All About Affirmations – How thoughts become things

What is an affirmation?

At some point in our lives, we have all been in a situation where we manically repeated a phrase somewhat similar to, if not exactly this…

“I can do this, I can do this. I can do this, I can do this.”

What you probably didn’t realise, is that you were using an affirmation. The dictionary defines an affirmation as…

1. The act of affirming or the state of being affirmed; assertion.

2. Something declared to be true; a positive statement or judgment.

In the sense that we are describing it, point 2 suits us very nicely.  An affirmation is a powerful, short, declarative statement.

For example:  I attract positive people and experiences into my life NOW.

Affirmations are a device that put you in control of your conscious thoughts.  When you continuously hear, see or say something in this way, it becomes part of both your conscious and subconscious thought process and therefore part of your reality.  I will give you some more examples of affirmations later on that you might like to use.

How and why do they work?

There are three ways to explain why affirmations are useful and powerful tools for us as human beings.

1.  The power of thought and intention. 

This is hardcore science.  Quantum Science has shown us beyond a shadow of a doubt that what we think, feel and believe has profound determination of our reality.  It has also shown us that at the very basic foundation of physical existence, there is no actual substance upon which life as we know it is built.  There is only form; energy held in patterns that create different aspects of what we see when we look out into the world.

When we dissect the basic building blocks of molecules and atoms and tiny sub-atomic particles and look deep inside the smallest particle known to us…there is nothing there.  There is only light or energy or essence; no substance at all; only essence.  We know that these sub-atomic particles of nature can be influenced by thought and intention.  This lends itself to conclusions that our basic foundation can be influenced by our thoughts and intentions.  Who we are, in fact, is determined by what we are believing and intending.  This tiny energetic level underneath it all is at the effect of our consciousness, and this energy can be held in different patterns by changing our awareness.

A significant factor to consider here is that the beliefs that change our reality can be held at the Conscious or Subconscious level.  The Subconscious level is much more illusive and yet, interestingly, the Subconscious is also much more important when it comes to running our life.  It is determining trillions of characteristics of the human experience every millisecond.

Affirmations are awakening subconscious thought to a conscious level and because we choose affirmations by very definition we hold to be true for us, we are changing our awareness.  As our reality is created by our thoughts and intentions, when we put so much focus on a particular thought, we literally create it for ourselves.

2. The RAS – Reticular Activating System

The RAS is a system of neurons in the brain that filter and clarify information.  We are bombarded with information constantly in the form of external stimuli and thought.  We are said to have on average around 47,000 thoughts a day, that alone without noises, colours and general activity would send us into complete meltdown if the RAS didn’t filter the information for us.

All the information bombarding us is being taken in by our subconscious mind.  The RAS seeks to filter what is important and allow it enter into your consciousness more clearly.  For example, have you ever noticed how when you get a new car, you start to see so many more of them on the road?  This is because you have decided that the particular brand of car is important to you and so the RAS no longer filters it as useless information, but allows it to come into your conscious awareness.  The fact that this is important to you is now clarified and re-enforced by the RAS to the subconscious, making it ‘set in stone’.

For example, maybe you suddenly feel like you would like children: You begin to see babies everywhere! When children become important to you, the RAS will filter out the things around them and make you constantly aware of babes…..because you told it to!  The same happens with everything.  Concerned about your weight? How many gyms and slimming products do you notice?

The RAS is the gateway between our conscious and subconscious, controlled by our subconscious and so by using affirmations we are applying continual focus on something specific and making the RAS consider it important, forcing the message into the subconscious.  It is then made a priority in the mind and both 1. and 3. take affect – thoughts become things.

3.  The Universe seeks balance – Energetic and Vibrational dissonance.  

Nature and the Universe are all about balance and harmony.  A magnet will always have a north and south pole no matter how many times you cut it in half.  When a thunder storm begins, massive negative charge is created and so the ground builds an equal positive charge, creating lightening.  When we set a focus or goal for ourselves, or start to use an affirmation in this way, we raise our vibrational frequency to that of what we are aiming to achieve.  As the goal is not currently present in our lives, it does not match our vibrational frequency, we create a dissonance, a state of unbalance.   Nature lovingly sets about correcting that.  Just as the ground positively charges in a storm, the vibrational frequency moves to create harmony and results in the manifestation of the goal in our lives.

Let’s use weight as an example.  If I use an affirmation to be at a healthy weight for myself and begin to visualise how I look and feel that way, I create the dissonance, a dynamic tension brought about because the reality is that i am 10 lbs away from what i am focussing on.

