Strive for vivid, expressive, vigorous articulation.
– O. C. Edwards
“Articulation” has a couple of meanings that apply to our consideration of dharma speaking. It can mean communicating ideas, thoughts and feelings in a coherent way, and it can also refer to the way we pronounce words, the physical act of speech.
Both vividness and vigorousness have to do with the amount of life we give to the talk. A vivid presentation produces distinct images in the minds of practitioners, perhaps by including relevant sensory details within the stories or examples used that allow listeners to use their imaginations to put themselves into the setting. The picture becomes clear and distinct, the characters become filled with spirit and animation, and the truth of the message emerges from the experiential as well as the intellectual process. The talk comes to life.
In a practice where much time is spent sitting quietly, vigorousness would seem to have no place in a dharma talk. Yet without liveliness, the talk is not compelling. Certainly, as dharma speakers we should avoid overwhelming the audience with prolonged wild gestures, a volume level that is inappropriately loud, or a pace and rate that are too fast to be intelligible. But the dharma itself is lively and active, and it’s not only acceptable but advisable to speak with some passion. Imagine listening to someone who drones on lifelessly with a minimum of movement. Are you inspired to dig into your practice and live it every day?
The underlying issue is energy. What can we do to put some life, energy and passion into the talk?
- Make good eye contact with practitioners around the room. Staring into your notes or the floor will make it impossible for listeners to connect with you, and will sap the life out of your talk.
- Articulate clearly. Mumbling makes the audience put its energy into trying to hear and understand you. Speak from the front of your mouth rather than swallowing your words.
- Make sure you can be heard. If you have a microphone, make good use of it. If not, project well enough that the people in the back can hear you.
- Vary your pitch, volume and rate. Speaking in a soft monotone is a soporific act. Add emphasis to particular phrases by slowing your rate, punching key words, and pausing afterward for a moment. If you’re telling a story, give each character a recognizable speaking style.
- Use meaningful gestures. Sitting stock still is great for zazen. It’s not so interesting in a speaker. Human beings naturally use descriptive gestures that act out what we’re saying, as well as “beat” gestures that coordinate with the rhythm of our speech and emphasize certain words and phrases. These add meaning and interest to the talk.
- Include sense detail. Draw practitioners into the story or example with specifics.
- Talk about something you care about. If you don’t have some passion for your topic, neither will the sangha.
- Vigorousness applies to the ideas presented as well as the delivery. Give practitioners something to chew on, a bit of a challenge, something new to try, or a new way to consider an established aspect of practice.
