Ah, Ch 7....one of my favorite things...:hug3: :hug:

I think 'affirmations' (like 'prayer') can/will only 'work' to change the configuration of the lattice of existing probability-patterns, the 'work' if a person at some level believes that what is 'affirmed' or 'prayed for' something which is not only possible but that what is presently being encountered/suffered/endured is not really what is best/right for oneself (and/or others), IOW that what is 'affirmed' or 'prayed for' would really be 'gooder' or 'better'. :smile:

They may/can/will 'work' to change a person's attitude, situation, 'destiny' etc. if said person 'sees' that his or her present pattern is really undeserved and, if it ever was 'deserved', no longer serves a 'good' purpose. Hence the importance of repentance and self-forgiveness in relation to any negative 'judgments' one may harbor in relation to oneself. Hence (IMO) the importance of including 'forgiveness' part "Our Father who art in heaven, blah-de-bah, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, blah-de-blah" in the 'prayer' that Jesus recommended.

Thought reinforced by feeling 'affirmations' can 'work' practically instantaneous changes as desired (though, in my case, it usually requires repetition and deeper and deeper and deeper mental and emotional realizations for said changes to fully unfold and blossom, and the process never ends).

In the case where 'rituals', 'talismen', mantric 'prayers' and 'affirmations' and the like don't work, especially if they 'ring' 'hollow' when practiced or thouht, felt and said, I would suggest (introspectively) looking for possible reasons why one began to think, feel and believe and so now continues to think, feel and believe that the 'condition' one wishes to change 'organically' took root and gave rise to the present 'pattern' of/in one's being. If such root-conditioning isn't revisited and altered (re-assessed) as one 'relives' the sequence(s) of events involved in such conditioning, no amount of 'affirmation' or 'prayer' will 'work' (or these will only work in minor but still quite patter-change-limited-and-limiting ways) since the pattern of the 'energy' that is doing the affirming/praying is self-reinforcing - that is the nature of what is meant by conditioning.

This is why abject 'confession' (it can be to one's own 'higher' self as long as one image-ins and so actually experiences 'acceptance' and 'forgiveness' in said regards) can be so empowering.

Of course, such matters can also get pretty convoluted as a result of What I call) false 'guilt' (or 'condemnation') one experiences as a result of one's having unrealistically high standards and expectations, hence negative 'judgments', of oneself as a human. This is where conversation engagement with someone who is has a deeper (more balanced?) intersubjective understanding of the human condition may be useful, even necessary, for their to be a spiritual healing, a spiritually 'healthy' wisdom-regeneration, of one's energy pattern.

Of course, none of this will be of any avail if one can't or for some other reason chooses not to believe that 'health' (hence happiness!) is Life's natural condition (and 'illness', including any kind of 'self'-deprecation, is an unnatural one). In that case, one might as well just go on being 'self'-flagellating and 'self'-rejecting.

The translation by Shri Purohit Swami, which I personally found spoke most clearly to 'me' :D , is out of print. It is in the public domain, however (copyright has expired I'm pretty sure), so I typed it up and pdf'd it. Here a link to the entirety of it for anyone interested:

https://davidsundom.weebly.com/uploa...65474/gita.pdf

Yes I also love reading Nisargadatta and Ramana Maharshi, and also Osho, I just connect with them.

Oh, how I wish people knew Rajneesh like I did....nice words, tho...
he could say some nice words.

'Revolver'....one of my favorite movies....I may have told you that before! :smile:

mmm, i can't remember, but I'll have a look at the movie,thanks Miss Hepburn.:hug3:

Thank you for sharing the link - I have it open on my laptop and will be reading it as and when.

A series of synchronicities led me to start this book. It has been popping up the last few weeks, almost telling me to read it, and it is right up my street :)

Excellent. I look forward to any comment you might make about it.

Thanks for the link Gem. I have a few other books on the way.

In particular I am drawn to '81 - Root cause of fear - Page 302'