Q. What are affirmations?
A. The way we speak to God, the Universe, All That Is, Great Spirit, whatever name one gives to the Creator, creation. Which is pure creative energy of unconditional love. That anything spoken in the "I AM" is an affirmation and a communication with this source. All of everything in the world comes from this - as in "first there was the word". An affirmation is the way we communicate with God, and this communication is responded to with demonstration, in physical form. We have this physical form to respond to and we have choice in how we respond.
Q. Why would someone say an affirmation?
A. It's important to first understand that we already say affirmations whether we think we do or not. Everything and anything we say in the "I AM" i.e.; "I am going crazy", is an affirmation. This is sending out a message to the Universe, saying, I am this—and the Universe provides us with proof. So, someone would say an affirmation with intent and conscious awareness to change whatever in the physical world was uncomfortable, out of balance, in dis-ease.
Q. What is the benefit of saying affirmations?
A. The benefit is—everything! You go from being a "victim" of reality (just happens) to "a conscious creator" directing your life. It's pretty exciting. The very nature of saying an affirmation is a conscious act of intent, so it already has a head start in the manifesting reality business.
Q. What can someone hope to achieve by saying them?
A. Again, everything! Think about it for a minute. You have the power within your mind to create whatever reality you so desire just by saying an affirmation. And while that is an extremely simplistic comment, it is THE TRUTH. Why? Because it's all about automatic pilot. Once we send out a signal to the Universe that we are CHOOSING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR creating our reality—and again, the very nature of saying an affirmation is making that commitment—the shift begins. For instance, metaphysics teaches us that we are all looking for perfect love and perfect approval. The first affirmation I began to say was "I love and approve of myself". I figured that if everyone on the planet totally loved and approved of themselves, the planet would feel a lot safer and be a much more gentle place. Right? Of course! So to begin with I will start saying "I love and approve of myself". Until I do! The answer—YOU CAN ACHIEVE HOPE.
Q. What role have affirmations played in your life?
A. Well, I need to say up front an infinite role. We use them as a mantra, prayer, a meditation—sometimes in place of a "pill" or a Band-Aid.
Q. How have they benefited you?
A. They bring immediate relief and focus. An opportunity to allow issues to assimilate into a process that can be responded to easily and effortlessly. They calm you down, create an ambiance where you can function with ease.
Q. Can you give some examples of times when saying the affirmations tied in with things that were happening in your life?
A. We use affirmations from different sources as well as those we create simultaneously within our life. For instance, if we had an onset of a physical malady we would use Louise Hay's "Heal Your Body" little blue book, to look up the probable cause and the appropriate affirmation. Saying the affirmations will allow for the emotional/mental cause to surface for you. You can then make the conscious choice to release it or to embrace it. Saying affirmations when something horrific shows up in your life is letting God know you are listening for direction. And you will get it.
Q. How do you say an affirmation?
A. Any way you want. Simply say it—with intent. I am saying this now because I choose for this to be the truth. I am happy. I am healthy. I am love. I am a soft and kind person. I lovingly forgive the past, they are free and I am free. I have only kind and loving thoughts for myself and others. Whatever you are saying in the "I am", listen to it. If it isn't something you want (choose) to create, change it. Use the opposite. For instance, "I am so dumb and stupid." Change it to, "I am bright and clever and figure things out easily." While you are saying this new idea about yourself, get in touch with your feelings. Do you believe it? Is there someone inside your head saying, "yeah right?" This method of inner dialoging can lead you to all kinds of wonderful adventures of self-awareness.
Q. Is there a standard procedure?
A. Sutton and I have over the years developed our own rituals and techniques that we have accumulated from many sources. When I first began a conscious journey into self-awareness I found that I was attracted to just what I needed in the moment. I would say affirmations daily, "start the day" affirmations, "eating a meal" affirmations, "what we want to create this week" affirmations, and "creating abundance" affirmations. We combine these with different other types of rituals that we have been attracted to and found useful along the way.
Q. What kinds of results did you see after saying the affirmations?
A. Here's a fun story, which gives a good example. We were on a road trip when Hart was six years old. She accidentally slammed the car door onto her big toe - so severely that it split the skin, sprouted some blood and immediately turned black and blue. Being on the road there was nothing to do but grab "Louise" as we affectionately call the "little blue book" and start saying the affirmations for toe, pain, accident, over and over and over again. Soon, Hart's hysterical cries softened and ultimately dissipated as we set in for the last leg of our journey in the Florida Keys to swim with dolphins. We were also traveling, as a family for the first time, so there was a lot of "stuff" going on with all of us. Soon, Hart was back in the front seat with us and we continued reading from "The Hobbit". Later, while we were discussing the outfits we would wear to dinner, I remembered Hart's toe and exclaimed "Oh, Hart how is your toe doing?" She looked confused. "Oh!" Obviously she wasn't in pain, the black and blue had nearly completely faded and there was no evidence of split skin or bruise. Pretty incredible. Well, not really - not for the six year old that believes everything their parents tell them. We said this will heal you and it did. So through the eyes of our child we were able to see miracles all the time.
Another instance of demonstration: we sometimes notice as we say certain favorite affirmations that what started out as something we desired to create, was how now we were describing our life.
Q. Would you say that affirmations are a form of prayer?
A. Absolutely! And so it is!
Q. What is 'Godesalthi'?
A. I believe the Universal all that is, that many call "God," is an androgynous energy of unconditional love, without motive or attachment, for the divine good of all. In my work I began calling that energy the Universe, or All that Is. One of my favorite teachers, Lazaris, calls it "God, Goddess, All That Is"—which I shortened to my own word, "Godesalthi".
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