donaldas duškinas
Rhetoric. Rhetotherapy
When purchasing the book from the Rhetoric Academy's online store – it comes with a personal message from the author!
This is a story about the miracle of language. About words and voice. About masterpieces that only humans, among all living beings, are capable of creating. Masterpieces of speech. This is a story about a method I created, based on my more than twenty years of experience working with audiences. It is the story of RHETORIC and RHETOTHERAPY.
RHETORIC. RHETOTHERAPY
Learning Rhetoric? And what is Rhetoric?
“Rhetoric, or eloquence, is the energy of a speaker’s intellect, spirit, and emotions used to persuade listeners.” (Regina Koženiauskienė)
Rhetoric, as the art of persuasion, has three goals: to influence the listeners’ (or readers’) mind, will, and emotions. From these three objectives stem three interrelated functions of rhetoric. It affects the mind, the will, and emotions.
“The art of directing the intellect and encouraging action instills thoughts and feelings in others and takes hold of their mind, heart, and will,” wrote A. Pellissier, author of The Foundations of French Rhetoric (1894).
Supporters of the Greek school of rhetoric base their works on texts from various genres (from poetry to ads and commercials), whose primary aim is persuasion.
Even Aristotle wrote that “rhetoric, like dialectic, encompasses not a particular field but all spheres of human life.” The relevance of this Greek philosopher’s thoughts is astonishing, as the application of rhetoric today remains just as broad—covering all areas of human verbal activity based on language.
This art is considered almost as old as humanity itself, as scientists have found teachings in ancient Sumerian clay tablets advising that one should speak clearly, calmly, without rushing, without raising one’s voice, and without getting agitated.
According to Plato, “eloquence is the art of governing minds.”
Over three thousand years, rhetoric has received more than a few definitions, yet none have been absolute or strict, reflecting the inherently dual nature of this science and art. Broadly summarized, there are three main groups of rhetorical definitions:
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Greek. It defines rhetoric as the “art of persuasion.” This is how Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and other philosophers and rhetoricians (Gr. rhētōr – speaker; in ancient Greece – teacher of eloquence) described rhetoric.
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Roman. According to it, rhetoric is the “art of speaking well” (ars bene dicendi), as said by Quintilian. This period focused more on the linguistic and literary components of the text.
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Medieval and Renaissance. During these eras, rhetoric was called the art of embellishing speech (ars ornandi).
Today, the best-known and most fitting definition aligned with the classical one comes from Professor Chaïm Perelman of the University of Brussels: “Rhetoric is the theory of persuasive communication.”
According to François-Désiré Bancel, “the purpose of rhetoric is to teach people, guide passions, correct character, uphold the law, and lead social activity.” Thus, for an intelligent person not to be able to speak is “not merely a shortcoming but a social and personal tragedy, like not being able to read or write.”
However, eloquence cannot be limited to just oratory. It encompasses the entire cycle of thought. Essentially, thought plays the central role: “Before you start speaking or writing,” rhetoric proclaims, “learn to think.” The ancient Greeks studied eloquence together with logic—the science of correct reasoning.
Rhetoric. One of humanity’s oldest arts. To many, it seems that rhetoric (or, as it is sometimes called, public speaking) is merely a way to say something persuasively, to present one’s product or service compellingly, to manipulate the audience... Those elements are present in rhetoric too, but they are only the tip of the iceberg...*
* Although rhetoric is not limited to public speaking, in this book (for verbal variety), both terms will be used interchangeably.
So what lies beneath the surface? Where does the essence of rhetoric hide?
Rhetoric is the art of free people. What do I mean by “free people”? It is the art of those who are confident and believe in themselves. It is the art of people free from fears, complexes, and limiting beliefs. When a person is internally free, when they trust and believe in themselves... then words flow freely.
