A while ago I read Dr. Joe Dispenza's book, "Becoming Supernatural", which was awesome. Because I liked it so much, I started reading his older book, "You are the Placebo". This particular book fascinated me because it showed proof that are thoughts, emotions, and subconscious beliefs create our reality. Dr. Joe always knew the power of our mind to heal or hinder us, but set out to document the physiological changes of how this happens in our brains. And he does it in layman terms so we can easily understand what he is talking about!
So many stories and clinical studies stirred in my mind as I was reading. One study in particular knocked my socks off. In 1981, A group of elderly men in their 70s and 80's were sent to a five day retreat organized by Harvard. Each of the participant's physiological measurements were taken to establish a baseline. The men were told to pretend that it was twenty two years earlier. The Harvard team transformed the environment to help these men "pretend". Old magazines of Life, Saturday Evening Post, TV shows, music, and movies that were popular in 1959 were used, as well as "current" event discussions; Fidel Castro, Khruschev, Mickey Mantle, etc. At the end of their retreat, several measurements were taken and compared to their baselines at the beginning.
A second group of men went the following week and were asked to only talk about being twenty two years younger. This group as well received baseline and post retreat measurements.
The research team made some startling discoveries. Both groups of men showed change in being physiologically younger. However, it was the first group of men who "pretended" to be twenty-two years younger who made significant improvements in a variety of areas; posture, weight, flexibility, hearing, memory, cognition, etc. I can only imagine how it astounded the men who participated, and the researches as well. For the men literally changed their physiological bodies with only the power of their imagination; thoughts, emotions and action.
When I finished this book I said, "WOW" to myself and then went to sleep. That night I had a dream that I was doing hands on healing on my son, Nick. I was deep in a trance state with my hands on his shoulders when a smiling Dr. Joe came over to us and said, "You did a good job of utilizing different tools and techniques to stimulate and heal his body and brain. They were good but it was the "Placebo effect" that healed him. YOU BOTH WERE THE PLACEBO."
At first I didn't realize what he meant. Then he showed me a screen where I viewed myself telling Nick, "Of course you are going to walk. When you are ready..." Different scenarios played on the screen. All of them showing me telling Nick positive outcomes to expect from whatever we were trialing. If I believed it, he believed it. If I thought "iffy" about it, he received "iffy" results. My thoughts and beliefs had a direct affect on my son's outcome. I looked back at Dr. Joe and said, "Oh my God, you are right. We have always been "The Placebo, together."
I wrote my upcoming book, No Stone Unturned: How My Special Needs Child and I Transformed Against All Odds to share what we did, and how we did it. Yes, I wrote about how our thoughts and beliefs matter, but Dr. Joe Dispenza really spells out WHY they matter, and has the proof to show it!
Debra Taubenslag, Author
No Stone Unturned: How My Special Needs Child and I Transformed Against All Odds