What are affirmations? What is the benefit of doing affirmations?
Here we talk about positive affirmations; the job of an affirmation is to shift a feeling.
We affirm at all times through thoughts we harbour. Most of the time, however, the leaning is on the negative affirmations. ("Looks like I am unwell", "I can’t sit still", "I don’t like this place", etc.) These consistent thought-forms go on to create one’s reality, one’s world, and experiences build on these. A dominant thought-form is a belief one creates, making it true for self and acting from that point.
Practising Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations is created and practiced to shift a non-helpful point of view to something more pleasant to be able to attract pleasant things/ experiences. We attract what we are. Many times, you’ll notice affirmations don’t work. That is primarily because we are mouthing something but not being it, feeling it, living it or believing it. The new feelings haven’t sunk in. For example, in saying affirmations of abundance, yet feeling a sense of lack from inside will not create abundance.
So how should one affirm? It takes a bit of practice. It is a practice of holding onto the positive idea, long enough, consistent enough, and working in ways (actions) that emboldens the new thought-affirmation. What is practice? Practice is the continual effort of "remaining in". Remaining in what? A chosen state of being. A state of being / feeling which is not throwing one in negative states, but in states that is desired. For instance, abundance is desired instead of lack, so talk, believe, feel, abundance more to solidify that vibrational state.
Affirmations don’t work because of contradictory feelings; one cannot create abundance thinking and talking about lack. One cannot develop a good relationship with the body by thinking ill of the body. One cannot appreciate things in life when focus is on complaints. One can’t reach their full potential, living and talking about self-limitations.
Are affirmations working?
Affirmations are working if internally you feel the shift in feelings/ emotions/ countenance. Feelings must move. From feeling of discouragement (say, over a bad job interview) to shifting to a feeling of confidence, feeling of upliftment, feeling a good rush of energy within, feeling cheerful, more positive, more optimistic, more light, more bright.
One can question: how, when I am not feeling any of these? This is exactly where and when the application of positive affirmations holds merit; to shift focus, think of those thoughts that generate better feelings. It is done consciously, deliberately, knowingly, feelingly. It is the practice of those vibrations beforehand, where one desires to be.
This is not to say that one brushes aside the feelings one feels, for example, of lack, or say discouragement, as stated in the above instance. Do remember the significance of balance and a balanced living. And remaining in a balanced point of view. When is balance attained? When two forces are present, are at work and you find your own center within them. Why is it important to find center? To evolve, to reduce suffering, to keep pace with the innate nature of flow.
Coming back to the example, one can acknowledge feeling discouraged; feel it in the body, sit with this aspect of self for a while to introspect the events ("Why did I have this experience?", "What must I be believing in, to draw this event/experience?", "What is it telling me?", "What must I learn from this?", "How may I move now?", "How can I create better outcome having learnt what I learnt and didn’t have that insight earlier?")
One can thank the experience and move on, in understanding as opposed to feeling conflicted about it. Positive affirmations are the tools for the shift.
Disclaimer: Urmila Rao is an emotional healer and a forgiveness teacher. All the ideas expressed herein are her own, and not professional advice or medical prescription. Her website is: www.karmicwellness.in Email: hellokarmicwellness@gmail.com