Humans are the only species in the living world that possess language. They can speak, say various words, arrange them one after another, and thus create fantastic sentences. This is how stories are born, how a new world is created. And when a person is free, they can create masterpieces of language. And then they will be heard and understood. Others will want to listen and be near. When a person is free inside, that’s when Art begins. The art of speaking. The art of being heard and understood. That is Rhetoric. Rhetoric is the art of free people.
Furthermore, rhetoric is a skill that can be developed. And everyone—I repeat—EVERYONE can do it.
Another point. Rhetoric is not only the art of (eloquent) speech. While learning rhetoric—the art of eloquence and mind control—a person begins to know themselves better: who they are, what they believe in, what they fear, what their beliefs are, what their values are. A person starts discovering themselves, moving closer to their TRUE SELF. Thus, learning rhetoric becomes a method of self-discovery, a revelation of immense inner potential, a Path leading to the True Self. Rhetoric acts like therapy, returning us to our True Selves. Therefore, at this point in the book, I want to introduce another new concept: RHETOTHERAPY. This is my original method, created based on more than twenty years of experience working with audiences.
Rhetotherapy. What is it?
Rhetotherapy is a method/path through which a person, while learning rhetoric, reveals their inner potential and discovers (or returns to) their True Self.
In this book, we will not only explore rhetorical practices and methodologies but also slowly try to approach our True Selves.
So what is needed for this to happen? How to achieve inner freedom? Can everyone do it? Is it innate or acquired? Is it given? If it’s given and I don’t have it, is it even worth starting?.. The answer is simple: yes, it is given. Moreover, it is given to EVERYONE!!! Everyone has the opportunity to become a free person. Everyone can speak persuasively. Everyone can create masterpieces of language. Everyone can find their Path to Inner Freedom! Some already know this, while others need to be reminded.
How will all this happen?
In this book/journey, together with you, I want to delve into and practice the five main elements of RHETORIC / RHETOTHERAPY. What are they?
1. Our Beliefs
Beliefs are a lifelong set of rules we follow in our daily personal or professional lives. What a person has achieved is largely influenced by the beliefs they follow. Beliefs are of two types: limiting and supportive. Sadly, the majority of humanity is governed by limiting beliefs—fear, distrust, and despair. So, first of all, let’s observe and analyze our beliefs. What are they? Supportive or limiting? Can I speak in public or not? Does the audience wish me well, or on the contrary—do they hope I fail? After all, what I believe affects what and how I speak. But all limiting beliefs can be transformed into supportive ones. All fears can be turned into strengths. And this can be done very quickly.
2. Our Breathing
Who controls breathing, controls the situation. This variation of a well-known idea fits perfectly for someone speaking to an audience. What is my breathing like? Do I breathe with my diaphragm or my chest? Does my breath flow freely, or is it restricted somewhere? Do I breathe only unconsciously to sustain life, or do I know how to breathe consciously? Conscious breathing? Conscious breathing is perhaps the deepest of practices. During it, one relaxes so deeply that it becomes possible to release emotional blocks stored deep in the body and psyche. After such a practice, a person feels a deep sense of emotional, mental, and spiritual clarity, an opening of the heart. The physical body seems to come alive, becomes much more vital, thoughts calm down, emotions harmonize, the spirit is uplifted. Conscious breathing is a way to live constantly in the present. The word born through breathing is the very spirit of a person.
3. Our Body
Is my body just a frame to support my head, or a temple where God resides? It’s up to us to decide. A relaxed and free body brings back the joy of life. A relaxed body radiates confidence. And a confident person is someone we want to believe in.
4. Our Voice
A trained, “own” voice pleases the ear and reaches the hearts of others. What is “my” voice like?
5. Algorithms for Achieving and Anchoring Results
We will examine all these (and other) elements in detail in the following pages of this book. So I wish everyone to find their inner freedom. To be ready to create their own word, their own language stories. To be ready to create their own masterpieces of speech. I wish you to become free!!!
Rhetoric is the art of free people. Rhetotherapy is the way to achieve that freedom.
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 208
Cover design: Živilė Adomaitytė
Binding: Hardcover
