Speaking Without Words

Another approach to the power of speech is to use 'meaningless' speech - nonsense words, baby-noises, hisses and bellows. In group work, this sort of exercise can be used to bring across the importance of tone and pitch in conveying a message. It also illustrates just how word-dependent we are. Take words away and we have to explore other forms of communication. By screaming and howling we can release tension and create startling atmospheric effects in a situation. Even heavy breathing and panting can be effective, as can imitating animal calls.

Is it possible to communicate with your family without actual words - but only sounds? Try making a phone call to a friend (let them in on the plan in advance) and see just how much can be communicated. This is a great exercise to enhance your use of voice and tone.

An exercise used in a Shamanic Development Course consisted of encouraging members to make of their face a 'mask' of extreme emotion - rage, fear, hate, happiness, and then to forcefully vocalise the pure noise that they associated with that face. The results were startling - the sounds seemed to magnify the effect of the faces and, strangely enough, it was the 'happy' sound that people found disturbing.

Another interesting exercise is to pick an animal with which you would like to communicate. It can be a family pet, an animal totem, or an animal with attributes you admire and would like to be able to tap into at will. Do some research, collect photos, look at videos, read about or study the animal you've chosen. Practice making the different sounds associated with the animal (for example: cats hiss, spit, purr, meow, yowl, etc).

When you are ready, set aside a time and a place in which to have a conversation. Think of what you would want to say to the chosen animal and how you could say it without words. Perhaps you would want to do some role play and cast yourself as the animal - how would you speak to yourself ? What would you want to say? Perhaps you might want to imagine that your power animal is in the room with you. Can you communicate without words? With sound and movement only? Perhaps it is a pet that you want to communicate with. Try something simple... get down on their level... use only sounds... What happens?

When communicating in this way, do not allow yourself to be embarassed or self conscious. Let the child within you embrace this new form of communication without shame or fear. You might be surprised at how freeing and empowering this simple exercise can be.

From: The Magical Use of Voice and other sources