Words Shape Reality: Language, Politics, and the Yoga of Truth
- Heather Rogers
- May 26
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 1
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
We know better now.
Words do hurt.
They shape narratives, fuel policy, incite violence, and erode empathy.
They can bridge divides or burn them down.
They can heal or humiliate.
They can liberate or lock someone into a false identity.
Words carry energy.
They carry history, intention, and identity.
And in today’s world, language isn’t just communication, it's a battlefield.
Hashtags start revolutions.
Slogans are crafted to manipulate emotion.
Even sacred texts are cherry-picked to justify cruelty.
As spiritual seekers, especially those of us walking the yogic path, our responsibility isn’t just to speak carefully. It’s to pause and ask:

Why am I using this word?
What does it uphold?
Who does it harm or exclude?
Because meaning is being manipulated in real-time.
And our language becomes either a tool for clarity or a weapon of confusion.
Language Is Never Neutral
To say “it’s just a word” is to dismiss the truth:
Words build worlds.
Laws are written with words—they can liberate or oppress.
Wars are justified with words, like “defense,” “preemptive,” and “collateral damage.”
People are labeled with words, some uplift, others erase.
Language frames perception. It shapes not just our policies, but our collective consciousness.
This is why Satya, the yogic principle of truthfulness, matters so deeply.
Truth is not just a concept. It’s a way of living, speaking, and seeing.
Misused Words, Misunderstood Realities
Here are some of the most manipulated words dominating public discourse. Words that have been distorted—intentionally or carelessly to harm rather than heal.
Transgender
Weaponized As: Confusing. Political. Unnatural.
Truth: Being transgender isn’t about surgery or attention. It’s about identity. It’s about someone knowing who they are—and living that truth.
Yogic Insight: Svadhyaya, self-study, is at the heart of yoga. Denying someone their inner truth is a denial of sacred knowing.
Undocumented
Weaponized As: “Illegal.” Criminal. A threat.
Truth: Undocumented means lacking legal immigration status. It doesn't mean “criminal.” In fact:
Many undocumented people pay billions in taxes each year via ITINs (Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers).
They contribute to Social Security and Medicare systems, which they will never benefit from.
Yogic Insight: Labeling someone “illegal” violates Ahimsa (non-harming) and Satya. It strips dignity (Asteya) and erodes compassion.
Pro-Life
Weaponized As: A moral badge but often used to control.
Truth: If you are truly for life, then that commitment must extend beyond birth. That includes:
Healthcare
Childcare
Education
Food security
Reproductive autonomy
Safety from gun violence
Case in Point: In May 2025, Adriana Smith, a brain-dead woman in Georgia, was kept on life support to incubate a fetus, because abortion is banned in the state. Her grieving family will be billed for keeping her body alive.
Yogic Insight: Controlling someone’s body under the banner of “life” violates both Ahimsa and Aparigraha—non-harming and non-possessiveness.
Woke
Weaponized As: Insult. Sarcasm. Dismissal.
Truth: “Woke” originated in Black communities as a call to stay alert to injustice, to racism, to systems of harm. Now, it's twisted into a punchline to shame people for caring.
Yogic Insight: Awakening is the purpose of yoga. To mock awareness is to mock the path itself.
Freedom
Weaponized As: A selective rallying cry.
Truth: True freedom includes:
Bodily autonomy
The right to love and live openly
The right to exist without violence
The right to speak without silencing others
Yogic Insight: Without Brahmacharya (moderation), freedom turns into entitlement. True freedom holds space for everyone, not just those with the loudest voice.
Patriot
Weaponized As: A gatekeeping term.
Truth: A patriot doesn’t just wave a flag. A patriot holds their country accountable. They protect the rights of all people, not just those who look or believe like them.
Yogic Insight: Love without truth is not love. Patriotism that excludes others violates Satya and Ahimsa.
Scripture and Constitution: Sacred Words Used to Harm
Even sacred texts have been weaponized—stripped of compassion to justify inequality.
Scripture Verses Often Misused:
“Wives, submit to your husbands.” (Ephesians 5:22) Used to justify patriarchal control.
“Do not lie with a man as with a woman.” (Leviticus 18:22) Weaponized against LGBTQ+ people while ignoring historical context and other Levitical laws.
But the deeper message?
“Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
“Judge not, lest ye be judged.”
"What you do to the least of these, you do to me.”
Yogic Parallel: Ahimsa and Satya remind us that any teaching—spiritual or otherwise—that lacks compassion is out of alignment.
🇺🇸 Constitutional Misquotes:
“Freedom of speech” is used to justify hate—ignoring that the First Amendment doesn’t grant a free pass to harm others.
“All men are created equal” is quoted while systemic inequality persists for so many.
Yogic Insight: Svadhyaya calls us to question inherited truths—not repeat them blindly.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We can't fix all of this overnight. But we can start by shifting our awareness.
Ask:
Where did this word come from?
Who taught it to me—and why?
What impact does it have?
Am I using it to control—or to connect?
What would change if I spoke with curiosity instead of condemnation?
These questions might make us uncomfortable. That’s a good thing. Because growth never comes from comfort. It comes from awareness.
Language as Collective Karma
What we say ripples outward. Every slur. Every slogan. Every truth half-told contributes to our shared reality.
If we believe in a more loving, liberated world,
We must speak that world into being.
Let your words be your practice. Let them be your offering. Let them be your mirror.
Because when we misuse words, we fracture the truth.
But when we honor them, we begin to heal.
References & Sources
Undocumented Immigrants & Tax Contributions – Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Adriana Smith Case – The Guardian
Reproductive Rights in Georgia – NPR
First Amendment Text – U.S. Constitution
New Testament Verses on Compassion
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