Gabriel Mandelblum

Professor Doran

3/20/17

ENC 2135

Project Two Research Paper

In the age of information that we have found ourselves in today,

we have the disposable power at our fingertips to absorb any and all

knowledge found throughout the world. Despite this fact, we have

turned tools such as the Internet, social media, and cellular devices

against ourselves. These instruments, originally created to connect

one another, have only become a catalyst for the alienation,

separation, and superficial tendencies present in todays culture.

People now derive their own value from the amount of likes a picture

receives and the followers they have acquired. We no longer talk to

each other, but rather about each other. We find solace in broadcasting

our problems to the world via social media rather than speaking one on

one in hopes of kindling a unique connection. This outward search for

happiness satiates only an ephemeral and fleeting feeling of

contentment. True and lasting happiness is only found within; between

the chaos of each unconscious thought. Our culture, latent with

distractions of all kinds, keeps us from realizing our true potential.

Christopher Wolsko states in his article Transcribing and Transcending

the Ego, The voice of ones actual self as a force of growth can be
drowned out by schemes imposed by society and by people in ones

life. We live our days dictated by our five senses and outside

influences, but in truth there is so much more to life than what our

eyes can perceive. Through the act of meditation and the

implementation of positive directed thoughts, an individual has the

ability to completely restructure their physical, mental, and business

lives positively.

At the root of todays issues lies the fact that most of us, myself

included, essentially sleep walk through life. We are constricted by our

fears, subconscious mind, and unconscious thoughts that corrupt our

true potential. Since birth, our culture, school, religion, parental figures,

and peers have knowingly or unknowingly projected their beliefs on to

each and every one of us. At a young age, our fragile and easily

manipulated minds perceived those projections as absolute truths.

M.C. Opperman describes this constant cycle as The Hypnotic

Blueprint (Roets 3). Opperman states, The Blueprint is an

accumulation of all subconscious conclusions formed over time, which

the psyche repressed and banished into the borders of the

subconscious. Other incidents through life reinforce the Blueprint.

(Roets 3). After years of continuous bolstering of the original outside

projection via other traumatic instances, the individuals subconscious

mind begins to identify its sense of self with the original Hypnotic

Blueprint. Thus the ego is born, which is a false sense of self.

Opperman explains that when the original Blueprint is triggered it

starts to operate in the persons life, attracting the circumstances that

best replay the original trauma on a symbolic level. (Roets 3). At a

young age, an individual lacks the mental strength to perceive an

event correctly. Which is where thought distortions occur. Over time,

the Hypnotic Blueprint in addition to outside influences that feed it,

becomes a magnet that continuously attracts occurrences that verify

the blueprint /ego/ false sense of self (Opperman and Roets 3). For the

individual, their life becomes a reflection of the false reality they

unintentionally created. Therefore, when a traumatic experience such

as bullying occurs at a young age, an individual could very well derive

himself or herself from the repetitive abuse; I was bullied therefore I

am not good enough. This kind of self-talk is what solidifies low self-

esteem in our youth, and could very well be the cause of the absurd

rate of adolescent suicide today.

David Hecht states in his article The Neural Basis of Optimism

and Pessimism, Pessimistic thoughts and the ego are naturally

associated with the physiological activity in neural networks within the

RH (175). Through extensive research, Hecht actually pinpointed that

these negative thought patterns stem from the right hemisphere of the

brain (RH). In addition, he found that if positivity does not come

naturally, it is still achieved through conscious and mindful effort, and

this process involves the left hemisphere (Hecht 173). In conclusion,

the inadvertent creation of the ego or false sense of reality serves no

purpose other than to keep us trapped in our fears; completely

immobilized to growth in any capacity. The ego perpetuates suffering

that serves no purpose, and is in fact not real. The upside to this reality

is that since this brand of suffering is a figment of our imagination, we

have the power to change it and replace it with thoughts directed to

initiate growth in ways never previously conceptualized.

