Reflection

Reflection (thinking deeply) is a necessary step in digesting knowledge.

*Reflection is an exercise of the mind and intellect that goes into the
depths of understanding an idea, or realization, or point of knowledge with
the aim of practicing it in daily life.*

Values in my life are a sign that knowledge has been digested; without this,
knowledge simply remains a beautiful aspect, appreciated, interesting
information in my intellect but without the ability to give me strength
because it is still external; it has not been internalised.

All *quality action *(quality action is that action which is truly
appropriate to person, circumstance and the need of the moment), all newness
of perception (understanding), all new insights, or vision, require a space
for silent reflection as a preliminary step.

Normally, we are lost in the business of action, its routine and ritual that
make our life so mechanical and hence dull and boring, or demanding and
hectic.

A mind and intellect that do not give time and attention to reflective
silence (meditation) become lazy, though externally there is lots of
activity for hours and hours. No new heights are reached because there is no
depth of awareness in what we are doing, no reflection on purpose. As a
result, we get trapped by routine.
To be dictated to by external situations, which make us run around without
stopping internally, brings about unnecessary stress on the mind, which
keeps us tied to the strings of the external, like a puppet pulled, pressed
and pushed by circumstances.

*To break free from this force, to relieve the mind of the weight of stress
and waste and routine, I need to step inside and reflect (think) on who I am
and where I am going and reassess my value system.*

Otherwise, life becomes like a wheel that keeps spinning faster and faster
until we become dizzy - we want to get off but it is going so fast we do not
know how.

Reflection and taking time to understand spiritual knowledge bring us to the
essence of everything.

Meditation On Self-Forgiveness

Sit comfortably and relax. Recall the feelings associated with some mistake
or mistakes you have made in the past. Connect with any feelings of hatred
and revenge; connect with any feelings of guilt and how you felt you had let
others and yourself down; the shame and the humiliation you may have felt...

Now ask yourself:
'What good is it doing me or others by holding onto these feelings...?
What benefits does it bring me? How does it help me, or the other people
affected...?' (pause for 30 seconds).

Now, say the following to yourself inside your mind:
'I decide that I have held onto these feelings long enough and it is time to
let them go... This is a matter of reason as they no longer serve me, and a
matter of my will at a deep level to release them... I feel all these
negative feelings and let them go... I release them... let them go...'

Now, unconditionally, forgive yourself... you have made a mistake... you
have learned from that mistake... there is nothing to be gained from having
feelings of guilt or shame... let them go... forgive yourself... forgive
everyone else who may have contributed... it is time to let it go...

Now focus on your true self - a divine being of spiritual energy situated at
the center of the forehead... focus on your inner feelings of peace... Think
of and feel your inner qualities of honesty, tolerance, kindness and
generosity. Focus on them, as this is who you truly are... a peaceful,
compassionate, forgiving being of spiritual light... radiating these
qualities to the world...

A Gauge To Check How Spiritually Powerful Am I

The territory of spiritual understanding is both infinite and
unlimited.   Simply
put, spirituality can be defined as the rediscovery of the deepest values,
virtues, positive ‘sanskars’ or characteristics of the human soul.   The
innate attributes or characteristics of the soul (peace, love, truth, purity
and happiness) give the soul its power. The power of the soul cannot be
quantified either on a physical or a non-physical level. *The power can only
be experienced and revealed to the self and others through the 'quality' of
the above characteristics and the different forms they are given by the soul
itself.*

For a practitioner of meditation, whether a beginner or an experienced once,
patience and a gentle persistence guarantee two aspects of self-progress (in
varying degrees in different souls):
*1. rediscovery* and *revelation or expression* of one's spiritual
attributes and secondly, but very importantly
*2. the ability to give them an appropriate form internally or externally,
depending on the requirement of the situation*.

A particular soul might be good at both aspects, another one very good at
the first aspect and not so good at the second one.  When we choose to be
peaceful, we reconnect with our inner peace and create the spiritual form of
peace within our self. This form created is different for different souls,
depending on how powerful the soul is. So what is the quality of that form,
what is the quality of our peace?   Is it a superficial quality that is
easily disturbed with unexpected changes in our external circumstances, or
is it a deep peace which is stable even in the face of fierce criticism from
others? Only we know the quality of our spiritual forms.

