Tag: placebo

Back in the late 1800s a company sold “Ambition Pills.”

Their ads claimed the pills could cure anything, including sagging motivation.

Today we might call such a pill a placebo, because it’s the belief in the pill that does anything, and not the pill.

These pills contained poison

The problem is, the pills being sold in the 1800s were made with strychnine – a poison.

Take enough of those pills, and you could die.

That’s a pill that does something.

I’d guess that the company didn’t last long and their “Ambition Pills” were taken off the market.

But you can find variations of them today.

People want a “magic pill” – whether a book, a formula, a tool, a technique, or a capsule, to help them overcome what they feel they can’t do on their own.

The thing is, virtually any tool you use is only as effective as your belief in it.

If you don’t believe in something, it generally won’t work for you.

If you don’t believe in the Law of Attraction, for example, your belief will filter all facts and only find any evidence to support your belief.

If you DO believe in the Law of Attraction, by the same token, your belief will cause you to seek and find all the evidence to support THAT belief.

I have a medical doctor friend who says, “All of medicine is just the placebo effect.”

If you look close, you can see what is really at work here:

Belief.

Anyone taking an “Ambition Pill” in the 1800s got results or not due more to their belief than to the pill (which was obviously deadly).

There are even companies today selling pills as stated placebos.

They make no claim at all for their pills.

Honest Placebo Pills

They are simply selling inert pills — and openly telling you so — that you can take to support whatever intention you want.

Obviously, since the pill does nothing, and is made of virtually nothing, the only way it can help you is if you believe it can.

Belief.

There it is again.

Belief.

Knowing that belief is the operating element here ought to make you curious about how to change your limiting or negative beliefs.

You can change them on your own, of course, with hard work and ruthless honestly, but you’ll have much faster results, and an easier time of it, if you simply do one thing:

Get a trained coach.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:

When I hired an expert coach, my life transformed.

That’s why I created Miracles Coaching® almost ten years ago.

It works.

And it can help you, too.

A Miracles Coach can help you see your own beliefs — which, because the beliefs are your “world” and control what you see, you can’t very easily find on your own.

A Miracles Coach can help you change, delete or erase a limiting belief, too, which you may not know how to do by yourself.

And a Miracles Coach can become your ally, friend, and accountability partner in your life adventure.

But I wouldn’t ask you to take just my word for the power of this coaching program.

To see what others are saying about working with a Miracles Coach, just go to http://www.MiraclesCoachingProof.com

Expect Miracles.

Ao Akua,

Joe

PS – You can also get a taste of Miracles Coaching® through the three volumes of questions and answers called The Miracles Manual. These are all yours to read totally free at http://www.MiraclesManual.com

Get all 3 volumes Free

Reading as much as I do, it’s hard to narrow the stacks of great books down to a handful of memorable classics. Here are the top ten books that really stood out and made a difference in my life in 2014:

Best Books 2014

You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero. This may be my favorite book of the year. Yes, there are plenty of self-help books that say virtually the same thing as Sincero’s book, but almost none do it with attitude. I love the humor, honesty, intimacy, personality, and daring of the author. I love the book so much I reached out and interviewed Sincero for my podcast. She’s sincere, funny, open, and a living badass of the polite I-won’t-hurt-you but I’m-going-for-my-dreams-so-stand-back sort. Fun, wise, empowering. Read it.

Spartan Up! by Joe De Sena. This one lit a fire under my butt and made me want to get out and run up steep hills with my shoes on fire. Since I’m already working out intensely, thanks to personally training with Body-for-Life fitness legend Bill Phillips, I didn’t feel compelled to enter a Spartan endurance race. But I found this book inspiring, motivating, and heart pounding. I love his concept of “obstacle immunity,” which means hard core exercise builds inner strength to easily handle the stresses of normal life. He’s right. After intense exercise, traffic is nothing. Great book.

