books that give affirmations

Recently, I visited Sally Hill's site, Tarot Affirmations. I know that James Ricklef has a book.

This evening, I pulled out my companion book, The Spirit of Herbs: A Guide to the Herbal Tarot and it has an affirmation for each card! Are there any others that give some? I'm thinking of making a set of index cards or a notebook with a sheet for each card to compile various takes.

(Why do I always get these urges when everyone is in bed and I can't tear the bookshelves apart?)

cardlady22 said:

Are there any others that give some? I'm thinking of making a set of index cards or a notebook with a sheet for each card to compile various takes.

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My book, Tarot for Your Self (both the 1984 version and the new edition), has sample affirmations for each card in the back.

A good way to generate personal affirmations is to ask of a card: "What are the qualities that you see in the card that you would most like to develop in yourself." Name several as fast as you can, then expand on a couple of them to make them more specific:

Generosity > generosity with discrimination, or being generous with my knowledge.

Turn negatives into positives:

Not being afraid > confident

Rather than using a form of the verb "to be" try and find an active verb. See if one of the words you've already written down can be used as a verb.

I am a joyous dancer > I dance my joy.

Then put together the strongest and most related ideas into a single affirmation. Say it aloud and feel inside if it is true. Be willing to modify it until it's just right.

I use this process with clients at the end of longer readings to help them devise their own 'prescription' to be said 3x/day. (They pick the one card from the reading that represents what they most want to develop in themselves and I take them through the process.) An individualized affirmation (especially when it represents an insight from a reading) tends to be more powerful than a general one.

Mary

Ok, I shall be stridently dumb and ask; what is an affirmation exactly?? And what does one do with them? Is it just "getting really positive" with a card?

I never know...

I follow the logic of Teheuti's post but is that an authentic affirmation in action?

In my mind, an affirmation is far more than a Positive (aka Trite) saying. It's a statement of intent, a tool of focus & power.

I want to see what other authors come up with and see if my thought is on the right track. (Ricklef's book has been shipped to me.)

An affirmation is a statement declaring that something is true. It came out of the New Thought/Positive Thinking philosophy.

Generally you say an affirmation 3x/day for about 21 days (there are lots of other suggestions how to use it).

Personally, I find that it helps me see where in my life it is true and where it is not true. It tends to help me put more focus on those places where it is true, or seek out where it's true, and, sometimes, if appropriate, to eliminate or minimize where it's not so. It can also help with decisions - which choice is most in alignment with my affirmation? For myself, I appreciate the awareness of my choices that some affirmations can bring. I also don't beat myself up for going contrary to an affirmation.

cardlady22 said:

It's a statement of intent, a tool of focus & power.

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Actually, it's generally not taken as an "intent." Most people who write about using affirmations have you take out the word "will" (I will . . .) from any statement, because it implies that what you are affirming is always in the future, just out of reach, and not in the present.

It affirms that something *is* so. You just have to recognize it and, in doing so, act in congruence with that perspective.

Of course, not everyone sees it this way. Some people do use "will" in their affirmations. It doesn't work for me as it always implies the indefinite future: "mañana, mañana."

Teheuti said:

Personally, I find that it helps me see where in my life it is true and where it is not true.

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Interesting... detecting where it rings hollow, I suppose. I like that approach, rather than blindly declaring that something is true and not daring to consider otherwise.

One of the entries at thefreedictionary is

2. Law The state of one's mind at the time one carries out an action.

~ * ~ * ~

Thank you, Teheuti. So, no using the "state of being" verbs or future tense.

And no negatives.

If you aren't doing something, then what are you doing instead?

Wisdom in the Cards by A. L. Samul has affirmations for every card. It's illustrated with the Hudes tarot but is not limited to that deck, I would think it could be used with most decks, particularly anything Rider-Waite inspired.

I've just had a quick look and the affirmations are really good, very relevant to everyday life and spiritual growth. Actally, after a slightly longer look, I think the whole book looks rather good, maybe I'll keep it within easy reach for a while, thanks for accidentally reminding me about it.