Today's Reminder is:
"Language is a formalism used to convey meaning. Words of
themselves convey nothing."
A writer loves words. The power of language is that it allows us to construct messages that are both filled with information but also can be 'emotionally' or 'spiritually' meaningful. A dancer loves to Dance. The power of Dance [and the martial arts] is you can see the 'energy' of the message in the motions. The artist, photographer, or filmmaker can give birth to Images, real or imagined, that give the viewer the "feeling" of the captured image.
The late
Isaac Bonewits , in his book
Real Magic, made note of these three forms of communication [taken from Hindu religious philosophy] which can be used to elevate one's beliefs and / or consciousness. The three forms are:
Mantra [Words]
, Mudra [Actions]
, Mandala [Images]
. Each of these forms can also be used to convey a message or meaning to an audience.
- Mantra - Words - Books - Scripts - Oratory
- Mudra - Action - Dance / Ballet / Martial Art
- Mandala - Image - Art - Visual Media
Combining these three forms in a work [or your life] makes your ability to convey a message more effective. A recent example of this kind of work is James Cameron's
Avatar. While the plot is rather simple the net effect of the words, actions, and images invites the viewer to hear/see/feel the message . If you have not seen it, you might take a look. After seeing it, evaluate each component form. Ask yourself: how effective was the form? How effective was the combination of forms?
The whole point of words, actions, and imagery is to communicate a message. It is important to remember never to get so caught up in the "forms" that you forget to deliver the message. Think about how effective you are when you try to convey a message. Think about your successes and failures. You are a messenger of a message only you possess and only you can deliver. Think about that the next time you use the three forms:
Words, Actions, Images.
