I desire to be wise. I long to know how to express myself and my ideas thoughtfully. I wish to have just the right words for the right occasion, and speak in a way that seems pleasing to the ears of many.
When it’s time to inform, I would like to relay information in a way that doesn’t contradict me or the information. When it’s time to convince, I wish to be able to move the hearts and minds of people with just a few direct and well-spoken words.
To try to achieve this, I have done lots of research on wisdom. I have read philosophical texts from great minds like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. I have also studied famous religious and spiritual figures with a reputation for wisdom, like King Solomon, Jesus, Buddha, Prophet Muhammad, Jiddu Krishnamurti and many others. This extensive study and research have led to the discovery of the unique way of communication that wise people possess.
They are not only able to convince or inform, but are also able to inspire us to want to find the truth and be more like them.
This is an attempt at an in-depth look at how the wise communicate, what makes them eloquent and how we can all learn and build the same communication skills in our lives.
5 ways wisdom expresses itself
Wisdom is rich in knowledge, understanding and insight. It makes knowledge attractive, and makes the words of those who have wisdom more artistic. There are various ways through which this art can be seen through the lenses of the words of the wise.
Poetic language
Poetic language involves speaking naturally, but in a way that comes across as poetry. When we listen to someone speaking, a poetic structure can be noticed in the wordplay they are using.
For example, in the Bible, King Solomon, the wisest king known to have lived, wrote a book called Song of Solomon. This book contains numerous poetic love songs. One of the chapters goes like this:
Your hair is beautiful upon your cheeks and falls along your neck like jewels. But we will make for you a chain of gold with ornaments of silver. My king was lying on his couch, and my perfume filled the air with fragrance.
Also, in the Bible, Jesus uses poetic language. For instance, he spoke the words which are now recognized as the Beatitudes, which make up a huge educative poem about life.
Prophet Muhammad is also seen using this same art in his last words to his people, when he said:
Oh mankind, listen well!
I may not be with you much longer
The weak among you, feed them on what you eat
Dress them as you are dressed
You will meet your God and He will call you to account for your actions
Let those who are present warn those who are absent
You are all descendants from Adam
And the best among you is he who most regards God
Think deeply about what I say
Let all your feuds be abolished
You must know that every Muslim is a brother of every other Muslim
And that all Muslims are brothers, one of another
Between Muslims, there are no races and no tribes
Nor must you take from your brother what is given freely
Do not oppress and do not be oppressed.
Oh, my people, I am but a man
It may be that the angel of death will visit me soon
And death will overtake me
But I have left you a book, revealed by God.
Parabolic language
This is the use of parables to convey a message. It’s when we tell a story that resembles a certain situation, to help paint a better picture or make the message come across in a way that the people to whom we are conveying the message can easily understand.
Parables were heavily used by Jesus in the Bible. One of his most popular parables is the Parable of the Sower, in which he said:
Once there was a man who went to sow grain. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some of it fell on rocky grounds where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted because the soil wasn’t deep. But when the sun came up, it burned the young plants, and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. Some seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants. But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants bore grain. Some had one hundred grains, others sixty, and others thirty.
This parable represents the knowledge given to people from God, and how various people perceive the message and work with it in their lives.
Perfect eloquence
Eloquence is being fluent and persuasive in a way that expresses an idea so well that it can’t be contradicted. For this artistic skill, we turn to philosophers like Socrates.
In the Apology of Socrates by Plato, which represents what Socrates said in his last trial before he was sentenced to death, we can see Socrates’ eloquence at work. There are many aspects of the apology in which this skill is portrayed.
One of them is when he begins speaking and tells the people to be wary of his accusers. He says,
But many as their falsehoods were, there was one of them which quite amazed me—I mean when they told you to be upon your guard, and not to let yourselves be deceived by the force of my eloquence. They ought to have been ashamed of saying this because they were sure to be detected as soon as I opened my lips and displayed my deficiency; they certainly did appear to be most shameless in saying this, unless by the force of eloquence they mean the force of truth; for then I do indeed admit that I am eloquent. But in how different a way from theirs!
He didn’t see any eloquence in himself, except for the truth, which he spoke. And he persists in this ideology throughout the apology.
Jiddu Krishnamurti, another philosopher in the early 1900s, also expressed great eloquence in his teaching.
In one of the teachings, he said,
When we hear, we either accept or reject. Or, we translate what we hear according to our knowledge, our background. Or, we compare what is being said, to what is already known. Or, we oppose one idea by another. All these characteristics of hearing deny the act of listening.
When one listens, there is no comparison, there is no acceptance or rejection. The very act of listening brings about total attention in which you see the totality and the whole significance and structure of what is being said. The quality of listening is attention. And then you attend totally, with your whole mind, with your heart, with your eyes, and ears completely, intensely listen.
Insightful language
Insightful language is the kind of language that reveals hidden knowledge about people, the self and the universe, but in a way that makes us think deeply.
It mentions something that stirs up our thinking, which then leads to more discoveries about the subject of discussion.
This communication skill has been shown by Sirach, a man in the Bible who had a reputation for wisdom, and whose teachings were given to people to help them live in peace and happiness with others.
In his book—The Book of Sirach, also known as the Book of Ecclesiasticus, or Ben Sira—he says, “Exchange greetings with many, but take advice from only one person out of a thousand. When you make friends, don’t be too quick to trust them; make sure that they have proved themselves.”
He talks about where to get good advice and how to make genuine friends. If we take time to think about these words, we realize that only a few people give genuine advice that can help and protect us from danger.
