By James Harvey Stout (deceased). This material is now in the public domain. The complete collection of Mr. Stout's writing is now at http://stout.mybravenet.com/public_html/h/ >

Jump to the following topics:

1. What is self-talk?
2. We all use various types of self-talk.
3. How does self-talk work?
4. The techniques of self-talk.

What is self-talk? It is a verbal statement which we say (or think) in order to implant specific thoughts into our archetypal fields. It is one technique of "archetypal field-work," which also includes visualization, energy toning, and acting-as-if. (Self-talk is also called "affirmation.")

We all use various types of self-talk. While we might be skeptical of self-talk as a viable technique for changing our lives, we can consider some evidence that our words do have an effect:

1. Inner monologue. We are continually telling ourselves the meaning of things and events around us; the technique of self-talk is based upon the idea that the inner monologue affects our perceptions and our responses. Therefore, a change in that inner monologue will alter those perceptions and responses -- and our life in general.
2. Self-fulfilling prophecy. Our beliefs seem to affect our outcome.
3. Optimism. A general upbeat attitude seems to help some people in facing the challenges of life.

How does self-talk work? In every situation, we are dealing with archetypes. As we respond to an archetype -- with our thoughts, images, energy tones, and actions -- we leave an imprint in the field which surrounds that archetype. Later, when we encounter the archetype again, we tend to respond it on the basis of these previous elements, because the mind uses the elements as a reference to discern "How do I tend to respond to this situation?" (The reference is used to simplify the mind's operation, so that it does not have to totally improvise a response, but instead it can default to this template.) Thus, we tend to respond in the same way whenever we encounter that archetype. When we use the technique of self-talk, we intentionally implant specific thoughts into the archetypal field, so that those thoughts will be the ones which are used when we meet that archetype again; for example, if we create the self-talk statement, "I am patient," that thought will be present when we are in a circumstance in which we might otherwise be impatient. Ideally, we would refer to our intuition to generate thoughts, images, energy tones, and actions -- but, because we are often not aware of guidance from intuition, the mind uses these defaults -- the previously implanted thoughts -- to automatically formulate a response.

The techniques of self-talk. Self-talk statements are most effective when they comply with these guidelines, which are based upon the nature and dynamics of spirit, archetypes, and archetypal fields.

