What have you been unwittingly telling your subconscious? "I'm not good enough," "I can't win," "There isn't enough (whatever) to go around," "I can't find a romantic partner," "There isn't enough business," "There's a scarcity of jobs," "I can't find what I want." These conclusions are instructions to the subconscious, and it must act on them.

There's an old saying, "Energy flows where attention goes." Wherever your attention is, whatever you've been focusing on, the subconscious will create a mold for that belief and make it real. It doesn't matter whether you've been concentrating on what you want, or what you don't want, a desire or a fear. The subconscious can't discern between positive or negative emotion. It simply recognizes the force of the energy, associates it with the image or concept you're dwelling on, and thinks, "They must want this or else they wouldn't have spent so much time thinking about it." Energy (emotion) plus image (concept) equals result (your experience).

The subconscious is also quite literal. I tell smokers that they need to keep their attention on their desired result. Instead of focusing on quitting smoking, they need to keep thinking about being a nonsmoker. I've known many people who have quit smoking, only to begin again a few weeks or months later because their stated goal was to "Quit smoking." Once they'd stopped, their subconscious figured, "Okay, we've achieved that goal. Now let's start smoking again so that we get to accomplish it again."

The same is true for weight reduction. So many people focus on releasing a certain amount of weight, only to regain it again. Their attention was on the activity of reduction instead of eating and exercising for the weight they wanted to be. The subconscious is only doing what it thinks you want. You have to be specific and focus on the end result instead of the steps to get there. The steps are necessary to break the objective down into goals that can be readily accomplished.

This principle applies to every aspect of your life. Do you want a greater income? Instead contemplating the lack of money (which the subconscious perceives to be your aim), fill your mind with the amount you want and how your life will change. If you want a relationship, instead of complaining there you can't meet anyone you like (the subconscious will make sure you don't), realize that there are countless number of people to choose from.

If you need to break your objective into attainable steps, that's fine. Just keep your mind on the eventual goal. What do you need to change to achieve it? For instance, a smoker needs to develop new coping skills, as does anyone reducing weight. For greater abundance, do you need to become more visible and network? For a relationship, find ways to meet people of like mind.

Answer: I understand your concern about the subconscious understanding affirmations in a foreign language, but there shouldn't be any problem with it doing so. The language of the subconscious is imagery, and your ability to understand English is also in the subconscious (as is everything else you've ever learned). If you didn't understand English, then there would be a problem.

In my private hypnotherapy practice, I've worked with many people who have English as their second language. I generally give the suggestion (to everyone), that "Your subconscious mind hears and understands everything I say." Their subconscious mind translates what I've said into information that they understand. If you find yourself putting too much effort into comprehending the affirmation, then you might want to translate it. Or just state, "My subconscious understands every word of this affirmation."

Most of us have been exposed to some sort of toxic shame, and carry it with us. This shame prevents us from living up to our potential, accepting ourselves, and accepting all the good Life has to offer us. The author examines these issues, to give the reader a deep understanding on how shame formed, different ways it manifests (such as panic attacks, addictions, and compulsions), and steps to take to resolve the problem.

This book isn't just one of theory and information. It includes meditations, exercises, new behaviors to practice, and affirmations. Different methods of healing are explained and demonstrated. Anyone who grew up in a dysfunctional home, or who absorbed a sense of shame would benefit from reading this valuable source.