Positive Affirmations Are Negative in Nature
What do we do with the fact that almost 100% of positive affirmations are negative in nature? You disagree with the numbers?
Most affirmations I see being mouthed are being initiated from a place of deficiency, a wanting to change our state or circumstances to some idea of better. A large part of the effort exerted in positive affirming seems to be an attempt to convince ourselves that we (or life) are more than we believe ourselves to be in the moment – I’m successful. I’m lovable, the world is abundant, God is on my side, etc.
The whole motivation is coming from an unacknowledged and under-explored sense of lack and deficiency. More than that, it is a complete rejection of reality as it is in the moment – the reality that we believe we (life) are lacking.
As I write this, I am sitting in my office. I don’t know of anyone who could come over here and move this building 6 inches with their physical strength much less with a positive affirmation. And yet, there are many people trying to push the entire universe around, to warp and shape it to meet their ideas of what they think they need to be whole or complete or happy.
Why are positive affirmations so appealing? Mostly because they help us avoid pain and suffering – or so we think. Much of the effect of positive affirmations is nothing more than hiding from what we really believe deep down inside, in the dark places we wish to ignore.
It’s a sad, tragic and, at times, a comic affair.
Imagine a lion walking around affirming – I’m king of the jungle, I’m king of the jungle. And yet this is exactly what people are doing with positive affirmations most of the time. The lion’s very nature is that it is a lion. Being king of the jungle is mostly an idea .
Fortunately lions are not as confused as human beings. Lions mostly walk around being lions without suffering from being disconnected from themselves and having a bunch of ideas about who or what they should be.
The most affirming experience we humans can have is to land in our true nature. A moment of perceiving the real is more powerful than a lifetime of words. Well intentioned, but misguided efforts at positive affirmations would be better spent in learning how to settle down and allow what is truly real in us arise into consciousness.
The world is abundant. Life is on our side. We are awesome and wonderful. It’s the true state of affairs. If we can’t see it, then the more productive course of action is to explore – why not. Trying to convince ourselves that the sky is blue when, in fact, the sky is blue – is crazy behavior.
As the saying goes – the only way out is through. Explore the deficiencies, the hidden beliefs. Open them up to the light of awareness. The truth will set us free. The false dissolves. Only the real remains.
Related Posts
- How Good Friends Can Keep Us Down
- Why Affirmations Don’t Work
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- Coming to You Soon Through Understanding
- What’s Wrong with This Life?
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Comments
3 responses to “Forget Positive Affirmations”
Such an interesting post, this. It feels like Spiritual sand paper being rubbed against my feelings for those that are comforted by the affirmations they do each day.
I myself don’t do them and never have, but only because I had a different way that worked for me. Not because it was a useless Spiritual Tool.
It sounds like you think that anyone that says affirmations each day, doesn’t look within to see the source of their pain and work to forgive it.
Also, what ever happened to the idea of “There are many paths to the One”? Or, “All paths lead to God.” Do you deny those statements? I can understand your position if you do.
But if you don’t deny that there are many paths to God and that all paths lead to God, then how can you presume to know what is in the heart of an “Affirmations User”?
An affirmation is something that I affirm about myself. It is my statement about myself. It is also my “intention statement” to my ego.
Mine is “I am here only to be truly helpful”. I don’t say it…I know it.
How about telling someone that “in reality” they are perfect just the way they are…just as they were created by God. These human lessons during time spent on in this dimension will pass away as soon as we learn to forgive ourselves and recognize that we never left our home in the first place. Just my thoughts though.
Sharon
P.S. As I look at my name and blog site up above, I see that you have my website wrong. It is http://www.leavefearbehind.com
If you could change that, it would be helpful.
Sharon – love you and your comments. You are like spiritual sandpaper for my soul – every meeting with you is another opportunity to polish the mirror of the heart.
“You’ve no idea how hard I’ve looked for a gift to bring You. Nothing seemed right.
What’s the point of bringing gold to the gold mine, or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with was like taking spices to the Orient.
It’s no good giving my heart and my soul because you already have these.
So- I’ve brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and remember me.”
– Jalaluddin Rumi
I don’t believe I have ever said that there is only one way nor have I claimed to have met everyone who uses affirmations. I am addressing a certain segment of people that seem to use affirmations in the service of ego-building or ego-renovation.
The significant point of the post, to me, is that one moment in touch with the real will do more good than a lifetime of effort with affirmations. My curiosity is – why do we invest so much effort in the service of maintaining our deficiencies when the way to freedom from the past is “the road less traveled.”
As we discussed yesterday – I include myself in this predicament. I make no claim to be free of such dynamics – only that my inclination is to ask – why do I believe that about myself? Where did I get that belief?
“The treasure lies deep in the ocean
But if it is safety you seek
It lies back on the shore” – Sarmad
Sandpaper is a wonderful thing – hopefully we are all progressing to finer and finer grits!
John John..very cool post. I like your gorilla pic too. An alter-ego.
What can I do today to make a difference in someone’s life?
Pax et Bonum,
Jahn