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Shariq Anis Aug 23, 2020
Can deep trance hypnosis have an effect on a cellular level?
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Can deep trance hypnosis have an effect on a cellular level?
Can your brain affect the cells in your body and govern their functions subconsciously? Can you train your brain to consciously modify cellular functions? The therapeutic implications associated with this idea are exemplary.
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Creative contributions
Joe Dispenza's Evolve your Brain
In His book Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind, Joe describes how he used his power of mind to recover from an impossible point. Joe recounts his personal story when he was in a life threatening accident having his spine fractured in multiple place and was faced with option for surgery that would put metal rods in his back for recuperation, which could be as long as an year. He forewent the back surgery and opted for visualization, hypnotic trance and alternative medicine to restore his body to complete vitality within 10 weeks.
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The biology of belief
I would like to direct you to the book “the biology of belief” by Bruce H. Lipton, PhD.
The book presents the mind body connection and backs it using scientific studies. Latest (when the book came out) scientific discoveries that elucidate the biochemical mechanisms underlying the brain’s functioning indicate that the cells of our body can be affected by our thoughts. The book describes the ways in which this can happen, in great detail. The genetic code cannot be changed (in a natural healthy way); however, the epigenetic marks on the DNA can be modified and they are targeted. Environment, and how we perceive it, plays a big role in the way we function. Similarly, each cell in our body functions depending upon the external signals. The nucleus, although being the master regulator, obeys and reacts to these external signals. The author, therefore, attaches more importance to the cell membrane that receives these external signals.
A connection between the brain and the cells is possible. Practicing and mastering it may be possible for some.
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Using the brain-body connection to battle diseases
The brain-body connection can also be applied to diseases. Here is a proof-of-concept.
Researchers developed an enriched group housing environment for mice and placed one group of mice there and another group in regular solo cages. The authors introduced tumors in mice from both these groups. They found that the mice living in the enriched environment showed reduced tumor growth and increased tumor remission. Moreover, the tumor disappeared in some cases. They further deduced the pathway from the enriched environment to tumor-remission and found that the enriched environment led to the over-expression of the hypothalamic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which further activated a cascade of events leading to tumor-remission. Blocking BDNF blocked this effect of the enriched environment, suggesting that the brain can control the cells in the body. Along with tumor suppression, the enriched environment had positive effects on other organs studied. [1]
Reference:
1. Cao L, Liu X, Lin E-JD, Wang C, Choi EY, Riban V, et al. Environmental and genetic activation of a brain-adipocyte BDNF/leptin axis causes cancer remission and inhibition. Cell [Internet]. 2010 Jul 9 [cited 2013 Sep 25];142(1):52–64. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20603014
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Using brain to influence body impulses
Yes, Bruce Lipton's works are very inspiring. I have read and enjoyed his Biology of Belief. Further, I have found Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and hypnosis to be effective tools in controlling body sensations. Simple visualization of pain[1] [2] as a color or shape and imagining changing shape and color often shifts pain sensations. Advanced treatments may involve full evoking full VAKOG (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory and Gustatory). Associate into or being part of the experience initially and then disassociating or changing modalities to experience corresponding change in accompanying sensations. Techniques like these have been used successfully in phobia cure, pain management, programming for release of fear and enhancing motivation to name a few. I being a Master Practitioner in NLP have learnt to experience some of these techniques and there are many other creative and therapeutic applications
Reference:
1. https://www.the-secret-of-mindpower-and-nlp.com/Chronic-pain-management.html
2. https://www.wcecongress.com/wp-content/uploads/NLP-and-relief-of-chronic-pain.pdf
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The effect of faith on the brain
We can take the influence of religion on the brain as an example to discuss the issue of belief and the brain. Researchers from the University of Utah School of Medicine in the United States conducted a study. They claimed that the way that religion and spiritual experience activate the brain's reward circuit is similar to love, sex, gambling, drugs, and music. This research has been published in "Social Neuroscience". The researchers established an environment that would make the participants "feel the spirit", in order to determine which brain network is related to the mental feelings, and the subjects were a group of devout Mormons. Recognizing that this feeling of peace and intimacy with God is a very important part of the lives of Mormons, and they make decisions based on these feelings, taking these feelings as a guarantee of doctrinal principles, and viewing them as the main part of communication with God the way. In an FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scan, 19 young adult church members (7 women and 12 men) completed 4 tasks as responses to content that caused mental sensations. The researchers collected detailed evaluations of the subjects’ feelings, and the subjects generally claimed that they experienced a strong sense of worship. They describe these feelings as peaceful, physical warmth. Based on FMRI scans, researchers found that this powerful mental sensation is reproducible and is related to the activation of nucleus accumben, which is an important brain area responsible for processing reward sensations. Peak activity occurred 1 to 3 seconds before the subject pressed the button, and it recurred in each task. When the subjects experienced intense sensations, their hearts beat faster and their breaths deeper. In addition to the brain's reward circuit, the researchers also found that mental sensations are related to the medial prefrontal cortex, which is a complex brain area activated by tasks related to evaluation, judgment, and moral reasoning. Mental sensations can also activate areas of the brain related to concentration. We can see that religion has an impact on the brain, so is the impact of belief on the brain's processes similar?