The Intent Behind the Words

Psychologist Abraham Maslow constructed a hierarchy of basic needs shared by all earth dwellers.


Starting from the most basic and proceeding upward, they are:

Physiological needs (air, water, food, shelter)
Safety (emotional, physical, financial, etc.)
Love and Belonging (friendship, intimacy, family)
Esteem (self-value, self-respect)
Self-Actualization (to become everything one is capable of becoming)


One of the hallmarks of a person who is in the highest state (self-actualization) is the ability to evaluate what he hears according to INTENTION.


Since we are all creatures of earth school we sometimes express ourselves in language that is less than the beautiful message we hold deep in our hearts. This is especially true when our ego gets in the way. We struggle to find our way to a statement of unconditional acceptance and love and, instead, out comes a reflection of our unsettledness…our turmoil, our fear.


The less than stellar expression we may deliver is what happens when love tries to find its way through the maze of hurt and pain.


And, even though we often fall short of delivering our message the way we wish to, love and caring are often at its center. It is our translation…our execution that complicates the delivery of the message. We struggle with our experiences and fears. It is PAIN that masks the intent to speak with love, consideration and caring.


It is my feeling that we are, all of us, LOVE at our core being. Our earth challenges present us with the opportunity to confront and deal with our issues and find our way back to that core


On the way we may be less than we wish, we may say less than we wish to say, we may express ourselves through the haze of pain and suffering. But, underneath all of the words…the struggles…resides, I believe, the intent to return to LOVE.


As we do our spiritual work and rise to the level of self-actualization we find the ability to do what Don Miguel Ruiz suggests when we speak and interact with each other…“Listen to the intent behind the words.”

Ruiz says, “When I open myself to the truth and really listen, I understand the intent of a message; I feel the truth behind the words. The words lose their value, and the only thing that remains is the truth.”


Find your way to the intent behind the words and discover the love that is always waiting for you!