Introduction
by Satguru
Bodhinatha Veylanswami§
EVERY THOUGHTFUL PERSON HAS OBSERVED that the one constant we can always count on in life is change. Nothing ever stays the same. There are always surprises. As individuals, we, too, are constantly changing. The key to making progress, lifetime after lifetime, to is keep changing for the better, overcoming complacency and unwanted habit patterns and thus improving our character. My Gurudeva, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, observed, “The subconscious has a natural tendency to resist change. It is slow to realize that life is constant change. That is why it is so easy to fall into a rut. It requires a daring, spirited nature to call forth unused resources, to step out of the routine into a fuller and freer life.” For this, affirmations can be a dynamic tool. The idea behind affirmations is that through the repetition of positive statements we can make greater progress on the spiritual path and increase our magnetism to success. To progress spiritually, a positive self-concept is essential. What is a positive self-concept? It is thinking of ourself as a worthy individual deserving of a wonderful life and fully capable of achieving it. Unfortunately, many of us reach adulthood with a negative self-concept, feeling that others are better than we are, and that life has little to offer. A negative self-concept develops when, while growing up, we are criticized constantly or cruelly by our parents and teachers. Having a positive concept about our outer self allows us to identify with our inner, spiritual nature so that we truly feel we are a divine being. Let’s look for a moment at changing our self-concept from a negative one to a positive one. Just as we can strengthen the body through exercise and become fit, we can also remold the subconscious mind and change its composition through the power of affirmation. ¶For many years, as part of our pre-dawn worship, the monastery has repeated an affirmation. We recite it aloud together. It has been effective in reminding all the monastics of our spiritual purposes and the importance of integrating the blessings of the Deities into our everyday affairs. A few years ago we developed a similar affirmation for families to repeat together every morning. We include it on page 50 with the suggestion that you and your family recite it together each day. ¶Remember, success with affirmations depends upon utilizing the three-fold key—think about the meaning, create a visualization for this meaning and feel how you will feel when the hoped-for goal is consistently happening in your life. We hope this exploration of the power of affirmations changes your life as much as it has transformed ours.§