My parents, like most trying to communicate with a distracted child, would sometimes say, “Well… it’s in one ear and out the other.” Little did they know that their message literally “went in one ear” and stayed there, encoding information throughout my brain’s neural circuitry and body.
Interesting things happen when we articulate our thoughts and the words leave our lips and enter the ears of the listener. The actual words and the way they’re spoken – inflection, tonality, volume, etc. – leave a lasting impression on the brains of those with whom we speak. Our words shape the experiences of others.
Looking at the power of words to shape experience from a neuroscience perspective leads us into very interesting territory.
Just as all of life is composed of matter and molecules, so are the words that travel from our lips to the ears of the listener. Each word we speak has its own molecular structure and vibratory field. (For example, the words ‘trust me’ vibrate at a different frequency than the words ‘you should’) Continue reading