Right speech is a Buddhist term. It refers to skillful or beneficial speech, that which minimizes harm and communicates with clarity and purpose. Practicing right speech includes telling the truth, speaking in ways that bring people together, and speaking gently and meaningfully. To practice right speech in each moment, it helps to cultivate mindfulness of the unskillful ways in which we sometimes use our voice.
When acting out of habit versus mindfulness, we may tell white lies, gossip, or speak in ways that sow divisiveness. We may harm with sarcasm or screaming, or simply waste energy by speaking when we have nothing meaningful to say. In Buddhist teaching, practicing right speech reduces harm and is said to build the trust that helps us be listened to and heard.
In this intermediate-level guided meditation, we bring awareness to the tenets of right speech, contemplating what each feels like in our body, especially at the throat, known in yogic tradition as the throat chakra.
- Practice Time: < 10 minutes
- Purpose: Speak Meaningfully Without Harming
- May Help With: Presence, Body Awareness, Breath Awareness
- Practice Level: Intermediate
Here’s a Sample of the “Cultivate Right Speech With Guided Meditation” Guided Meditation Script:
Sitting comfortably in a quiet place where you can be free from distractions
Sitting up tall by comfortably grounding your hips and then lengthening your spine
Allowing spaciousness in your chest by slightly shifting your shoulders down and back
Letting your arms relax with your palms resting easily in your lap
Breathing quietly in and out through your nose
With your eyes closed, noticing your breath
Taking a moment to settle in, as you feel the breath moving from your nostrils
Up towards the crown of your head
And then down past your throat
Past your chest, and down into your belly
Maintaining an easy and relaxed breath
(pause 3 breaths)
Now drawing awareness to your throat
Visualizing a warm and glowing red or blue light at the throat chakra
In yogic tradition, the throat chakra is located behind your Adam’s apple and in front of your spine
Or wherever you feel a tiny knot of energy in the throat area
Picturing this light here as alive, pulsing, and vibrating
A red or blue orb of energy, or like a horizontal disc made of light
And then holding awareness in this area,
As you make your way through the following commitments and contemplations
Beginning by silently saying to yourself, “I commit to always telling the truth”
Contemplating what that means to you,
All the while, aware of sensation in your body, and in the throat.
Noticing what arises, as you promise to be truthful
Noticing if there’s resistance or tightness in the body, is there any closing off?
And noticing too if there’s a feeling of lightness, opening, spaciousness
“I commit to always telling the truth”
(pause 3-5 breaths)
How to Use This Mindfulness of Speech Meditation Script
This mindfulness of speech script is suitable for anyone who is struggling with finding their voice or feels they aren’t being listened to. There’s no need to be Buddhist to practice mindfulness of speech. This script, however, may be of particular interest to groups or individuals studying yoga or the Buddhist Eightfold Path.
Read this script from start to finish several times before using it in your own practice or sharing it with others. Make edits where necessary to make the script your own. It’s valuable to share this script using your authentic voice, especially when working with mindfulness of speech.
When you’re ready to share this guided meditation script with others, you can read it live and in person, or use it to make an audio or video recording. You may want to preface the meditation with a brief talk on why it’s of benefit to practice mindfulness of speech. Or, in a group setting, you can use this script to initiate a discussion around the 4 tenets of right speech.
Throughout your sessions, encourage gentle, caring awareness as a replacement for judging ourselves and others regarding what we’ve said and how.
Conclusion
When we speak mindfully, people often enjoy hearing what we have to say, and they may trust us more as they listen. When mindfully in tune with our body, we can sense the difference in how we feel when we say nice versus mean things. Maintaining this embodied attention can help us stay in the nice lane, from moment to moment throughout our days, for our benefit, and for the benefit of everyone around us.
