Affirmations didn’t get popular until about the 19th century with the New Thought Movement. From there, a psychologist named Claude Steele proposed the theory of self-affirmation. This theory suggests that affirmations can help individuals maintain a positive self-image and protect their self-integrity, especially in situations where their sense of self is threatened.
Affirmations aren’t just some spiritual theory; science has actually studied affirmations thoroughly and has shown that affirmations can change the way you think and feel.
Proven benefits of affirmations:
- Can help boost confidence
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Improve overall well-being
- Can help you achieve your goals by keeping you focused and motivated
The key to affirmations is that you repeat them on a consistent basis. If you haven’t worked with affirmations, at first, it can feel a bit awkward, but if you remain open to it, you can see significant changes in the quality of your life over time.
If you join our weekly cacao ceremonies when Ayana leads, she asks everyone to speak their intention into their cup. Words have power. Water is said to hold the vibrations that surround it, and whether you use water or alternative plant milk, water is present in your cup of cacao. The cacao then becomes charged with those words, and each sip grounds that intention even more into the body, the mind, and the soul.
Cacao & Affirmations Practice
Practicing affirmations as you take sips of cacao is one way to activate your rituals.
After preparing your favorite cup of Ora Cacao, get into a space where you won’t be interrupted for at least 20 minutes. You may wish to play some relaxing instrumental music in the background. Open up your ritual with prayer and gratitude, thanking the cacao and anything else that is present in you.
Then, take a few moments to reflect on what affirmation would most serve you in this present moment. Here are a few examples:
- I am exactly where I need to be, right here, and right now
- I believe in myself, and I trust my inner wisdom
- I am safe, I am held, I am supported
- Abundance flows to me with ease and joy
Once you have 1-3 affirmations that you would like to incorporate into your life, before each sip, close your eyes, and speak an affirmation into your cup. Imagine that it gets infused with the vibration of that positive affirmation. Then, when you take a sip, envision how that affirmation, through the cacao, moves and infuses itself into your whole being. Repeat for each affirmation as many times as you’d like.
Helpful Tip: Affirmations can be potent in countering negative self-talk. If you have any recurring negative thoughts, write down what would be a positive counter to that, and work with that affirmation. A simple example would be taking the thought “I am not enough” to “I am enough.”
Now, it’s time for you to make a list of a few affirmations to increase your vibration and work with cacao to bring them deeper into your heart, mind, and soul.