The Thought-Destiny Cycle

The process by which we create our own destiny is quite easy to see in
theory; however it requires some checking to see how it matches the reality
of our practical lives.  Here is the process in brief:

·         As our *intentions*, so will be our *thoughts*.

·         As our *thoughts*, so will be our *feelings*.

·         As our *feelings*, so will be our *attitudes*.

·         As our *attitudes*, so will be our *actions*.

·         As our *actions*, so will be our *habits*.

·         As our *habits*, so will be our *personality*.

As our *personality* in all our relationships on our journey through life,
so will be our *destiny*. So watch your thoughts! Be aware of your
intentions!
Our intentions are based on our *beliefs* about who we are, where we are and
why we are here.   If we believe we are the physical form, our belief will
we be that we need to survive as long as possible. This leads to the
intention to get what we think we need before others, which leads to
competition, which leads to feelings of fear.  Our destiny gets shaped
accordingly. When you know you are the non-physical and immortal (which is
neither created nor can be destroyed) energy, a soul, then survival is no
longer an issue and your intention is one to *include, connect and
co-operate with and enlighten others.   The service of others at a spiritual
level becomes the highest intention in action. * It is fully free from fear
and can be seen as an act of love.  This is why competition and authentic
spirituality can never be found together.

Maintaining Your Self-Esteem In Relationships

When a person is in love with another human, the marvelous thing about being
in love is that it is a totally positive projection. There is a person who
projects on to you all that is positive: you are marvelous, you are unique,
you are indispensable, you are a treasure. That positive projection
generates a euphoric state, of bliss, of wellbeing, whereby you are flying.
You feel loved, cared for, needed and valued. That positive projection lasts
for a time until, with the dependencies and expectations, the negative
projection begins. "You should have called me, you should have told me, you
should have come at this time, you should be more like this, you should be
less like that, you should have done this or that."

*With these expectations, demands and dependencies, that positive projection
and flying state disappear.* The other has started interfering in your
personal space and the harmony that was there previously is lost. *One needs
to learn to have a positive vision of oneself.* You are marvelous, you are
unique; don't depend on them telling you so. This does not mean you need to
feed your ego, but that you need to make the most positive emerge from
within you. *Resort to all your creative, positive, spiritual capacity, so
that you do not depend on others having to project positive things onto you
in order to feel good.* On feeling good in an independent and autonomous
way, you will be able to share with others peace, love and positivism. You
won't be in the state of a victim but will be true rulers and controllers of
your own life with solid self-esteem

The Energy Of Faith

What we believe becomes reality. It has been said that faith can move
mountains. The highest mountains are our negative thoughts, feelings and
ideas, which block our capacity to rise beyond our limits.

*Faith is the energy of understanding that enables us to realize anything is
possible even if it is not visible in front of our eyes.*

*
The success that comes from faith is closely linked with 'letting go'*. It
is only when we let go of what we are used to, or what we have learnt to
depend on, that new perceptions and new possibilities will present
themselves to us.

All that is needed are a few basic facts and then we can take action. When
we drive a car, do we insist on knowing how the engine works in detail
before driving it? Do we know the mechanical details of a lift before we use
it? Most people are only aware of the basic functions and this is all they
need to carry out the action. However, they do have the faith that the car
has been correctly constructed to do its job safely and that by pressing a
few buttons the lift will raise them to wherever it is they want to go. In
the modern life-style, there is a tendency to over-think, to want to control
and direct every outcome, but such a life lacks spontaneity and simplicity.

Although we do need a framework, it must be flexible enough to allow space
for the unexpected, the unpredictable and the great surprise. Such a space
is the window through which the light of innovation can enter. When life is
over-planned, we become cemented in, unable to grow, or flow, into new
horizons. Faith allows us to realize that optimum results can happen without
always having to structure or plan. Such faith is the basis for new vision
and allows us to reach beyond our limits; because we believe we are more
than what meets the eye. Such faith is the inspirational energy of every
pioneer in whatever field.

Soul Consciousness

A human being is soul and body, spirit and matter, working together
co-operatively. The body is like the hardware of a computer and the
spiritual energy, the soul, is a tiny chip of light, where all things are
recorded. When we go into introspective (deep) silence, it is in this chip
of light, which is actually a point of light energy that we can remember and
rediscover.

