Spiritual Enlightenment and the Use of Affirmations

Affirmations form the basis of our perceptions. They are defined as the things we state to be true. But notice how there’s nothing in this definition which claims that an affirmation must, in reality, be true.

Affirmations are merely declarations of truth, but these declarations can be any degree of true or false. Nothing shows up in your life experience which you have not invited into it by affirming it. And you affirm any statement, whether based on an essential truth or an essential lie, into your life experience which you accept as true and real regardless of whether or not it is actually true and real. Acceptance is a prerequisite to demonstration. What you accept you manifest. The legitimacy of the affirmative statement itself is irrelevant; and (while we are on the subject of irrelevance) so are the words. I know this may sound counterintuitive but just as affirmations have nothing whatsoever to do with Reality, affirmations are not really about words. Words are merely symbolic of something deeper. It’s the feeling evoked by the words used in an affirmation which reveal what’s really being asserted.

A statement may on its face seem positive, even though it may actually be interpreted negatively by the one stating it. For example, I am beautiful seems like a positive enough statement. But what if in stating I am beautiful you believe your beauty to be based solely on your looks and so you become obsessed with keeping up physical appearances. I am beautiful can be interpreted in any number of ways, just as any statement can. That’s why it’s not the words of an affirmation that matter, but the way the words are understood by the person stating them. The real story of an affirmation is revealed through your emotions. For an affirmation to be constructive, the emotions inspired by the affirmation must be positive. And even more than that (as previously stated) in order for an affirmation to actually be demonstrated in your physical experience, you have to accept whatever idea you are affirming in your thoughts to be absolutely credible and true; because any idea which you deem to be incredible at the point of contemplation has no chance of developing beyond a mere mental musing. You can go around making all the declarations you want, this is not what brings thoughts into fruition. It is your belief in your thoughts which create your reality. This is the basic lesson of the law of attraction. “All things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." – Matthew 21:22. Only what you accept as true (whether it is really true or not) can become a part of your actual experience.

Acceptance (as it is used here) means to let be; to receive just as it is offered; to not merely be tolerant of whatever is before you, but to be completely objective and impartial about it. Acceptance means to receive without conditions. Until you can truly say about something or someone, “no matter what, I receive you just as you are,” then you are not truly accepting of whatever or whomever that something or someone is. The problem many of us have is that we too often choose to receive (just as it is) affirmations which are empty and unsatisfying to us. We are too often accepting of perceptions which make us feel bad, and are way too quick to be dismissive of perceptions which make us feel good. We deem the good feeling perceptions to be incredible and the bad feeling perceptions to be the way reality is. And because we have accepted that which we do not want and doubted that which we do, what we affirm into our life experience is that which we do not want even as we deny that which we do want from occurring. Is it really any wonder then why we so often feel frustrated and dissatisfied with life?

You must be diligent about only affirming those perceptions which will bring about the most joy in your life experience. How do you know which affirmations will accomplish this best? Don’t focus so much on the words you are reciting in an affirmation, but the feeling you get when you recite them. Always remember, it is your emotions which reveal the real story of an affirmation. If you are entertaining a perception which feels good to you in imagination, this is a perception which will feel good to you in actual practice (just as the contrary is also true). And the only thing you need to do to actually demonstrate that perception is to give yourself over to it. Accept it. That’s it! It doesn’t matter how often you repeat an affirmation, repetition will not lead to fruition. Only acceptance can do this. You could declare a thing one time, and as long as you then accept the declaration you just made it will instantly be demonstrated. The only power inherent in repeating an affirmation is the power of persuasion. The only reason an affirmation ever needs to be repeated is because you are still trying to convince yourself to let go of the doubt which is hindering your ability to demonstrate it.

The real scarcely recognized secret? We are different expressions of the same identity. And there is unlimited greatness within each and every one of the infinite expressions of The One. The deliberate use of affirmations is merely one tool we may use in order to realize this Truth. The point of it all is to get you to first imagine and then accept something greater, something more wonderful than what you have up to this moment allowed of yourself until finally you are able to appreciate the boundless magnificence of All.

You must not be afraid to feel joy - know that you are deserving of it. You must not be suspicious of what, at the point of contemplation, feels good (or rather too good to be true). Know that the very basis of Reality is All good. So go ahead… Affirm your way to this realization.