The Power of Affirmations / Mantras and How They Work:
How Positive Self-Talk Can Change Your Life

What are affirmations, mantras and self talk?  How do they work?  Are they effective?  What can I use them for?

Affirmations, sometimes called mantras, or even self talk, are an ancient auditory mental technique, which can be used to create new mental processes and positive new results in your life.

These are often used in the areas of self help, health, business or sports improvement.

An affirmation can be just a few words, or even a short statement, which is then mentally repeated at regular intervals until the subconscious mind accepts it, and begins to go to work at bringing this command to fruition in your life.

Affirmations have the ability to change negative thought patterns, attitudes and beliefs, and athletes also use them to create new mindsets for their bodies to follow when they are competing.

Affirmations are often used during relaxation, meditation or hypnosis - as the relaxed state deepens the mind's acceptance of the words or phrases, and can accelerate positive change in your life.

Mantras can be used in any area of life, to focus the subconscious positively on whatever area we choose. Here is a list of good affirmations to choose from, which have been hand-picked by Craig Townsend (the owner of this site) to ensure the various important aspects are observed, which greatly contribute to their success - such as being worded in the positive, and present tense.

Some people use affirmations throughout their day, during the normal awakened state - simply by repeating a particular affirmation, internally in their mind over and over again - literally bombarding their subconscious with a single repetitive thought, over and over again until it accepts it.

This is because during the normal awakened state, the conscious mind often blocks much of the information from getting through - and so the reinforcement, brought about by the regular repetition, allows the affirmation to become accepted within the subconscious.

Mantras are a perfectly normal technique in that we have a constant inner dialogue going on within our minds, all day long - no matter whether we realize it or not.

Mantras are short, powerful phrases or words that are repeated aloud or silently as a form of meditation or spiritual practice. While the specific benefits of mantras may vary depending on the tradition and individual practitioner, here are some of the most commonly cited benefits:

Benefits

• Reducing stress and anxiety
- Chanting has been found to have a calming effect on the mind and body, as the repetition of the sound can help to slow down racing thoughts and promote a sense of relaxation.

• Improving focus and concentration
- By focusing on the sound or vibration of the mantra, you can improve your ability to concentrate and stay present in the moment.

• Achieving Goals
- Repetition can focus the mind onto a particular goal.

• Overcoming Negative Thoughts / Doubts
- Repetition of a positive mantra can drown out negative thoughts, allowing the mind to reset from a negative mindset.

• Enhancing self-awareness
- The repetition of a mantra can help to bring attention to one's thoughts and emotions, allowing for greater self-awareness and self-reflection.

• Boosting mood and promoting positive emotions
- are often used in all types of different settings, to shift your mindset and promote feelings of joy, peace, and contentment.

• Strengthening the connection to the divine
- In many spiritual traditions, mantras are believed to have a sacred or divine quality, as repetition can help to cultivate a deeper connection to the divine and promote a sense of spiritual awareness.

The problem with this inner dialogue is that our inner-talk is not always as positive as we would like it to be. And so this is where they come in very handy - because instead of mentally criticizing ourselves (as our self talk can often do), we instead mentally repeat a positive mantra to to ensure our mind remains focused on the positive.

This repetition blocks the flow of negative thoughts, and helps to program your subconscious for whatever goal you have focused it upon.

It is estimated that around 60,000 thoughts a day flows through our conscious mind while we are awake, and as much of this is the incessant negative chatter of our inner dialogue - this technique creates an opportunity where you actually get to choose what you want your mind to focus upon.

Along with other powerful techniques such as visualization and meditation, affirmations are certainly worth looking into for enhancing personal development or gaining greater control of your thought processes.

Mantras are the auditory mental equivalent of visualisation, which use both visual and kinaesthetic methods of thought (ie. mentally picturing images or imagery, and the feelings related to thoughts and emotions), and so the techniques very much are complementary to each other.

Along with other powerful techniques such as visualization and meditation, they are certainly worth looking into for enhancing personal development or gaining greater control of your thought processes.

 

I highly recommend checking out the suggested list of mantras on our site, along with the articles about meditation and visualisation.

 

Other Types of Mantras

• Bij
- These mantras consist of a single syllable or sound and are believed to have a powerful vibration that can affect the body and mind. Examples include "Om," "Ram," and "Sham."

• Shanti
- These mantras are often used to promote peace and tranquility. Examples include "Om shanti shanti shanti" and "Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu."

• Affirmation
- These are used to promote positive self-talk. Examples include "I am abundant," "I am worthy," and "I am grateful."

• Chakra
- These are associated with the different energy centers, or chakras, in the body. Each mantra is believed to stimulate or balance a particular chakra. Examples include "Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha" for the root chakra and "Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundaye Viche" for the crown chakra.

• Vedic
- These are found in the ancient Hindu scriptures known as the Vedas. They are often used in traditional Hindu ceremonies and rituals.

• Buddhist
- These are associated with the Buddhist tradition and are often used in meditation and chanting practices. Examples include "Om Mani Padme Hum" and "Gate Gate Paragate Parasamgate Bodhi Svaha."

• Tantric
- These are associated with the Tantric tradition, which emphasizes the use of, symbols, and rituals to achieve spiritual growth and transformation.

• Devotional
- These are often used in devotional practices and are associated with various deities or saints. Examples include "Hare Krishna," "Om Namah Shivaya," and "Om Namo Narayana."

• Healing
- These are believed to have a healing effect on the body and mind. Examples include "Om Gum Ganapatayei Namaha" for removing obstacles and "Om Mani Padme Hum" for purifying negative emotions.

• Protection
- These are used for protection against negative energy and harmful influences. Examples include "Om Dum Durgayei Namaha" for protection from obstacles and "Om Aim Hrim Klim Chamundaye Viche" for protection from negative forces.

• Seed
- These are associated with specific sounds and vibrations that are believed to have a transformative effect on the body and mind. Examples include "Lam" for the root chakra and "Om" for the crown chakra.

• Guru
- These are associated with a particular guru or spiritual teacher and are used to honor and connect with their wisdom and guidance. Examples include "Om Guru Devaaya Namaha" and "Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara Guru Sakshat Parabrahma Tasmai Shri Guruve Namaha."

These are just a few of the many types of mantras that exist, often through the ages - which can each serve a specific purpose and may be used in different settings.

History of Mantras

The practice of affirmations has roots in ancient civilizations such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism, where the use of mantras were believed to have a powerful impact on the mind and body.

In the late 19th century, the New Thought movement emerged in the United States, which emphasized the power of positive thinking. One of the key figures in this movement was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, who believed that individuals could heal themselves by changing their thoughts and beliefs.

The use of this method gained popularity in the 20th century with the rise of self-help and personal development movements. Napoleon Hill's 1937 book "Think and Grow Rich" promoted the idea that positive affirmations and visualization techniques could help individuals achieve their goals.

In the 1970s, Louise Hay became a prominent figure in the self-help world with her book "You Can Heal Your Life," which emphasized the use of positive affirmations to improve health and wellbeing. Her widely-known affirmation "I love and approve of myself" became particularly popular and is still widely used today.

Since then, they have continued to be a popular tool for personal development, with many authors and coaches promoting the practice as a way to improve self-esteem, reduce stress, and achieve personal goals. Today, affirmations are widely used in a variety of contexts, from therapy to sports psychology to business coaching.

Article © MindTraining.net

<Articles Index>

 

"Your mind can just as easily show you an ocean of abundant opportunities, as it can the opposite. It just depends what you focus upon". Craig Townsend