The solution to this pandemic of the mind all starts with

awareness. An individual must be in a relaxed state of mind, where

their alertness is at its peak in order to recognize the unconscious

thought patterns that previously dictated their life. Eckhart Tolle states

in his book The Power of Now, We are not our thoughts. Yet we tend to

associate ourselves with our thoughts this is a common error. To

equate our thinking with our being is to live in a separation (14). One

must take a back seat, and observe the internal dialogue that occurs in

their head in order to locate the thoughts that no longer serve them, or

are simply negative in their polarity. This method is commonly referred

to as meditation. In a study conducted by F. Isil Bilican in the article

The Relationship Between Focused Attention Meditation Practice

Habits, Psychological Symptoms, and Quality of Life, data concluded

that there are direct correlations to the implementation of meditation

and improved physical health, psychological well being, and quality of

life (1980). Transcendental meditation, which is a branch of Focused

Attention meditation, gives students a mantra and teaches them how

to use it mentally without effort which allows the mind to settle to

pure consciousness (Bilican 1990). At this pure consciousness level,

Transcendental Meditation was shown to significantly reduce blood

pressure 30% decrease in cardiovascular mortality and 49 %

decrease in the rate of mortality due to cancer (Bilican 1981). In

addition to these remarkable health benefits, Transcendental

Meditation is also responsible for the improvement of Inspection Time,

Constructive Thinking Inventory, Test for Creative Thinking Drawing

Production, and State Trait Anxiety Inventory compared to the control

test subjects (Bilican 1991). Not only does meditation, especially

Transcendental Meditation, have amazing beneficial qualities, it has

also been found to be intrinsic in the growth of business

In a study conducted by Jane Schmidt Wilk, the state of inner

wakefulness with no one object of thought or perception, just pure

consciousness aware of its own unbounded nature which is the result

of practicing Transcendental Meditation was observed in a group of 21

successful entrepreneurs who were long term Transcendental

Meditation practitioners (Schmidt Wilk 196). The results were both

qualitative and quantitative in nature. The subjects recorded a

development of an inner sense of unshakeability; an ability to remain

calm under pressure, anchored in a strong core of inner happiness

and fulfillment, the sense of being attuned to a greater wholeness,

and gained a different perspective, perceiving events and

circumstances from a broader standpoint (Schmidt Wilk 203). In

addition, 57 % of the companies observed had a 11-30 % annual

growth rate, and 36 % had a 31- 100+ % annual growth rate (Shmidt

Wilk 200). These results are extremely encouraging because in the

near future I hope to be in the position that the entrepreneurs

observed in this study are currently in today. Once the individual has

located and recognized the thought patterns that do not serve them

any longer, and have forgiven their past, that individual is now in the

right headspace to begin implementing directed thoughts in order to

positively restructure their lives.

Granted, removing archaic thought patterns that an individual might

not even know are dictating their lives is a task all in of itself. Yet, the

other side of this supreme detachment is pure bliss. No one truly

knows how the unconscious dialogue that occurs in ones mind affects

their lives until they have taken a back seat and simply observed it

take place. Although it might sound strange, or difficult, the act of just

observing the dialogue or self talk within, an individual may then come

to the realization that they are not what they think, and that their

thoughts are only a minuscule aspect of their holistic intelligence. So

after an individual detaches from these destructive and negative

thoughts, they can implement beneficial intentions and positive

thoughts. In a study conducted by Anja Achtziger found in the article

Implementation Intentions and Shielding Goal Striving From Unwanted

Thoughts and Feelings, the effect of implementing intentions and the

shielding of goal striving from unwanted thoughts and feelings were

observed. The results actually proved to enhance the rate of goal

attainment (Achtziger et al. 381). Implementation intentions are

formed to support the realization of goals intentions by specifying

when, where, and how goal directed responses should be initiated

(Achtziger et al. 381). In the study, two separate subject groups were

observed. In the first group, their ability to reduce snack food

consumption was observed, and in the second group, their athletic

performance in a tennis match was observed. In both studies, the rate

of attaining their goal were significantly enhanced after the

implementation intention was formed aimed at shielding their

respected goals from negative inner states (Achtziger et al. 389). The

study essentially found that when an individual can ignore the

thoughts that corrupt their original goal, then focus on the end goal,

their success rate was close to double of the control subjects who

completed the same tasks. At the surface level, this study exemplifies

the clich, mind over matter. An individuals mind can be either their

best weapon or their worst hindrance.

In a study found in the article Dimensions in and their

implications conducted by Bernard Grad, an associate professor of

biology at McGill University in Montreal, examined the effect of healing

energy on water that was supposed to be used to irrigate plants. After

a group of healers had sent healing energy to samples of water, Grad

chemically analyzed the water by infrared spectroscopy. He discovered

that the water treated by the healers had undergone a fundamental

change in the bonding between the molecules in its molecular make

up. He states, the hydrogen bonds in the water molecules paralleled

molecules that were once exposed to powerful magnets (Grad 200).