Also, very few friends are genuine, although on the outside, they might seem so. And to know if they are, we should give ourselves time and let them prove themselves worth it through their words and actions.
Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, also used insightful language. He is commonly thought to have said, “If you truly loved yourself, you could never hurt another.”
This sets us to wondering what that means, and if we go a bit deeper into these words, we realize that he means that what we want for ourselves should be what we give to others. If we want to have peace, give others peace of mind. If we want happiness, allow our neighbours and friends to live in happiness around us, because other people determine how peaceful and happy our lives will be, based on how we deal with them.
Use of similes and descriptive language
Similes are used to compare one thing with another, to give a better idea of what is being talked about. For example, “as black as coal.”
King Solomon used this language, too, in his Book of Proverbs, where he said,
Stupidity is like a loud, ignorant, shameless woman. She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the highest part of the town and calls out to people passing by who are minding their own business. “Come in, ignorant people!” To the foolish, she says, “Stolen water is sweeter. Stolen bread tastes better.” Her victims do not know that the people die who go to her house, that those who have already entered are now deep in the world of the dead.
On the same thoughts, Sirach said, “A wise person’s knowledge is like a river that never runs dry, like an ever-flowing stream of good advice. A fool, on the other hand, has a mind like a jar with a hole in it, anything he learns is soon lost.”
7 methods to build communication skills
Let us look at how these great people of wisdom get to achieve their communication skills, so that anyone out there who wishes to be like them can do it, too.
The wise have not hidden the path to this skill and wisdom; they mention it often and encourage more people to follow the path, so that, if possible, everyone in the world can be wise.
King Solomon himself said, “No jealous desire to guard my own knowledge will make me hold back anything. Wisdom has nothing in common with such an attitude. No indeed—the more wise people there are, the safer the world will be.”
Here are seven simple yet effective methods of achieving these rewarding skills, as taught by the wise themselves.
Meditation
Meditation is defined as the mind-training method based on focus and relaxation that aims to silence the thought process, in order to help the mind become calmer and more aware.
There are many forms of meditation, including Christian meditation, Islamic meditation, Buddhist meditation, Hindu meditation, Zen meditation, loving-kindness meditation and many more.
It is important to become involved in a form of meditation that aligns with your personal beliefs, your perspective on life and your traditions, and then stick to the practice. Meditation will improve the mind, body and spirit, and will help each of us become a better person, which then paves the way for us to become better communicators.
Deep study
Many wise people have spent much time studying, although there are others who, according to various religious texts, gained knowledge and wisdom through divine intervention.
Almost everyone would wish to become wise through the divine gift of wisdom; however, the wise strongly encourage people to study teachings given to others by the wise, and try their best to understand and put them into practice.
Through deep study, we gain the knowledge required to become better speakers. We learn how the wise use the art of communication accurately, and we begin to see how we can follow in their footsteps.
Reflection
After studying, set time aside for some serious thought and consideration about what has been learned and how to make use of it.
Seek to understand the knowledge from ‘the average point of view,’ and how it can be used to improve your life.
When it comes to communication, I normally ask myself, “How can I use poetry or parables to improve my way of speaking?” I go back to the texts and see the context and scenarios in which Jesus, Sirach or the others have applied the art. Then, I determine which areas of my life resemble those scenarios, and how I would apply it to them.
I also attempt to remain aware in similar scenarios, so I can apply my knowledge and make it stick in my life.
Prayer
Prayer is the path to receiving divine intervention to achieve wisdom. If you believe prayer works in your life, consider praying for this divine intervention, even as you study and work to make it happen.
There are different types of wisdom, and each of them gives our lives a good boost in the right direction. And divine wisdom is no different. Pray and show you are dedicated to receiving it, and your prayers may soon be answered.
Listening deeply to elders
Many older folks have gained wisdom through experience. Their age has come with many experiences that have naturally made them become sharper speakers. Taking the time to listen to how they approach various issues can help you have answers ready when they’re needed in a tricky situation.
If someone tries to trick you into saying what you don’t want to, relying on what you have learned from older people like grandparents, parents and their age-mates can get you out of the trap. I say this from personal experience.
Listening to religious leaders
For religious people, listening to your teachers can also help you when it comes to answering others without compromising your principles or being rude. Preachers and teachers of the truth have the knowledge and can help you to speak according to your personality.
Listening to others in general
Sirach and King Solomon have said that there is no person who can say they are the wisest people in the world. Wisdom is so diverse that no one can really get the fullness of it. A small amount of it can change your life completely.
Ptahhotep, a wise man who lived in Egypt decades ago, once said, “Don’t be proud of your knowledge. Consult the ignorant and the wise, the limits of art are not reached. No artist’s skills are perfect. Good speech is more hidden than greenstone yet may be found amongst maids at the grindstone.”
He is saying that we should never feel we have become the best speaker or the wisest person. Speak to those people considered wise, as well as those considered to be foolish, because even the finest speech can be found in places you would never imagine.
Concluding thoughts
I have come to learn that my words reflect how well I know myself and the universe at large. As it has been said, “A wise man is known through his words and his actions.” To communicate wisely, you need to put effort into improving your methods of communication.
Through extensive reading, contemplation and the application of knowledge, your communication skills will improve, and they will be available to be put to good use when needed.
As the Buddha is believed to have said, “However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?”
The journey to becoming a better communicator is not smooth or easy; however, it is possible through dedication, consistency, creativity and persistence.
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