Topics Include: 1) The four types of wrong speech: false speech, slanderous speech, harsh speech, and useless speech. 2) Understanding hatred and aversion, the basis of slanderous speech, harsh speech, and hateful speech. 3) Seeing hatred or aversion as the mirror of craving or desire in the sense of wanting something not to be the way it is. So, anger is about not getting what we want and the tendency to blame people or circumstances rather than looking at the desire within ourselves. 4) The three forms of harsh speech: abusive speech, insults, and sarcasm. The karmic consequences of harsh speech. 5) The ideal antidote to harsh speech: patience. 6) Learning how to practice right speech. The importance of communication and how you speak to people reveals what is in your heart. 7) Learning the importance of listening. Bringing lovingkindness and compassion into how we communicate with others. 8) A story about practicing right speech in the face of difficult people.
February 6, 2021
71 min.