Affirmations

[Colin]

    Hi, I would like to know what you guys think of affirmations.  Do you think they are bogus?  Do you think they are great?  Do you think they can be used in a right or wrong way?  Have you can any success with them?

   One of the ways I look at affirmations is creating a belief.   For instance you can say "I love myself", you can also say "I don't love myself". You may have had people around you like parents and siblings that modeled for you that you don't love yourself.  So you go around with your inner thoughts thinking I don't love myself as a kind of backround noise, but when you step in and affirm  "I love myself" you are creating a new way of thinking and feeling that is by your design. So it isn't nessesarily a lie, but a creation.  because you can think any thoughts you want and it will effect how to feel and behave.  Leo's mindfullness video really opened my mind to this with the "inner sound" "inner image" "inner feeling" concept. The "sounds" and "images" in your mind will effect how you feel.

Thank you
- Colin

[Franko]

I will have to agree with you about this, you are absolutely right saying 

4 hours ago, Colin said:

  "you are creating a new way of thinking and feeling that is by your design"

The key, I think, is that you  consciously, are  managing your unconscious the way you want it to be and, after all, you are the only one who live your life so, you have all the right, over yourself to create the way of thinking you believe will be the best one, to live properly, and managing yourself the best, yo be Self-actualize. So Yes, I think they can be great, if you use them right, to change your way of thinking.

I hope to be Useful, keep investing in yourself 

Edited February 7, 2016 by Franko

[NariusV]

I use them and they work for me.  I have found that the real effect of them like Frako says is that, affirmations are one way to use your consicous mind to affect your subconscious mind. So over time when you use affirmation with sincerity, your attention will shift more and more towards what you're affirming. Things you didn't think about before related to your intent will start to show up in your awareness. You'll be able to take actions that move you forward due to these new awarenesses. And if you keep going long enough, the world seems to miraculously align with your affirmation. 

You could use them in a right or wrong way. In effect every thing you think more than once is a kind of affirmation. Thats all affimations really are are thoughts you consicously decide to repeat more frequently with express intent for a result. But really, all thoughts have this effect, and so people who complain and ask such things like 'why does this happen to me all the time?' prime their mind to give them the answers they asked it, refocusing themselves on problems instead of solutions.

But I would say go test it out for yourself. Even if a hundred people say it's great, you won't benefit until you do it.

Edited February 9, 2016 by NariusV

[Guest]

I think affirmations are one of the most powerful personal development tools, together with visualization and meditation. Properly applied affirmations will reprogramm your subconscious mind, which holds your self image and controls your life.

Once your subconscious mind adopts a new idea or belief, it instantly acts upon it as if it's real and produces the result. it becomes a part of your self-image, a part of you. Doesn't matter if the idea is negative or positive, the sub-conscious mind will act upon it automaticly and you will act and behave accordingly with that belief that is held in your subconscious mind. Your body will produce the results and the emotions according to that believe.

The sub-conscious mind only absorbs ideas which are held in your mind constantly over a long period of time. This is why it is so important to get rid of negative thinking and to practice positive affirmations every single day until they get absorbed into your subconscious.

 

It's like a magic trick only a few know about, a secret if you will...you can literally hack your mind and reprogramm your mind into anything you want. Of course there are amazing, huge results possible with this. Also healing

Edited February 9, 2016 by The Alchemist

[marting]

On 2/7/2016 at 3:29 AM, Colin said:

    Hi, I would like to know what you guys think of affirmations.  Do you think they are bogus?  Do you think they are great?  Do you think they can be used in a right or wrong way?  Have you can any success with them?

They are not bogus. The purpose of affirmations is to change subconscious beliefs. For example, regardless of your looks you have a perception of whether you are attractive or ugly. If your belief is that you are ugly that can seriously affect your attitude and your attitude largely determines your actions and your actions largely determine the results you get in life. So you want to fix this chain at the core, which is your beliefs. There has been a lot of scientific research on how the brain stores and processes information and a lot of it is done subconsciously.

To use affirmations effectively first you need to become aware of the beliefs you have that are detrimental to your life. That's probably the more interesting and challenging part. After that you need to retrain your brain which takes some effort and discipline.

