Hazrat Inayat Khan now explains that the mechanical repetition of a word is not sufficient; it must be supported the by the reflection or the power of the mind behind the word. The previous post is here.

This shows that behind the repetition of words a secret is hidden, and the day when man has fathomed it he will have discovered a great secret of life. One way of understanding this mystery is to keep in mind that as a reflector is needed behind the light in order to direct the light fully, so a reflector is needed for the voice, as every voice producer knows. The voice producer will always give exercises to his pupil to repeat and repeat, in order to get this reflector into the right condition, so that all the possibilities of producing a full voice may be brought out.

That is the material side of the question, but then there is the psychological side of it. This is that not only the organs of the physical body have this quality of reflection, but the mind, or what we call feeling, can also be a reflector. We very rarely explore this question; we cut it short every time we are faced with it. For instance, when a person is telling a lie it is natural that it is wicked, and we cannot readily believe it. However loud his voice may be, however strongly he emphasizes his lie, since it is a lie, we feel it is wicked. Because psychologically, the power of mind must act as a reflector, but in these circumstances it does not act as this person wishes, for his mind is not really behind it. 

Also, take an ordinary phrase such as ‘thank you’ or ‘I am very grateful to you’. If during the day, ten people say it to you, each one of them will have a different power of conveying it, because if the reflector is not giving power from behind, a person may say a thousand times ‘I am so grateful to you’, but it will make no effect.

There is another way of looking at the same question: one person may tell you something, and you readily believe it, and another person may tell you the same thing fifty times over, and you do not feel inclined to believe it. What does this show? It shows that we must prepare ourselves before we say anything. It is not always what we say, but how we feel it, how we express it, and what power is hidden behind our expression, what power pushes it out, so that the word may pierce through the heart of man.

To be continued…