1. We can use the general guidelines which are in the chapter regarding archetypal field-work. To avoid redundancy, those guidelines are not repeated here.
2. We can combine the aspects of field-work. For example, while using self-talk, we can use:
   • Directed imagination. For example, while we say, "I am relaxed when speaking in front of groups," we imagine ourselves standing confidently at a podium.
   • The as-if principle. Whenever we act "as if," we can say self-talk statements to affirm the action which we are performing; for example, if we are acting as if we are peaceful, we can state, "I enjoy being relaxed" or "My body knows how to relax."  
   • Energy toning (i.e., emotions and feelings). We can use energy toning in various ways while saying self-talk statements:
     • We say the statements with the corresponding energy tone. For example, if we are stating, "I enjoy finding reasons to be happy," we intentionally generate the energy tone of happiness.
     • We use words which portray emotion. For example, the sentence, "I enjoy finding reasons to be happy," is more powerful than "I find reasons to be happy."
     • We enjoy the natural feeling of joy which arises when we use a well-designed self-talk statement. Naturally, we feel better when we say something which causes happiness; we are increasing the flow of our life-substance (i.e., spirit).
     • We say the statement with various energy tones. We are most likely to remember the thoughts which we implanted when we were in an emotional state resembling our current state; for example, when we are depressed, we tend to refer to the constellation which we traditionally use when we are depressed. (A constellation is a group of associated thoughts, images, energy tones, and physical habits.) Therefore, we need to implant our thoughts with a variety of energy tones, so that those thoughts will be the dominant constellation in any mood which might occur in the future.
     • We can sing or yell the self-talk statement, to express more emotion and feeling.
     • We are careful about our thoughts and spoken words when we are experiencing intense emotions, because we know that those thoughts will contain a significant charge of energy when they are implanted in our archetypal fields. At a later time, this undischarged energy will compel us to re-create the situation in order to release the energy; that process is called "karma." To minimize the harmful effect of this retained energy, we can associate it with a self-talk statement which is balanced and productive; for example, instead of saying, "I hate people who intrude on me," we can use that same energy to say, "I enjoy having secure ego boundaries."
     • We can use our body's physical energy. This energy is added to the thought-element if we say self-talk statements while we walk, dance, exercise, clean our home, or perform other movements -- particularly if we say the words in the rhythm of those movements.
3. We are specific. We might use the statement, "I feel good," but there might be more benefit in specific statements, e.g., "I enjoy the feeling of life in my body" or "I find pleasure when I am with other people."
4. We use short, simple statements. We use only one idea in each self-talk statement. For example: "There is power in everything I do," not "There is power and energy in all the activities I perform, and so I am effective at work and in my social activities."
5. We speak in positive terms. For example: "I am grateful for the things I have," not "I no longer hate my second-rate possessions." If we repeat the second statement, the archetypal fields do not consider the double negative (hating an undesired thing); instead, they record and reinforce those second-rate possessions by implanting thoughts, images, and energy tones regarding them.
6. We are direct. We say, "I enjoy expressing myself," not "I want to express myself" or "I will try to express myself" or "I should express myself."
7. We can use the global phrase "I am [a particular quality]." Self-talk statements are very powerful if they start with this phrase; e.g., "I am happy" or "I am content." Because these statements deal with the ego (or, more precisely, our self-concept, which is a sub-constellation of the ego constellation), they transcend any particular archetypal field, to affect us favorably in every archetypal situation.
8. We are not competitive. For example: "I do well in job interviews," not "I am better than other people in job interviews." The first statement is more effective, for various reasons:
   • The mind works best when it is focusing its own power. Our energy is concentrated and focused.
   • If we are competitive, our elements of aggression will trigger reciprocal elements in other people, creating a wasteful conflict.
9. We are unconditional. For example, we say, "I love my son, Bill," not "I love my son, Bill, even when he is a brat."
10. We vary the words. Variations are useful because (1) they prevent boredom after we have repeated a statement hundreds of times, and (2) they allow us to test the effectiveness of particular statements. Those variations can include:
    • The person. For example:
      • First person. "I enjoy my life."
      • Second person. "You enjoy your life" -- referring to yourself. When we use the second person, we can pretend that someone is saying these statements to us.
      • Third person. "He enjoys his life" -- referring to yourself. When we are using the third person, we can pretend that someone is talking about us.
      • Our name. "Jim enjoys his life."
      • A combination. "I, Jim, enjoy my life."
    • The arrangement of words. For example, we might experiment with the phrase, "Life has many pleasures," and then we can try, "I find many pleasures in life."
    • Rhyme and rhythm. If we say the statement with interesting rhymes and rhythms, we will remember it more easily, and we will engage the right hemisphere (which might be more receptive to the statement).
    • Different approaches to the same thought. Generally, we say a statement in a straight-forward, present-tense format: "I like who I am." But we can also use variations:
      • Future tense. "I will like whom I am." It is most important for us to say the statement in the present tense, to affirm its reality now -- but we can also use the future tense, to generate optimism for the future; i.e., we like ourselves now, and we will continue to like ourselves.
      • Past tense. "I liked myself." Sometimes our past is too painful to review because we remember only the unpleasant moments; this pain cuts us off from our heritage, and our learning experiences, and our pleasant memories. Surely there were occasions when we did like ourselves. In fact, self-love is our natural state (based upon the dynamics of spirit); it is only our dysfunctional thoughts, images, energy tones, and actions which block that experience of self-love.
      • Cancellations. We might need to use wording which "cancels" specific mental habits; for example, if we frequently say, "I don't deserve to be liked," then we probably won't have much success with the statement, "I like myself," because we already have a constellation which has established the idea that we don't deserve to be liked. (Logically, how could we like ourselves if we don't deserve to be liked?) Therefore, we need to cancel the previous statement, with a statement that "I deserve to be liked." Similarly:
        • The idea that "I don't have the right to like myself" is changed to "I have the right to like myself."
        • The idea that "I can't like myself" is changed to "I can like myself."
        • The idea that "Liking oneself is vanity" is changed to "Liking oneself is a healthy form of self-love."