Affirmations are based on the belief that you can change your life through the power of your thoughts. The idea of an affirmation statement, specifically, is that if you repeat a certain positive phrase enough times and visualize it in your life, it will eventually manifest as reality.
For example, maybe you are dealing with a health challenge that you’re struggling to overcome. As you repeat and believe wholeheartedly in the statement, “My health is improving more and more every day, and so is my body,” you will find yourself overcoming that challenge and feeling better each day.
What are affirmation statements?
Affirmation statements are largely derived from the New Thought and New Age movements. Developed in the early 20th century, New Thought holds that Infinite Intelligence, or God, exists everywhere, that humans have a divine nature, and that “our mental states are carried forward into manifestation and become our experience in daily living.”1
The New Age movement developed toward the end of the 20th century. Similar to New Thought, New Age is centered on the belief that a form of divinity encompasses the Universe and that humans can tap into this source of power and enlightenment.
Affirmation statements are more closely associated to the New Age movement, although affirmation prayers developed from the New Age movement. Whatever their source, these statements are used to help remove subconscious roadblocks that can negatively affect all aspects of life, from financial success to relationships to health. To be effective, affirmation statements need to be:
- Positively stated
- Used in the present tense
- Personal
- Specific2
How affirmations work
In describing how affirmation statements work, it’s helpful to use the analogy of the computer. With a computer, you put in an input, the computer processes it, and then you get back your output. The output is based on what you enter into the computer. Like a computer, your subconscious takes input (your thoughts), processes them, and outputs those thoughts. So if you are constantly feeding your subconscious with negative thoughts, it will lead to negative actions and negative results. But if you can replace those negative thoughts with positive ones, you will get positive actions that lead to positive results.
The subconscious mind is difficult to change, which is why affirmation statements need to be repeated frequently and consistently to take hold. In general, the more times you can read and vocalize an affirmation during the day and visualize the result, the better. You can also write affirmation statements down several times a day to impress them upon your subconscious mind.
Another technique is to get in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes while saying an affirmation statement with feeling. This method helps you connect with your subconscious mind.3 Alternatively, you may want to consider using the technique illustrated here by Dr. Henry Grayson.
Achieving your goals with affirmation statement support
While it’s certainly possible to reach your goals without affirmation statements, you can increase your odds of success and gain longer-lasting results when you implement them into your life. One individual, for example, was able to lose weight by consistently reciting an affirmation statement after years of being unable to lose weight through other methods. The statement was simply: “I am ___ pounds,”4 which is similar to the affirmation statement in the ZYTO software, “I am so happy and grateful now that I weigh ___ pounds.”
Along with helping you reach goals, affirmation statements help you to be more optimistic, which correlates positively with your overall health. For instance, a 2012 study found that optimistic people have a reduced risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.5 In addition, affirmations also encourage you to live a life of gratitude, which can be particularly beneficial to your health.6
Affirmation Statement Virtual Items
The digital signature, or what we call a Virtual Item, representing several affirmation statements is available to scan in the ZYTO Select and Elite software. The response to these statements as a group can help the practitioner determine if using affirmations may benefit you. This eliminates the guesswork when deciding which affirmation statements to focus on for your unique situation.
Affirmation statements exist in several different categories in the ZYTO software. Scanning for biological preference to these Virtual Items can give you a better idea of which area to focus on, such as relationships or finances.
Along with the option to scan affirmation statements, a typical ZYTO scan includes other digital signatures of nutritional products, wellness services, foods, and lifestyle choices, which we call balancer Virtual Items. When you pair biologically coherent affirmation statements with coherent items from these categories, you can gain a more holistic picture of your personal wellness.
Affirmation Statements and EVOX
Affirmation statement Virtual Items are also available in the ZYTO EVOX software, offering a powerful way to enhance the perception reframing process. Scanning for preference to these statements can give the practitioner a better idea of which topics to reframe on. Reframing on the topics identified in a scan will then give you a better opportunity to make a more meaningful shift in your perceptions for improved emotional health. Using the affirmation statements together with EVOX provides a more effective method for facilitating change at a subconscious level.
About Dr. Vaughn Cook
Dr. Vaughn R Cook is the Founder & CEO of ZYTO. An Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD) and licensed acupuncturist, he has worked in the complementary and alternative medical field for more than 30 years, specializing in applications that integrate Western and Eastern medicine.
Sources:
1. “New Thought Declaration of Principles.” Newthoughtwisdom.com.
2. “Affirmation Class: Question and Answer Time.”Bmindful. Bmindful.com.
3. “What Are Affirmations.”Prasanna Vishwasrao. Self-help-and-self-development..com.
4. “Affirmation Success Stories.”Prasanna Vishwasrao. Self-help-and-self-development..com.
5. Jaslow, Ryan. “Optimism protects against heart attack and stroke, study shows.”CBS News. Cbsnews.com.
6. “7 Scientifically Proven Benefits Of Gratitude That Will Motivate You To Give Thanks Year-Round.”Forbes. Forbes.com.