The tiny chip of invisible light starts to work effectively when it plugs
into its original consciousness and reactivates those original qualities,
which enable the soul to work and express itself naturally. The connection
is achieved through the power of concentrated thought; this is called
'consciousness of the soul'. The process of experiencing 'soul
consciousness' is carried out in meditation: gathering all the thoughts of
the mind, creating one concentrated thought and very gently running inwards
in order to make the connection with the original self, the soul.

To take those first steps in gathering the thoughts, we use the positive
consciousness of ‘I am', or what is called 'Om Shanti' consciousness. 'Om'
means 'I am', with the deeper meaning that 'I am a peaceful soul'. With this
awareness, there comes the experience of one's original spiritual identity.

Quality Transformation (Change)

The easiest way to understand quality change is to consider the example of
roses. These beautiful flowers, although nourished by smelly manure, do not
take any of its odour (smell) or colour. They are truly like kings of
gardens, in their pink, gold, red and white robes, filling the air with such
a fragrance that people who come to the garden do not even notice the
manure. The roots of the roses are able to transform (change) the manure to
such an extent that the best is taken without any negative side effects.
This is an example of quality change.

The human world is like a garden. We are like a variety of flowers
surrounded by lots of manure, that is, negativity in all its forms, such as
ego, fear, anger, attachment, mistrust, etc. People who are 'quality
transformers' can accept all these negative things and use them for their
personal growth without the negativity penetrating (entering) them; they do
not get spoilt, or even touched by it. With understanding and the natural,
loving detachment that comes from silence, they realise that the negative
person, or situation, in front of them is the Universe’s way of giving them
an opportunity to create a tiny, silent miracle in their lives. Quality
transformers become the spiritual roses in the Garden of Humanity: they
display all their beauty and provide inspiration for all those who see them.

‘Quality transformers' can be compared to the oyster. When a tiny foreign
particle invades (enters) the oyster’s home, it secretes a liquid that
combines with the particle to finally create a pearl. The pearl can live in
the oyster's home for the rest of the oyster's natural life without causing
any disturbance.

In the same way, rather than react negatively to people and events, we can
include them and mould with them. Through acceptance, our consciousness
jumps to another level of perception (understanding) and we realise that
what we might have previously regarded as a problem can, if handled
correctly, be a means to develop our strengths and remove our weaknesses.
Whether a situation is a problem or a gift depends on our perception. The
choice is ours.

Forgive To Forget

A key principle to remain light and stable in relationships is – ‘forgive *
and* forget’ - it’s a well-known principle – one that we sometimes find
difficult to practice. It can be modified to ‘forgive *to* forget’.
Sometimes we spend many years with so much bitterness inside us for a
particular person, with an inner violence of wanting to make the other ‘pay’
(emotions of revenge), the one who has supposedly hurt you. If you don’t
strike back immediately, you at least want to keep this ‘guilt card’ in your
pocket, to be pulled out at a later date: “Oh yes, well what about the time
when you….” We keep this bitterness inside us because we haven't forgiven. *It
does not resolve the situation; the only thing it does is increase our pain,
makes us heavy and does not let us remain in peace*.  So the key is *that if
we do not forgive, we cannot forget.* When someone has offended or insulted
us, the last thing we want to do is to let it go. And yet, if our desire is
to have a healthy, lasting relationship, that is exactly what we’ve got to
do.

Sometimes, when it is a question of a broken relationship, it is not only a
matter of forgiving the other, but of forgiving yourself for having allowed
yourself to enter that experience. It was you that took the step to allow
that experience to be entered into. If you hadn't taken that step, you
wouldn't have had that experience. You accepted that challenge, that
relationship, and what might happen in it – you were aware of the
possibilities when you entered in the relationship. *So not only do you have
to learn to forgive the other, but also to forgive yourself* in such
situations. Only then will you be able to forget.

*What Is And What Is Not ‘Real’ Happiness?

