Series 1 - Lesson 1 - Annotation 15
What is affirmation?
15. Affirmation is making firm in consciousness that which is true of God and man; it is declaring as true in human experience that which is already true in Spirit.
An affirmation is a statement of Truth, spoken silently or audibly, or written for use by an individual. The word affirm comes from the Latin prefix af, an assimilated form of ad, meaning to add to or intensify, and firmare, meaning to make firm, stable. Affirmation is the claiming of what we believe (have faith) is already ours. If we have not felt our oneness with God and the spiritual principles, or laws of God, that we call divine ideas, we affirm in order to establish them as a conscious part of our mind or soul consciousness.
The constant repetition of Truth adds firmness to firmness, strength to strength, and causes a divine principle to become established in our subconscious (heart) or feeling nature. When both the conscious phase of mind (intellect, thinking faculty) and the heart (subconscious, feeling faculty) have accepted the truth behind the words of the affirmation, then the true meaning is established in our consciousness.
The power to affirm, to say "yes" to any idea, belief, or concept that comes to him, is a part of every man's divine heritage. However, too often man has misused his spiritual and mental powers and has affirmed or said "yes" to false beliefs and wrong concepts. By this wrong use of mind activity, he builds up a false standard that produces inharmony and discord in his mind, body, and affairs. For this reason we each need to be ever alert to affirm or say "yes" only to that which is true of us as a son of God; affirm only that which we desire to see manifest in our life. (See Lessons in Truth Lesson 5 Annotation 1 and the annotations that follow)
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Preceding Entry: Explain why it is necessary to pray believing that we have received.
Following Entry: How are we helped by affirming Truth?
