Words of Power?

[Sindawe]

Are there words, phrases or passages that invoke in you a numinous state of emotion?  If so, what are they?  And do you know WHY they do so?

For myself, the following do promt such a reaction:

"Let the leaves become the hands..."
"When you dream, anything can happen...people can fly"
"Who are you, what do you want, whom do you serve?"
"We hold these truths to be self evident..."
"Behold, the wormhole weapon..."

[RevDisk]

"I, state your name, do solemnly..."


"He who fights monsters should take care not to become a monster.  If you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."  (Every cop, soldier, EMT and politician should say this to themselves every morning.)

Exodus 22:18

"If a people do not rise up and take freedom for themselves, they neither deserve freedom nor will they keep it."

"i riu ka fuqi, plaku mëncuri"  (The young are strong, but the old have experience.)

"Hold my coffee, and watch this!"

[griz]

This may or may not be what you are looking for. What do I know, until I clicked on this thread I had never heard of numinous.

"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."
                -- Voltaire

"Yes, we did produce a near perfect republic, but will they keep it, or
will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom?
Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction."
Thomas Jefferson

All Bibles are man-made. Thomas Alva Edison

Politicians are interested in people. Not that this is always a virtue, fleas are interested in dogs.  P.J. ORourke

[jamz]

First the obvious ones

Our Father, who art in Heaven....  

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.......

It isn't words, but the sound of medium strong wind at night has always aroused that feeling in me.

I'll think of more when I have some more coffee in me.

-love, James

[Dannyboy]

My place or yours?

[The Rabbi]

Up against the wall, Redneck Mother.

[Wingshooter]

Bona Na Croin

[RaggedClaws]

(first some sounds)

A train whistle in the distance at night...
Taps being played on a lone bugle at sunset...

(now some words)

"I should have been a pair of ragged claws,
Scuttling across the floors of silent seas..."
~ T.S. Eliot

"Each of us bears his own Hell."
~ Virgil

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins...  I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all nights to come."
~ from the Vow of Night's Watch (The Song of Ice and Fire series, by George R.R. Martin)

"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain."
~ The Litany Against Fear (Dune, by Frank Herbert)

[charby]

"Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Just because I suppose, if you take prepare yourself properly there isn't too much to fear out there.

[grampster]

"That man is no fool who gives up what he can't keep, to gain what he can't lose."
James Elliott

Jeremiah 17:5-8

"I'm not tense......Just terribly, terribly alert."
unknown

"We hold these truths to be self evident......."

[Brad Johnson]

Ni!

Brad

[armedcitizen]

"Well done, good and faithful servant...."

[crt360]

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for the following counties: (insert your county here) . . .

[Chas]

For me, it's mostly sounds.

When my daughter says 'Daddy'...on most occasions anyway.

When I hear the wind blowing through the trees.

The sound of rain in a forest.

The SMELL of a clean rain and a cool wind in my face.

Seeing clouds with the back side lit up from the setting sun always heightens my senses to what is around me.

For phrases, 'I pledge allegiance to the flag...' Teared up the first time I said it in grammer school. Sun lit clouds were racing by behind the flag and sun rays were breaking through clouds. I never forget that...

[BillBlank]

"I do......"

I nearly fainted when she said it I've only been married ten days and I still get goosebumps when I think about it. Hope that never leaves .

[Holly76201]

Well, I've got several triggers, but I guess the bestest are the Hugsighs that I get from the dearly beloved, my Sisters, and my daughter when, after a nice long hug we simultaneously sigh.
My Sleeping Granddaughter breathing in my ear when I put her on my shoulder.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America...
The National Anthem.
Amazing Grace
Pachebel's Canon in D minor

[doczinn]

A lot of what everyone else has said, and:

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

"Fire in the hole!"

"Hold my beer and watch this."

Regards,
Rabbit.

[Stand_watie]

A lot of what everyone else has said, and:

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep."

Second that one. I'll bet a lot of people have never even walked a genuinely dark, quiet wood on a snowy evening.

Luke 23


And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,  And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.


Acts 6

Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

[Harold Tuttle]

whilst dashing about the paintball woods
rat-a-tat-tat-in upon the bunkers
i have been known to bellow:

SOMEONES KNOCKING on the DOOR!
SOMEONES RINGING the BELL!

or

STAND and DELIVER

a teammate yells

"Do YOU think i'm SEXY?"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A Reading from the Book of Armaments, Chapter 4, Verses 16 to 20:

Then did he raise on high the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, saying, "Bless this, O Lord, that with it thou mayst blow thine enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy." And the people did rejoice and did feast upon the lambs and toads and tree-sloths and fruit-bats and orangutans and breakfast cereals ... Now did the Lord say, "First thou pullest the Holy Pin. Then thou must count to three. Three shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count two, excepting that thou then proceedeth to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the number of the counting, be reached, then lobbest thou the Holy Hand Grenade in the direction of thine foe, who, being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it."

[Dave Markowitz]

The Charm of Making:

Anál nathrach, orth bháiss bethad, do chél dénmha.

(Serpent's breath, charm of death and life, thy omen of making.)

[lee n. field]

"There is therefore now no condemnation. . ."

"When in the course of human events. . ."  The Declaration of Independance.  Read the whole thing, and tell me we aren't coming around to that scary point again.

[grislyatoms]

Max Ehrmann


Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.


Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.


Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.


Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.


You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.


Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.


With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.


Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.

[Stickjockey]

"When in the course of human events..."
"To this, we pledge our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor."

A train whistle in the distance at night...
Taps being played on a lone bugle at sunset...

Add to this a lone bagpipe at sunset or sunrise, or massed pipes and drums any ol' time.

Songs:

The Star-Spangled Banner
Amazing Grace
Most of what can be found in old-time hymnals

And a lot of what else has already been posted.

[crt360]

grislyatoms,

Desiderata would have to be high on my list, too.  It's been on the wall in our office longer than I can remember.