The Science of Living by Emmet Fox. This book clearly explains the teachings of New Thought pioneer Emmet Fox, most famous for his little books, such as The Mental Equivalent and Make Your Life Worthwhile. Though Fox taught and published in the 1930s, The Science of Living is a recent publication based on his private classes with metaphysical students. I love its clarity, plus it made me feel like I was in the room with him. This fully explains what the philosophy of Mind Science is all about. A true gem.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I’ve read this 1937 classic before, of course, but after reading a recent biography of Carnegie (Self-Help Messiah), I decided to read it again. It is a masterpiece. I am in awe of Carnegie’s conversational writing style, powerful stories, and crisp message. I wish just one of my books was this good. The message, while simple, is as relevant today as it was over the last several decades. Priceless.

Making the American Body by Jonathan Black. I found this book hypnotic. It masterfully tells the story of the men and women who shaped fitness in the United States. That may sound boring to you but believe me, the feats, feuds, and fuss of the often egomaniac men and women who urge us to get fit is an entertaining, enlightening, and even appalling read. My only disappointment is the author somehow left out Bill Phillips, who is a living legend in fitness. Otherwise, riveting.

A Moment in Time: The Steve Reeves Story by George Helmer. I’m one of the biggest Reeves collectors in the world. I have the famous body builder/movie star’s gym, car, clothes, trophies, and more. My collection is impressive enough that Lou Ferrigno (The Hulk) came to see it. This long awaited biography, by Reeves’ personal friend and executor of his estate, is mesmerizing. The hundreds of photos are worth the price of admission alone. The stories are alive. It’s a loving tribute to a legend; the definitive biography of the original Hollywood Hercules.

The Devil’s Horn by Michael Segell. As you may know, I’m now a saxophone player. (Afflatus, my baritone sax album, came out last month.) This is the hands-down best book ever written on the dramatic roller-coaster history of the sax, an instrument once considered the “devil’s horn” by some while others swooned to its cool sound. It was once the most popular instrument in the world (until the guitar got plugged in). The man who invented the sax – named (no surprise) Adolphus Sax – went through business failure, ridicule, controversy, political manipulation, envy, and even a death threat. An astonishing book.

The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. Nicholas Herman, later known as Brother Lawrence, lived in France in the 1600’s as a kitchen working monk. He dedicated his life to constantly living, working, playing, and praying “as in His presence” at all times. “His” means God. If the God word pushes a button in you, exchange it for Divinity or something else. This little book of conversations with, and letters by, Brother Lawrence has been changing lives for centuries. It did mine, too, and deeply influenced the writing of my forthcoming book, The Secret Prayer. There are numerous editions of this holy work around, many published in English for the first time around 1895. Highly recommended.

Managing Thought: How Do Your Thoughts Rule Your World? by Mary J. Lore. I love the direct simplicity of this well crafted book. It helps you understand what your thoughts are doing, whether you are aware of them or not. Of course, once you are aware of your thoughts, you are now separate from them and more in control. A practical, inspiring guide.

Willpower: The Owner’s Manual by Frank Martela. This brief book surprised me with the 12 tools it describes for “doing the right thing.” I expected fluff, I got wisdom. People often resist will power, thinking it is pure ego or pure pain, when in reality will power is what you often need to align your desires, achieve your intentions, and attract what you want. Great book. Will yourself to read it.

And here’s a bonus title —

You Are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza. I’m not a fan of so-called scientifically based books describing how the world works, mostly because I can’t follow their terminology and the authors often disagree with each other, but this book is easy reading, easy to understand, and truly eye opening. Dispenza explains how it is possible to heal many “incurables” with thought alone, by detailing how the mind influences everything. In a way, this is a manual on how to create the placebo effect as needed. I read every word. Fascinating.

What about you?

What did you read this year that moved you?

Please post your comment below.

Thank you.

Ao Akua,

Joe

Member BBB 2003 - 2015

PS – My list of best books for 2013 is at http://blog.mrfire.com/best-books-of-2013/

Click to read book free

Later this year I’ll be releasing a new book titled, The Secret Prayer.

It will reveal a three-step formula for attracting miracles through right prayer.

Prayer is a way to activate the Law of Attraction by requesting an intention and inviting inspiration.

In researching, I’m reading really old books, such as Prayer: The Forgotten Secret, from 1906, and really new books, such as Healing Words by Larry Dossey and Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson.

