You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joseph Dispenza
Review by By Pat Weeks
Dr Joe Dispenza
I recently was looking at an issue of Unity Magazine and was intrigued by the cover article by Dr.Joseph Dispenza. The author states what we in Unity have always believed: that we shape our brain and body by the thoughts we think and the emotions we feel. You Are the Placebo combines the latest research in neuroscience, biology, psychology, hypnosis, behavioral conditioning, and quantum physics to demystify the workings of the placebo effect and show how the seemingly impossible can become possible.
I purchased this book and was fascinated by the author’s explanation that when we begin with a thought, its impact on our body (such as the number of stem cells and immunity-conferring protein molecules circulating in our bloodstreams) is physiological.
He, himself, began investigating the power of the body to heal itself when he had a terrible accident that shattered six of the vertebrae in his spine. His surgeon wanted to operate immediately, but Dr. Dispenza refused the operation. The surgeon never had anyone refuse this surgery. But Joe knew the surgery was dangerous and could have catastrophic results. He knew he had to put into practice his theoretical beliefs about the body possessing an innate intelligence with healing power. He used all his discipline to slowly rebuild his spine by visualization and complete belief that his body could heal itself. Despite dire predictions that he would never walk again, he tapped into the miraculous healing powers of the body and, over time, returned to a normal life with his spine totally healed. He then went on on a mission to gather scientific data and information to explain what he had done and to share it with other people – so that other people could repeat his so-called “miracle” for themselves.
He knew that renewal is intrinsic in our body’s healing powers, and that disease and degeneration are the exception and not the norm. Our bodies are not static, and the creation and destruction of neural connections is taking place constantly. Eric Kanel, a Nobel Prize recipient, discovered in the 1990s that the number of connections in a neural bundle can double with repeat stimulation. But, if we don’t use these neural connections, they can begin to shrink within three weeks.
Is it possible to heal by thought alone-without drugs or surgery? It happens more than we realize! In You Are the Placebo, the author shares numerous documented cases of those who reversed cancer, heart disease, depression, crippling arthritis, and even the tremors of Parkinson’s disease by believing in a placebo. Similarly, Dr. Dispenza tells of how others have gotten sick and even died the victims of a hex or voodoo curse-or after being misdiagnosed with a fatal illness. He says that belief can be so powerful that pharmaceutical companies use double- and triple-blind randomized studies to try to exclude the power of the mind over the body when evaluating new drugs. The book is full of fascinating case studies that are scientifically documented.
Dr. Dispenza does more than simply explore the history and the physiology of the placebo effect. He asks the question: “Is it possible to teach the principles of the placebo, and without relying on any external substance, produce the same internal changes in a person’s health and ultimately in his or her life?” He, himself, was astounded at some of the amazing healings that occurred in his workshops. He presented his model of personal transformation so that participants could apply them. Brain scans were done on the workshop participants as they put into practice what they had learned about the placebo effect. The results were astonishing as people began to experience amazing physiological changes.
He includes in the book at the end a “how-to” meditation for changing beliefs and perceptions that hold us back-the first step in healing. Once we understand how our bodies renew themselves, we can start to harness these physiological processes intentionally. The book offers a challenge to us to let go of the thoughts, feelings, and biological set points that have limited our past. We can reach for our highest potential and take inspired action-to become the placebo that creates a healthy and happy life.
This is a book that will always be on my shelf. I have purchased it for family members and friends undergoing healing challenges. It truly is life changing.