Real happiness is not an external stimulation by watching an action movie or
eating out or buying a new dress; it is not the result of acquiring
something – whether it be a new car or a position, or of receiving some good
news.  True happiness is not relief from suffering – whether from an illness
or a difficult situation, nor is it the achievement of a goal – whether
personal or professional.  All these are externally dependent, where
happiness is confused with *stimulation, excitement, achievement,
acquisition *or *relief*.   *Happiness is not all of these. *You also know
that happiness is not a future promise.  It can only be experienced now.
So what is spiritual happiness - perhaps a better way to describe *spiritual
happiness is contentment*.   This comes from a complete *awareness* and *
acceptance* *of the self* as we are now at an internal level, and an
acceptance of 'what is' at an external level. Sounds difficult? The highest
happiness is bliss which can be experienced only when the soul/self is
totally free of all attachment and dependency.  Sounds even more difficult?
But this is *a spiritual understanding and definition of 'happiness',* which
is not difficult to accept and make a part of our life, once there is a deep
*understanding* and *absorption* of spiritual knowledge, but spiritual
knowledge which is accurate and complete in all aspects. Spiritual happiness
is a direct result of spiritual knowledge. Without complete knowledge of the
self, one cannot remain ‘ever and truly happy’ (happy as per the definition
above).

Anger Management And Prevention

As you increase your self-awareness, you will also see how your anger
begins with a moment of irritation towards a person or situation. If you
then give attention to that irritation by replaying or revising the event in
your mind, which is like giving water to a plant, it will grow into
frustration. And if you water the frustration, it will grow into anger,
which, in turn, will develop into rage.

Don't suppress and don't express your anger. What's left? Transform
(change). The transformation of anger requires you to realize the root cause
of your emotional pain. The realization comes by understanding deeply the
self or the soul. When you see the cause it gives you a choice a) to stop
creating it or b) continue creating it. Unfortunately, although many see why
they cause their own anger and acknowledge responsibility for their
creation, they continue to keep getting angry. They find many ways of
justifying their anger. They have an 'anger addiction'. They are
angerholics.

Are you ready to see the root cause? Do you want to make new choices? Isn’t
it time to break your emotional addiction?

Symptoms Of Stress

*When we feel stressed our difficulty tends to be reflected in certain
physiological (physical) and psychological (mental) symptoms, whose
importance we may not fully understand. These are normal signs that we
should re-check our priorities – our body, or our state of mind, is telling
us that something in our lives needs to change. Listed here are some of the
common signs:

*1. Restlessness **- We could have difficulty sitting still for even short
periods of time and we may play with our hands, play with our thumbs or play
with the rings on our fingers. *
*
2**.** Impatience And Short-temperedness** - We could find ourselves
becoming angry at any moment for simple reasons; or we may snap at people,
too quick to assume that they are accusing us.

3**.** Obsessive Working** – Overworking can be a stress symptom, although
stress can also cause some people to work very little.*
*
4. Loss Of Appetite** - Food doesn't interest us anymore. Either we don't
eat, or we over-eat junk food, or whatever is in the cupboard or fridge.*
*
5. Fear Of Silence** - Silence may cause us discomfort, so that we
"over-talk" when with other people or leave on the radio or television when
alone. Sometimes we may not tolerate noise at all.*

Understanding The True Self And The False Self

Meditation is an attempt to find the true self. It is this self which holds
the identity of what I am, an identity which, when realized, gives *
fulfillment* and *direction* to our life. This is what we call the
consciousness of 'I am', which emerges in meditation when there is
concentration on the present and we focus on the now of 'I am', rather than
the past, or the future (‘I was', or 'I will be').

To remind us of this state, we use the word 'OM', which means 'I am a soul',
the spiritual identity that acts as a key to human consciousness. As we find
and realize the true self through meditation, we become aware of the false
self and how deeply embedded it is in our lives, both in our way of thinking
and being.

When we understand this illusory (false) self then we can begin the process
of dissolving its negative effects on the original or true self.
In tomorrow's message, we will discuss some of these illusions and their
negative effects on our personality.
The illusory (false) self is made up of desires that, even when fulfilled,
fail to add value, or a sense of worth to the self. In fact, quite the
opposite process happens.

Let us examine some of these illusions and how they give us a mistaken sense
of value.

*Illusion (False emotion):* Ego

*Thought:* I know, I am

*Result:* Arrogance, inflexibility, controlling others

*Illusion (False emotion):* Anger

*Thought:* I expect

*Result: *Force, aggression

*Illusion (False emotion): *Attachment

*Thought: *I own, It's mine

*Result: *Insecurity, possessiveness, jealousy

*Illusion (False emotion): *Greed

*Thought: *I want, I need

*Result: *Emptiness, wanting, dissatisfaction

*Illusion (False emotion): *Lust

*Thought: *I desire

*Result: *Exploitation, misuse, emotional dependence

These are the five fires that burn away the quality of human life:
uncontrolled emotions that once, in their original pure state, gave
happiness and peace to the individual but now create only emptiness and
sorrow.