From what I can see, prayer has been around since the beginning of time.

But as we all know, they don’t always seem to work.

So what’s the secret to having a prayer deliver?

Let’s look at incorrect prayer first:

First, I don’t think most people actually believe their prayers. They pray without any real belief that anyone is listening or anything will happen. They simply “toss” one to the sky, like a stranded person on an island throwing a note in a bottle into the ocean. They hope someone picks it up. Then they hope someone acts on their plea.

Second, desperation is the other problem. Most prayers are just begging. People pray for help, solutions, miracles, healing, money and more. But when they pray, it’s often because they don’t see a way out and are pleading for intervention.

Third, most people don’t take action. This is a common thing in the world of metaphysics. People think their praying is action, when it’s really an action, but not the entire blueprint to results.

Again, prayer is a way to activate the Law of Attraction by requesting an intention and inviting inspiration.

So what’s the right way to pray?

“When you put yourself into the state of the wish fulfilled and think from it, you are praying, and in a way your reasoning mind does not know, your wish will become a fact in your world. You can be the man or woman you want to be, when you know how to pray.”  – Neville, The Right Way to Pray, 1967 lecture, http://realneville.com/txt/the_secret_of_prayer.htm

Subliminal and Audible Prayers

First, begin with a spirit of gratitude.

To me, this is the core issue. If we all felt more gratitude for what we have, even the things we complain about, we’d shift our focus, our mind, our thoughts, our energies, our spirit, our direction, our action, and more. Gratitude for the now is the number one way to begin any prayer. When you sincerely do it and feel it, you can stop with this step, too. It’s that powerful.

Second, requesting rather than begging is wiser.

After all, we don’t know the big picture or the whole story. Begging for a certain outcome is an ego trip; it’s pretending we know it all. We don’t. We barely know a tiny percentage of what is happening in our personal world at any one time. A wiser approach is to make a request but acknowledge that something better may be more appropriate. End requests with the phrase, “This or something better.” This step requires faith.

Third, acting on the insights, inspiration, intuition.

We co-create results. The Higher Power (God, Divine, Universe, etc) works through you, not for you. When you see an opportunity, seize it. When you receive an inspiration, act on it. You are the missing ingredient in most results from prayer. The famous joke about the man who prayed to win the lottery but was reminded to buy a ticket, is good to remember.

“Prayer is the effort to bring the human soul into tune with the Infinite.” – W. J. Dawson, Prayer: The Forgotten Secret

My book will explore all this and more when it comes out later in the year. For now, I wanted to give you a crash course in prayer.

If you really want your prayers answered, then follow a proven formula:

1. Be grateful.

2. Detached request.

3. Inspired Action.

Try it today and note the difference.

Expect Miracles.

Ao Akua,

joe

Expect Miracles!

PS – If you have other pointers or stories about prayers that work, please let me know with a comment below. Thank you.

PPS – If you want to explore prayers and music, be sure to check out my latest album http://www.InvokingDivinity.com

Member BBB 2003 - 2015

“Joe, what’s with the beads?”

People sometimes ask me why I wear a string of beads. I’ve been wearing them off and on since 1979. It began as a mala (prayer or meditation necklace) my spiritual teacher at the time asked me to wear. Over the years it evolved into something more.

Wearing beads in The Secret

I wore beads when I was in the movie The Secret, and when I appeared on Donny Deutsch’s television show, The Big Idea.

I didn’t wear them on either of my Larry King Live television appearances and the studio asked me why not after the shows. They considered them part of my outfit.

I learned my lesson. I’m almost never without them today.

Oops. No beads on Larry King.

Why is that?

There are at least four reasons:

1. They were gifts and have sentimental value.

Legendary self-help author and today my dear friend, Debbie Ford, gave me one set years ago. A friend in Dallas made a set for me from rubies. A few sets have come from friends in India. I cherish these gifts. They are loaded with emotional meaning and love to me.

2. They are reminders of the spiritual side of life.

Because malas are usually religious tools, they are like rosaries and prayer beads. I often repeat the ho’oponopono mantra of I love you, I’m sorry, please forgive me and thank you, as I touch each bead, which is similar to what others do with their rosaries and prayers. The necklace is a spiritual reminder.

