I do not know about anyone else, but my word means something to me, and I never take it lightly. As a healer, I know the damaging effects it can have on my health but more importantly, it goes completely against my faith.
I am always taught to be truthful and honest as I have the best of examples in Al-Ameen, Rasool ’Allah (SAW). As long as GOD is in your Heart and Mind you shall never fail to keep your promise.
How many times have you promised something but not kept your word? How many times has someone promised you something and not kept their word? How does this make you feel internally? All types of emotions will be felt whether internally or externally. If you are prone to anger, anger will set in, which is harmful to the Liver or sadness that will kick in affecting the Lungs and so on.
Every emotion we feel will go back to a root organ, hence why in TICM we say whilst no emotion is a negative emotion, but you must feel the emotion and let it go. Never repress emotions as they can lead to symptoms such as constipation, diarrhoea, pain in the body, early lines on faces and so on.
If people are not keeping their word, it obviously does not much mean to them. It shows the person's characteristics. So why could people not be keeping their word? Below are my views:
Trust and reliability: I do not trust people who don't keep their word. If someone lets me down on 3 occasions, then I know they are not reliable. I find that this limits my desire to spend time with them, which is sometimes sad, but I have learned to accept that I cannot trust them to follow through on what they say they are going to do. Friendships and deeply connected relationships thrive on trust. So, I like to distance myself from this person as I do not like their energy, and I do not wish to become one of them.
Respecting others: when we don't keep a promise to someone, it communicates to that person that we don't value him or her. We have chosen to put something else ahead of our commitment. Even when we break small promises, others learn that they cannot count on us. Incompatibilities and disagreements develop in relationships marked by broken promises.
Respect: if you want to feel respected by others, then you need to say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no, and not allow your fear of rejection or your fear of being controlled to get in the way of being a trustworthy person. If the person has no self-respect, then naturally they shall have no respect for anyone else.
Self-worth: we cannot feel worthy when we let ourselves down by letting others down. People who go back on their word do not value themselves enough to act with integrity. Is resistance to being controlled more important than your self-worth? Are you kidding yourself that you can feel inwardly worthy when you don't keep your commitments? Self-worth is the result of treating ourselves and others with caring and respect.
Retaining personal power: personal power is the result of behaving in ways we value. Are you being true to yourself by keeping your word? If not, you might want to explore why.
Respecting others: when we don't keep a promise to someone, it communicates to that person that we don't value him or her. We have chosen to put something else ahead of our commitment. Even when we break small promises, others learn that they cannot count on us. Tiny fissures develop in our relationships marked by broken promises.
Remember the hadith, love for your brother what you love for yourself. Do for others what you do for yourself.
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