There are two ways to achieve balance:

1. Stop saying the affirmation

2. Have the universe create it! Work towards the goal and have it manifest in your life

By now you are beginning to see why people use affirmations and just how powerful they are.  Think just for a second about the thoughts that have replayed in your mind today……are they negative? Damaging even?

Now you have a greater understanding of how the mind and the universe are influencing your reality through the power of your thoughts, will you choose the negative ones?  Just as affirmations will become your reality, so to will the negative thoughts you put your attention on.  So…..

What makes a good affirmation

Here’s a little step by step guide

1. Decide what it is that is important for you to have come true in your life.

Is this a goal? An intention? A quality, attitude, value or characteristic?

2. Make it positive.

I want to lose 20lbs so i am no longer fat wont work for you.  If you think about it, you will realise that all your attention is on 20lbs and fat!

To turn your affirmation around, think about the result…… I am at a healthy weight where my body functions perfectly

3. Add an emotion

I am joyfully at a healthy weight for my body and I delight in how it functions

4. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

It is said that it may take 21 days for something to root into your subconscious.  This means that at first you will have to put effort into your repetition until it becomes a natural thought process for you.  I recommend having it everywhere.  Write it down and put it in your purse or wallet so you can read it everytime you open it.  Put it on sticky note and have them everywhere…on the fridge, on your computer, on the bedhead.  Take a picture of it and set it as the wallpaper on your phone…just think of how often you will see that! Record it on your phone or computer and play it when you are able.

5. See it clearly

You can add extra oomph to your affirmation by re-enforcing it with a visualisation.  Spend time seeing yourself behaving and looking in the way that matches your goal.  Take time to feel how you would if it were already true for you.

Anyway you can continually have your mind recognise your goal leads you to your ideal result.

Affirmations for you

Now you understand what, how, why and the power of affirmations, here are some that you might like to use.  I have included some of Louise L Hay’s affirmations that are used for when you have a specific problem.  The wonderful thing about affirmations is you can use many of them in combination.  Go ahead and try them, it’s not about ‘what have you got to lose?’, it’s about ‘What have you got to gain!’. I hope you find something you relate to and use to make your life even more perfect.

General Affirmations

I am calm and relaxed.  I breathe deeply and am at peace.

I joyfully create only positive experiences for myself

I see love in all people and things.  I attract love from all people and things.

I happily see the lesson in all things

I have an attitude of gratitude for all that is

I am energetic and strong.  I am successful in all that i do.

I attract the abundance that is available for me.  I gratefully receive blessing of money, love and happiness.

Affirmations for Medical Issues

Acne – I am a divine expression of life.  I love and accept myself where i am right now.  

Addictions –  I now discover how wonderful i am.  I choose to love and enjoy myself.  

Allergies – The world is safe and friendly.  I am safe.  I am at peace with life.

Anorexia –  It is safe to be me.  I am wonderful just as i am.  I choose to live.  I chose joy and self acceptance.  

Lower Back problems –  I trust the process of life.  All i need is always taken care of. I am safe.  

Cancer – I lovingly forgive and release all of the past.  I choose to fill my world with joy.  I love and approve of myself.  

Depression – I now go beyond other peoples fears and limitations. I create my life. 

Epilepsy –  I choose to see life as eternal and joyous.  I am eternal and joyous and at peace. 

Fat, thighs – I see my father as a loveless child and i forgive easily.  We are both free.  

Heart attack – I bring joy back to the center of my heart.  I express love to all. 

Motion sickness – I am always in control of my thoughts.  I am safe.  I love and approve of myself

Multiple Sclerosis – By choosing loving, joyous thoughts, i create a loving, joyous world.  I am safe and free. 

Overweight – I am at peace with my own feelings.  I am safe where i am. I create my own security.  I love and approve of myself.

Snoring – I release all that is unlke love and joy in my mind.  I move from the past into the new and fresh and vital. 

Warts – I am the love and the beauty of life in full expression.  

For more affirmations to help heal, check out Louise L Hay “Heal your body” .  You can find it on amazon here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Heal-Your-Body-Louise-Hay/dp/0937611352/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1367664518&sr=8-5&keywords=how+to+heal+your+life

I would love to hear from you how affirmations have helped.  Also, please get in contact with me if you have an issue you would like help with creating an affirmation to address.

The programs created as part of your healing experience at Beyond Physical, include affirmations alongside B.E.S.T, colour therapy and TBM.

Dale Rutherford: The U.K’s only qualified B.E.S.T practitioner

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this blog are the opinions of the writers and not intended to take the place of other medical opinion. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information and we encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research in partnership with a qualified professional.

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