Briefly: from birth until approximately the age of 7 (a time period that traditional astrologers and occultists assign to the Moon), the wave rate of the brain (the hardware) is similar to that of a person under hypnosis (a state also assigned by astrologers and occultists to the Moon). Everything in the environment constitutes a "hypnotic" suggestion and is recorded, and these recordings (software) constitute the foundation for all behavioral patterns for the rest of the life. Recordings are constantly being played back...which one is playing at any one time depends on stimuli from the environment. If, for whatever reason, one wants to change the recordings, one must learn how to re-record the tape. Saying affirmations over and over is simply like talking to a tape recorder that is already playing. The tape recorder continues to play, regardless of what you are saying. One eventually becomes disheartened from the fact that one has invested all this time in speaking to the tape recorder without achieving any results. Instead...one must learn how to press stop. Then record. Then speak forth a new recording.
I'm not sure if I agree with this. Certainly, repeating self-help mantras and affirmations are not going to miraculously transform your life overnight. However, they can be put to good use when you are doing other things, over a long period of time, to re-Program yourself. I.e., they can be helpful re-Minders and re-in-forcers, but they are not the main course.
Don't underestimate the power of neuro-plasticity.
>> Don't underestimate the power of neuro-plasticity.
I don't. I make use of it all the time, and have changed even my physical structure in ways that most people could not credit even by an exercise of imagination.
I meant only that the study was simplistic. And it appears that you do not disagree with me on that point, given that you are lumping in affirmations, etc., with "other things", "over a long period of time."
Indeed it was, like most studies. One of the problems with the scientific method (particularly re: the "softer" sciences of Psych), IMNSHO, is that they isolate things for lab testing that aren't meant to be isolated, but rather part of a greater whole and holistic view of approaching things.
We are definitely on the same page re: the scientific method. I am as holistic as they come. I think all of the government funding for these bullshit academic studies should be pulled.
Some of the life-coaching folks, god bless them, are already onto this. There was one book - Losier's Law of Attraction that proposes a multi-step address towards affirmations that conflict with your beliefs. Like, say you want to get a job you like, but you have a dim view of that being possible. So you start off with, "Some people get jobs they like." And you think about what that's like or entails for people who aren't you, and then you move it around to being you.
This is also done in cognitive behavioral therapy, actually. It's called acting "as-if" and it's had some demonstrable success, where there aren't underlying issues of depersonalization/aliennation. Basically, you tell a shy person, not to think about not being shy, but to act like they weren't shy. So you don't have them threaten their personal self-conception, they just behave differently. And then, often, other people treat them like they're not shy, since they're not acting shy, and if they enjoy these interactions it becomes easier to pretend not to be shy, and etc. You get the idea. This also can work in couples counseling situations. You act like you appreciate the other person, and the other person acts like they appreciate you, and in some circumstances this goes a very long way to helping the relationship get back on its feet.
Authenticity is really funny. It feels so important - when one's authenticity is challenged, it can feel like murder - but at the same time, it's also kind of superfluous and sometimes can really be sidestepped.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-22 07:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-22 08:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 11:15 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 04:54 pm (UTC)Don't underestimate the power of neuro-plasticity.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 05:02 pm (UTC)I don't. I make use of it all the time, and have changed even my physical structure in ways that most people could not credit even by an exercise of imagination.
I meant only that the study was simplistic. And it appears that you do not disagree with me on that point, given that you are lumping in affirmations, etc., with "other things", "over a long period of time."
(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 05:35 pm (UTC)Indeed it was, like most studies. One of the problems with the scientific method (particularly re: the "softer" sciences of Psych), IMNSHO, is that they isolate things for lab testing that aren't meant to be isolated, but rather part of a greater whole and holistic view of approaching things.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 06:02 pm (UTC)it sure helps to be suggestible if you want to take suggestions
Date: 2009-06-23 05:53 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-22 07:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-22 08:34 pm (UTC)This is also done in cognitive behavioral therapy, actually. It's called acting "as-if" and it's had some demonstrable success, where there aren't underlying issues of depersonalization/aliennation. Basically, you tell a shy person, not to think about not being shy, but to act like they weren't shy. So you don't have them threaten their personal self-conception, they just behave differently. And then, often, other people treat them like they're not shy, since they're not acting shy, and if they enjoy these interactions it becomes easier to pretend not to be shy, and etc. You get the idea. This also can work in couples counseling situations. You act like you appreciate the other person, and the other person acts like they appreciate you, and in some circumstances this goes a very long way to helping the relationship get back on its feet.
Authenticity is really funny. It feels so important - when one's authenticity is challenged, it can feel like murder - but at the same time, it's also kind of superfluous and sometimes can really be sidestepped.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-06-23 08:16 am (UTC)http://powells.com/biblio/1-9780374531669-1