[Epiphany_Inspired]

To be honest, before I figured out how effective they are, I thought that they were unbelievably cheesy slogans meant for the ridiculously pathetic (how closed minded of me). Sadly, I think the majority of the population has no idea what they are, or misunderstands like I did (and many of my friends still do). It's such as shame because they are an incredible tool. Leo has some rad ones, and I like Louise Hay's as well. That said, I agree with you @Colin, I think the ones we make up ourselves will have the most benefit for us personally as unique individuals. I like the mindfulness video too, but it was Leo's video about not caring what others think that literally forced me into the realm of affirmations (simply because he gave "homework", lol). Weird question; If a lot of the subconscious crap that we need to reprogram (faulty self-image etc) stems from the comments of others, then why are affirmations powerful and effective while external compliments delude us?

[Endew]

InnerWork> Meditation> Contemplation>Confirmation/Acknowledging> Visualization>>>>>>Affirmation

Not the main dish but an okay side order.

[Philip]

On 2/22/2016 at 2:04 AM, Epiphany_Inspired said:

If a lot of the subconscious crap that we need to reprogram (faulty self-image etc) stems from the comments of others, then why are affirmations powerful and effective while external compliments delude us?

@Epiphany_Inspired I think it's because you trust your own opinion more than you trust other people's. When someone compliments you, it's easier to doubt it. The person could be dishonest, manipulative, deluded, wrong, or could simply have a different opinion than yours. 

But it's more believable when it comes from you. Especially when it's repeated daily. And especially over the course of months. It's like you're making sure your subconscious mind is stuck in a corner. You make sure it can't go anywhere, and then you hit it over and over until it surrenders. I bet nobody ever complimented you like this. Or you would have been creeped out by now

[VividReality]

Peace, Joy, Love, Enlightenment

Repeat

Peace, Joy, Love, Enlightenment

Repeat

*nothing to hard... they come and go through out my day* hope this helps

[Epiphany_Inspired]

@PhilipIt's been a while since I asked that question, it's unexpected but I'm happy to get such an awesome answer.... very insightful, I'm sure you are 100% right, thanks!

Admittedly I'm still a little confused though... about how the faulty programming happened in the first place.... if, as you said, we are less trusting of others opinions,  how did the opinions of others mess up our subconscious in the first place.... is it because we were too young/ trusted more in childhood, or is it because negative things repeated by the same external person or multiple external people could eventually sink in simply because of the repetition (just like affirmations)... or some other crazy reason I haven't even thought of yet....?

[Philip]

@Epiphany_Inspired Oh yeah, oh my god ! You're right !

It's almost the opposite when you're a child. Because your parents are such a huge input, but also such an authority figure, when you're at that age.

Even other siblings bring lots of input to your brain, except they're rarely taken as seriously as parents'.

But approximately when you reach your teens, then a switch occurs. You start taking your friends opinions, along with your own opinion, more seriously. You also don't hang out with your parents as much.

And then normally, towards 20, 21 or 22, you start considering mainly your own input, along with maybe your partner's input.

That's a approximate and nuanced model, but it was pretty useful to think about. It makes me think of all the sources of what I dare to call MY personality. Which is not MINE at all, when I come to think of it. It's mostly due to my parents, siblings and high school friends. 

An idea that's both humbling and fascinating. I love those !

[Ktar]

Favorite affirmations and technique?

[Saarah]

I also used to be very closed minded when it came to affirmations like @Epiphany-Inspired, I used to think they were superficial ways to changing your perceptions and that the only way to make such shifts was through deep understanding and learning of the topics you're talking about.

Of course, as has been mentioned here already, affirmations are simply like thoughts, all the billions that we have all the time, and consistent thought has led us to who we are now, so consciously creating a new pattern of consistent thought is likely to create a new perception of the world for you.

This was also a very recent attitude change of mine which was actually inspired by this state triangle I learnt about. I quickly drew it up in paint and have attached it. At first I even thought the state triangle was superficial because I thought to myself, how can you be in a positive state all the time? Isn't that fake? We still end up sad don't we? But through recent experience I learnt that sure, you'll still have other feelings such as sadness, frustration and fear, but those emotions are supposed to come and go, and the purpose of the state triangle is to empower you regardless of your emotions, so instead of dwelling in an emotion and letting it eat you up, the state triangle helps you to transition out of those negative emotions.

Once I stopped seeing the state triangle as a fake temporary thing, I also realised affirmations really do help, if you keep giving yourself positive language (one of the components on the triangle) and talking to yourself in ways that are productive then of course you'll become more positive. When I talk to myself about my problems, I've noticed the language I use is already an affirmation, so how silly of me not to believe affirmations work

 

[jenna]

I have recently started carrying a post-it note with affirmations, I need to get into a better habit if viewing them. But a big one that has helped me, even slightly in my limited experience is "I love myself." 

