Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind Paperback – October 22, 2008

Joe Dispenza is a holistic chiropractor. He came into very deep understandings of the mind-body connection early in his career, when he suffered multiple spinal fractures in being knocked off his bike by a speeding car. He was given very strong advice from several neurosurgeons to have extensive surgery, with warnings that without surgical interventions he was likely to end up paralyzed from the chest down. Despite these dire predictions, he refused surgery and chose to use conservative physical measures and intensive meditative and imagery exercises. His personal success was a big boost to him in furthering his holistic career.Dispenza has gone on to help many other people deal with their physical problems through mind-body interventions. He shares much that is helpful to those who want to know how to help themselves, from his rich experiences in these approaches.The people I spoke with who experienced a spontaneous remission believed that a higher order or intelligence lived within him or her. Whether they called in their divine, spiritual, or subconscious mind, they accepted that an inner power was giving them life every moment, and that it knew more than they, as humans, could ever know. Furthermore, if they could just tap into this intelligence, they could direct it to start working for them.” (p. 39)He explains when we change our views of the world and our relationships with the world, we can change our physical states of being. I find it peculiar, however that Dispenza prefers the term ‘spontaneous remission’ to describe recoveries from medically incurable problems. In my view, these are truly ‘remarkable recoveries.’ (Benor, web reference)Dispenza presents clear explanations of the theoretical basis for his approaches.If you think that our brain – being the site of us, or our consciousness– has the capacity to change possibility into actuality, think again. According to quantum physics, the brain itself consists of quantum possibilities before we measure it, before we observe with it. If we, our consciousness, were a brain product, we would be possibilities as well, and our “coupling” with the object would change neither the object nor us (our brain) from possibility to actuality. Face it! Possibility coupled to possibility only makes a bigger possibility.The paradox only thickens if you think of yourself dualistically– you as a nonmaterial dual entity, not bound by quantum laws and separate from your brain. But if you are nonmaterial, then how do you interact with your brain, with which you have not a thing in common? This is dualism, a philosophy intractable as a science.There is a third way of thinking, and this one leads to a paradigm shift. Your consciousness is the primary fabric of reality, and matter (including the brain and the object you are observing) exists within this fabric as quantum possibilities. Your observation consists of choosing from the possibilities the one facet that becomes the actuality of your experience.

This book was no easy read. I'm not slow, but the book contained a lot of science and technical information.Some people who posted critical reviews felt that there was too much science and technical language. I disagree.First of all, it took me a few WEEKS to get through this book. I really had to focus, as I don't have a medical background and knew little about the human brain.Despite the fact that it was somewhat challenging for me, I read the entire book because A) I'm devoted to learning and overcoming my negative patterns. B) I'm tired of books that give you all the spiritual or self-help fluff, with NO explanation of why it works, or what's going on behind the scenes. I appreciate the nuts-and-bolts information offered in this book because now I truly and fully appreciate exactly why my thoughts matter. I believed it mattered before. But now I understand exactly what's going on in my brain and body and have such an appreciation for my being and I appreciate what the process is, and how to better honor myself, physically and emotionally. It just lends credibility to the positive thinking ideology and furthermore, it really explains how we can spiral into negative thinking and precisely how this affects us, on a cellular level. He saves the awesome quantum part for the final 10 pages in his epilogue. In any event, I was glad that I trooped through the entire book. I am now reading his second book "Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself" which is really an easier read, more edited and more tailored to being your "how to" guide. He says it was intended as a companion book to "Evolve Your Brain". I am excited to have this extra knowledge in my toolbox, as I continue to learn, grow, appreciate my mind and brain, and heal my mind and life. I think Dr. Dispenza has done us all a service by writing these books.

I have been reading this book off and on for at least the last 10 years. The brain is fascinating to me as a former teacher, reading intervention specialist, and author of twenty books supporting self-care and living in the NOW, aware of life while in it. My great study NOW is the Frontal Lobe and mastering my Mental Plane self-talk to live abundantly at age 76 and beyond. "Novel" tasks keep the blood flowing so I'm working constantly to reach a million hearts about putting self-care first to never miss another moment of your extraordinary gift of LIFE. There are so many "novel" challenges NOW. I'll keep reading! PJ Zito

I like to know the details of how something works. Author does a great job of explaining of how the brain actually functions. It is a great foundation for Dispenza's following publications. Could be about 8 pages shorter. Lol.