells the truth about how their doing we're taken aback. Apparently they don't know it was a perfunctory question in advance of the real conversation.
Similarly we mix metaphors and use inexact phrases because we're too lazy to choose our words carefully. So instead of saying "I must be going to the bus stop now because it looks like rain and I forgot to bring an umbrella," we might say "I've got to run to catch the bus. It'll be raining cats and dogs and I don't want to be caught with my pants down." This ludicrous phrasing may be socially acceptable for casual conversation, but for those seeking a deeper connection with the Divine presence in their lives the word choices we make can take on far greater significance.
Lawyers warn us to choose are words carefully, but why would it be important in the realm of spirituality? Because the language that we use shapes our perceptions of the world around us. The words we choose can literally change the experience we have.
For example, imagine that as you read this a house fly is flitting about on the window pane nearest to you. What word would you use to describe the sound a fly makes? If you said, "buzz, buzz" your answer would be similar to that of most native English speakers. But if you are native Chinese speaker you might have answered "wong, wong." "Buzz" and "wong" are a type of word called an onomatopoeia, which means they're words that imitate the sounds they represent. Other examples of onomatopoeias in English are words like "splash," "whirr," and "hiss."
The difference between the Chinese and English word choices to describe the sound a fly makes is not a matter of translation. Rather it's a matter of actually hearing a different noise coming from the very same movements of the very same creature. Our cultural word choice literally changes the sounds we hear. In other words our preconceptions about the experience we think we're going to have actually define the experience we end up having. And what is true for our perception of the sound of a fly is similarly true for how we experience our connection with the Divine.
The Bible tells us that we are created in God's image. Those words match my personal experience. My experience is that the Divine is the very essence of my being. It is the light that shines within me. It is the life force that animates my being. It is the life force and the consciousness that inhabits all things in this physical world and in the worlds beyond.
Because this is my experience, I can no longer use inexact words to describe the all-encompassing Source of creation. To use language that sets me apart from All-That-Is works against my desires for a deeper connection to Source energy. It sets up preconceptions that Source and I are two distinct things when in fact we are one and the same.
If you feel similarly, then the next time you begin to use words in prayer, stop to consider what they really mean. When you encounter language that says "Our Father who art in heaven" do you really mean "Dear Dad who lives someplace different than me?" because in effect that's what you're saying. Does that language bring you closer to that which you seek? If not, consider choosing a name of God that describes the connection you desire.
As you choose the words to describe your connection with God ask yourself how they make you feel. When I finish praying I want to feel joyous and ecstatic with an expansive sense of what is possible. You may want to feel differently. But no matter how it is that you want to feel, if when you're done praying you don't feel the way you desire, then maybe it's time to rethink how you're conceptualizing God and framing your prayers.
Sometimes it's easiest to start by thinking about the outcome you desire. Working backwards, think how you want to feel when you're done praying. Then craft your prayer with that purpose in mind. Prayer is your opportunity to exercise your personal powers of co-creation. So choose your words carefully. Create your prayers and envision your relationship with the Divine in a way that brings you closer to that which you seek.
Words are the architecture of prayer. After all, as it says in the Book of John, in the beginning are your words. Your words are with God. Your words are God.
Comments