An affirmation is a declaration of acceptance used to fill oneself with an abundance of freedom, prosperity and peace. It is the vehicle of the manifestation of your desires. They are powerful, positive statements of belief recited consistently out loud and sent out into the Universe. The spoken word drives thoughts and images deep into both our conscious and subconscious minds. Slowly, firmly, concentrate on each word, phrase and the idea behind it.
To create successful affirmations it helps to follow some basic guidelines:
*Affirmations need to be phrased in the present tense. For example, "I now Create..." or, "I am Always..." If you affirm for something as it is already true for you, then your mind can more readily make the changes that will alter your experience of life. However, if you affirm that something is going to happen of that it will happen, then you are creating it in the future and that is where it will stay, constantly out of reach. "In three weeks I will be..." will always stay three weeks away.
*Affirmations often work best when they are relatively short and easy to remember, so that you will be able to repeat them frequently. Repetition is the key to retraining the mind.
*In most cases affirmations need to be positively focused on the situations or conditions that you want to release. For example, "I am healthy and relaxed" is a much more effective affirmation that "I am never sick or tense". The latter will keep you unduly focused on the negative outcome, continuing to make it a reality in your life.
*Your negative or limiting thoughts are the raw material for creating positive affirmations. Each negative thought contains the foundation for positive changes and growth. "I will never be free of back pain" can become "My back is free, healthy and comfortable".
Exercise: Creating your own Affirmations
With the help of your list of current health needs and vision of future improvement, create some positive thoughts to support you. Here are some examples:
Problems Vision
Backaches, tension in lower To be pain free, physically comfortable with
back and in the shoulders no tension in the back
Affirmations:
MY BACK IS ALWAYS HEALTHY
MY BACK IS FLEXIBLE AND STRONG
I AM ALWAYS RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE
MY BACK MOVES WITH EASE AND COMFORT
MY SHOULDERS ARE ALWAYS RELAXED
MY LOWER BACK IS HEALTHY AND FREE
I FILL MY BACK WITH LOVE AND HEALING
You will notice that these affirmations fit the guidelines. They are short, written in the present or present continuous tense and focus upon the desired outcome rather than on the problem that is to be released. Rather than affirming for no more back pain we are affirming for comfort, relaxation, flexibility and ease.
There are many more affirmations that could be created to help with these needs and this healing vision. Perhaps you can think of some of
these. As well as fitting the guidelines it is important that they address your individual needs.
Problems Vision
Depression, lethargy, lack of Joy, motivation and aliveness. A clear sense
motivation, lack of direction, fear of direction and an ability to make the right
of making decisions decisions
Affirmations:
I AM SAFE WITH ALL OF MY FEELINGS
I FOLLOW MY HEART'S DESIRE
IT IS SAFE AND EASY FOR ME TO MAKE DECISIONS
I EASILY FIND MY CHOSEN PATH
MY DIRECTION IS ALWAYS CLEAR
I TRUST MYSELF TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS
I AM ALWAYS MOTIVATED AND INSPIRED
MY LIFE IS FILLED WITH JOY
MY FEELINGS ARE ALIVE AND JOYFUL
Depression is often described as a flatness or an absence of feeling. Feelings are held in, denied, stuck or pushed down because we do not
think we have permission to have them or express them. It is not surprising that we may lose our motivation if we have feelings of anger,
joy or sadness that we are not expressing of that we do not know how to express safely. When depressed, it may also help to affirm:
I AM SAFE WITH MY ANGER
I AM SAFE WITH MY SADNESS
I AM SAFE WITH MY JOY
I EXPRESS ALL OF MY FEELINGS SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
When you have completed creating your own list of affirmations, check once again that they address your needs and vision and that they fit the guidelines. Choose three or four of the most pertinent affirmations to begin with and read them through a few times to become familiar with them. Of course, you can use and benefit from all the positive thoughts you have created, but it helps to choose just a few that you will be able to remember wherever you are.
The Use of Affirmations
*Affirmations can be written, typed, spoken aloud, sung, chanted and said to yourself in the mirror as well as being repeated over and over in your mind. Many people find that they benefit from filling their homes with affirmational thoughts, perhaps writing or painting them in bright colors and pasting them on the bathroom mirror, the fridge, on the doors or anywhere else they will be constantly visible. Be creative and choose ways to use them that work best for you.
*Affirmations can be used during your meditations, repeating them silently to yourself.
*Affirmations can be recorded for you to listen to while you are meditating, having a bath, driving, relaxing.
*Be patient with yourself. Your new positive thoughts may seem strange at first and could even feel false or phony because they are creating a new pattern of belief that is so totally at odds with the negative or limiting patterns that are familiar to you. Stepping into new, positive territory can feel unreal or even scary.
*Remember, REPETITION
*Affirmations are meant to be fun. Play with them, experiment with them and find ways to use them that are entertaining for you.
Continue to review your needs, enlarge upon your healing vision and use appropriate affirmations. The process of retraining the mind is ongoing and expansive. There is always value in affirming for the things that you desire.
Bibliography
" Principles of Self-Healing" by David Lawson