By the way, I hope that anyone reading this will realize they need to be on Hilary's website, reading and contributing to the conversations. They are very helpful, especially for beginners, but others too.
http://onlineclarity.co.uk/
She recently recommended a book about "Why affirmations don't work." I don't know what the book said, I haven't read it, but I do have something to say in this regard. Well, this is built right into the I Ching. The first two hexagrams relate to the division of yin and yang. In hexagram three, the division of yin and yang lead to "the fall" or the situation of the descent of spirit into matter. Then the I Ching actually starts with hexagram three which tells us of the fall and the confusion that follows the descent. Because there is confusion, the fledgling needs a teacher. (Hexagram four) It is not until the end of the book that yin and yang find their proper places, hexagram 63, and lead to harmony, 63 and 64. When yin and yang separate the mind becomes confused because it is torn into two parts. It no longer recognizes unity, but now recognizes duality. As such, an attempt to recognize the positive, as in an affirmation, automatically brings into mind the possibility of its opposite. Therefore if we affirm that we are beautiful, the exact opposite is brought to mind as well. We may not be immediately aware of this. When we do an affirmation, we are normally thinking what we want to be. When we think of what we want to be, we are affirming that we are not that now. The best way is not to affirm that we are beautiful, but to simply see ourselves joyfully in the present, not in the future, as being that. This is what we are already, it is not a future event to be attained, it is now. When we simply joyfully recognize what we already are, we are not bringing into mind the possibility of the opposite. We can have anything we want. The trick is knowing what we want. The old addage, if that works then why aren't you rich is unfair. There are a multitude of things to be and accomplish besides being rich. Best to recognize that richness in the other, as well as ourselves, once again as here and now, not in the future. In this way we create wealth for all, not just ourselves. Whatever "type" of wealth we wish for, that is. Physical, spiritual, emotional, what have you.
1 comment:
Hi Gene,
I believe you are spot on when you point out that an affirmation by nature points out both sides of the issue, i.e. affirming "I'm beautiful" means that I must not be or it wouldn't be on my mind!
I think that different things work for different people. Some people love affirmations, and some don't think they work. I have never found them to work for me, but other things do.
It's interesting...I have a little book I downloaded - it has excerpts from interviews with about eight different people on the Law of Attraction (hot topic of the year) - and they all say something different.
Not only is what they say different from each other, in some cases it's totally contradictory!
So, does the Law of Attraction work? It probably does, but only if you practice it in the way that makes it work for You! Perhaps affirmations are like that, too.
Post a Comment