3. They are power centers.

Some beads are inherently powerful. Rubies are power gems. Rudraksha seeds (which I’ll explain in a moment) are historically potent. They are said to attract prosperity to wearers of them. I like prosperity.

4. They make me look cool.

You’ll have to decide this one, but I think it’s part of my image, or brand. Apparently so did Larry King. Some people wear fancy hats or colorful scarfs. I wear beads.

These beads are part of my secret to success. They not only add to my look, but they are gems infused with power, and help assist me in attracting what I want. They don’t replace action, but they do assist my own action.

Even if you think this is a placebo and it’s all in my mind, isn’t it your mind where *everything* actually takes place?

Please hear me out. This could transform your life. (And no, you don’t have to wear any beads to make this work for you.)

The “mala” or prayer beads I’m wearing these days is a custom made one out of real gold and special seeds called Rudrakskha, or prosperity seeds. It is called The Indrakshi combination. If you are curious, it is described at — http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/dispProduct.php?the-indrakshi-combination–j&prodId=1961

Rudraksha seed

It was put together in a precise, scientific way, by a woman named Neeta Singhal. She is a leading pioneer in the world today on Rudraksha Ratna Science Therapy. She has been practicing this since 1997.

This is not religious but is very spiritual, and is very scientific. Rudraksha beads open up the chakras in your body in an unbelievably short time — in less than 3 days.

This starts the process of physical and emotional healing. These miracle items from Neeta enhance your aura (energy field) and help you attract wealth, good relationships, and success.

Click to consult with Neetaji

The secret, however, is to string the Rudraksha beads in the correct manner. This is the exact art Neeta has mastered and wants to share with you.

I’m not the only one to feel this way. Here’s an email I received (used here with his kind permission):

I just saw your recent testimonial on Ms. Neeta's site:
>> www.rudraksha-ratna.com <http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com>.  I have been a
>> customer of Ms. Neeta for several years and it all started with me
>> obtaining a 19 mukhi Rudraksha from her back in August 2010. Slowly I
>> have been very fortunate to be a care taker of the splendid Indrakshi
>> Mala which I see you wear as well based on your testimonial.  I
>> purchased this Mala for my 32nd Birthday this October.  It was this or a
>> gold Watch which I had been eyeing.  Believe it or not After purchasing
>> the mala a few weeks later I got a watch which was much more amazing
>> that I wanted and I did not have to pay a single dime for it (I traded a
>> gem which i wanted to sell for a while).  I can give you countless
>> examples of rare mystical transformations after wearing different types
>> of Rudraksha beads.
>>
>> I truly believe I am fortunate to be able to wear such a mala and I can
>> attest, just as you can, the splendid power of rudraksha and this mala.
>>
>> I wanted to reach out to you since I have watched The Secret and I truly
>> believe that the Indrakshi Mala is a manifestation of the positive
>> thought vibration as discussed in your videos.
>>
>> There is very little information of personal experiences of those who
>> wear the Indrakshi mala because it is such a rare possession.  I would
>> like to open a dialogue in to let the world know more about this Mala
>> and mystic bead.
>>
>> God Bless,
>>
>> Dr. Gurpreet Khurana

You can discover more for yourself with a personal consultation from Neeta. You’ll find it eye-opening and useful. Neeta will give suggestions for you on —

* Chakra analysis
* Astrological interpretation
* New types of affirmations
* Suggestions for mantras
* Suggestions for the right gems for you to wear
* Suggestions for Yantras to place in your home
* Rudrasksha suggestions (not just for wearing, as you can also carry them in your pocket or purse, etc)

The list goes on.

What will Neeta say about you?

Just go to — http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/write-to-neetaji.php — and select the middle section titled “Email consultation with Neeta Singhal.”

I do not make a dime from my endorsing her. I simply believe this is a great service and she’s a wise woman. This may be the ticket you need to jump to the next level in your life.

I’d be curious to know what she suggests for you.

Go see.

Ao Akua,

joe

PS – Below is a clip of me in Chicago answering a question about my beads.

Member BBB 2003 - 2013