This study proves that when someone holds a focused thought, or

intention, they may be altering the very molecular structure of the

object of their intention. The power of intention has not only been

utilized in the watering of plants, but also in the treatment of rare skin

diseases and during complex surgeries.

Psychiatrist C. B. Kidd treated a small group of people with a

mysterious congenital illness called Ichthyosidorm Erythroderma,

commonly referred to as fish skin disease because it covers the

sufferers with fish like scales throughout their bodies. In a study

conducted by Kidd found in the article Congenital ichthyosiform

Erythroderma treated by Hypnosis, five patients were hypnotized

and told to focus on a part of their body and visualize the skin

becoming normal. Within a few weeks, 80 percent of each patients

body had completely healed (Kidd 103). This study exemplifies the

fact that during an altered state of consciousness or meditation where

a specific intention is held, conscious thought can conceive the body to

endure pain, cure serious diseases, and essentially change any

condition.

In the book The Intention Experiment, Lynne McTaggart writes

about a surgeon by the name Dr. Angel Escudero of Valencia, Spain.

This man has carried out more than 900 cases of complex surgery

without anesthesia. In one particular operation, the television network

BBC was invited to record what occurred. McTaggart explains that all

the women was instructed to do was to keep her mouth full of saliva

and keep repeating to herself My leg is anesthetized. (139). This

affirmation is a form of intention. McTaggart states, A dry mouth is one

of the minds first warning signals of danger. When the mouth is kept

lubricated, the brain relaxes and turns off its pain receptors, assured

that anesthetics have been given. (139). The operation continued with

ease, and was a success.

In another remarkable instance of the power of intention was

recorded at Methodist Hospital in Houston by Dr. Bruce Moseley, a

specialist in orthopedics. In a study found in the article A controlled

trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee, he recruited

150 patients with severe osteoarthritis of the knee and divided them

into three groups. Two thirds were given either arthroscopic lavage or

another form of debridement. The third group was given a sham

operation: the patients were prepared for surgery, anesthetized, and

taken into the operating room. No procedure took place. Moseley

states, Over the next two years, during which time none of the

patients knew had received the real operations all three groups

reported moderate improvements in pain and function. In fact, the

placebo group reported better results. (86). Clearly just by preparing

and allowing the mind to expect healing was enough to jump start the

bodys healing mechanisms. The intention, conceptualized by the

expectation of a successful surgery, produced remarkable physical

change.

To many individuals, the studies, theories, and dialogue that I

wrote about in the previous eight pages will be considered to be

pseudo sciences and chalked up as fake. The truth is, these individuals

have been theoretically brainwashed and convinced that there is

absolutely nothing that can be done to change their lives. For example

take my parents. Only a few years ago I became increasingly

fascinated by the power of thoughts. Upon sharing my newly founded

obsession, my own father denounced my findings. He could not believe

that our thoughts have so much power, so he criticized the information

I was reading, and went right back to watching Fox News. Frankly, our

government would rather have a population of individuals who are

unable to see the bigger picture, and unable to truly realize their true

potential. The people who run our country would rather have millions

of uneducated human beings, whose value is only determined during

tax season. All one needs to do is take a look at how our funds are
allocated. We spend quadruple on our military than we do education.

This fact alone is why I refuse to be just another one of the sheep in

the crowd. I promised myself not too long ago to seek the truth, and

nothing less. I compel you to do the same.

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Striving From Unwanted Thoughts and Feelings. Personality and

Social Psychology Bulletin, vol. 34, no. 3, 2008, pp. 381393.,

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Journal of Religion and Health, vol. 55, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1980

1995., doi:10.1007/s10943-016-0204-0.

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Knight, eds.,

Dimensions in Wholistic Healing: New Frontiers in the Treatment

of the Whole

Person (Chicago: Nelson-Hall, 1979), 199-212

Hecht, David. The Neural Basis of Optimism and Pessimism.

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Neurobiology, vol. 22, no. 3, 2013, p. 173.,

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Kidd, C. B.Congenital ichthyosiform Erythroderma treated by

Hypnosis, British Journal of Dermatalogy, 1966; 78: 101-5, as

cited in Barber

McTaggart, Lynne. The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to

Change Your

Life and the World. New York, Atria Paperback, 2013.

Moseley, J. B. A controlled trial of arthroscopic surgery for

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