“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” – Rumi
The voice is the main tool for communicating with other people. Yet, in addition to our ordinary voice, each of us has an internal voice that we use when speaking words in our head as a kind of inner dialogue. No-one but ourselves can hear this voice, for it is formed by the mind alone, without using the vocal cords.
The voice and inner speech are within the reach of each of us. Indeed, we usually use them when analysing ourselves introspectively, when we go over conversations in our minds or when we do exercises to improve memory, and so forth. However, our inner voice and speech can be much more beneficial if they are practiced in special techniques. Exercises based on inner speech are practiced by actors1 to amplify their emotional states, by Hesychast monks to achieve a deep state of interiority during the recitation of prayers2 and by yoga practitioners to amplify their power of concentration.3 The exceptional effects these techniques generate in those who practice them have attracted the attention of scientists and have even been analysed in many scientific studies.
Linguistics studies have shown that inner speech occurs from childhood with the formation of verbal expression skills, even helping in the development of memory [1] [2] [3]. Psychological studies have shown that inner speech can be used both in a constructive sense for introspective analysis, analytical thinking and emotional awareness, and in a destructive sense for amplifying emotional imbalances, fear states and suicidal tendencies [4]. Neurological studies have shown that acting exercises based on inner speech trigger certain brain mechanisms, which ensure the amplification of emotional states [5]. A study from 2024, employing nuclear magnetic resonance equipment, highlighted these brain mechanisms [5]. In that study, MRI equipment was used to monitor the brain mechanisms of actors who practiced inner speech techniques for 30 days to amplify their influence on audiences. The results showed an increase in oxygenation levels during training, not only for the brain areas responsible for emotions but also those responsible for concentration and focusing attention.
This study, together with that presented in the previous chapter, shows us that even if we do not know the techniques of acting, diction and breathing but we repeat our speech each day in the lead-up to a public presentation, using an intonation and an appropriate emotional state, we will acquire a great power of concentration and can have a strong emotional impact on the audience. After all, as Alexander Graham Bell once said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
Memo
Acknowledgment: This text was taken from the book The Power of Voice, with the consent of the author Eduard Dan Franti. The Power of Voice can be obtained from Memobooks, Apple Books, or Amazon.
Footnotes:
- In techniques involving inner speech, actors focus their attention on the head area, neck area, chest area or abdominal area, depending on the emotions they want to charge.
- Hesychasm is a branch of the Orthodox Christian tradition practiced in the monasteries of Mount Athos [6] [7].
- Swami Muktananda, in his book Where Are You Going?: A Guide to the Spiritual Journey, looks at three inner speaking techniques, in which the practitioner focuses either on the neck, chest or navel area [8].
Bibliography
[1] M. Bader, Prosody and Reanalysis, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1998.
[2] K. Nelson, Narratives From the Crib, 2006.
[3] C. Fernyhough, The Voices Within: The History and Science of How We Talk to Ourselves, New York, 2016.
[4] “Self Talk Neuroscience,” [Online]. Available: https://selfpause.com/neuroscience-of-selftalk. [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[5] A. G. Andrei, C. A. Brătan, C. Tocilă-Mătăsel, B. Morosanu, B. Ionescu, A. V. Tebeanu, M. Dascălu, G. Bobes, I. Popescu, A. Neagu, G. Iana, E. Franti and G. Iorgulescu, “The Importance of Inner Speaking in Improving the Actors’ Emotional Impact of the Voice,” in Conference on Computing in Natural Sciences, Biomedicine and Engineering, Athens, 2024.
[6] G. Maloney, Prayer of the Heart: The Contemplative Tradition of the Christian East, Ave Maria Press, 2008.
[7] G. Dokos, The Watchful Mind: Teachings on the Prayer of the Heart – A Monk Of Mount Athos, St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 2014.
[8] S. Muktananda, Where Are You Going?: A Guide to the Spiritual Journey, Siddha Yoga Publications, 1994.