[Henri]

The seeker should remember that he is born with virtues; otherwise he could not have been a seeker.

If you think you do not have virtues and then try to cultivate them, you will fail.

You often compare yourself with others on the basis of virtues. Do not compare yourself with them. Simply recognize all the virtues you appreciate in others, and realize that they are already present in you in seed form. You only have to nurture them.

When you think you do not have a virtue, then you come from a space of lack or deficiency. 

That is why we don't need positive affirmations!

Affirmations do not work because you think you do not have those virtues, and with affirmation you try to have them. 

[Oleg F]

I am going to go ahead and say that Affirmations do not work. But hear me out...

Let's take an example: "I am the top militia general in a zombie apocalypse". Keep saying that. It IS an affirmation.
Ok, try another affirmation: "My salary is 1,000,000,000.00 US dollars". That is also an affirmation.
Try those affirmations and let me know how they work for you!

Now, looking at Affirmations from a different perspective, they DO work.
An example of an affirmation that does work is: "when something does not go my way, life actually has a much better plan for me"
It is true so the affirmation does work.

In other words, if you affirm yourself with something that feels good AND is true, then it works.

But then somebody might ask - how do you know what is true? Life is non-dual and there is no truth and yadi-yadi-yada...
Well, it is very simple. If it feels good in your body - it's true.

There is no need to spend months and years on an Affirmation. If it doesn't work today, it probably won't work a month or a year from today.

Edited April 5, 2016 by Oleg F

[Andre]

On 4/5/2016 at 7:49 PM, Oleg F said:

Ok, try another affirmation: "My salary is 1,000,000,000.00 US dollars".

@Oleg F That looks more like a goal and if you work toward it you WILL attain it.

[Andre]

 

[DizIzMikey]

@Colin Old song

"Silence is GOLDEN"

I think the ultimate is not a mantra, I think the ultimate is getting your mind to a point where it is silent

However mantras are not useless...I use them from time to time to ground myself if I feel me losing control of my mind

I think it is possible to get the mind to silence for a prolong period of time because I did it when I was younger for 15 seconds I suppose and it was beautiful.. which is probably what our natural state is..that silence.

I cannot imagine what meditation feels like for a yogi 

I envy them

God bless 

 

[charlie2dogs]

On 2/8/2016 at 3:50 PM, Guest said:

I think affirmations are one of the most powerful personal development tools, together with visualization and meditation. Properly applied affirmations will reprogramm your subconscious mind, which holds your self image and controls your life.

Once your subconscious mind adopts a new idea or belief, it instantly acts upon it as if it's real and produces the result. it becomes a part of your self-image, a part of you. Doesn't matter if the idea is negative or positive, the sub-conscious mind will act upon it automaticly and you will act and behave accordingly with that belief that is held in your subconscious mind. Your body will produce the results and the emotions according to that believe.

The sub-conscious mind only absorbs ideas which are held in your mind constantly over a long period of time. This is why it is so important to get rid of negative thinking and to practice positive affirmations every single day until they get absorbed into your subconscious.

 

It's like a magic trick only a few know about, a secret if you will...you can literally hack your mind and reprogramm your mind into anything you want. Of course there are amazing, huge results possible with this. Also healing

 

On 2/6/2016 at 11:29 AM, Colin said:

    Hi, I would like to know what you guys think of affirmations.  Do you think they are bogus?  Do you think they are great?  Do you think they can be used in a right or wrong way?  Have you can any success with them?

   One of the ways I look at affirmations is creating a belief.   For instance you can say "I love myself", you can also say "I don't love myself". You may have had people around you like parents and siblings that modeled for you that you don't love yourself.  So you go around with your inner thoughts thinking I don't love myself as a kind of backround noise, but when you step in and affirm  "I love myself" you are creating a new way of thinking and feeling that is by your design. So it isn't nessesarily a lie, but a creation.  because you can think any thoughts you want and it will effect how to feel and behave.  Leo's mindfullness video really opened my mind to this with the "inner sound" "inner image" "inner feeling" concept. The "sounds" and "images" in your mind will effect how you feel.

Thank you
- Colin

mantras are programing,  anything that is repeated over and over and over is programing.  the human identity is already programed, programing over programing is ok for the human identity,  it needs to do everything it can to help itself.  but programing isnt the answer to becoming a liberated being.  liberation is about cleansing the consciousness of the programing and false belief system not trying to cover it up or reprogram it.  having said that it could help a human being overcome issues, or to move in a different direction.