Going Beyond

If the *quality of my thoughts *can influence my physical health, the
atmosphere around me and my relationships, it will definitely *affect my
relationship with God*. Unlike physics in which dissimilar forces (positive
and negative) attract each other, the basic principle of spirituality is
that similar forces attract each other. *If my mind is caught up in cycles
of negativity, the dissimilarity between me and God will create distance
between me and Him.* With the awareness of being a soul, a being of
spiritual energy, spiritual light, I begin to have a certain amount of
mastery over my own thoughts and their quality. Also, the process of
finishing negativity is accelerated. Just stepping away from the limited
consciousness of the body and bodily connections (not leaving them) stops
negative thinking in the same way as by just putting a switch on, a light is
turned on and darkness finishes.

If explorers had never ventured beyond their home countries, they would have
remained firm in the belief that the rest of the world simply didn't exist.
In the same way, *if I allow myself to stay only within the physical and
limited sphere of thinking, then I would declare that there is nothing
beyond. *It is when I make the effort to go outside the boundaries of my
previous thinking, that I have the chance of discovering more. The quest for
a source of love, truth and beauty – the Supreme eventually brings me to the
necessity of looking beyond not only my own body, but also other human
beings and matter itself. *Through the practice of seeing the self as an
eternal soul and disciplining my mind I create the possibility of
discovering the existence and nature of God and having a deep relationship
with that One.*

Mind, Intellect And Personality

**Just as electrical energy produces heat, sound or light depending on the
device through which it passes, similarly, the energy of consciousness
functions through three different but closely connected entities, the *mind*,
*intellect* and *personality*.
*The Mind*
With the power of the mind, one imagines, thinks and forms ideas.  The
non-physical mind should not be confused with the heart, the physical organ
that maintains blood circulation.
*
The Intellect*
The intellect understands, reasons, memorizes, discriminates and makes
decisions. The non–physical intellect should not be confused with the
physical brain, which is the physical focus of the nervous system.
*
The Personality *
Habits and sanskaras are all embedded in the soul in the form of impressions
as a result of every action performed. The most fundamental feature of every
soul, its personality, is determined by such stored impressions.

Observing But Not Absorbing

To observe means we take a new, appropriate mental position in whatever
situation, or in whatever relationship, we find ourselves. *Observation is a
silent skill — a skill we need to learn if we are to assess clearly* *what
positive changes are needed to be made in the self in a particular situation
or relationship*.

If we fail to learn this art of observing, we are likely to react and absorb
ourselves in the negativity of the person, or event. We get lost in the
quicksand of 'what's wrong?' which prevents us from putting things right.  As
we absorb and fill ourselves with negative  emotion,  we  become  heavy and
remain helplessly rooted  to  the ground.  The gravity of overload does not
allow us to rise above a situation and to understand the reality of what is
happening. As a result, we lose perspective and overreact.
If we wish to understand how the mental position of observation gives us the
power of perspective, we can look at the example of the bird and the ant.
The ant, extremely busy, running here and there, scrambling over everything
in its rush to find and collect food, will see only what is in front of its
nose. The bird, on the other hand, leaves the earth and, as it flies higher
and higher, starts to see the bigger picture, compared to when it was on the
ground, or on the branch of a tree. Seeing the whole picture, it has a
completely different perspective. It is only then that it can truly see
where to go and what to do. When we get absorbed in a situation or
relationship, we lose perspective, we are like the ant, we get too involved
in the details, missing the 'obvious', and cannot imagine, or think of other
possibilities.

Self-Empowerment

To strengthen the self we need to realize and review our weaknesses or
those aspects of life that are holding us back in some way and/or are
causing us some sorrow or discomfort. The next step is to use techniques of
meditation to remove these weaknesses.*
*To know your weaknesses, perform the following exercise: **
*A. Remember the negative times in your life, when you experienced failure.
What was the common weakness present in your behaviour at those times?
B. What are the negative or destructive trends in your behaviour because of
which you or others experience pain or sorrow?
C. Sometimes certain traits or behaviour of others can arouse a negative
response in us. What is that negative response?
D. What are you most frightened of?
E. Now review your answers and summarize.  *What are your three main
weaknesses?*

Comparing Atom And “Atma"

The knowledge of the laws of the physical universe is based on the atomic
theory. The atom is seen to be a point-source of energy, and different
energy levels and vibrations between neighboring atoms give the appearance
of form, color and heat.  It has been established that the entire material
world we see around us as a variety of forms and colors, light and heat, is
formed of these point sources of physical energy or atoms. The most
beautiful scene in nature is merely a pattern of energy waves and
vibrations. The sense organs select the vibrations and relay a message to
the mind where all images are formed. The eyes see some of these patterns as
light forms and colors, the nose pick up odors. In the same way sounds,
tastes and sensations are detected and all of these are transmitted to the
mind.

