Sacred Vs. Survival Language, by Vyaas Houston

Avidya is the defining of a self which is not the self; with happiness in what is actually suffering; with purity in what is really impurity; and permanence in what is really impermanent.

Avidya perfectly describes the nature of a survival language. A survival language is steeped in avidya. As long as who I am, is defined by such a language, I remain the victim of an endless vicious circle.

The question is — why would we choose a language which keeps us in perpetual self-judgment. The fact is that we never chose the language. It has always been around, and as children, we were given no other options. As long as we do not consciously redesign the way we use language, we remain at the effect of the past, conditioned by the very language of the past to repeat the patterns of the past, again and again.

The single most outstanding difference between a sacred and a survival language is the definition, orientation and usage in the language of the word “I”. “I” or its equivalent is the source of language. Without I, there is no you, he, she or it. The evolution of the word “I” into a complex language is a process of creation. In the development of a sacred language, the process is a conscious one; language is an emanation, a creation, an instrument of “I”. In a survival language, “I” is an effect of the cultural patterns already unconsciously established by the language.

In Sanskrit, even the sounds which make the word for “I” are consciously selected. AHAM. “A” is the first spoken sound, as well as the first sound of the Sanskrit alphabet. It can be discovered by breathing, in and with the mouth slightly open, releasing the breath with sound that requires the minimal effort. It naturally arises in the throat before the articulation of all other sounds. “HA” is the last letter of the Sanskrit alphabet. After all the systematic patterns created by the movement of the tongue and lips have produced in perfect order all the other letters of the alphabet, the final sound is “HA”. It also is the only consonant sound that moves by the power of the breath alone, and the only consonant in exact proximity to “A”. The final letter “M” is the very last sound produced in the mouth, because it occurs due to the closing of the lips. In Sanskrit, AHAM is the beginning, the breath of life which brings forth creation, and the end. And this is expressed not just symbolically by the letters A-H-A-M, but physically, based on their location in the mouth.

Excerpted from this article.

Seed Questions for Reflection

How do you relate to the notion of the difference between survival and sacred language? Can you share a personal experience of a time you consciously redesigned how you used language? What helps you become aware of the kind of language you are using?

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9 Past Reflections

Charlotte

Jul 6, 2024

There is a wonderful YouTube video of Fr Richard Rohr [Becoming Stillness] in which he recounts at the end of his speech that the Hebrew word for "Jehovah" is made by inhalation and exhalation, breathing in and out. In other words "God" is in our breath, the first "word" we speak at birth and the last "word" we speak at death. All in all.

Lisa Maroski

Jul 2, 2024

These questions about language and consciousness--becoming aware of our assumptions about them--have been a source of deep inquiry for the past 20 years or so. There are assumptions built into language at many different levels, from the sounds and scripts through the metaphors and logic to the assumptions of the culture that are built into its language. Because of all those layers of interdependencies, language is quite resilient--it basically allows for only neologisms. However, I think we need to question more of the underlying assumptions and devise not just new words but also new structures, ones that embrace our expanding consciousness. Thank you, Vyaas, for bringing out these issues. They are important for future humanity!

Andy

Jul 2, 2024

This resonates with my realisation of common use of negative language. For example, protest groups, although protesting about bad/negative issues, use negative language, whereas religious language is usually positive, i.e. hope based. Positive thinking gives rise to positive language and benefits mental health. Negative thinking will cause downward spiraling negativity and depression.

David Doane

Jul 2, 2024

I think the author is saying survival language is the language of the culture, the language we are conditioned into, and is the language of conditioned me, and I better understand that language to survive in the culture. Sacred language is the language of real me, the language of my truth, and I better be aware of sacred language to thrive and not be a robot of the culture. In my twenties, when I began finding out who I am compared to who the culture says I am, I began paying attention to the language I use. I see language as important. Language is the vehicle of me. Language defines me and I want to express me accurately. Language also defines the world to me, and I want language that accurately does that, which means I often dig into word etymology to get more accurate meaning. I want language that is based in truth, not disconnected from truth.

Sandy Weiner

Jul 2, 2024

Thank you, Vyaas, such a beautiful, heartwarming and meaningful sharing that touched in my inner knowing as truth and clarity. I am very grateful. with Metta, Sandy

Afzal

Jul 1, 2024

Everything is patterned on AHAM. It begins with breathing in and breathing out and then ending with closing of the mouth with no breathing. Language is what makes or mars. A sacred language is what makes the speaker's as well as the listener's survival possible.

Jagannatha Das

Jun 30, 2024

A-HA-M.
In-breath - Out-breath - End.
The cycle of breathing. And that this same combination of sounds „aham“ is the Sanskrit word for the pronoun „I“, is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this.

What I remember about this Sanskrit word is the phrase that goes "Aham Brahmasmi“. And knowing its etymology, makes it even more profound.

The direct translation of this term stems from three Sanskrit roots:
Aham, meaning "I"
Brahma, a name for the Hindu creator god which can also be translated as "divine" or "sacred"
Asmi, meaning "am".
(Quoted from yogapedia.com / aham-brahmasmi)

"I am the breath of life, the spirit soul emanating from Brahma (God)“.

🙏Namaste🙏

Jagdish P Dave

Jun 28, 2024

There are two ways we use language. One way is for survival and the other way is for evolving our consciousness. The author of this article, Vyaas Huston, uses two different phrases to differentiate the two modes of communication: survival language and sacred language. According to my understanding, we need survival language to meet basic mundane needs such as food, water, clothing , shelter, and mate. We also need to evolve on a higher level of living, to evolve on a higher level of consciouness, from me to we, from mundane to sacred. The challenge is how to evolve from survival to sacred. According to my experience we need the helping hands of caretakers, to not fall down and hurt ourselves and others, and to slowly and gradually move up on our own. Parents can provide good modeling to their children. I was blessed to have such elders in my life. They would provide help when needed and let me walk on my path freely. My parents used to tell me in Gujarati, my mother tongue, 'Vic... View full comment

Raj Arora Jul 2, 2024

Well explained.
The 5 precepts, we follow in Vipassana - one of it is MUSAVADA vermani
- does not only mean - not to tell li
e, but also not to say harsh words, no criticism and no idle gossip.