Atomic theory appeared originally in Greece and in India. The English word
"atom" came from the Greek word "atomos" meaning "indivisible". This word is
similar to the Hindi word "atma" which means "self" or "soul" and refers to
the conscious energy of the human as being an indivisible and un-destroyable
point of non-physical light.
The human body is also a complex pattern of physical energies. Atomic
particles build together to form the organic structures and inorganic
minerals which perform the body's chemical interactions, thus forming the
basis of the hormonal and nervous control of the body. What we see as old or
young, ugly or beautiful, male or female, is also the effect of these
differing levels of physical energies between neighboring atoms. However
marvelous a machine the body may be, it is the presence of the soul which
makes it function.
*One of the basic differences between souls and atoms is that while souls
can exercise choice of their movements, where and when to go somewhere,
atoms cannot obviously exercise such choice.* In a way you could say that a
soul is a point-source of spiritual energy that has awareness of its own
existence. Atoms do not. 

Exercises of Silence

Exercises of silence help you concentrate your mind and intellect, and go
within yourself to recover the positive and eternal energies. With the
appropriate concentration of the mind and intellect towards your
constructive inner forces of peace, love and happiness, you can strengthen
yourself. Being strong means staying positive when faced with negative
situations, peaceful when everything around you is chaotic: in other words,
not being influenced negatively but influencing the situation with your
positivity. When you stay calm in your inner power of peace, you can
transmit this to others and help them to calm themselves. When you begin
exercises of silence, concentrate primarily on peace. This is the basis of
the practice, as when there is inner balance and harmony it is easier to
build over these the other values love, happiness, truth and sincerity. The
experience of deep peace calms you, clarifies you and fills you with energy
to think and act positively and achieve your purpose that you have set for
yourself.

Visualization

Visualization consists of creating positive images by means of the ability
to imagine, and in this way reinforce positive thoughts and strengthen your
will to achieve positively what you affirm for yourself in your mind. With
visualization you manage to intensify experiences of positive affirmations
and self-motivation, and it also helps you to specify and clarify your
goals. The basic principle of using images in our mind is to act as if the
desire we have in our mind has already been achieved. If we place images of
success, health, wellbeing or inner peace in our mind, these will
materialize in positive situations and experience, and this image of success
will become real in our lives. 

Conscious Disassociation

A useful method for transforming habits is that of conscious
disassociation. This involves avoiding the situations that give rise to the
habit occurring automatically. For example, if you often smoke after a
coffee, you have to make sure there is no coffee. By breaking your habit,
you will be less likely to have a craving to smoke. Instead of your habitual
coffee, you can create a new pattern and have a cup of herbal tea and sit
down to think or read, instead of smoking.

Positive Affirmations

"Today I will experience peace through positivity. I will see what is good
in others and will not think about what is negative or harmful. I will see
others in the way I would like them to see me."

"From now on I will not judge others".

"Today I will speak peacefully and share peace with everyone around me. I
must speak as softly as I can."

"Today I will make the past the past and look towards the future with a new
vision."

"Today I will not react angrily. I will stay calm and in peace and will not
sacrifice this for anyone or any situation. I must not allow anything or
anyone rob me of my peace."

For the affirmation to be effective, we must repeat it to ourselves often,
so that it becomes recorded in our subconscious. It is also important to
proclaim the affirmations with feeling, believing in them and not in a
monotonous and impersonal voice. As a minimum, you should repeat each
affirmation at least five times a day. If we listen to something repeatedly,
we begin to believe in it. In reality, this is the origin of the majority of
our beliefs, when as children we heard our parents tell us things over and
over again. Advertising uses this technique constantly. They create a
phrase, a slogan, and repeat it over and over again in the media until,
finally, people believe it. To be able to control your life, first you must
know and dominate your beliefs. One way of doing this is through
affirmations.